In Reunion and according to data published by the alternation-skills operator of 20 professional branches of commerce in France, 2,743 apprenticeship and professionalization contracts were signed in 2025 in commerce.
While public aid for work-study programs has been reduced, companies in the sector continue to favor this system to recruit and prepare the talents of tomorrow. The sector employs 13,900 employees on the island. In 2025, 58% of Reunion VSEs in commerce have signed an apprenticeship contract while 11% have used a professionalization contract. Companies with 11 to 49 employees also maintained their recruitment on the island : 20% welcomed an employee on an apprenticeship contract, and 52% a professionalization contract.
For apprenticeship contracts signed in Reunion, Bac level training represents 39% of files. They are followed by the BTS-DUT levels (38 %) and license (11 %). The CAP and master levels account for 8% and 4% of contracts respectively.
Among the locally popular training courses : sales advisor, market unit manager, assistant market unit manager for apprenticeship contracts ; store employee, butcher and market unit manager for professionalization contracts.
