France has moved from an educational conception of vocational education and training to a conception based on outcomes, i.e. competency based. Most of the vocational diplomas are now built on this basis. However, as the main tracks of vocational education and training are integrated within the whole education system, the parity of esteem remains a political goal, and while a student must be allowed to choose at any time between various tracks, the structure of the vocational courses looks more like the Dutch case than the English or German ones. A wider conception of individual development as well as of the employment target is the rule.Nevertheless, a tension always exists between the short term and narrow needs of the labour market and the more global and long term perspective of the educational system. This tension is also seen between teachers and other stakeholders within the system.In our four occupations, we found empirical evidence of these tensions. Moreover, these tensions are also forecast for the relationship between the French qualification framework and the EU one.