The description of the validation system in French-speaking Belgium is to be found in the report of Cedefop, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training : European inventory on validation of non-formal and informal learning, 2023 update.

Cedefop supports development of European vocational education and training (VET) policies and contributes to their implementation. The agency brings its support to the European Commission, EU Member States and the social partners for the development of VET policies in Europe.

All governments in the French-speaking part of the country (the French Community, the Walloon Region and the French Community Commission of the Brussels-Capital Region) have introduced a skills validation scheme. Its aim is to enable over-18s to gain recognition for skills acquired through work experience, vocational training and life experience.

A consortium consisting of representatives of Forem, Bruxelles Formation, IFAPME, sfpme and adult education is responsible for issuing skills certificates. The social partners contribute to the design and running of the scheme.

The validation of competences is based in the French-speaking Belgium, on a Cooperation Agreement revised in 2019, which brings together the Walloon Region, the French Community and the French Community Commission. It is implemented by a Competency Validation Consortium and accredited Centres. It allows people with professional experience to have their skills officially certified free of charge in more than 50 professions. 

After passing a validation of competences test (professional simulation) supervised by professionals in the job, experienced people obtain a "Title of Competence", issued on behalf of the French-speaking governments. 

This qualification makes it easier, among other things, to get a job by proving your technical skills with an employer, to resume training with exemptions, to gain access to the profession or to evolve in your professional career. 

Some recent figures : 

• 46 active approved centres ; 
• 62 jobs implemented ;
• 44,167 persons holding one or more titles.

This skills certificate is a legal document, recognised by the three Belgian French-speaking governments, but it has no effects in law like the school certificate, because it can be issued by other operators than those in education. Two to five skills certificates correspond to a profession: for example, the profession of call centre operator is divided into two skills units, giving rise to two corresponding certificates (managing incoming contacts and managing outgoing contacts). To prepare for and take skills validation examinations, workers are entitled to paid educational leave.

In 2025, through many approved validation centres, skills certificates relating to more than 50 professions are available, in diverse activity sectors (administrative, food; automotive; chemicals; construction; culture; electricity; IT; non-profit; green industry; personal care; technologies and industries, transport and logistics).