A vast promotional campaign is planned to support these efforts, as well as the opening of a Cité des métiers in Crissier to provide information and guidance throughout the year. However, to observe real changes, an evolution of the orientation and the end of compulsory education will be necessary via the MAT-EO project.
On the eve of the opening of the career fair on 1is October 2024, State Councilor Frédéric Borloz presented generally stable figures on the professional guidance of young people in the Canton. These figures still demonstrate for the first time in a long time a 1% increase in the choice of apprenticeship upon leaving compulsory school (19.3% in 2023 to 20.3% in 2024). The number of young people in pre-gymnasium who choose directly to apprenticeship is also up by 2% (7% to 9%). At the same time, transition measures fell by 0.9% to 24% and registrations in maturity schools are stable at around 37.7% and have not increased for 3 years. Out of 36,4000 young people in post-compulsory training, the Canton of Vaud has 19,500 young people in apprenticeships compared to 13,950 in general training at the start of the 2024-2025 school year.
Forging links between schools and the world of work
Promoting professional training is a priority of the 2022-2022 legislative program7 and a priority of the Council of State. For two years, the Department of Education and Vocational Training has continued its efforts and deployed its action plan. In addition to the one-off and symbolic event that the Salon des Métiers represents, a whole ecosystem of measures and systems are now in place and developing. We can cite, for example, the organization of meetings between local businesses and students through regional forums. These events are set up in several establishments by the professional world approach coordinators now present in all school regions. Thus, young people benefit from individual or collective internship opportunities thanks to the links forged with the world of work in each region.
A Cité des Métiers in Crissier and a campaign to promote apprenticeship
The head of the training department also announced that the Cité des Métiers project has started. This permanent place dedicated to information and orientation will be available to the population by 2028 at the latest on the site of the future Crissier gymnasium. Different offices of the Vaud administration will be represented there, educational and professional guidance, training for young people and adults, employment and scholarships. Furthermore, a campaign to promote apprenticeship will be launched to enhance the image of apprenticeship among young people, parents and teaching staff. It will help fight against clichés and show the diversity of professions and career opportunities.
The Career Fair and a day of higher education
Thousands of young people, students and families are expected at the 2024 Career Fair which takes place earlier this year. For the first time, Sunday will be devoted to higher education courses following obtaining the CFC, whether higher education diplomas, federal certificates or even professional diplomas.
Efforts continue to highlight the path of learning, in several temporalities, for several audiences and in various forms. Although certain indicators seem rather encouraging, real changes can only be observed over time and by changing the orientation of students at the end of compulsory education. In the years to come, this is precisely one of the missions of MAT-EO, the reform of the four-year maturity and compulsory schooling.
Link to press release
