You want to train for a building trade through an apprenticeship and you have just discovered the rules have changed this year. In 2026, several BTP vocational qualifications have been revised, a new level-5 title has been created, and the apprenticeship hiring grants have changed. What follows sets out what concretely changes for your September intake.
In short: in January 2026 the Ministry of Labour revised the bricklayer (maçon) and formwork setter (coffreur-bancheur) vocational titles (level 3), the latter now covering low-carbon concrete, and created the building electrical design draughtsman title (dessinateur projeteur en électricité du bâtiment, level 5), registered in the RNCP from 17 May 2026. On the national education side, a BP Peintre applicateur de revêtements (professional certificate in paint and coating application) has been created and the mentions complémentaires have become certificats de spécialisation (specialisation certificates). For employers, the State's apprenticeship hiring grant ranges from €750 to €6,000 depending on company size and the level being prepared: €5,000 for a CAP or a level-3 title in a company with fewer than 250 employees.
For all the construction jobs that are hiring and the work-study courses from CAP to engineering degree, read our guide to construction (BTP) careers through work-study.
Which BTP vocational qualifications are new or updated in 2026?
Vocational titles are created and revised by order (arrêté) of the Ministry of Labour, then registered in the RNCP for a limited period. For 2026, three texts stand out:
- Formwork setter (coffreur-bancheur), revised title (order of 8 January 2026): level 3, registered for five years from 4 March 2026. Its four skills blocks cover conventional or low-carbon reinforced-concrete structures, built with traditional or panel formwork, the installation of prefabricated elements and the construction of raft foundations, floor slabs and bridge decks — with good plan reading as a must.
- Bricklayer (maçon), revised title (order of 8 January 2026): level 3, registered for five years from 22 February 2026.
- Building electrical design draughtsman (dessinateur projeteur en électricité du bâtiment), new title (order of 19 February 2026): level 5 (bac+2), registered from 17 May 2026, with three blocks covering computer-aided drafting (DAO), sizing with computer-aided design (CAO) tools and design files produced in a BIM process. It meets the need for design-office technicians in the BTP sector.
Before signing, check on the France Compétences website that the title you want is active in the RNCP and that your training centre is approved: this is what guarantees the value of your certification.
The table below summarises the main new entries and their level.
| Title | Level | 2026 status | Core trade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formwork setter (vocational title) | 3 (CAP) | Revised (order of 8 January 2026) | Structural work |
| Bricklayer (vocational title) | 3 (CAP) | Revised (order of 8 January 2026) | Structural work |
| Building electrical design draughtsman | 5 (bac+2) | Created (order of 19 February 2026) | Design office |
| BP Peintre applicateur de revêtements (paint and coating applicator) | 4 (bac) | Created (order of 26 February 2026), first session in 2028 | Finishing |
| CAP Constructeur de routes et d'aménagements urbains (road and urban development builder) | 3 (CAP) | Updated (order of 13 December 2024) | Public works |
Other finishing-trade titles, such as façade painter (façadier-peintre) or floor layer (solier-moquettiste), are not new: they have existed since 2003 and their syllabuses were revised in 2022.
What role do CQPs and specialisation certificates play?
CQPs (Certificats de Qualification Professionnelle) are created by the joint committees of the BTP sector branches. They provide a targeted skill, often sought after by employers:
- site supervision (team leader, site foreman);
- waterproofing and external thermal insulation (ITE);
- metalwork and joinery (fitting, layout);
- energy retrofitting (installation, control);
- off-site construction (prefabricated modules, assembly).
They are prepared in particular under a professionalisation contract. On the national education side, the mentions complémentaires have been called certificats de spécialisation (specialisation certificates) since 1 January 2025 (decree no. 2023-824 of 25 August 2023): these short courses, taken after a CAP or a vocational bac, also let you add a speciality to your path.
What grants are available to BTP companies hiring an apprentice in 2026?
