Apprenticeships are deeply rooted in Swiss society and are seen as a respected, high-quality education. They are an integral and important part of Switzerland’s educational system and their success has inspired others to do the same. More than two-thirds of all Swiss students make the choice to start their career with an apprenticeship. With more than 240 different professions to choose from, this well-established pathway offers great career opportunities for youth and contributes to Switzerland’s economic prosperity as well as a low youth unemployment rate.

Take a look at the map below to learn more about Swiss companies in the U.S. offering apprenticeship programs and watch their video testimonials.

Swiss companies see apprenticeships as a strategy for building a talent pool. In the interest of continuing to provide high-quality products, they have a strong interest in investing in the next generation of skilled workers. Apprenticeships also offer great benefits to companies and decrease their recruitment costs. In Switzerland, vocational education and training is one of the factors that contribute to the country’s economic stability and innovation capabilities. It is a dynamic system with regularly updated learning curricula adapted to new developments in the labor market.

Apprenticeship programs have attracted widespread interest not only from U.S. companies, but also from U.S. federal and state agencies, researchers, educational institutions and workforce development offices. They have identified the great potential for the labor market in combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Accordingly, several Swiss and U.S. companies have set up apprenticeship programs at their U.S. locations, paving the way for the development and implementation of apprenticeship programs inspired by the Swiss model in the United States.

Swiss companies are replicating this model in the United States

Swiss companies in the U.S. often use apprenticeships as a strategy to attract and train a skilled workforce, to build their own talent pipeline and to boost innovation within their company. They work together with local community colleges to establish teaching curricula and some have inspired U.S. companies in their regions to adopt a similar apprenticeship model. It is often referred to as college without the debt. The retention rate is impressive: most apprentices stay with the company after completing their program.

On October 23, 2024, Switzerland and the United States of America renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand and strengthen apprenticeships in both countries. The document was signed at the residence of the Swiss Ambassador in Washington D.C. between Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin, Head of the Swiss Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, and three U.S. government agencies. The agreement aims to deepen the exchange of knowledge, talent and information between education and economic actors in both countries in the years 2024-2027.

The Memorandum of Understanding builds on the cooperation in the field of vocational education and training that has existed for several years between Switzerland and the U.S. The collaboration was established with a joint declaration in 2015 and then institutionalized through a three-year MoU in 2018 and another one in 2021. Specifically, the MoU promotes the exchange of ideas and best practices through study tours and official delegation visits, the mobility of talent and apprentices, and the experience of Swiss companies committed to training apprentices in the U.S.

The map below shows Swiss companies in the U.S. offering apprenticeship programs.

Apprentices at Swiss companies in the United States work in over 15 different professions, including IT and Cybersecurity, Logistics and Freight Forwarding, Accounting, General Insurance, Commodity Trading, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering.

Take a look at the testimonials and learn more about Swiss companies investing in American workforce.

Bühler Inc. in Plymouth, MN – Food Processing and Advanced Materials

Bühler is a Swiss family enterprise with over 160 years of experience and a global impact in food processing and advanced materials. Through the Bühler Apprenticeship Academy based in Minneapolis, students can engage in a mechatronics technician program (3 years) or business apprenticeship program (2 years). The program is certified by the Industry Consortium for Advanced Technical Training (ICATT) and apprentices earn an associate degree from Hennepin Technical College while gaining valuable experience working at Bühler.

Acutronic Group in Austin, TX – Aerospace Components

Swiss Group Acutronic is a global market leader in high-performance motion simulation and test equipment for the aerospace industry. In 2024, the company inaugurated its new Aerospace Components Division Headquarters in Texas and launched the Acutronic Apprenticeship Alliance, a first of its kind program which is registered by the U.S. Department of Labor. Acutronic builds on 50 years of training apprentices in Switzerland and brings the best of the model to American high school system. The program allows students to earn a competitive wage and technical knowledge before graduating high school and then provides a direct path to a career as electromechanical technicians with Acutronic in Austin.

Stadler Rail in Salt Lake City, UT – Train Manufacturing

Stadler is a Swiss company headquartered in Bussnang who has been building trains for 75 years. They recently expanded their facility in Salt Lake City where they started a Swiss-style apprenticeship program in 2019 called TRAC (Talent Ready Apprenticeship Connection). TRAC at Stadler is a 3 years program, either in an Automatic Electrical Technician program or Production Technician program. Stadler partners with local high schools and with the Salt Lake Community College.

Fracht Group in Houston, TX – International Freight Forwarding

Fracht is an international freight forwarder and an industry leader in providing general and specialized global logistics and supply chain solutions. Founded in 1955, the Swiss-born, family-owned company is now present in several locations across the U.S., including in Houston, Texas where they have recently announced the first ever Freight Forwarding Apprenticeship program registered by the U.S. Department of Labor. Fracht partners with Houston Community College (HCC) to equip apprentices with theoretical education necessary to navigate complex supply chains and international regulations.

Zurich Insurance – several U.S. locations – Insurance, Business, IT and Cybersecurity

Zurich is a Swiss company with 150 years of experience managing risk and providing insurance for businesses and customers around the world. They serve a diverse set of industries, including automotive, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, technology, and numerous others. In the U.S., the Zurich Apprenticeship program became the first of its kind to be certified by the U.S. Department of Labor in 2016 and they were recognized as an Apprenticeship Ambassador company in 2022. Zurich Insurance also co-founded the Chicago Apprenticeship Network together with Aon and Accenture. Their apprenticeship offer spans across U.S. states from New Jersey to Atlanta, Chicago, and South Dakota with many options such as Insurance Underwriting and Claims, Human Resources, IT, and Cybersecurity.