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With the revision of the Federal Constitution of 18 April 1999 (Article 63), the legal responsibility for all vocational education and training was transferred to the Confederation. In accordance with the Federal Law on Vocational Education and Training of 13 December 2002 all occupations outside of the remit of the universities have been incorporated under a uniform system. This law came into effect on 1 January 2004 and included the professions of agriculture and forestry, which were previously governed by other federal regulations; in addition, it transferred responsibility for the vocational fields of health, social work and art, which were previously regulated on a cantonal or inter-cantonal basis, to the Confederation. The revision of the Federal Law on Vocational Education and Training offers new, differentiated ways of vocational education and training, and supports permeability between different areas of the vocational education and training system.

Federal Law on Vocational Education and Training

The implementation of the Federal Law on Vocational Education and Training is a challenge that the Confederation, cantons and professional organisations are facing jointly. The law contains numerous improvements in basic vocational education and training:

All professions are to be adapted to the new stipulations during a transition period. The Confederation and the cantons have created a "Master Plan for Basic Vocational Education and Training" to allow a coordinated revision of all basic vocational education and training programmes. The previous regulations governing education, training and examination in approximately 230 professions are to be converted into ordinances on basic vocational education and training.
The previous "Anlehre", type of vocational education and training for adolescents with low learning performance is to be replaced by the 2-year basic vocational education and training leading to a basic federal certificate of vocational education and training. If no 2-year basic vocational education and training is yet in place for a particular vocational field, it should still be possible to continue with the corresponding "Anlehre" until 2012 at the latest.
Further reform areas include (among others):
- The establishment of a minimum standard for quality development and quality assurance at the various places of learning (business, vocational school, business-to-business courses) (project "Qualität leben").
- The evaluation and revision of the education provided at colleges of commerce (Handelsmittelschulen) and of their integration into the ordinance on basic vocational education and training in the field of commerce.
- The introduction of new curricula (framework curricula for VET/PET professionals and teachers for vocational schools, as well as a framework curriculum for general education within basic vocational education and training).
- Training and continuing education of teachers for vocational schools and VET/PET professionals, conducted at universities.
In addition, the Federal Law on Vocational Education and Training entails changes in financing. The Confederation's previous expense-oriented operating contributions and investment contributions to the cantons are to be replaced by performance-oriented lump-sum financing. In this context, the inter-cantonal agreement on the contributions to education costs in basic vocational education and training (Vocational School Agreement) came into effect in 2007.
The Swiss Institute for Vocational Education now functions as the Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (SFIVET). The SFIVET is the competence centre of the Confederation for teaching and research in vocational education and training and professional development. Its core tasks are the training of the teaching staff and VET/PET professionals, as well as the development of vocational education research.
In addition, measures have been taken in order to improve the transition from the lower secondary level to basic vocational education and training, which as far as operational aspects are concerned, also means that businesses' readiness to participate in education and training is secured.
The Ordinance on the Vocational Baccalaureate is also to be revised and adapted to the Federal Law on Vocational Education and Training. This should make the courses and opportunities for graduates more flexible. The first courses to follow the new model will start in the year 2014.