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Swiss renew declaration on vocational training with US

US labor secretary Walsh and Swiss president Parmelin posing in conference room
US labor secretary Marty Walsh and Swiss President Guy Parmelin signed the memorandum of understanding. It follows previous agreements on cooperation over the past six years. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Swiss President Guy Parmelin has agreed a declaration of intent to boost cooperation with the United States on vocational education and training.

The agreement signed in Washington on Thursday is valid for three years and signals “intensifying knowledge exchange between education stakeholders active in the public and private sectors” in both countries, the Swiss education ministry said in a statement.

Parmelin holds the portfolio of economics and education minister in the Swiss government.

The memorandum of understanding follows a joint declaration in 2015 and a three-year agreement in 2018.

The latest declaration of intent “calls for direct contact, partnership and joint undertaking between companies, project execution agencies and other vocational education and training stakeholders,” the ministry statementExternal link said.

As part of previous accords on vocational training several US delegations visited Switzerland and several US states launched initiatives to promote education and training similar to the Swiss model.

The ministry added that Swiss companies with US locations play an important role in knowledge transfer.

“Gold standard”

Switzerland’s famed apprenticeship system is often held up as the “gold standard” in vocational training and is the number one choice for young people after they leave school.

For some time now, the US has been looking at Switzerland’s system combining education with an apprenticeship at a host company.

When Parmelin met US President Joe Biden in Geneva in June, the two men also discussed education and training.

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