Companies detect skills shortages in apprentices (cross-border guide)

Context

In brief

• Critical writing and math skills among Swiss apprentices
• Continuous worsening over the last 5-10 years according to the survey
• 75% of companies provide additional support to fill gaps

Key Facts

• What: Survey on deficiencies in apprentices' basic skills
• When: Published today by Economiesuisse, USAM and USI
• Where: Swiss companies from various sectors
• Who: Economiesuisse, USAM (Union of Arts and Crafts), USI (Union of Entrepreneurs)
• Sample: Approximately 2,900 training managers surveyed
• Trend: Continuous deterioration over the last 5-10 years
• Support: ~75% of companies provide additional support measures

Economiesuisse, the Swiss Association of Arts and Crafts (SAM) and the Swiss Employers' Association (USI) today published a survey that provides a snapshot of a structural problem in Swiss vocational and professional education: most companies are experiencing significant gaps in the basic skills of their apprentices.

The survey, which surveyed around 2,900 training managers from different companies, reveals that the deterioration is continuous. Over the past five to ten years, the shortages have worsened significantly. Writing skills and mathematical skills – two skills that are fundamental for the success of vocational training – suffer the most.

The survey data

The consequences for companies are not theoretical. It is becoming more difficult to recruit suitable apprentices, the burden of care is increasing, and additional support measures are costing organisations considerably. To address the problem, around three-quarters of companies – 75% to be precise – already support apprentices with additional internal or external measures in order to close existing gaps.

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Operational details

The context of the worsening

The negative trend in the survey is not episodic. The continuous deterioration over the past five to ten years reflects broader changes in the Swiss education system. Basic skills – in particular writing and numeracy – are the foundation on which dual vocational education and training, a system that traditionally enjoys a high international reputation, is based.

When these fundamental skills are scarce, the entire training process suffers. Apprentices struggle to follow specialized technical teaching, trainers devote hours to remedial lessons that should have been addressed during compulsory schooling, and companies find themselves managing unexpected organizational complexity.

The concrete economic consequences

The fact that three-quarters of companies already provide additional support measures is not a solution – it is a symptom of a structural problem. It means that the system is "absorbing" the deficit, but at the expense of profitability and business efficiency.

Internal and external measures come at a cost: dedicated trainer hours, specialised external courses, additional personalised mentoring. The study clearly points out that the costs are considerable – although not quantified in precise figures – and are borne by the organisations that manage apprenticeships.

In addition to the financial impact, the difficulty in recruiting suitable apprentices puts the very continuity of the dual education system at risk. If companies cannot find candidates with the necessary basic skills, the qualification cycle is interrupted. Fewer quality apprentices mean fewer qualified professionals in the Swiss labour market, which has consequences for national competitiveness in the long term.

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Key points

What companies are doing to address the problem

The fact that 75% of companies provide additional support indicates that the private sector is not waiting for an institutional solution, but is acting autonomously. These measures include both internal and external interventions: personalized tutoring programs, Italian and mathematics lessons taught by specialized company trainers, use of external training institutions for recovery, or partnerships with recognized school support centers.

However, not all companies have the resources to bear these additional costs. Larger companies can afford dedicated training and recovery teams; small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – the backbone of the Swiss economy – are in a more fragile position. Investing an additional budget to fill gaps that should be addressed in compulsory education generates pressure on profit margins and reduces the ability to invest in technological innovation and infrastructure.

The role of vocational education and training in the Swiss labour market

Swiss dual vocational education and training remains one of the most popular and efficient systems in the world. However, the survey shows that the system is starting to show cracks in its foundations. If basic skills are not adequately transmitted in compulsory schooling, the task falls on those who manage the further training: companies and vocational centres.

The approximately 2,900 education managers interviewed in the survey come from different sectors of the Swiss economy. Their converging testimony is a wake-up call that deserves attention from federal and cantonal institutions. The cantons manage compulsory education and will have to coordinate with employers' associations and the Federal Administration to reverse the trend in the coming years.

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