Empowering Every Learner: What The US Can Learn From The Swiss About Apprenticeships (Courtesy of the National Governors Association) — The Swiss apprenticeship model is considered the world’s gold standard – credited with generating job opportunities for workers and ensuring a skilled workforce for employers. As part of his NGA Chair’s Initiative, Reigniting the American Dream, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt led a delegation to Switzerland to get a front row seat to see the Swiss model in action. The group, which included Delaware Governor Matt Meyer, visited with businesses across telecommunications, technology and aerospace industries.
Visits to employers were at the heart of the delegation’s three-day agenda. In Switzerland, employers are not just engaged in the apprenticeship system; they play an equal role alongside government in leading it. Employers and their association representatives have a hand in designing curricula and setting program standards, ensuring policymakers have a firm understanding of industry needs.
The results speak for themselves.
The youth unemployment rate in Switzerland hovers between 2-3%, compared to 10.8% in the U.S. About two-thirds of students in Switzerland choose to pursue an apprenticeship program after they’ve completed lower secondary education—when they’re around 15 years old.
Members of the delegation heard directly from apprentices, all of whom are earning a wage in a cutting-edge industry during what would be their high school years in the U.S., setting them on a pathway for career success while also attending classes two days a week.
Apprenticeships benefit both workers and employers, boosting economic growth. Governors hear it from employers all the time: Good jobs are going unfilled because employers can’t find workers with the skills to match the opportunities.
Governors are taking action—with Governor Stitt and Governor Meyer leading the way.