Validation of acquired experience (VAE)

The candidate must complete form CERFA no. 2818*02 (Validation of Acquired Experience (VAE) - Application for Admissibility) and send it, signed, with all the required supporting documents, by post or electronically.

Download the eligibility file (Booklet 1) and the explanatory note .

Upon receipt of the application, aivancity has two months from the date of receipt of the complete application to review it and notify the candidate of its decision. An in-depth feasibility and orientation interview is conducted, based on Booklet 1 and a thorough review, to assess the candidate's experience in relation to the certification standards. The application for admissibility is examined by an internal admissibility committee, which issues a positive or negative admissibility opinion. This opinion determines whether or not the candidate can continue their VAE process with aivancity.

Validation of eligibility by the admissions panel does not guarantee validation of the skill sets targeted by the professional qualification. It simply certifies that the candidate's professional and extra-professional experience is well aligned with the expectations of the skill set required for the professional qualification in question. It is during the second phase of this VAE process that the candidate must demonstrate mastery of the skills by providing tangible evidence of this mastery.

Candidates are required to describe and analyze their experience by explaining specific achievements. Once the application has been approved and the contract signed, candidates begin the central phase of the VAE process, which consists of preparing Booklet 2. This involves the candidate illustrating and formalizing each skill in the diploma reference framework through professional and/or extra-professional achievements. This phase takes place over a period of 12 to 18 months maximum. The candidate may be accompanied throughout the VAE process by a VAE coach.

• Support from a third party: Funding is available: Regional interprofessional joint committees (CPIR), known as Transitions Pro associations (ATpro), provide funding for employees' career transition projects. The law specifies that funding can only be provided once ATpro has recognized the genuine and serious nature of the validation project. (Labor Code, Art. L 6323-17-6).
• Support from aivancity: Business experts and those familiar with the skills framework for the qualification in question monitor the candidate's portfolio of evidence throughout the process, consulting with them whenever necessary to help them formalize their experience.

The objectives of this support:

• Guide the candidate in choosing and describing professional or extra-professional activities related to the school's diploma.
• Help them highlight the main skills gained from their experience in relation to the desired degree.
• Help them place their experience within a theoretical model.
• Provide an opportunity to take stock of one's skills and professional and training plans.

Support options: Support can take different forms depending on participants' needs:

• Methodology workshop and group work on choosing missions to illustrate
• Individual interviews that can be conducted in person and/or by phone and/or by email.
• Experiential workshop: sharing experiences by skill level, allowing everyone to assess their own level of expertise and familiarize themselves with the methodology.
• VAE Jury Preparatory Committee: The VAE Jury Preparatory Committee, made up of professionals, checks that applications comply with the requirements and may make recommendations to candidates before they appear before the VAE Jury.

After completing and submitting Booklet 2, candidates must appear before a VAE jury. This jury assesses the professional skills acquired by the candidate through experience. Its role is to verify whether the skills acquired by the candidate correspond to those required by the certification standards in order to obtain the professional certification title sought.

The VAE jury is composed of five members:

• 2 representatives from the school (the Academic Director of Aivancity and the Head of Certification)
• Three professionals in the field of the professional certification in question, one of whom is appointed as chair of the jury. Among these three professionals, there must be at least one active employee, one employer, and one woman. If there is only one woman present, she will automatically be appointed chair of the jury.

Full validation: the candidate obtains the full certification sought.

Partial validation: the candidate validates one or more skill sets:

• If it only presented part of the skill sets
• If the candidate applies for full certification but the VAE jury considers that the candidate's acquired skills are only partially in line with the requirements of the certification sought and enable the candidate to partially meet the objectives of this certification. The candidate obtains part of the certification sought. In this case, the VAE jury indicates which skill sets are awarded, and which the candidate retains for life. In addition, the VAE jury specifies the type of experience or additional training required to obtain the full professional qualification.

Rejection: the VAE jury considers that the candidate's acquired knowledge does not enable them to meet the objectives of the certification sought. Certification is not awarded.