Apprenticeship search in times of Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic is having a profound impact on the labour and apprenticeship market. What does this mean for young people who are looking for an apprenticeship, are already doing an apprenticeship or have just completed one? 4 questions - 4 answers.

1. how do you find the right apprenticeship despite contact restrictions?

Digital offerings provide insights, even if they cannot replace a face-to-face meeting. Videos provide impressions, some apprentices give interested parties a tour of their training centre via webcam and information events are held online. The internet is becoming even more important when it comes to choosing a career and looking for an apprenticeship.

2. how can parents support their child in their digital career choice and apprenticeship search?

Young people need access to the internet. A smartphone is sufficient for this, but the subscription may need to be adjusted so that the data volume is sufficient for online meetings. A computer with a keyboard is more practical for communicating with training companies or schools by email and writing applications.

3. are young people who completed their apprenticeship during the pandemic less well educated?

According to the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), all final apprenticeship examinations were conducted regularly in 2020 and 2021; the qualifications are recognised as fully valid on the labour market. The same applies to Matura qualifications. No matter how different the training of the «corona years» is from previous years, it should not affect the job search. Small gaps can be quickly filled with an interesting job.

4 What are the employment opportunities for apprenticeship graduates?

Unemployment among apprenticeship graduates is currently lower than the average for 2015 to 2019, although it rises after the summer holidays when apprenticeships end and those who have not yet found a job register as unemployed. SERI expects the labour market to ease in the second half of the year.

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Young people talk:

«I do something new every day»
Pedro Lopes, 19, from Luterbach SO, is a plumber in his third year of training. He has very specific ideas for his professional future.
«There's still a lot to learn»
Marc Roth, 17, from Oberhelfenschwil SG, wants to become a farrier and later run his own business.
«My parents are very proud of me»
Farzana Ahmadi, 26, from Umiken AG, is an EBA health and social care assistant. She misses her home country of Iran and says that the people in the care home help her to feel less alone.
«I was only allowed to measure once and had to concentrate very hard»
Anouk Zaugg, 16, from Brugg AG, completed a taster apprenticeship as a structural draughtswoman. And is happy to be able to do an apprenticeship in her dream job after receiving a positive decision.
«I explain to customers what is allowed - and what is not»
Daniel Wiederkehr, 26, from Rotkreuz ZG, now works as a security technician. Not everything went smoothly during his training.
«I like dismantling large objects»
Bianca Jöhr, 16, from Worb BE, is a first-year apprentice recyclist. She initially wanted to be a hairdresser.
«I had a difficult time, and not just because I couldn't find an apprenticeship»
Colin Spilek, 16, from Nufenen GR, is a vocational school pupil and is doing really well. The search for an apprenticeship coincided with his coming out as transgender - not an easy time.