Prerequisites profile for VET programmes

The prerequisites profile for VET programmes lays down the competences and skills that young people should have before starting an apprenticeship in a given occupation. There have been prerequisites profiles for a certain number of occupations for some years now. These profiles resulted from the initiative of the Zurich Cantonal Union of Arts and Crafts and persons in charge of the Stellwerk system, which was applied in several German-speaking cantons to measure the performance of pupils in main subjects. In French-speaking cantons, pupils take cantonal reference tests (French and mathematics) in the final years of compulsory education. The French-speaking school agreement provides for the introduction of reference tests based on national HarmoS standards.

The goal of a project masterminded by the Swiss Union of Arts and Crafts (SGV-USAM) is to harmonise the prerequisites profiles with the changes that compulsory education will experience (implementation of HarmoS standards and syllabuses for each language region) and to ensure that the said profiles are defined and applied on a national scale. The results of an assessment of the situation (in the 8th year/10th HarmoS) will enable pupils to fill in possible gaps and prepare for a VET programme in the best possible manner. This approach will facilitate occupational decisions and reduce transfers to other courses and terminations of apprenticeships.