Apprenticeship

Apprenticeships are coming to architecture schools!
In 2019, the École d'architecture de la ville & des territoires Paris-Est opened its very first apprenticeship-based architecture training program to 3rd-year undergraduate students. In 2020, building on the success of the first class, it continued the experiment with 1st-year Master's students, and in 2021 with 2nd-year Master's students. Today, nearly ninety apprentices are enrolled, from L3 to M2.

Presentation and special features

The École's apprenticeship programs are top-notch, fast-paced courses. They enable apprentices, also known as "alternants", to gain maturity, learn to organize their day-to-day tasks and work more effectively on each subject. These courses are in line with the school's dynamic pedagogical approach, building partnerships and bridges with the professional world. In the Master's program, apprenticeships are offered in one of the four streams; there is no Master's program dedicated to apprenticeships. Becoming an apprentice enables students to improve their understanding of the professional world, finance their studies and optimize their chances of finding a position that matches their career aspirations once they graduate.
For companies, recruiting an apprentice means contributing to the training of tomorrow's professionals.

Apprenticeship bachelor's and master's degree presentation video

General organization of the sandwich course

Bachelor 3 & Master 1 and 2

• two days a week at the School of Architecture ;
• three days a week at the company;
• tutorials and lectures duplicated and dedicated to apprentices, and courses shared with the rest of the class;
• individual pedagogical and professional support.

Organization of courses

• L3: teaching of a dedicated architectural project;
• Master: access to all four courses (Architecture & Experience, Elements, structure & architecture, Fragments, Transformation) and identical courses for students and apprentices.

Apprentice follow-up

• pedagogical and academic supervision*: provided by the École d'architecture de la ville & des territoires via an academic tutor;
• vocational supervision*: provided by an apprentice master appointed by the company;
• contractual component: handled by le center de formation d'apprentis Descartes (CFA Descartes) via a digital platform.

Admission

Apprenticeships are open to anyone aged 16 to 29 and/or older, provided they are already studying for an apprenticeship, are setting up a business or are disabled.
Find out more about apprenticeships

For companies
The conditions for receiving aid for hiring an apprentice are different if the contract was signed before January 1, 2025, between January 1 and February 23, 2025, or from February 24, 2025.
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Genesis and training partners

The French Ministry of Culture has commissioned the École d'architecture de la ville & des territoires to study the feasibility and relevance of setting up an apprenticeship training program. In the context of dense and demanding architectural studies, the aim was to offer a supervised professional experience, without altering the quality of teaching or increasing the length of training. The École d'architecture chose to launch this excellent course in the 3rd year of the bachelor's degree, supporting 20 students selected on the basis of applications, and then opening up the master's degree courses to apprenticeship, enabling students to continue their studies in the same way until they obtain their architect's diploma.

Thanks to the support of the Commission paritaire pour l'emploi et la formation professionnelle de la Branche Architecture, the Syndicat de l'Architecture, the Union nationale des syndicats français des architectes, the Conseil national de l'ordre des Architectes and a number of architectural agencies, the School has obtained authorization from the Île-de-France region to open an apprenticeship program.

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