The apprenticeship hiring grant is paid by the State for the first year of the contract. For contracts signed since 8 March 2026 (decree no. 2026-168 of 6 March 2026), its amount depends on the size of the company and the level being prepared:
| Diploma or title prepared | Fewer than 250 employees | 250 employees or more |
|---|---|---|
| Up to bac level (CAP, BP, vocational bac, level-3 or level-4 titles) | €5,000 | €2,000 |
| Bac+2 (BTS, level-5 title) | €4,500 | €1,500 |
| Bac+3 to bac+5 | €2,000 | €750 |
| Apprentice recognised as a disabled worker | €6,000 max | €6,000 max |
In practice, a structural-work company with fewer than 250 employees that signs an apprentice on a CAP or on the bricklayer vocational title receives €5,000 for the first year. Constructys, the construction sector's OPCO, funds the training according to the funding levels in force and advises companies.
For candidates who do not yet meet all the prerequisites, pre-hiring training schemes exist: the AFPR (Action de Formation Préalable au Recrutement) and the POEI (Préparation Opérationnelle à l'Emploi Individuelle), arranged with France Travail, or the POEC (Préparation Opérationnelle à l'Emploi Collective), funded by the OPCOs.
For a candidate, pre-hiring training (AFPR, POEI or POEC) means learning the first gestures of the trade even before the contract is signed.
Which national-education diplomas are changing?
The Ministry of National Education is also updating its building and public works diplomas:
- BP Peintre applicateur de revêtements (paint and coating applicator): a new brevet professionnel speciality (level 4) created by order of 26 February 2026, with a first exam session in 2028.
- CAP Constructeur de routes et d'aménagements urbains (road and urban development builder): speciality updated by order of 13 December 2024.
- Certificats de spécialisation (formerly mentions complémentaires): new name since 1 January 2025.
Like those affecting the vocational titles, these changes incorporate digital tools (BIM, CAD), the ecological transition (low-carbon concrete, energy retrofitting) and site safety: all skills valued by companies.
How do I apply for a new BTP qualification through apprenticeship?
Three steps to convert the chance:
- Find the qualification that matches your project on the France Compétences website or with Constructys. Check that the CFA or training organisation you are looking at is properly approved for the qualification concerned.
- Prepare an application that shows your hands-on skill: internship, personal building project, DIY, voluntary work. The sector values concrete evidence more than grades alone. Take inspiration from our 2026 apprenticeship CV guide to highlight these elements.
- Apply early: the best BTP companies select their apprentices between March and July for a September intake. Check the apprenticeship job offers every week and don't hesitate to send spontaneous applications to local tradespeople and SMEs in your area.
To compare the two main contracts and choose between apprenticeship and professionalisation based on your situation, read our comparison apprenticeship or professionalisation. If you are targeting a trade in tension and want to know the sector's hiring outlook, you can also check our analysis of the companies hiring apprentices in 2026 or browse the apprenticeship trades to identify the BTP speciality that suits you, from structural work to finishing.
What pay for an apprentice on a new BTP qualification?
Pay follows the legal apprenticeship scale: a percentage of the SMIC (€1,867.02 gross per month since 1 June 2026) that rises with your age and your year of contract. Some BTP collective agreements provide for more favourable minimums than the legal floor: check the one that applies to your company.
To estimate your pay based on your age and your apprenticeship year, use the salary simulator from SuperAlternance: it calculates the legal minimum, which you can then compare with the minimums set by your collective agreement.
To find out more about the financial aids you can stack (local authority driving licence aids, housing, equipment, mobility), see our financial aids page dedicated to apprentices and our guide to the driving licence aid.
The key points to remember before applying
- Bricklayer and formwork setter: level-3 vocational titles revised in January 2026, with low-carbon concrete on the formwork setter's syllabus.
- Building electrical design draughtsman: new level-5 title, registered from 17 May 2026.
- State hiring grant: €5,000 for a CAP or a level-3 title in a company with fewer than 250 employees (contracts signed since 8 March 2026).
- AFPR, POEI and POEC: pre-hiring training to get into the trade before the contract is signed.
- Equipment: plan for your site safety equipment and find out about the first equipment aids.
With renewed syllabuses and trades in tension, the 2026 intake remains a good window to sign an apprenticeship contract in the BTP sector.