What am I supposed to be?

Even in «normal times», the transition from the end of compulsory schooling to active working life is very demanding and decisive for our young people. Starting with the development of their own personality and the development of a career aspiration through to the actual search for an apprenticeship, this process poses many challenges for the budding young professionals. As if this were not enough, this year there are further complicating factors.

Due to the current situation surrounding the pandemic, the majority of training fairs, careers fairs and school events that would have significantly broadened the «career horizon» have been cancelled. Young people are therefore missing out on opportunities to engage in personal dialogue with companies and gather information on career guidance as well as impressions of various professions. As a result, important opportunities to develop their own «career compass» simply disappeared last year.

Teachers often do important motivational work with disadvantaged pupils.

Furthermore, the postponement or even cancellation of taster opportunities impairs a tried and tested career choice based on initial experience. In the current situation, the resources and support options available to parents - such as their professional networks - play an even more important role. As not all parents have the necessary resources and support options, the inequality of opportunity for young people is also increasing in terms of career choice. It is therefore to be feared that those with a rather low performance record in school matters will be at an even greater disadvantage and their successful professional integration will be jeopardised.

Digital insights - a stopgap solution

The coronavirus crisis has also placed even greater demands on teachers to support young people. This is being done with great commitment and ingenuity, for example by means of videos, live streams and other creative options that offer digital insights into the world of work. However, these offerings in no way replace the important analogue, sensory and haptic impressions and experiences in companies or at local careers fairs. They remain an emergency solution due to the crisis.

The professional integration of young people with a low academic record is at risk.

Young people who receive little or no support at home require particularly intensive assistance. However, the time-consuming individual counselling of young people in the career choice process by the school has its limits. Careers and study counselling services play a very important role in this process. In the case of disadvantaged pupils, however, it is often the teachers who, as reference persons in the transition from upper secondary school to the world of work, provide important motivational work and support the young people in this process. Last but not least, they help young people to cope with rejections and disappointments and not to become discouraged.

The companies are also challenged

Teachers and parents must be able to count on the cooperation and flexibility of administrations, trade and industry in order to provide young people with the best possible support. Easy access to companies is essential for discovering the world of work. In contrast to «taster apprenticeships», where young people apply for an apprenticeship, the administrative hurdles for career exploration and taster apprenticeships are a hindrance. Low-threshold programmes are needed here.

In order for the transition from school to working life to be successful, a careful, opportunity-orientated and experience-based career choice process is required. This is why young people, their parents and teachers need to ensure that, wherever possible during the coronavirus pandemic, career taster opportunities and thus career exploration are made possible without administrative obstacles, but with effective protection concepts.

Politicians now need to make an effort to ensure that our young people have a career choice process that offers them equal opportunities.

Now it is even more important to join forces and do everything possible to ensure that as many of our young people as possible can leave compulsory school with a good follow-up solution.

After all, it is hopefully not for nothing that the Confederation and the cantons have set themselves the target of 95 per cent of young people having a secondary school leaving certificate before the age of 25. The LCH fully supports this goal. Now is definitely the time when action is needed to achieve this goal. From the LCH's point of view, an additional effort is absolutely necessary, also on the part of politicians, so that our young people can experience a diverse and equal-opportunity career choice process on their way into working life - even in corona times.

Readmore about school and corona :

• Die Lehren aus der Pandemie
  Die Corona-Krise stellt Schulleitungen und Lehrerschaft vor grosse Herausforderungen. Als zentrales Element für deren Bewältigung hat sich die Mitwirkung der Eltern herausgestellt.
• «Wir müssen auch die Lehrpersonen schützen»
  Schulschliessungen gelten in der Schweiz nach wie vor als «Ultima Ratio», als letzte Massnahme im Kampf gegen das Coronavirus. Dagmar Rösler, Präsidentin des Dachverbands der Lehrerinnen und Lehrer LCH, über mögliche Alternativen zu Schulschliessungen, besondere Schutzmassnahmen für Lehrpersonen und welche Art von Unterricht ihre Töchter bevorzugen. 

• Wir müssen mehr Freiräume schaffen, um Talente zu fördern
  Welche Folgen hatte der Lockdown für den Lernstand unserer Kinder? Keine allzu negativen, sagt der oberste Schulleiter der Schweiz, Thomas Minder, und plädiert dafür, Schülerinnen und Schülern mehr Raum zur freien Entfaltung zuzugestehen.