Unions push job skills programme for young people

Swiss trade unions Tuesday took a key step in their campaign to force greater commitment from Swiss industry for apprenticeship job training programmes.

Swiss trade unions Tuesday took a key step in their campaign to force greater commitment from Swiss industry for apprenticeship job training programmes.

Trade union representatives, backed by Social Democratic Party members, presented the federal authorities with 113,000 signatures – a move that will pave the way for a nationwide vote on the issue.

Organisers of the campaign are proposing that businesses which do not offer apprenticeship programmes will have to pay financial compensation that would go toward a job training support fund.

That money would be used to boost the number of apprenticeships, with the declared aim to provide all young people with professional training.

Trade union officials said that, despite serious government efforts to increase the number of posts available, there was still a shortage of 6,500 apprenticeships this summer.

The government, industry leaders and trade unions all agree that there are too few apprenticeship jobs, particularly in the high-tech and service industry sectors.

The number of businesses and companies willing to train young people had decreased by more than ten percent in the past decade, the union representatives said.

They added that many business leaders were lamenting the shortage of skilled labour but that only a few were willing to help stop the gap with adequate funding.

Parliament has already approved a total of SFr160 million (107 million) to boost job creation for those entering the labour market.

About two thirds of young people in Switzerland currently choose to enter an apprenticeship programme, according to the latest government statistics. The programmes on average last three to four years and combine on-the-job training with classroom studies.

From staff and wire reports.