The 50-year-old intern

Even though he's over 50, Andreas Büttiker has been working as an intern. Is it a success story that could serve as a model for others?

Büttiker originally trained as a broadcast technician, but was working as a production manager when he lost his job. He realised that years of work experience weren’t as useful as he might have hoped in helping him find a new job, as he didn’t have a diploma which officially recognised the skills he had accumulated in the workplace.

As part of a project set up by canton Solothurn, he was able to work for a new company for a three-month trial period, which led to permanent employment. Instead of wages, he received a daily allowance from the unemployment insurance scheme during his trial period. 

The over-50s in Switzerland particularly struggle to find a new position if they become unemployed. Although they have years of experience, younger applicants have a different education and other skills. Some job advertisements in Switzerland even specify which age-range the company sees as desirable for the position, and often that can exclude older workers.