No prohibition for alternating training
Students enrolled in an evening school or those following education with a limited curriculum may not enter into a student agreement. However, a student agreement is possible for:
- Students who only participate in part-time education or part-time training, but only during the school holiday periods
- Students who follow a system of alternating learning and working, which includes theoretical training at an educational institution or training centre established, subsidised, or recognised by the competent authority, along with practical training in the workplace
For whom?
This rule applies to all systems of alternating learning and working across various communities. This includes young people who are part of an alternating training agreement (“contrat de formation en alternance” in French-speaking Belgium) or an agreement for alternating training (in the Flemish Region).
Under what conditions?
To employ a young person in alternating training as a student, several conditions must be met:
- The young person must be employed as a student by a different employer to avoid confusion with their training workplace.
- The NSSO specifies that this condition does not apply during the summer months (July and August), allowing the young person to also take a holiday job with their internship provider.
- The young person may only be employed as a student on days when they do not have to attend theoretical education or training, or are not required to be present at the workplace.
- Student work is only possible if the young person is not receiving unemployment benefits or an integration allowance. Once someone is available for the labour market, student work is no longer possible.
