A job is not enough for young people. We need a future

Context

TL;DR

• In 2024, the average gross monthly salary in Ticino stood at CHF 5,708
• The Swiss monthly average was CHF 7,024
• One year after obtaining the degree, 93% of the graduates interviewed in the SUPSI survey were working or continuing their studies
• Among those who worked, 76% were employed in Ticino

Key facts

• Gross median wage in Ticino → 5,708 francs per month in 2024
• Swiss average → 7,024 francs per month in 2024
• Statistical source → Federal Statistical Office
• Survey → latest SUPSI survey
• One year after graduation → 93% of the graduates interviewed are working or continuing their studies
• Among those who work → 76% are employed in Ticino
• Author → Luca Frasa

The choice after training

In 2024, the median gross monthly salary in Ticino stood at 5,708 francs, compared to the Swiss average of 7,024 francs. According to the Federal Statistical Office, the gap, which can also be traced back to the structure of our economy, is significant. For those evaluating professional opportunities, this gap can guide the choice between staying in the Canton and looking elsewhere.

Luca Frasa starts from this situation. After studying, training and obtaining a diploma or degree, a young person may find himself faced with the choice between staying in Ticino and seeking better professional prospects elsewhere. The point does not coincide with simply entering the world of work. The issue also includes the possibility of developing a professional path, achieving a certain economic autonomy and, perhaps, starting a family in one's own Canton.

However, an indicator linked to training introduces a positive note. According to the latest SUPSI survey, one year after obtaining the qualification, 93% of the graduates interviewed were working or continuing their studies. Of those who worked, 76% were employed in Ticino. For Frasa, these percentages indicate that in Ticino there are opportunities and companies capable of making use of skills.

The comparison between the two values, alone, does not exhaust the topic. The reflection also concerns what comes after entering work: a career, a certain economic independence and the possibility of starting a family in one's own Canton. For this reason the source clearly distinguishes employment from professional growth. Having a job and being able to build a path are not the same thing.

Operational details

The margin of companies

The business picture completes the reflection on the prospects of young people. Not everyone can become a manager, and it is unrealistic to expect every company to guarantee salaries equal to those of the large economic centers beyond the Gotthard. Small and medium-sized businesses in Ticino also have to face costs, competition and the difficulty of finding qualified personnel. The source recalls these limits without denying them and asks to address the topic concretely.

The directions indicated start from the connection between training and the world of work. Alongside this, it is necessary to encourage the arrival of activities with high added value, support those who invest and generate qualified jobs and expand opportunities for professional growth for young people. The reasoning brings together different needs: the path of those who have trained, the ability of companies to invest and the presence of professional opportunities that do not stop at the first job.

The point is not to ask every company to function like a large economic reality beyond the Gotthard. It means building conditions in which training, investments and qualified jobs can fit into the same plan. Small and medium-sized businesses remain faced with costs, competition and the search for qualified personnel; at the same time, the Canton must question itself on the growth opportunities it can offer to young people.

The valleys and the local estate

Particular attention should be paid to the valleys, where opportunities are inevitably more limited. When a young person leaves, the area risks losing a future family, skills and participation in local life. The theme therefore also concerns the collective dimension of the territory: together with a person, presence, knowledge and participation in the community can disappear. The valleys make visible the link between professional opportunities and the local future. In Frasa's reasoning, supporting skilled jobs also means looking at areas where opportunities are more limited.

Key points

Leaving can be a choice

An experience outside Canton can be positive. Comparison with other realities, learning new languages and exposure to larger markets can be enriching both professionally and personally. The departure, therefore, is not presented as an outcome to be avoided in any case. The critical issue arises when leaving the Canton is no longer a voluntary decision, but an obligatory step.

The distinction is the balance point of Luca Frasa's reflection. Young people are not asked to stay in Ticino because of their attachment to the territory. The request is to create the conditions for them to choose to do so. Staying must be a choice made possible by opportunities, not a consequence of the obligation to stay. At the same time, getting to know other markets and learning new languages can continue to be a useful experience for personal and professional growth.

The future to offer

The reflection thus moves on the relationship between training investment and the future of the territory. A Canton that invests in the training of the new generations is also called upon to evaluate what opportunities it can guarantee them tomorrow. The question is not only about obtaining a diploma or a degree, but also about the possibility of starting a career, gaining a certain economic autonomy and, perhaps, building a family in one's own canton.

The future of Ticino also depends on how much

Source: tio.ch