Parcoursup: Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (BTS)

The BTS. This is not an abbreviation for a rude word or an expletive. It is actually a course your teen can take after lycée in France, either in the same institution which they are already in (which would be incredibly lucky), or elsewhere in the region. For example in the lycée my boys are in, you can inscribe for a ‘BTS SIO option SLAM’, and the lycée my daughter is about to go into you can do a ‘BTS gestion des transports et logistique associée’. But what does all that mean? Surely the educational route should be university or apprenticeship programs? Something I love about France is that there is a multitude of other options your child can take if they need that extra support, or if they want to do something unique and not on offer through the traditional methods. I mean, surely I am not the only person dreaming at night of becoming a professional chocolate cake maker? Or maybe that is just me. Perhaps on reflection I shouldn’t have talked out loud!

BTS, what is it exactly?

It is an option after the Bac. It is the Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (BTS). The idea is to prepare for an STS (Section de technicien supérieur). You can take it for two years with a national exam at the end. If you want, you can go to university for the final (third) year of a relevant course and complete a bachelors degree. Generally it is offered within lycées. You take this option if you have a general or a technical Bac. The course is partly theoretical, partly professional. For example, a good friend of my son has just completed his first fortnight of work experience in a bank environment. He still has a couple of work experiences left, with the biggest being a month during the summer holidays. It is a great way for people to integrate into the world of work and to make contacts for looking for a job later. The course has around 30/32 hours per week of study.

Are there any negatives?

I suppose if you look hard enough at anything, you will find them. The teens can find themselves feeling left behind, as most people after the Bac move away from lycée either choosing “prepas” or universities. Some of the lycées that offer these interesting courses can be away from the main populous areas as it is a way for these isolated institutions to attract more students/clients to it. You can also be in the same building as children as young as 13/14 and sometimes this can be annoying. Lastly, some people take the BTS courses as they have not many other options left to them, or they are unsure as to what to do in the future and so therefore the ambiance within the classes might not be as studious as you’d wish. Most of the students have to stay at home or go into boarding, but again these are small institutions so the boarding facilities are not perhaps appropriate for young adults. The parents of one family I know had to put their child in a rented room close to the lycée. Sometimes not always appropriate.

Where to take the courses?

Well, as mentioned before, these courses are not prominent everywhere, and so if you want to study something more unique you may find yourself having to travel huge distances to get to the institution that you need. A neighbour at our new village mentioned that his child is studying almost two hours away from their home. There are options of studying online but you will have to evaluate whether your child will be able to keep motivated and focused through the two intensive years of study. A very big decision to make as a family.

What can you study?

The options are endless, and if you are willing to move for two years to another department or even region because you are passionate about your option, then give it a go! You can study things such as mechanics, computer sciences, art, chemistry and even agriculture (called a BTSA). Apparently there are around 200 choices available! Some options have a greater demand than others and so they do become rather selective in their registration process, or costly. Your grades of your Bac will be looked at and you might even have to write a letter of motivation, take tests or even an interview. One friend of my son wanted to study at the lycée connected to aerospace in Toulouse, and found he had to be an ‘A’ grade student to get in. I have to add that he got in, seems to have become very successful and is still passionate about the work he does. That in itself is challenging in the world we live in.

Easy to get a job?

On a final note, is it worth doing a BTS or will it be impossible to get a job later? Due to the amount of work experience during the course and the effect of creating work relations and contacts during the diploma, work prospects are high. In fact the statistic quoted in l’étudiant, the hive of information for anything to do with education in France, 70% of people who complete their BTS diploma with apprenticeship training get a job within 6 months. The rest of the people probably carry on with further study or look towards other options. A great result.

Anything further?

Out of the four friends of my sons who have done BTS’s, perhaps only two of them have reported being fulfilled and happy with the option they have chosen, the other two feeling they should have pushed themselves to do a degree in higher education or perhaps chosen a different course.

Personally, I think it is an excellent option as it enables young adults to experience the world of work in a structured environment whilst still obtaining a valuable diploma. It gives them the option of further study at the end, or the ability to go straight into the job market with valuable skills. In the end, “the world is what you make of it”, (Lawrence Kasdan, Silverado: The Screenplay).