Training quality: Vocational training worse than reputation

Vocational training in Switzerland is worse than its reputation suggests, and has been for decades. Only recently have significant doubts arisen about the quality of vocational training in Switzerland, based on reports from apprentices and surveys on apprenticeships.

In the following article, we explain why vocational training has been worse than its reputation for decades and also take a closer look at the current reports on the quality of teaching and the surveys on vocational training.

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Table of contents

• Proportion of apprentices: Large differences in Switzerland
   
• Vocational training is worse than its reputation – then as now
  • Vocational training in earlier times
     
  • Vocational training today
    • French influence on French-speaking Switzerland
       
    • More full-time vocational schools in Western Switzerland
       
    • Reports of abuses
       
    • Survey reveals psychological stress
• Conclusion

Proportion of apprentices: Large differences in Switzerland

The proportion of apprentices among students under the age of 20 varies greatly from canton to canton in Switzerland. While in the canton of Geneva only about 15 percent of students under 20 begin a vocational apprenticeship, in the canton of Glarus the figure is as high as 83 percent. In the economic hub of Zurich and in the capital city of Bern, nearly 70 percent of students in each location begin an apprenticeship. 

In the following table, we have listed the types of training pursued by students under the age of 20 in their first year of training in the various cantons of Switzerland:

It is striking that in many cantons where only a few students begin an apprenticeship, school-based vocational education is much more widespread—for example, in Geneva, Vaud, and Ticino. School-based vocational education includes, in particular, full-time vocational schools where students can earn an EBA or EFZ certificate without having to complete an apprenticeship at a training company. The practical component takes place in the school’s own workshops and/or through internships at companies.

Vocational training is worse than its reputation – then as now

Vocational training in Switzerland is organized as a dual education system, in which the practical component takes place at a training company and the theoretical component at a vocational school. This dual system is frequently cited as one of the best training systems in the world.

Unfortunately, however, the good reputation of vocational training has not matched reality for decades.

Vocational training in earlier times

In the past, many chose vocational training not because of its supposedly outstanding quality of education, but because, despite good grades, they were denied access to higher education via the Matura. Furthermore, the flexibility of the education system following vocational training is a relatively recent development; for many students, vocational training used to be a dead end.

Among the baby boomer generation, who entered the workforce in the 1960s through the 1980s, it was primarily students from poorer backgrounds—and women in particular—who were forced into apprenticeships. On the one hand, this was about saving taxpayer money, as more spots at grammar schools and universities would have cost additional funds. On the other hand, the shortage of grammar school graduation spots shielded men from the upper class in particular from competition. For these men from affluent families, a lucrative job was virtually guaranteed after grammar school graduation and university.

However, not every apprenticeship necessarily meant low pay. In particular, many baby boomers—even though they had only completed a basic apprenticeship—were still able to take on leadership roles, which led to higher salaries. However, this was primarily true for men.

Vocational training today

It is true that the education system is more flexible today. For one thing, there are significantly more spots at grammar schools; more women are now earning their grammar school diplomas; and there is the opportunity to continue studying at a university or an ETH after completing a vocational apprenticeship, with the help of the vocational high school diploma and the Passerelle supplementary exam. However, even today, vocational apprenticeships still have many downsides and are far less common in the cantons of Geneva, Vaud, and Ticino than in German-speaking Switzerland.

French influence on French-speaking Switzerland

One reason why vocational training is so unpopular in French-speaking Switzerland is the influence from France, as Susana Camarda of the Vaud Office of Vocational Training told the Tagesanzeiger. This is because in France, it is difficult to enter the workforce without a grammar school diploma—known there as the “baccalauréat”.

Consequently, grammar school is highly sought after in French-speaking Switzerland. In the canton of Geneva, for example, about 47.7 percent of students enroll in grammar school, while in the canton of Vaud, the figure is 45.3 percent.

More full-time vocational schools in Western Switzerland

In addition, there are more full-time vocational schools in French-speaking Switzerland where students can earn an EBA or EFZ diploma without completing an apprenticeship.

These full-time vocational schools are also preferred because many students fear being exploited as cheap labor in an apprenticeship setting, as indicated by statements made by education researcher Lorenzo Bonoli of the Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (EHB) to the Tagesanzeiger.

