AFEST in work-study 2026: 55 new RNCP certifications for learning on the job

A new way of learning is taking hold in work-study contracts: AFEST (Action de Formation En Situation de Travail). In July 2026, France Compétences registered 55 new certifications in the RNCP that put this teaching method at the heart of pathways, plus 28 new entries in the Specific Directory (RS). For apprentices, training centres and host companies, this is a real change that complements — without replacing — centre-based teaching.

In summary: AFEST, framed by decree n° 2018-1251 and article L. 6313-2, 3° of the Labour Code, allows learning on the real job, by alternating hands-on situations and reflection phases. On 17 July 2026, France Compétences added 55 RNCP certifications and 28 RS entries, including one dedicated to 'Training within an AFEST framework', and several HR or engineering titles that explicitly provide for work-based learning phases. Since 11 June 2026, training organisations have also been required to register skills blocks on Mon Compte Formation — an obligation that values modular pathways and AFEST.

What exactly is AFEST?

AFEST is defined in article L. 6313-2, 3° of the Labour Code and detailed by decree n° 2018-1251 of 14 December 2018, issued under the 5 September 2018 'Avenir professionnel' law. Its official definition has four features:

1. Real workplace situations, organised from a prior analysis of the activity.
2. Reflection phases, i.e. dedicated time to analyse what was done, understood and learned.
3. A designated AFEST trainer, trained in the method — not necessarily the direct manager.
4. Traceability of outcomes, to enable assessment and, where relevant, certification.

In practice, an apprentice on AFEST is not 'left' on a job to watch others: they do, reflect with a trainer, progress and evaluate what they have acquired. It is sometimes called 'learning by doing — and understanding why you do it'.

'AFEST is not a watered-down training: it is demanding and requires a precise framing of the activity, a trained trainer, and dedicated reflection time.' — French Ministry of Labour, AFEST vademecum.

Why is AFEST expanding in 2026?

Three converging drivers explain the current acceleration.

First, the publication of the France Compétences vademecum in January 2026 (Commission for Professional Certification of 17 December 2025), which clarifies expectations in terms of activity analysis, trainer designation and assessment. For CFAs and companies, the regulatory framework is now clearer.

Second, the 55 new RNCP certifications of 17 July 2026: among them, 'Manager des ressources humaines' (ECEMA, 3IL), 'Chargé des ressources humaines' (Groupe IGS - CIEFA), 'Conseiller en emploi accompagné', and several engineering titles that explicitly include a work-based learning component. A dedicated certification for 'Training within an AFEST framework' is entering the RS, helping professionalise internal trainers.

Finally, the obligation to record skills blocks on Mon Compte Formation since 11 June 2026 (transitional period until 22 October 2026). This obligation, set out in article L. 6323-6 of the Labour Code, favours modular pathways: an apprentice can validate a precise block (e.g. 'diagnose an electrical network') acquired through AFEST, and have it recognised without waiting until the end of the full cycle.

AFEST and apprenticeship contracts: what you need to know

AFEST is compatible with apprenticeship, but it does not replace centre hours. The Labour Code sets minimum teaching volumes per training cycle. As an illustration:

AFEST comes in addition to centre hours. It can be used to prepare specific blocks, in agreement with the CFA and the employer, provided it is properly documented. For apprentices, this is a way to anchor what they learn more deeply in real situations.

⚠️ In a professionalisation contract or continuing training, the picture is different: AFEST can occupy a larger share of the pathway, with no legal hourly cap, as long as the method is followed.

How does an AFEST sequence unfold in a company?

AFEST is not improvised: it follows a four-step template, inherited from the method piloted by the Anact-Aract network from 2015 and taken up by the 2018 decree.

1. Prior analysis of the activity. The company identifies the training-rich work situations, the target skills, and the progression indicators. This step is done with the CFA.
2. Designation and training of the AFEST trainer. The trainer is a willing employee, trained in the method (a few days are enough). They are not necessarily the apprenticeship tutor, even if the two roles can be combined.
3. Repeated work placements. The apprentice is placed in real, progressive situations, with precise instructions and hot feedback.
4. Reflection phase. After the placement, a structured time allows the apprentice to articulate what they did, why, and what they take from it. This is often the most formative moment.

For further reading, the Anact-Aract network publishes free guides by sector, and France Compétences provides the January 2026 vademecum detailing each step's expectations.

What concrete benefits for the apprentice?

AFEST is especially suited to learners who struggle to transfer what they learn in the classroom to the workplace. Several studies (Céreq, France Compétences) highlight stronger skill anchoring and higher motivation, provided the method is well implemented.

For an apprentice, AFEST enables them to:

• acquire professional gestures contextualised in a real environment;
• build a portfolio of situations, useful for skills block validation and for job interviews;
• develop a reflective stance, valued by recruiters;
• have their learning recognised even in the event of a company change or contract termination (documentation is the key).

How to set up AFEST in your CFA or company?

If you run a CFA:

1. In your RNCP catalogue, identify titles that include AFEST (many of the 55 new certifications of July 2026).
2. Train at least one AFEST referent per site, and formalise an activity-analysis procedure.
3. Update apprenticeship agreements and welcome booklets to mention AFEST where relevant.
4. Register the skills blocks on Mon Compte Formation before 22 October 2026, or your courses will disappear from the CPF catalogue.

If you are a host company:

1. Identify one or two employees likely to take on the AFEST trainer role (experienced operators, willing tutors).
2. Define with the CFA the skills to be targeted through AFEST, in line with the diploma's reference framework.
3. Plan reflection time in the weekly schedule (30 to 60 minutes per sequence is enough).
4. Document the sequences: dates, objectives, observations, progressions.

If you are an apprentice:

1. Ask your CFA whether it offers an AFEST module or whether an RNCP certification you are preparing integrates this method.
2. If so, suggest to your apprenticeship tutor a short sequence on a specific skill.
3. Keep written records of your work placements: they are valuable material for your dissertation, exam and job interview.

💡 AFEST is not meant to replace the CFA or the school: it reinforces workplace anchoring, to the benefit of the apprentice, the company and the CFA.

AFEST and the CPF: an effect to watch

With the skills block registration obligation since 11 June 2026, and the 22 October 2026 deadline for compliance, AFEST should gain visibility in the continuing training market. Workers in professional transition will more easily be able to use their CPF to validate a block acquired on the job — including in self-training, when the sequence is supervised by an AFEST trainer and documented.

To track the evolution of your RNCP title, consult directly the France Compétences portal and the Mon Compte Formation platform. For work-study, our training listings and work-study offers pages let you quickly identify pathways that integrate AFEST.

For apprentices already preparing a title, the rise of AFEST is good news: more real-world anchoring, more recognition of what they learn, and an additional lever to boost your professional integration after graduation.