Photo: Swiss Skills
Over 1,000 participants, including 25 young people from the logistics sector, will be present when Swiss Skills 2022 kicks off in Bern on September 7th and runs until Saturday. Swiss champions will be crowned in 85 of the 150 apprenticeship trades across crafts, industry, and services.
Just as unique as the Swiss vocational training system is, so too are the Swiss Skills competitions. Nowhere else in the world can such a diverse range of apprenticeships, including 85 within the framework of the SwissSkills Championships, be experienced firsthand and tried out by visitors. 120,000 visitors are expected, among them 64,000 students and their chaperones from over 2,600 school classes. For the third time, following the events in 2014 and 2018, they will have the opportunity to observe Switzerland's best young professionals at work and be inspired by them at the Bernexpo grounds.
The SwissSkills 2022 competitions are organized by 70 participating professional associations, which will appoint around 750 experts to evaluate the performances. The competitions last four days (Wednesday to Saturday) and culminate in the awards ceremony on Saturday evening at the PostFinance Arena. In approximately half of the championships, young professionals can also qualify for participation in EuroSkills 2023 (Gdansk, Poland) or WorldSkills 2024 (Lyon, France) via SwissSkills 2022.
The more than 1000 competitors represent all 26 Swiss cantons. The participants are trained at 900 different companies and 165 vocational schools.
Photo: admin.ch
Thomas Zaugg (left), one of around 150 qualified helpers and co-organizers, and retired principal of the Langenthal vocational school, sees SwissSkills as an excellent platform for the entire Swiss vocational education system. "They are an incredible boost to the motivation of the participating young professionals and the best possible advertisement for their training companies." During his 16 years as principal, Zaugg repeatedly encouraged young people to participate in the SwissSkills competitions. He also introduced a corresponding preparatory course at the school. "I think it's important to support high-achieving students and offer them an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills."
All industries represented
For the first time, a competition in "Entrepreneurship" is also taking place, in which young people from diverse professional backgrounds have qualified. Special, interdisciplinary teamwork is required at the Swiss Championships for micromechanics and microdraftsmen, who compete in teams of two and are judged together. Young computer scientists have the opportunity to compete for the Swiss championship titles in four different disciplines.
Photo: Swiss Skills
Last time, particularly outstanding performances could be rewarded with a small car, sponsored by Debrunner Acifer.
Participant lists and portraits are available online at swiss-skills2022.ch/de/teilnehmende
