History of vocational education and training

The structure of today’s upper-secondary education is the result of two historical movements in the Middle Ages: Latin schools and apprenticeship training. The monks taught from the scriptures and imparted the necessary knowledge and skills. The town guilds had a monopoly on apprenticeship training. In the Middle Ages, the master apprenticeship evolved from artisanal training.

Geschichte der Berufsbildung: Anfänge des 19. Jh — The beginnings of vocational education and training in the 19th century.

Milestones

The concept of a school system

The government of the Helvetic Republic (1798–1803) drafted a plan for a national education system, which provided for primary school attendance for all children, the establishment of teacher training institutions, the establishment of vocational schools and cantonal universities. After the collapse of the Helvetic Republic, the cantons took over responsibility for the school system again. The Helvetic Republic and its educational plans failed, but the ideas survived and prevailed.

The concept of public education

At the beginning of the 19th century, Switzerland was a poor country. The development of industry and commerce demanded better education. Primary schools, teacher training institutions, secondary schools and vocational schools were established everywhere. Academic high schools set up industrial or commercial departments to keep pace with scientific, technical, industrial and commercial developments. The cantons created laws. The right to free and compulsory primary education for all was enshrined in the Federal Constitution in 1874. The foundation for a diverse and solid education system was laid.

Vocational education and training

The major international exhibitions in the second half of the 19th century drew attention to the progress and quality of the products produced by trades and industry. Schools and workshops were set up almost everywhere in Europe to promote vocational education and training.

The Swiss Trade Association called for apprenticeship workshops to be set up. Regulations on the duration of apprenticeships, attendance at vocational schools and the final apprenticeship examination were also called for.

In 1884, the National Council and Council of States adopted the “Federal Decree on Commercial and Industrial Vocational Training” and subsidised recognised vocational schools and other institutions. Similar decisions for commercial, agricultural and household management training soon followed. Vocational education and training laws were passed in the cantons around the turn of the century. Training workshops for the watchmaking, textile, wood, metal and leather industries were set up in Western Switzerland in particular. The existing drawing schools developed into industrial vocational training schools.

Career guidance

«Apprenticeship patronage» was established from 1894 to support

young people in employment, especially apprentices. As stated by the Swiss Trade Association and the Swiss welfare society (Schweizerische Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft), they were intended to «practically solve all tasks which are suitable for enhancing the professional and moral excellence of the future profession». Each apprentice was assigned a patron who kept in touch with the parents and the teacher in order to intervene in a supportive and conciliatory manner if necessary. Career guidance developed from the idea of apprenticeship patronage. The patronage associations advised the apprentices according to the needs of the economy. Founded in 1902, the Association of Swiss Patronage became the Swiss Association for Career Guidance in 1916.

The first Vocational Education and Training Act of 1930

In 1908, the Swiss people approved the promotion of trade and industry by the Confederation. Article 34 of the Federal Constitution reads as follows: «The Confederation is authorised to issue uniform regulations on trade and industry». On the basis of this constitutional provision, it was decided to propose three laws: one on the protection of trade and industry, one on the protection of workers in trade and industry and one on vocational education and training. The latter was tackled first. However, implementation was delayed due to the First World War and differences of opinion.

Geschichte der Berufsbildung: Erstes Berufsbildungsgesetz — The most important milestones leading up to the first Vocational Education and Training Act.

Vocational Training Act of 1930

Origin

The Confederation called for the submission of postulates. Numerous proposals were received, including a bill by the Swiss Workers’ Federation (1911) and a bill by the Swiss Trade Association (1918). Building on this and supported by two expert commissions, the Federal Labour Office published its own draft in 1924. The focus was on apprenticeships (practical training) and vocational education and training (teaching at vocational school). The guiding principle of the Vocational Education and Training Act was to «raise professional competence in every appropriate way by promoting the vocational education and training of young talent». The preliminary draft was generally well received. Only the Swiss Association of Commerce and Industry and the Central Association of Employers’ Organisations rejected the draft, as they objected to extending the provisions on vocational training to industry. The law was passed by the Federal Councils in January 1930, but it did not enter into force until 1933 due to the economic crisis.

Content

The Vocational Education and Training Act of 1930 applied to trade and transport, as well as to trade and industry, and included the hospitality industry and homeworking. It provided for a minimum apprenticeship of one year and supervision by cantonal inspectors or intermediate examinations. The cantons were responsible for teaching at vocational schools. If possible, teaching should be provided in classes dedicated solely to vocational training and with apprentices in the same year of apprenticeship. In addition to apprenticeship training, the law also regulated the final apprenticeship examination, the master craftsman’s examination, the examination for skilled workers and the pre-apprenticeship courses.

Development

Teaching