Objectives: Although some officials are paid as referees, their careers are short, prone to numerous hazards and depend notably on competitive results (Duvant & Nuytens, 2020; Samuel, Galily, & Tenenbaum, 2015). However, there is a paucity of research that addresses and supports the career transition of high-level officials. While research has shown how athletes’ soft skills developed during their careers enable them to succeed in other contexts (Gould & Carson, 2008; Jacobs & Wright, 2018), research has not considered this dimension for the officials. In this context, we have co-constructed, with the French soccer officiating stakeholders, a skills framework for high-level referees (2023). From an enactive and phenomenological approach (Durand et al., 2006; Poizat, Salini & Durand, 2013; Leblanc, Bouchot & Secheppet, 2021; Récopé et al., 2014), this research aims to understand, how this framework allows referees to make explicit their lived experiences for promoting their skills. Method: 15 French referees officiating in professional football or rugby championships participated in this study. Working groups involving the referees were organized to discuss the skills framework. Three questions were asked: -"Is the skills framework understandable?” -“Does it reflect all the dimensions of your officiating occupation?” -“For each skill, could you to provide an example from your experience?”. Discussions were recorded and transcribed. The analysis focused on several topics: (1) which skills are most significant for referees, (2) which skills are most debated among referees, (3) what are the common and different points between football and rugby referees. Conclusion : The results allowed: (1) to identify the elements of the skills framework which constitute connectors of experience, (2) to frame the work to adapt the skills framework according to different objectives: the institutional recognition of the official’s skills, a resource supporting career transition, a means to enhance a trade construction. Durand, M., de Saint-Georges, I., & Meuwly-Bonte, M. (2006). Le curriculum en formation des adultes : Argumentation pour une approche « orientée-activité ». Raisons éducatives, 10, 185-202. Duvant, G., & Nuytens W. (2020). Fin de partie : la sortie de carrière des arbitres d’élite de football, Loisir et Société / Society and Leisure, 43(3), 305-333 Gould, D., & Carson, S. (2008). Life skills development through sport: Current status and future directions. International review of sport and exercise psychology, 1(1), 58-78. Jacobs, J. M., & Wright, P. M. (2018). Transfer of life skills in sport-based youth development programs: A conceptual framework bridging learning to application. Quest, 70(1), 81-99. Leblanc, S., Bouchot, H., & Secheppet, M. (2021). Modélisation théorique de l’expérience mimétique et cours d’action : analyse de situations de formation en enseignement, santé, et sport. @ctivités, 18-1. Poizat, G., Salini, D., & Durand, M. (2013). Approche énactive de l’activité humaine, simplexité, et conception de formations professionnelles. Education Sciences & Society, 4(1), 97-112. Récopé, M., Rix-Lièvre, G., Kellin, M., & Boyer, S. (2014). Une appropriation singulière par les STAPS des hypothèses de l’énaction. In M. Quidu (Ed.), Innovations théoriques en STAPS et implications pratiques. Les sciences du sport en mouvement. (pp. 94-115). Paris : L’Harmattan. Samuel, Galily, & Tenenbaum (2015). Who are you, ref? Defining the soccer referee’s career using a change-based perspective. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 15(2), 118-130