For example, the following vocational schools (vocational training centers) in the cantons of Geneva and Vaud offer full-time EBA and EFZ certifications (without attending an apprenticeship):

Reports of abuses

Another reason for the unpopularity of vocational training in French-speaking Switzerland is likely the abuses in some training companies and within the vocational training system, which an apprentice brought to light in 2024.

At the graduation ceremony in Delémont, she spoke, among other things, of discrimination, racism, sexism, humiliation, bullying, threats, injustices, unregulated working hours, daily pressure, and a lack of proper training, as reported by the television station RTS in the documentary “Quand l’apprentissage détruit, omerta sur un système pas si parfait”. You can read more about this on the SRF website in the article “The Dark Side of the Vocational Training Success Model”.

The Tagesanzeiger also addressed the topic in an article titled “Harassment, capricious bosses, lack of appreciation: Why More and More Young People Are Avoiding Vocational Training”, in which Unia union spokesperson Natalie Imboden explains that the union regularly encounters apprentices who report working overtime, performing tasks unrelated to their training, being belittled, and, in particularly severe cases, even suffering physical assaults.

Some professional associations are already responding to the quality issues in apprenticeships. The Association of Swiss Master Carpenters and Furniture Manufacturers (VSSM) plans to address these quality issues through a project designed to provide companies with support regarding the quality of apprenticeships.

Survey reveals psychological stress

A survey of nearly 45,000 apprentices conducted by the Center for Work and Mental Health “WorkMed” also revealed that the quality of vocational training leaves much to be desired. In fact, 61 percent of the apprentices surveyed reported that they had already experienced mental health issues during their vocational training. Sixty percent of those affected reported that their mental health issues were triggered or exacerbated by their apprenticeship.

The negative experiences of many apprentices may also explain why the proportion of new apprentices across Switzerland declined by 11 percentage points between 1990 and 2024—from 77 percent in 1990 to 66 percent in 2024.

Conclusion

For decades, vocational training in Switzerland was considered sacrosanct. Switzerland’s dual education system is often hailed as the best in the world. Until now, criticizing it was considered a breach of taboo.

But why is this taboo being broken right now, of all times? Why weren’t the shortcomings in vocational training denounced much earlier? One reason could be that the generation currently entering apprenticeships—Gen Z—is significantly more demanding than previous generations. For example, Gen Z seeks meaningful work and specifically does not want to live in a meritocracy. Furthermore, they reject taking on responsibility—such as in a leadership role—and strive for as much free time as possible.

Gen Z’s expectations regarding how mistakes are handled also differ fundamentally from the reality experienced by previous generations—and thus by their trainers as well. Instead of an authoritarian culture of error, Gen Z prefers an appreciative feedback culture. A particularly high potential for conflict arises here when Gen Z members no longer want to learn from their mistakes but instead view repeated corrections for the same mistake as part of teamwork.

The new feedback culture expected by Gen Z also means that it is not enough for them to receive negative feedback; they also want positive reinforcement to foster intrinsic motivation. The traditional principle that “no criticism is praise enough” would therefore need to be radically revised by trainers to align with Gen Z’s new expectations.

The question is whether it is asking too much of instructors to adapt to these new expectations of Gen Z, especially considering that vocational trainers are part of a volunteer system for which companies generally do not set aside any extra time.

It might therefore make more sense to move all vocational apprenticeships out of the training companies and transfer them instead to full-time vocational schools, where apprentices can then graduate with an EBA or EFZ certificate. There, instructors can better address the new needs of Gen Z, teach important basic skills in greater depth, and prevent the problem of apprentices being exploited by training companies as cheap labor in some cases. Time spent at the companies would then be limited to workplace internships, which would be significantly shorter than the current three-year apprenticeship.

It may be true that larger companies invest a great deal of time and money in training apprentices—and thus in fostering the next generation—simply for image reasons. But most companies that offer apprenticeships—especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—are not well-suited to this role, if only because they simply do not have the resources to adequately support their apprentices.

Full-time vocational schools are also better suited to teaching basic skills in mathematics, science, language, communication, history, and politics. With foundational skills in these subjects, students develop mental agility, quick comprehension, and communication techniques—all skills that are also important for working with artificial intelligence (AI), which is becoming increasingly widespread even in the skilled trades—for example, when preparing cost estimates and invoices, taking measurements, or managing inventory.

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