Vocational education and training (VET) - Schools

In 2021/22, almost 215 600 students were in vocational education and training. 41% of them were young women and 24% were of foreign nationality. Almost all students in vocational education and training were following a programme leading to a Federal VET Diploma (almost 93%). The remainder chose a VET Certificate or uncertified apprenticeship course (7%) or another vocational course.

Students in vocational education and training, change since 2005/06
	2005/06	2010/11	2015/16	2020/21	2021/22
Total	213 174	228 717	226 822	215 651	215 581
Female (%)	41.7	42.0	41.8	40.6	40.7
Foreign (%)	15.7	16.8	19.5	23.2	23.7
Federal VET diploma¹	180 659	205 104	212 329	199 730	199 950
Female (%)	38.0	41.4	41.6	41.0	40.9
Foreign (%)	14.5	15.5	18.2	20.8	21.5
Federal VET certificate	1 335	8 343	13 215	15 059	14797
Female (%)	66.1	46.6	45.0	36.5	37.0
Foreign (%)	35.1	36.8	40.7	54.1	53.3
VET not governed by the VPETA	14 989	1 896	948	836	813
Female (%)	80.5	63.1	40.6	35.3	41.7
Foreign (%)	16.1	24.4	26.1	24.2	26.3
Upper secondary trade and IT schools	11 225	11 051	.	.	.
Female (%)	49.6	47.1	.	.	.
Foreign (%)	21.9	21.3	.	.	.
Basic vocational education	4 966	2 323	330	26	21
Female (%)	33.2	36.7	33.3	34.6	38.1
Foreign (%)	37.2	35.7	40.9	7.7	19.0

1 Including the federal vocational baccalaureate during vocational education (FVB1) Source: FSO – Statistics on pupils and students (SDL)
Data as of: February 2023

Vocational education and training mainly occurs in dual mode, i.e. in-company training along with training at a vocational school, providing both theory and the necessary general education. This is completed by inter-company courses which form the crossroads between the two areas of learning. Vocational education and training can also take place in full-time school in a small number of cases. Vocational education and training is completed with the Federal VET Certificate after two years or the Federal VET Diploma after three to four years.
Since 2005/06, numbers in vocational education and training have risen by 1%. Compared to the previous year, these remained stable (increase of 0.1%).

The three most popular training sectors chosen by students in 2021/22 were: Business and administration (17%), Wholesale and retail sales (11%) and Building and civil engineering (7%). Some sectors are clearly gender-dominated.