A clear direction set by the Minister for Employment, Pierre-Yves Jeholet. As part of the 2024-2029 legislature, the Walloon Government has committed to reaching an 80% employment rate, in line with European targets. His priority is clear: enable every jobseeker to quickly find a place on the labour market again, by giving them access to effective, personalised support based on modern tools.
On 21 November 2024, the Government approved the policy paper by the Minister for Employment and Training, Pierre-Yves Jeholet, which structures the reform of the employment landscape around six strategic focus areas:
- Speed up and intensify support for jobseekers;
- Activate every jobseeker at every stage of their pathway;
- Hold integration actors accountable based on their concrete impact;
- Respond to businesses' real needs, particularly in shortage occupations;
- Modernise the Forem's digital tools;
- Implement a rigorous monitoring system for users' pathways.
Today, on the proposal of the Minister for Employment and Training, the Walloon Government adopted two draft decrees at first reading, marking a transformation of the Forem's role and enabling it to meet this challenge with its current human resources, to make monitoring systematic and also to anticipate certain developments planned under the federal agreement.
“ This reform is a real cultural shift, a revolution. Registering with the Forem no longer marks the start of waiting: it is the starting point of a new pathway in which the jobseeker is fully active and accountable, a first step towards a concrete return to employment. And we are making sure that this step is guided, personalised and empowering. Our ambition is to set the jobseeker's pathway towards returning to work in motion from the very first click” says Pierre-Yves Jeholet.
A dynamic set in motion from day one
With this reform, registering with the Forem is no longer simply a matter of signing up: it means entering an active, structured job-search pathway. Every registration, whether made online, by phone or in person:
- Commits the jobseeker to being active and proactive in their job search;
- Triggers the creation of a personal digital space giving access to a single file offering an overall view of their pathway and allowing them to track their actions;
- Systematically activates a mandatory personalised action plan, with concrete steps to be taken quickly;
- Makes the profile visible to employers as soon as a target occupation is defined and sends relevant job offers matching the jobseeker's profile.
The profile is analysed through two lenses:
- Employability level (skills, barriers, integration potential);
- Level of digital autonomy, to tailor support to the candidate's needs.
Personalised support tailored to needs
Based on this dual analysis, the jobseeker is directed towards one of four types of support:
- Interactive digital: for highly autonomous profiles close to employment, with remote follow-up via the personal space.
- Online with an adviser: for those who can progress independently, close to employment but needing regular contact.
- Occupation-focused: for those with good integration potential who lack sufficient digital skills for remote support, or with average employability, requiring skills reinforcement to access employment in their target sector. This close-contact support helps build a realistic career pathway. It may include qualifying training, practical workshops, skills validation or work placements.
- Multidimensional: for people further from employment, facing multiple obstacles, requiring intensive, multidisciplinary follow-up (health, housing, remobilisation…), in cooperation with specialised operators.
Throughout the pathway, the type of support may change depending on progress, difficulties encountered or a warning signal.
Tools and an evolving action plan
- An online CV is now systematically required and integrated into the profile (previously, only 29% of profiles had a CV);
- The jobseeker's profile is visible to employers as soon as an occupational focus is defined;
- They receive targeted job offers sent via their chosen communication channel;
- A monthly contact is systematically organised, with at least one individual meeting with an adviser every 4 months (except for interactive digital support and jobseekers in training). This contact can take several forms (in person, remotely, by phone or via the personal digital space supported by artificial intelligence), depending on the type of support and the jobseeker's needs;
- An action plan is continuously updated at every stage of the pathway: training, skills assessments, internships, skills validation, personal steps taken by the jobseeker, etc.
A logic of mutual commitment
This new framework is based on a clear balance between rights and duties:
- The Forem offers targeted, tailored, dynamic support and mobilises the right tools and stakeholders. The Forem carries out quality matching between job supply and demand and sends relevant job offers matching the jobseeker's profile, via the chosen communication channel (SMS, email, personal space…);
- The Forem systematically seeks feedback from employers using its services, as part of a continuous improvement approach to services for jobseekers and employers alike;
- The jobseeker takes responsibility and is a proactive player in their own pathway; they commit not only to following their action plan, responding to job offers, and remaining active and reachable, but also to taking their own independent steps and contributing to their action plan.
Monitoring of active job-seeking for all jobseekers is now effective and comes with sanctions in case of non-compliance.
In cases of non-response, dropping out of training, refusal of a job or training, or repeated non-cooperation, alongside financial sanctions, measures are provided for that can go as far as ending support and registration with the Forem.
A dynamic geared towards stable employment
Beyond sending job offers from the moment of registration, within 4 months of registration the Forem proposes at least one concrete action to every jobseeker:
- A concrete offer of so-called “suitable” employment;
- Entry into training focused primarily on shortage occupations or occupations in high demand on the labour market;
- An internship in a company;
- Or, for more vulnerable individuals, a targeted preparatory step.
The goal is clear: reduce integration timelines and build dynamic, individually tailored pathways towards stable employment.