October with Millestrade: open doors, internships and TicinoSkills (cross-border guide)

Context

In brief

• On 3 October, the Gordola Training Center opens to the public.
• TicinoSkills 2026: workshops and regional championships.
• October offers internships, workshops and orientation days.
• Millestrade brings together DECS events.

Key facts

• Main event: 3 October, from 9 to 16, in Gordola
• Anniversary: 50 years of the SSIC Training Center
• Organization: DECS, DFP, UOSP and Città dei mestieri
• Awards ceremony: at 15, during TicinoSkills 2026

The opening in Gordola

On Saturday 3 October, the Gordola Training Center will open its doors to young people, families and the public on the occasion of TicinoSkills 2026. From 9 to 16, it will be possible to enter the workshops and discover up close the professions in the construction, crafts and technology sectors. The public will also be able to attend the TicinoSkills regional skills championships and observe female and male apprentices putting the skills acquired during their training to the test.

The Gordola event will open the month of practical orientation organized through the Millestrade calendar. The platform brings together open days, internships, orientation days and workshops dedicated to the world of vocational training. Millestrade falls under the Department of Education, Culture and Sport, referred to in the source by the acronym DECS, and is coordinated by the Vocational Training Division, DFP, together with the School and Vocational Guidance Office, UOSP, and Città dei mestieri della Svizzera italiana.

The calendar is aimed particularly at young people and families. The events make it possible to meet people already working and to experience different professional activities and settings. The month's offerings therefore alternate between visits to workshops, meetings with experts in the field, practical experiences and opportunities to learn more about professions in construction, crafts, technology and other fields featured in the program.

The day in Gordola will also coincide with the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the SSIC Training Center, inaugurated in 1976. For the anniversary, a program open to the public is planned, with lunch provided. At 15, the TicinoSkills 2026 awards ceremony will take place, on the same day dedicated to visiting the workshops and the regional skills championships. The initiative will thus bring together in the same place orientation, observation of the skills acquired during training and a celebration of the history of the center inaugurated in 1976.

Operational details

Open days and internships

Visits to the centers

The upcoming open days are distributed among Bellinzona, Locarno and Lodrino. The program lists appointments dedicated to visits to training centers, a practical experience in the vehicle bodywork sector and the presentation of apprenticeships in technical fields. The dates and activities reported by Millestrade are as follows.

On 10 October, it will therefore be possible to visit the Centro di formazione login at the Officine FFS di Bellinzona. On 17 October, Schindler Formazione Professionale will open the doors of its center in Locarno. On the same date, Carrosserie Suisse will offer «A day as a bodywork technician», an experience designed to provide a practical introduction to bodywork professions. The initiative will be repeated on Saturday 14 November and Saturday 12 December. On 24 October, in Lodrino, RUAG will instead provide an opportunity to learn about various apprenticeships in the fields of engineering, mechanics, automation and logistics.

Technical internships

Alongside the visits, the calendar includes internships at AGIE Charmilles in Losone. From 6 to 8 October, the appointments will be dedicated to polymechanics; on 8 and 9 October, the focus will be on mechanical design, while on 28 and 29 October it will be electronics. The dates thus distribute the activities across three distinct pathways, keeping separate the sessions dedicated to polymechanics, mechanical design and electronics.

On 20 and 21 October, the Centro di formazione professionale Schindler in Locarno will also organize an internship dedicated to the professions of electronics technician AFC and automation operator AFC. Here too, the appointment is included in Millestrade's calendar among the opportunities to gain direct insight into different activities and professional contexts. The visits and internships are not concentrated in a single center: Bellinzona, Locarno, Lodrino and Losone host different offerings, with companies and facilities presenting their respective training areas.

Key points

RSI Initiatives

The October calendar also includes several opportunities to explore the world of media through RSI's activities. The Orientation Days on October 9th and 30th will allow visitors to tour the studios, learn about the professions within the company, and meet apprentices. The proposal thus combines access to workplaces, the presentation of professions, and interaction with those who are undergoing their training.

With 'Explore Your Future' (Esplora il tuo futuro), on October 16th, girls and boys aged 14 to 20 will be able to discover how a promo is created. On October 21st, they can spend a day on the set of the TV quiz show 'Blackout'. Furthermore, from October 28th, 'You with Us' (Voi da Noi) will kick off, featuring a practical workshop dedicated to creating a video application. These are three distinct appointments, spread throughout the month, that allow participants to learn about promo production, activity on a TV set, and the creation of a video application.

On October 21st, two other orientation opportunities are also scheduled. In Locarno, UBS will present its commercial apprenticeship, while in Bellinzona, an afternoon with the Cantonal Police will be held for girls and boys in their third and fourth years of middle school. Finally, on October 28th, in Manno, UBS will offer a meeting dedicated to IT apprenticeships. The initiatives thus involve media, commerce, the Cantonal Police, and IT, with events aimed at specific age groups and interests as indicated in the calendar.

Millestrade reports that the calendar is continuously updated. All appointments, details, and registration methods are available on the dedicated portal. The source also indicates the possibility of subscribing to 'Informed Parents' (Genitori informati), the newsletter of the Office for School and Professional Orientation, to receive notifications about events, information, and advice on school and career choices.

Source: tio.ch