Summer is in full swing, terraces are packed… and restaurants are short-staffed. If you're unsure about your path, hospitality and catering is one of the easiest sectors in which to land a work-study contract in 2026.
In short: hospitality and catering remains an engine of French employment, with 319,000 recruitment projects in 2026 according to France Travail's Workforce Needs (BMO) survey, 44% of them considered hard to fill. Kitchen assistants, multi-skilled staff and waiters are among the most sought-after jobs in the country. The result: an apprenticeship contract is easier to sign here than elsewhere, from the CAP to the BTS.
Why choose hospitality work-study?
It is one of the 11 priority sectors identified by France Travail, which together concentrate most of tomorrow's jobs. The tourism rebound and seasonality keep demand for staff constant — demand employers struggle to meet.
Concretely, the three most sought-after job families in 2026 are:
- kitchen assistants and multi-skilled catering staff: around 97,000 recruitment projects;
- café and restaurant waiters: around 94,000 projects;
- reception and hotel roles (front desk, housekeeping, floor supervisor).
In a sector where 44% of recruitments are hard to fill, a motivated candidate trained through work-study has a real head start.
For the apprentice, the upside is twofold: a job that genuinely hires, and training funded while you earn a wage. Browse the work-study careers to spot the one that fits you.
What courses, from CAP to BTS?
The sector offers a complete pathway, fully available through apprenticeship in a CFA. Each level has its diploma:
| Level | Diploma | Typical role |
|---|---|---|
| CAP | Cuisine · Sales and service in hotel-café-restaurant | Kitchen commis, floor commis |
| Mention complémentaire (1 year) | Restaurant dessert chef, bartender… | Specialisation after the CAP |
| Bac pro (3 years) | Cuisine · Sales and service in catering | Chef de partie, head waiter |
| BTS (2 years) | Hospitality and Catering Management (BTS MHR) | Deputy manager, maître d'hôtel |
The CAP Cuisine is open right after middle school, with no prior diploma: it's the ideal entry point, including for career changers. Beyond it, the Bac pro adds a managerial and commercial culture, while the BTS MHR unlocks roles with responsibility (management, hotel marketing, team leadership).
The rhythm alternates weeks in the company and weeks at the CFA (often one week in two at CAP level, one week a month at BTS). You learn the professional craft where it counts: in the kitchen and the dining room.
How much does an apprentice earn, and what aid?
An apprentice's pay follows the legal apprenticeship scale: a percentage of the SMIC that rises with age and contract year, plus the perks of the sector's collective agreement (meals provided, food allowances). To know your exact net salary for your situation, use the pay simulator.
On top of that, as in any work-study, come several financial aids: housing, mobility, driving-licence help or the trades student card. Enough to ease the budget of a young person starting out.
How to land your work-study this summer?
The sector hires all year, but summer is a strategic window: venues recruit for the season and are already preparing September contracts. A few reflexes to turn the trial into a hire:
- Apply early and wide. Check the work-study offers every week and apply without waiting for term to start.
- Bet on the spontaneous application. Many catering jobs are never advertised: knock on the doors of venues in your town.
- Showcase your soft skills. People skills, stamina, teamwork: these count as much as the diploma.
- Stay responsive. You can sign up to three months after your training starts, but the best spots go fast.
The context is on your side: as our analysis of the 2026 work-study market confirms, momentum is picking up and high-tension sectors like hospitality offer the best chance of signing. It's yours to seize — the season won't wait.