Higher vocational education and training

Vocational education and training is the joint responsibility of the Confederation, cantons and professional organisations. The Confederation, which is represented by the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology (OPET), is responsible for strategic control and development of all vocational education and training (basic vocational education and training, higher vocational education and training, and vocationally oriented continuing education). Among other aspects, this responsibility involves legislation, quality assurance, further development of the vocational education and training system and encouragement of innovation. The cantons organise the implementation of federal legislation and are responsible for supervision of vocational education and training. The cantonal offices for vocational education and training usually perform these tasks. The cantonal vocational education departments are subordinate to the cantonal education departments / ministries, or in seldom cases the cantonal department / ministry of economics. On the inter-cantonal level, the vocational education departments have combined to form the Swiss Conference of Offices for Vocational Education and Training, which coordinates the implementation of the Federal Law on Vocational Education and Training among the cantons.

The operation of vocational information centres and career guidance centres is also the responsibility of the cantons. The cantonal vocational information centres and career guidance centres have combined to form the Swiss Conference of the Directors of Profession and Course Guidance.

Swiss Service Centre for Vocational Training

The Swiss Service Centre for Vocational Training, Study and Careers Counselling has been in place since 2007 and is a newly founded institution of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education for the provision of services which are transferred to the cantons by the Federal Law on Vocational Education and Training.

The cantons and private providers are responsible for educational institutions in the field of higher vocational education and training. The Confederation authorises professional organisations to regulate various aspects of the federal PET diploma examinations and advanced federal PET diploma examinations, namely the terms of admission, course content, qualification process, certificates and titles.

General and advanced Federal PET diploma examinations

The federal PET diploma examinations and advanced federal PET diploma examinations are geared toward individuals with professional experience who wish to deepen their knowledge or to prepare themselves for a leadership role. Around 370 recognised federal PET diploma examinations and advanced federal PET diploma examinations are offered. However, the majority apply to a limited number of professions. The advanced federal PET diploma examinations are more demanding than the federal PET diploma examinations. The Confederation, via the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology (OPET), recognises the examination regulations; the professional organisations are responsible for the content of the examinations. Within each industry, only 1 federal PET diploma examination and 1 advanced federal PET diploma examination are approved for each specific professional field. Preparatory courses for federal PET diploma examinations and advanced federal PET diploma examinations are not regulated and are also not compulsory. Preparation can also occur by means of self-directed study.

Professional organisations conduct the federally regulated examinations once or twice each year. Federally recognised titles are obtained.

Colleges of higher vocational education and training

The colleges of higher vocational education and training teach students the skills required to assume professional and management responsibilities. The courses and post-diploma studies are practically oriented and especially encourage the ability of methodical and cross-linked thinking. Furthermore, they offer further qualifications for analysing complex tasks specific to their occupational field and for the practical application of the acquired knowledge.

The colleges of higher vocational education and training offer federally recognised courses of study in the following fields: