Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is an educational and vocational pathway to learn a profession and obtain a degree.
Through apprenticeship it is possible to:
- obtain training for a specific profession, with the possibility of pursuing further studies in the future
- choose one's vocational goal according to one's aptitudes, interests and abilities among different training paths
- make contact with the world of work and practically experience the skills learned
Course, duration and qualifications
The apprenticeship generally lasts three or four years and leads to a Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (AFC). There is also the option of pursuing a vocational training course lasting only two years that leads to a Federal Certificate of Vocational Education and Training (CFP).
It is possible to pursue the AFC apprenticeship in two ways:
- attending full-time schools: in the Canton of Ticino, a full-time apprenticeship can be completed at a school of arts and crafts or applied arts, a specialized school for social and health professions, or a middle school of commerce. By attending a full-time school, you learn professional practice in the school's workshops. More information on these schools can be found on the website of the Ufficio dell'orientamento scolastico e professionale.
- In-company apprenticeship: as an apprentice you work in a company a few days a week to learn practical vocational training, while on the remaining days you attend vocational school for related theoretical training.
Inter-company courses are also organized and usually take place in the training centers of professional associations.
A basic requirement for an in-company apprenticeship is to have an employer who is licensed to take in trainees.
Salary and hours vary depending on the occupation and year of apprenticeship. More information is available on the website of the Divisione della formazione professionale.
The application file
When searching for an apprenticeship position, it is very important to carefully prepare your application file:
- prepare a resume telling about your educational experiences and a cover letter explaining why you are applying for that position
- attach a copy of your most recent degree and school report
How to search for an apprenticeship position
Most companies post ads for the search of apprentices on orientamento.ch. Also available is the free BIZ App for smartphones, which allows users to create a list of preferred occupations and stay up-to-date on apprenticeship vacancies by receiving notifications on their cell phones when new ads are posted.
However, not all companies publish ads through the aforementioned channels, so in some cases it may be useful to contact companies in the field of interest directly and apply for an orientation internship, so as to make initial contact.
The City of Lugano offers various types of apprenticeships; in fact, the City is one of the largest training companies in the Canton of Ticino. Every year, in the first three months, competitions for vacancies are opened and published along with other jobs for the City.
Apprenticeship... and then what?
After obtaining the Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training, it is possible to continue studies in tertiary vocational training, for example in the higher specialized schools, or with the Professional Maturity Certificate, which allows access to vocational schools, including SUPSI-University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland.
If, on the other hand, the goal is to fully enter the world of work, it is necessary to prepare for the search for an employer. In this case, it will be very useful to make a thorough reflection on the skills acquired during the training course in order to present oneself at selection interviews with a complete and mature professional profile.
It is important not to neglect the preparation of the application file and to try to contact first the companies you came into contact with during your apprenticeship.
The English version of this page was created with the aid of automatic translation tools and may contain errors and omissions.
The original version is the page in Italian.