no retraining without a double academic project

She is one of those who knew how to negotiate the changeover. Sophie Domenech, former athletics champion and 400m specialist, is currently an HR consultant at the Executive Employment Association (APEC). “When I started sports, my parents luckily gave me the green light, but on the condition that I study at the same time”says the young woman, who resumed her studies in HR in her late thirties. “At that time, my master’s degree already focused on the place to be given to professional support for high-level athletes (SHN), who have their nose in the wheel and are focused on performance. »

This topic is at the heart of a qualitative study published on Wednesday 24 April by APEC and carried out at the end of 2023 with twenty-one high-level athletes who have retrained in a management profession, eight recruiters of this type of profile and four professional support specialists. She discusses the continuing difficulties for high-level athletes in creating a new professional identity once their sporting career is over.

One of the particularly critical moments is the entrance to the labor market, “usually later, around 30 years”notes Sophie Domenech, which leads to “lack of professional experience and internships. » Even if the candidate has traveled abroad and speaks other languages, “this is still not perceived by companies as professional experience”she adds.

Strengthen synergies between conversion stakeholders

Many of the athletes interviewed by APEC highlight the difficulty of leading one “double project”, and this because of a ” double workload » And “training poorly adapted to the pace of training and competitions”. As well as opposition from coaches, clubs and federations, when they want to take studies beyond bac + 2 level. “This election is an ‘obstacle course’they insist, mostly evoking an experience they felt during “isolated” and had to “deal with adversity”.

To remedy this, APEC recognizes the need to systematically raise awareness among athletes about their future professional plans from the end of high school. “It is possible, provided it is very well laid out, more personal and customized, with time at a distance”notes Bertrand Hozé, director of the National Union of High-Level Athletes.

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