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Revitalizing apprenticeships: a challenge for Switzerland

Posted on by Christian Hadorn | Article Document

Switzerland has built a solid reputation thanks to its dual education system, which has been recognized for its ability to effectively meet the needs of the economy and the expectations of the population for several decades.

Today, however, apprenticeships seem to be losing popularity. Academic education is seen as the ideal route, both to meet the demands of businesses and to satisfy the desire for “intellectual advancement” among a large part of the population. But is this exclusive focus really the best approach?

Nothing is less certain, especially when you consider the exceptional opportunities offered by Switzerland’s unique dual system. The decline in apprenticeships can be attributed to several factors, depending on your perspective. Here are a few :

• A lack of institutional recognition: too often, apprenticeships are presented as a last resort by teachers and career counsellors who themselves come from academic backgrounds and are therefore naturally less inclined to see their full value.

• A marked preference among companies for academic profiles, even though practical training supplemented by theoretical modules is an effective way of meeting market requirements.

• A herd mentality in recruitment, where preference is given to candidates with similar backgrounds, to the detriment of diversity and complementary skills.

• A generation in search of quick success and social recognition, which sees academic pathways as a more direct route to better-paid and more prestigious jobs.

• Media overexposure of academic “success stories,” often presented in a glamorous light, which relegates more “traditional” career paths to the background.

• A different cultural outlook among some parents from immigrant backgrounds, for whom apprenticeships do not have the same prestige as in the Swiss context. The case of France, for example, illustrates this gap well.

These perceptions contribute to a negative image of apprenticeships, even though they are an exemplary training model. I speak from experience: having completed an apprenticeship enriched by internal and external training, I have built a fascinating, fulfilling and – to use a criterion dear to young people – highly remunerative career.

Switzerland has long had a particularly effective dual system that can adapt to the needs of the economy, young people, and society.

However, many companies are struggling to recruit apprentices this year. It is therefore urgent to revalue this path, promote it actively, and remind people that it is by no means a dead end: thanks to the permeability of the Swiss system, bridges to academic pathways remain open.

Thank you for reading and see you soon.

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