The Hg Foundation & Generation France

In July 2021, The Hg Foundation (Hg) and Generation France joined forces to tackle unemployment in France by training individuals from underrepresented backgrounds and placing them into thriving careers in the technology sector.

This partnership provided funding support for an existing programme (Digital customer care) as well as for the expansion of Generation France’s training portfolio with the development of two new programs: Digital Business Developer and Full-Stack developer. Thanks to this partnership, Generation France has been able to support close to 900 learners over the course of 30 months. Aligned with our missions to empower those facing tech employment barriers, 58% of our learners are women, 89% were unemployed prior to joining the programme and 20% faced housing challenges. Remarkably, 88% of our graduates secured a tech job placement within six months, with 72% earning above France’s minimum wage. Hg’s strategic view, constant presence and hands-on support significantly contributed to these achievements.

However, achieving these targets was not without challenges, as our initial plan was to support 3000 learners and identify more professions that would be available to individuals with no degree or prior experience in the tech sectors. Over the course of the project development, we have learned immensely about the sector and taken notes of those learnings for future projects. We have, for example, learned that diploma bias remains a prevalent issue in the sector, and in the country overall and that learner mobilization has to be done through various channels continuously.

Despite facing some headwinds, such as delays in local funding mobilization and challenges to mobilize learners, Hg has shown strategic patience and genuine partnership spirit in assisting Generation France navigate and address these obstacles over the past years. Together, we consolidated our learnings and rapidly iterated our approach to achieve intended impact outcomes.

Beyond helping grow our tech portfolio, Hg has played a crucial role in building Generation France’s long-term capacity and strengthening our impact narrative. Through Hg’s generous support, we commissioned Koreis Consulting to pursue an external impact evaluation study, enhancing our visibility and credibility in the broader French employment ecosystem. The Hg foundation also facilitated the creation of a database to estimate the return on investment of our programs on individual learners, employers as well as broader economic impacts and avoided costs for the French government.

Looking ahead, our partnership with the Hg Foundation continues to evolve. Firstly, the recently approved regrant ensures the continuation of our current tech programmes and the launch of a new programme to be piloted in 2025. This grant will optimize our delivery model to train 900 learners by 2026 at a reduced cost per learner. Secondly, Hg’s ongoing support will enable Generation France to collect detailed programme data and conduct a second external impact evaluation.Thirdly, to boost long-term sustainability, Hg will be supporting Generation France in its planned participation in the French Ministry of Economy’s future social impact bond call for proposals through the hiring of an expert consultant.

We extend our deepest gratitude to the Hg Foundation and its collaborative team. Together, we are creating meaningful impact by bridging the gap between employers and the 2.3 million French people seeking employment opportunities.