What do Switzerland and Rhode Island have in Common?

Jobs Now report cover

It turns out, they have quite a bit in common when it comes to Apprenticeship. Both “ecosystems,” as Governor Raimondo put it, closely resemble each other when it comes to vocational education and training systems.  “Both put employers in the driver’s seat – letting employers identify their own skills needs and develop their own job-training solutions.”

The Swiss have long been known for their apprenticeship system, where young people are trained for skilled jobs that are in high demand. The private sector drives initiatives to recruit and train young people and provide jobs, in turn gaining skilled employees.  The United States has caught on to the success of this model.  Since 2015, the countries have begun “cooperating more intensively on specific aspects” of vocational education with the Swiss, as highlighted in Accenture’s JOBS NOW Swiss-Style Vocational Education and Training.

Governor Raimondo, one of the U.S. leaders highlighted in the report, touts Rhode Island’s bold moves supporting employers in designing and launching custom apprenticeship programs during her tenure as governor.

“Businesses drive every apprenticeship program in Rhode Island and we customize every program for each employer. Businesses benefit by lowering their cost of recruitment, growing talent in house, and developing a systematic and consistent approach to training that results in the highest skill levels required for the job. All this helps employers’ competitiveness and profitability.” (p.88)

Raimondo describes the infrastructure that has been put in place to support apprenticeship cutting through red tape, eliminated fees, and establishing training incentives.  Apprenticeship RI is exceeding expectations having helped employers create apprenticeships in dozens of occupations outside the construction trades.  Rhode Island’s may have taken cues from the Swiss in expanding apprenticeship, but all of this adds up to creating good jobs now on both sides of the Atlantic.

For more information, visit Accenture’s Jobs Now Report: Swiss-Style Vocational Education and Training; Voices from companies, governors, and CEOs.

See also related article in Forbes:  Jobs Now! Learning From The Swiss Apprenticeship Model