VET creation, review and revision cycle
In Switzerland, it is the private sector that initiates the process of creating, reviewing and revising training programmes for upper-secondary level vocational education and training (VET). Every five years, these VET programmes are reviewed in light of economic, technological, environmental and didactic developments and then adapted to suit the needs of the labour market.
When a professional organisation wishes to develop a new two-year programme for the Federal VET Certificate or a three- or four-year programme for the Federal VET Diploma, it will work closely with the two other system partners, namely the Confederation and the cantons. In order for the federal government to approve the programme, the employability of graduates must be guaranteed. The development of a VET programme follows a specific development plan.
Step 1: Analysis
Before work can begin, fundamental questions need to be clarified: Who will steward the new VET programme? Has the occupational profile been decided? Has labour market demand been ascertained? Are there enough host companies willing to provide workplace training and potentially hire graduates? Once this analytical work has been done, the professional organisation wishing to steward the creation project will contact the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and organise a planning meeting involving all three VPET system partners.
Steps 2 and 3: Competence profile and VET ordinance
The occupational profile, competence profile and qualification level all serve as the main frame of reference for development of a VET programme. The next step is to produce a VET ordinance, which lays out the legislative provisions on workplace training at host companies, classroom instruction at vocational school. Where applicable, the VET ordinance also establishes the requirements that must be met for the practical training portion of a school-based VET programme.
Step 4 and 5: Consultation, issuance and approval
SERI checks the quality of the VET ordinance and training plan. After examining and, if necessary, adapting these documents, SERI will consult federal offices, cantonal authorities and interested parties. Based on the feedback from consultation, SERI will then revise the VET ordinance and training plan as needed. Once this has been done, the cantons and professional organisation will meet to iron out any differences. In the final stage, SERI issues the VET ordinance and approves the training plan.
Step 6: Implementation, followed by new Step 1: 5-year review and revision
Acting under a federal mandate, the Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training (SFUVET) assists professional organisations and cantonal authorities with implementation. At least every five years, all VET programmes undergo review by a committee for occupation development and quality (CODQ). This committee examines the VET ordinance and training plan for the given occupation on the basis of economic, technological, environmental and didactic trends and revises the VET programme as needed.