Traineeship in Switzerland for VET learners

VET students/apprentices and graduates gain practical work experience in another language region of Switzerland. They acquire a wide range of professional, linguistic and social skills and add that certain something to their CV. 

Next steps

Overview

For whom

  • VET students/apprentices and apprenticeship graduates in vocational education and training (EBA, EFZ, BM)

Duration

  •  5 days to 6 months

Where

  • In another language region of Switzerland

What we fund

  • Financial support for organisation, travel, stay and language course 

What to do

  • Interested participants should contact their vocational school, their training provider, their canton's mobility centre or other institutions that offer work placements
  • The educational institution contacts a partner institution, organises the internship and submits the funding application

Deadlines

  • Application deadline at the latest 30 days before the start of the internship

Next steps

In detail

The traineeship enables VET students/apprentices and apprenticeship graduates to gain work experience in another language region in Switzerland. Participants work on site for up to 6 months. The participants or the institutions, e.g. the vocational school, the training provider, a professional association or the canton, are responsible for finding a suitable internship in the desired region. VET students/apprentices and graduates live in this language region during their work placement. They can also attend a language course on site. 

The work placement can be organised individually or in a group. The organising institution can either send the VET students/apprentices or apprenticeship graduates only (one-way) or plan a reciprocal exchange (send and receive).

This funding opportunity is financed by the National Exchange in Vocational Education and Training programme.

Personal and professional development

During this period, VET students/apprentices and apprenticeship graduates leave their familiar environment to take on new tasks in a different language region. They build up new specialist knowledge for their profession, expand their network and improve their chances on the labour market. They also learn to communicate in a foreign language in their new profession. The stay makes the young people more independent and gives them a different perspective on their profession and their familiar environment.

Making vocational training attractive and sustainable

There is a shortage of young people for apprenticeships in many sectors in Switzerland. By offering internships for VET students, vocational education and training institutions increase the attractiveness of training for young people and position themselves as an educational institution. They also provide scope for new ideas that VET students/apprentices bring with them from the host company and promote talent at an early stage. Options include, for example

  • Exchange students/apprentices between Ticino and Aargau as a professional nursing association.
  • training provider in the hotel industry in Central Switzerland can retain apprentices by offering them internships in Vaud.
  • vocational school in Jura can promote the independence of the youngest VET students/apprentices by sending them to Zurich for 1 month for an internship.
  • cantonal exchange office can provide an exchange experience for all VET students and apprenticeship graduates in the canton.

Organise school attendance during the internship

The school holidays are a suitable time for a short internship. For short internships, VET students/apprentices can attend their local vocational schools on school days. For longer internships, it is advisable to attend the vocational school at the location of the internship in addition to work in order to enable language immersion. The organising institution plans the school visit together with the participants and clarifies questions such as grading (dispensation) and possible supervision. Graduates usually work full-time in the companies.

Concrete implementation of work placements

The project organiser, i.e. the educational institution that submits a funding application to us, is responsible for implementing the mobilities. We support the educational institution. In concrete terms, this means that the project organiser plans the mobilities, recruits the participants, takes care of the learning content and accommodation, accompanies the participants during the exchange and takes care of the follow-up. We support the educational institution in designing mobility projects and networking with Swiss educational institutions. Contact us for support. 

Requirements

For participants:

  • You have completed an apprenticeship or are attending a basic vocational training school in Switzerland (planned EBA, EFZ or BM qualification)
  • After completing basic vocational training in Switzerland (EBA, EFZ or BM), the start of the traineeship in Switzerland must not be more than 12 months ago.
  • The organising institution can also define its own criteria for participation.

For educational institutions:

  • The following institutions can submit applications: vocational schools, (apprenticeship) companies, professional associations, cantonal vocational training offices and other vocational training-related organisations based in Switzerland (public or private).
  • At least two Swiss companies and/or other educational institutions are required to receive or send participants.
  • Individuals and for-profit exchange service providers such as intermediary agencies are not eligible to apply.

To the work placement:

  • The work placement gives participants an insight into everyday working life. The working hours correspond to at least a 50% workload (it is also possible to attend a language course and/or vocational schools).
  • The internship lasts between 5 days and 6 months. 
  • The internship takes place in another Swiss language region
  • The participants mainly live in the location of the internship.

Funding amounts

  • Organisation fee for the institution: CHF 450 per person 
  • For the journey: CHF 100 per person
  • For the stay: CHF 170 per person per week
  • For language courses: CHF 800 (English, French), CHF 1000 (Italian, Romansh) per person, for a minimum of 10 days.
  • For the specific needs of individuals with disabilities or those suffering from physical, mental, or chronic illnesses: Max. 12,000 CHF (actual costs based on the note of requirements)Insurance and any visa fees are at your expense.

Procedure

For participants

VET students/apprentices and apprenticeship graduates contact their educational institution (vocational schools, training providers, cantons, professional associations and other players in vocational education and training) and express their interest in a work placement during or after their training. 

For institutions

Follow these steps to carry out your exchange project:

  1. 1

    1. Find a partner institution

    To organise traineeships in Switzerland, you need a partner institution in the respective language region. Both institutions can send and/or host participants. 

    • Use your personal or professional environment for this.
    • Or visit one of our vocational education and training events.
    • Find out more about Finding a partner 
  2. 2

    2. optional Form consortium

    If several Swiss institutions are pursuing the same goal, they can apply for funding for mobilities as a consortium. Find out whether a consortium project brings additional benefit to your project.

  3. 3

    3. optional Arrange a preparatory visit

    Would you like to meet potential project partners on site to get to know each other or work on a joint project? You can receive financial support for this with the funding opportunities Preparatory visits.

  4. 4

    4. Project plan

    • You define the goals of the project and how you want to achieve them at an early stage and clarify the responsibilities with your partner institution.
    • You plan the work placements for your participants. To do this, you estimate the number of participants at your institution, determine how you will prepare and support the participants for the upcoming placements and consolidate the learning outcomes. 
    • In the project application, you describe the planned activities and provide information on points such as
      • Details of all partner institutions
      • Brief project description with objectives and measures
      • Overview of planned mobility activities
      • Information on the preparation, on-site support and follow-up of the mobility activities
      • Plan for internal and external communication of the project results. 
    • You ensure that the planned project fulfils our award criteria
    • It is important to us to also enable persons with disabilities or with physical, mental, or chronic diseases to participate. Therefore, we provide additional funding for persons with special needs, for which you can apply in the funding application. You may also submit a request for funding for special needs at a later stage during the project duration. You can find more information under Inclusion and equal opportunities.
    • We are happy to provide you with individual counselling to clarify questions about planning, submission and implementation. The consultation can take place over the phone, online or on site.
  5. 5

    5. Submit funding application

    • Submit the project using the online form at the latest 30 days before the start of the project. 
    • The funding application is submitted by one of the partner institutions for the entire project.
    • An institution can receive funding for several participants. Please note the limit of 30 mobilities for a first application.
    • The project duration (contract period between the project organiser and Movetia) lasts a maximum of 12 months.
    • Open the application as early as possible to familiarise yourself with the requirements. You can save the application temporarily and process it later. If you are submitting an application for the first time, you will need to register once. 
  6. 6

    6. Contract and payout

    • We will review the funding application within 30 days of submission.
    • If the decision is positive, we will issue the funding contract and pay out 80% of the funding.
    • Payment is made within 30 days after receiving the signed contract. 
    • Funding amounts are paid exclusively to schools, training providers and other vocational education and training institutions based in Switzerland and not directly to participants. 
  7. 7

    7. Implement project

    • The organising school/training provider selects the participants and organise the internship position, accommodation and, if necessary, the language course with them. You involve the participants in the planning if necessary. 
    • Prepare the participants for their exchange experience. For example, you can use our intercultural preparation workshop. 
    • The organising school/training provider is responsible for paying out financial support to VET students/apprentices for travelling and accommodation.
    • The organising school/training provider also supports the participants during and after the work placement.
    • Do you need more time to realise the project? You can extend the project up to two times by a maximum of 6 months each. This means that a maximum extension of 12 months to a maximum contract term of 24 months is possible. If other aspects relevant to the contract change, such as budgets or the name of the person responsible, please inform us by e-mail before the end of the project.
    • In our login area, you can document the planned and completed exchanges on an ongoing basis. This overview of the exchanges actually carried out is part of the final report and the central record of the exchanges.
    • We conduct a monitoring meeting with the project leaders during the project term. At this meeting, you can clarify questions and receive feedback, tools and suggestions for further project implementation. 
  8. 8

    8. Submit final report

    • You must submit the final report online no later than 60 days after the end of the contract term.
    • Apart from the overview of the exchanges (documented in the login area) and, if applicable, a confirmation of participation in the language course, no further evidence or supporting documents must be submitted in the final report. 
    • The final report primarily asks for information on the following points:
      • Overview of the exchanges carried out 
      • Achievement of the objectives of the project and the funding programme
      • Need for support
      • Overview of information and communication activities in the project
    • In the event of a financial audit by us, however, it must be possible to provide evidence of the exchanges (including evidence of the costs of the exchanges).
    • We evaluate the final report and pay out any remaining amounts or make repayment claims. This takes place within 30 days of submission of the final report.
  9. 9

    9. Report about the project

    • The experiences that you and the participants make during the exchange are also of interest to other vocational education and training stakeholders. Make them visible and report on them in your institution and in your network.
    • Share the content widely via your institution's channels, e.g. newsletter, social media, blog, etc. In this way, you present your institution as innovative, open-minded and an attractive employer. You will also stimulate professional exchange in the education sector. 
    • Contact us to increase your reach, e.g. by placing a magazine article on our website. 

Q & A

No, individuals are not eligible to apply. Only educational institutions receive funding amounts. VET students and apprenticeship graduates should first contact their school or training provider to organise a work placement. Funding for travel and accommodation is paid out by the organising school/training provider. 

We only support mobilities if the VET student/apprentice spends most of their mobility time in the other language region. 

Further options

Similar funding opportunities

  • Exchange during the holidays

    Young people visit each other during the vacations and spend one to two weeks with their respective families in another language region of Switzerland.

  • Volunteering

    Young adults can actively support a non-profit project in a field of their choice, in Switzerland or Europe.