The choice of orientation is indeed crucial

After the "coaching" for high level athletes, well known, coaching for executives, now widespread in business, here comes time... "coaching" for students. Council cabinets are beginning to offer this benefit to some of them, sometimes lacking in references. What they offer to students Essentially, aid to orientation and support for behavioural "skills". They rely, to do this, on consultants from the Council in human resources (HR), often from the business world.

This niche, the Odiep firm in seized, two years ago already. Its young student clientele including meet problems of motivation and self-confidence. In interviewing the consultants, the students may "identify their strengths and weaknesses, achieve a clear vision of what they want to do, and find the sector that they like," explains Sophie Anriot, Director of Odiep. The European Institute of "coaching" of the student (IECE), he also invested this niche market. Because the students experience problems of motivation, confidence, even addictive driving (cannabis, among others). "Parents subcontract with us a part of the education of their children, admits Jean-Philippe Riant, coach to the IECE. When the situation is blocked, is better to appeal to a third party, trust.

Critical choices

If young students clearly need to solve some problems, it remains that they to tout, themselves, fully aware. "The development of an offer to"coaching"shows that there is a request for the students: they want reassurance that their policy choices and their methods of work", considers, for its part, Marie-Hélène Beis, responsible for orientation to the University common service of information and guidance (SCUIO) of the université de Bourgogne (see box). The choice of orientation is indeed crucial. It is probably the reason why some parents are willing to invest: 450 euros for this type of "coaching".

But even students will, a priori, have no difficulty to orient themselves and find a job, are interested in "coaching". Major schools is there indeed are, as the Ecole centrale of Lyon. Since the 2004 re-entry, she brings some of his students a "coach" services, Professor of converted letters. "We found that about 10 of our first and second year students met school difficulties, is Francis Leboeuf, Director of studies. The "coaching" should enable them to make the transition between the preparatory class and school, empower them, give them the motivation and make them adopt good behaviours.

Deficiency of enterprises

In this case, it is neither school nor orientation problems that are at issue. It is rather, after inevitable failures, reconstitute markers. The students have left the family cocoon. They passed the framework for preparatory classes to the free world of the school, and "Unlike their predecessors, are more than this structuring passage is military service", see Francis Leboeuf. Not to mention that today's students would be less mature than those of yesterday.

Finally, a last explanation justifies the use of "coaching". It is used to rectify certain shortcomings of the companies. When, for example, it is for students in third year of Central Lyon. "Before, companies took the time to train their engineers to professional life, including by tutoring." It is less and less the case. "We must therefore help our students make the transition between school and business," notes Francis Leboeuf. In short, the stress is more reserved for managers, and now should also prepare future leaders to confront their discomfort.

However, the psychological support may be ineffective. Could, moreover, to go against the goal It would be possible: "need nurturing students who will be then brought to occupy positions to responsibility." I do not think so. "Being a leader, it is often stressful decisions", argues Françoise Martin, guidance counsellor to the national agency for information on the enseignements et les professions (Onisep). Nothing, indeed, to say that the students very coachee during their studies can, when they will have to deal with their professional responsibilities, be sufficiently armed. This is the paradox.