OPCOs (Competence Operators) have become key players in the French professional landscape. Born from the transformation of OPCAs (Accredited Joint Collecting Organizations), these organizations play a major role in the financing and implementation of professional training. But what exactly is their role and how do they fit into professional training?
What is an OPCO?
The OPCO, or Skills Operator, is an organization whose main mission is to support vocational training. It is responsible for ensuring the financing of apprenticeship contracts and professionalization contracts, in connection with companies and professional branches. It complements the actions implemented by the companies themselves for the development of their employees.
The role of the OPCO
The role of the OPCO is based on several key missions:
The OPCO plays a financial role by covering some or all of the costs associated with vocational training, whether as part of apprenticeship or vocational training contracts. This funding is essential to ensure the implementation and sustainability of training courses. In addition to financing, OPCO is also a consulting organization. It supports companies in defining their training needs and orients them to the most appropriate solutions.
OPCOs are responsible for collecting financial contributions from companies dedicated to training. This collection is essential to ensure the financing of training courses and the implementation of skills development actions. Thanks to their proximity to business sectors and businesses, OPCOs facilitate exchanges and networking between the various actors, whether they are training operators, employers or employees. OPCOs also have the mission of monitoring changes in the labor market, jobs and skills. They thus actively contribute to the forecasting and preparation of employees and businesses for the challenges of tomorrow.
Finally, OPCOs carry out an essential mission of financing, advice, and networking. They actively contribute to the development of skills of employees and to the competitiveness of companies. In a world in constant evolution, where training and adaptability are key, OPCOs appear to be essential partners for companies and their employees.
The reform of OPCOs: A necessary transition
The transition from OPCAs to OPCOs is not just a simple terminological change. It is part of a comprehensive reform of vocational training initiated by the 2018 “Professional Future” law. But what does this transition really mean?
- Restructuring : Before the reform, France had around twenty OPCAs. With the transition to OPCOs, this number has been reduced to 11, each covering one or more business sectors. This restructuring aims to simplify and optimize the landscape of vocational training.
- Redefining missions : The OPCOs have inherited the main missions of the OPCAs while being given new responsibilities. Among these, the financing of work-study courses and advice to micro-SMEs.
- Focus on learning : With the reform, OPCOs have become the key players in the promotion and financing of apprenticeships, considered as an essential lever for the employability of young people.
- Proximity to businesses : One of the ambitions of the transition from OPCAs to OPCOs is to strengthen proximity with businesses, especially SMEs, to better meet their training needs.
In short, the reform of OPCOs reflects a desire to modernise and optimize the vocational training system in France. It places OPCOs as privileged partners of companies and employees in their quest for excellence and adaptability.
Distribution and allocation of OPCOs: a meticulous structuring
At the heart of the reform of vocational training in France, the Accredited Joint Collecting Organizations (OPCA) have given way to Competence Operators (OPCOs). But how are these OPCOs distributed? How is a company awarded to a particular OPCO?
- Distribution by professional branches : The distribution of OPCOs is mainly based on professional branches. Indeed, the transition from the OPCA to the OPCO was marked by a major restructuring: the number of organizations increased from twenty to 11 OPCOs. Each of them covers one or more sectors of activity. This restructuring aims to group professional branches according to the similarity of their skills needs, an approach that promotes better synergy and efficiency in the implementation of training actions.
- Attribution of companies to an OPCO : The attribution of a company to an OPCO is based on its main activity, often defined by the NAF code (Nomenclature of French Activities) assigned by INSEE. If a company operates in several sectors of activity, it is its main activity that determines its connection. This organization ensures that the specific training needs of each sector are taken into account with precision and expertise.
Impact of OPCOs on vocational training: a welcome development
With the advent of OPCOs, the vocational training has experienced renewed momentum. These organizations, in close collaboration with companies, employees, and professional branches, have an undeniable impact on the evolution of skills in France.
- Redefining training needs : OPCOs, thanks to their proximity to the sectors they cover, have a better understanding of skills needs. They can thus identify priority training courses, guaranteeing a match between the training offer and the needs of the labor market.
- Strengthened financial support : OPCOs have a crucial role in financing training actions. Whether for apprenticeship contracts, professionalization contracts or skills development plans, OPCOs guarantee financial support allowing employees to access quality training.
- Advice and support : In addition to financing, OPCOs play an advisory role for businesses, in particular micro-SMEs. They guide these structures in the development of their training strategies, thus guaranteeing an optimal increase in employee skills.
- Adaptability and reactivity : Faced with the rapid changes in the professional world, OPCOs offer a reactivity that makes it possible to adapt the training offer. Whether it is for the emergence of new jobs, new technologies or regulatory changes, OPCOs are key players in the adaptability of vocational training.
The establishment of OPCOs marks a significant advance in the vocational training landscape in France. By centralizing the organization around the skills needs specific to each sector, OPCOs have established a dynamic that favors the development of companies and the career advancement of employees. Their intervention is not limited to simple financial mediation; it extends to the strategic definition of training priorities, to personalized advice, and to a constant watch on business developments.
Who can benefit from OPCO financing?
People eligible for OPCO funding in 2025 form a diversified group, including employees of member companies (regardless of their type of contract or professional category), work-study students and their tutors, job seekers (in particular via the POE system), self-employed and self-employed workers, as well as trainees. This list also extends to non-employee business managers and public officials.
