Strengthening the skills acquisition of staff in SMEs
The Federal Council wants to further optimise the framework conditions for the participation of adults with a lack of basic skills in education. By expanding the funding priority "Simply better ... at work!", the Confederation is supporting companies in keeping their employees fit for the challenges of the workplace. In addition, it is launching a pilot programme "Further training coaching for SMEs" in cooperation with interested professional associations. The planned advisory service will enable SMEs to identify the training needs of their employees.
Overall, the level of education and participation in continuing education is high in Switzerland. Nevertheless, as the Federal Council writes, there is a need for action in some areas, both in terms of the basic skills of adults and in terms of job-oriented continuing education. Compared to the rest of the working population, people without post-compulsory education or with insufficient basic skills participate less than average in continuing education and training and are unemployed more often than average. In addition, SMEs in particular face challenges in systematically recording the training needs of their employees and the skills requirements of the company itself. Digitalisation and economic structural change, which has been accelerated by the Corona pandemic, are exacerbating these challenges.
Manage more actively
The Federal Council has therefore instructed the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) to further optimise the framework conditions for the participation in education of adults with a lack of basic skills. In particular, the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) should more actively promote the funding priority "Simply better! ... in the workplace" and coordinate ongoing measures to promote basic skills. The aim is to convince more companies of the benefits of promoting workplace-related basic skills among their employees and thus increase participation in the training courses supported by the Confederation, according to the report.
Launching innovative SME pilot projects
In addition, SERI should improve the framework conditions for job-oriented continuing education and launch innovative pilot projects for "continuing education coaching for SMEs". This service will be provided by the relevant professional organisations, as the Confederation emphasises that they are most familiar with the needs of the sector. The coaching sessions are designed to help companies identify the training needs of their employees. At the same time, SERI will intensify project funding in the area of job-oriented continuing education by providing better advice and networking for interested applicants or by providing targeted impetus, such as with the call for proposals for continuing education coaching.
With the Vocational and Professional Education and Training Act (VPETA) and the Continuing Education and Training Act (CETA), the Confederation has the legal basis for implementing the Federal Council's mandate both in the area of promoting the basic skills of adults and in vocationally-oriented continuing education and training. And Parliament has already made the necessary financial resources available for these areas in the ERI Dispatch 2021-2024, it concludes.
Source: Confederation
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