Working together for vocational education and training and for a strong economy

Portrait photo of the President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin
GS-EAER

The year 2020 marked a historic turning point for the Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (SFIVET) and therefore for those enrolled in SFIVET’s basic and continuing training courses for VET professionals: by unanimously adopting the Federal Act on the Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training (SFUVET Act), the Swiss Parliament has expressed strong cross-party support for the Swiss VPET system and thus also to our country's economic and education system. The new Act will confer higher education status to SFIVET, which will allow it to further strengthen its position as a centre of excellence for vocational education and training.

This is not simply a token piece of legislation, but rather the showcasing of one of Switzerland's strengths: our economy is characteristically able to adapt to the needs of the market. It owes this flexibility in no small part to the tenacity of its VPET system. This was particularly evident during the Covid-19 pandemic. So far, the VPET system has weathered this crisis remarkably well. The Apprenticeship Outlook Task Force also greatly helped to ensure that young people would be able to continue their apprenticeships and complete their training even during the challenging lockdown periods. This initiative is the result of the combined efforts of the Confederation, the Cantons and professional organisations – the three main partners within the Swiss VPET system –, which once again underscores how important it is for the various players to work together to create a strong, forward-looking and sustainable economy.

In this context, SFIVET once again played an essential role in 2020 under its new leadership - SFIVET Board Chairman Adrian Wüthrich and SFIVET Director-General Barbara Fontanellaz. The new higher education status that comes with the change from SFIVET to SFUVET will make our institution even more effective in the future.

Guy Parmelin
President of the Swiss Confederation