Gastronomy and crafts must make an effort

The Valais is booming, the chemical company Lonza is creating dozens of new jobs despite recent setbacks, local companies like Lauber IWISA in Naters have to look at how they can find staff. Because it is difficult to recruit apprentices in the Upper Valais, the building services engineering company has to come up with something.

The company contributes to the cost of the driver’s license and the cell phone subscription. Because the mountains are close, Lauber IWISA offers either ski passes or an annual festival pass for the Open Air Gampel. “As a training company, we have to constantly improve,” says HR manager Flavia Heinzmann. This also includes the fact that the company has introduced a 4.5-day week.

In the end, however, it is not the goodies that are important, but the company culture. Heinzmann finds ideas like those of the meat processor Bell, which pay apprentices in their third year of training a wage of 4,000 francs to keep them on board, “a bit excessive”. What is most important to her is that the apprentices can contribute their own ideas, receive sound training in the company and learn from experienced employees.

In order to attract good apprentices, the company takes part in various events at schools in Upper Valais, career fairs and campaigns. In addition, Lauber IWISA also addresses young people from the region as well as young adults from Italy, which is close to the border. In order to make it easier for them to enter working life in Switzerland, they even complete their school training in Ticino due to the language barrier. According to the HR manager, Lauber IWISA has had very good experiences with apprentices from the border region. Contrary to what some feared, they apparently do not drop out again quickly after their apprenticeship. The company has many cross-border commuters and long-term employees from Italy, says Heinzmann.

Apprentices are the best “influencers”

Matthias Zwyssig, operations manager at Metallraum in Lütisburg near Wil, also emphasizes the company culture. “Many companies are trapped in old patterns.” The basic tenor is that apprentices should be happy to have an apprenticeship. But this approach is working less and less. “Today’s apprentices are much further along, have more self-confidence and know that they are sought after people on the job market.”

This leads to young people dropping out if they feel badly treated or their expectations are disappointed. For Zwyssig, this means that companies need to show them more appreciation and respect their opinions. The times are over when you could tell young people: “In your apprenticeship, you’ll first learn how to work properly.” Instead, soft factors are important, even in hard metal construction. “The work must be interesting, varied and meaningful,” says Zwyssig.

A company TikTok channel is used exclusively by the apprentices. It also serves to represent the company to the outside world. “The apprentices are our best influencers,” explains Zwyssig. Today’s apprentices are already helping to make the company known to an even younger audience.

Less interest in construction and gastronomy

These two examples show that companies have to come up with something to be attractive as employers and trainers. A good reputation gets around, and a bad one does too.

At the same time, it is clear that the shortage of apprentices varies in severity depending on the industry and company. The hospitality, hotel and construction sectors in particular have difficulties filling apprenticeship positions.

This is not surprising. The construction industry involves physically hard work, and you are often exposed to wind and weather. In the catering industry, contact with many people can be enjoyable. But word has also gotten around that in some kitchens the tone is rough and people work when the others are off.

In addition, wages are below average and opportunities for advancement are limited. Many young people are therefore moving towards IT. Apprenticeships there are usually filled the earliest. And wages after the apprenticeship are also the highest. Other popular areas among young people are education and social affairs, planning and construction, and business and administration.

Large companies with well-known names and many different departments that promise broad training receive a lot of applications. Smaller craft businesses, on the other hand, have to work harder to attract good apprentices.

Further training as a part-time job

How attractive the apprenticeship is also depends on the long-term perspective. Proponents of vocational training praise the permeability of the Swiss education system. After the apprenticeship, the end of the line is by no means reached. Instead, the doors are open to young professionals for higher vocational education (HBB); with a vocational baccalaureate or Passerelle, the path to universities of applied sciences is also open.

For example, anyone who has completed training as a FAGE (health professional) can train to become a nursing professional at a HF (higher technical college) or FH (university of applied sciences). However, this involves effort and costs. The training lasts two years, and you cannot work full-time during this time. “Instead of earning your own money, you may have to go back and live with your parents,” says Pia Albin, who works at the University Hospital Zurich with a Master of Science in Nursing.

After all, hospitals often cover the costs of training and sometimes even compensate for the loss of income. If that is the case, the financial situation of the young professionals is no worse than that of university students.

The costs of further training were also an issue for Valeria Miggiano. After completing her commercial apprenticeship and further training at the HFW (Higher Technical College for Business) in business administration, she completed a course to become a qualified trust expert in autumn 2021. The training costs 21,900 francs over three semesters. The candidate can claim half of the amount back if he or she registers for the final exam. Employers often even cover the entire cost; in return, the candidates agree to stay with the company for a certain period of time.

In order to free up time for her training alongside her work, Miggiano temporarily reduced her workload to 80 percent, but the program was still strenuous. In comparison, many people may find studying to be a more pleasant option. The tuition fees are low, and people are not yet used to earning their own income.

Nevertheless, Miggiano says today: “I think it’s great that you can do this kind of training in Switzerland while working.” She was shocked that a student friend of hers only paid as much in tuition fees per semester as she did per month. “But that wouldn’t have been an option for me.” You live differently if you earn money during your further education and don’t have to get by as a student.

Voting with the feet is faster for young people

Thomas Bolli from the professorship for educational systems at ETH Zurich therefore warns against bad-mouthing apprenticeships and higher vocational education. He does not see a crisis in apprenticeships. At most, it is the case that some professions are more popular than others. This can also be seen in the application behavior. In popular professions, apprenticeships are filled early, in less popular fields often only later, when the applicants realize that their dream job is not working out.

But what is already becoming apparent is that demographic change is particularly acute among apprentices, because the decline in birth rates is most pronounced at the lower end of the age spectrum. If there are fewer young people than apprenticeships, school leavers have more options and vote with their feet.

The winners are those companies that offer interesting work and good career prospects. On the other hand, those that do not have an attractive industry or a good working atmosphere will have a hard time finding good young talent.