Vocational education and training (VET) - Schools

In 2022/23, around 212 900 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 (93%). The remainder chose a VET Certificate (7%) or another vocational course.

Students in vocational education and training, change since 2005/06
	2005/06	2010/11	2015/16	2020/21	2022/23
Total	213 174	228 717	226 822	215 648	212 925
Female (%)	41.7	42.0	41.8	40.6	40.8
Foreign (%)	15.7	16.9	19.6	23.3	24.1
Federal VET diploma¹	180 659	205 104	212 329	199 623	198 073
Female (%)	38.0	41.4	41.6	41.0	41.0
Foreign (%)	14.5	15.6	18.2	21.0	22.1
Federal VET certificate	1 335	8 343	13 215	15 059	13 995
Female (%)	66.1	46.6	45.0	36.5	37.5
Foreign (%)	35.1	36.8	40.9	54.2	53.1
VET not governed by the VPETA	14 989	1 896	948	940	857
Female (%)	80.5	63.1	40.6	39.0	46.8
Foreign (%)	16.1	24.4	26.7	23.2	22.8
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	.
Female (%)	33.2	36.7	33.3	34.6	.
Foreign (%)	37.2	35.7	40.9	7.7	.

1 Including the federal vocational baccalaureate during vocational education (FVB1) Source: FSO – Statistics on pupils and students (SDL)
Data as of: February 2024

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 training have increased until 2011/12 (+8,7%), after which they began to decline. Compared with the previous year, the decrease continues (-1,2%).

The three most popular training sectors chosen by students in 2022/23 were: Business and administration (17%), Wholesale and retail sales (11%) and Building and civil engineering (7%). Some sectors are clearly gender-dominated.