Swiss Review 6/2019

Swiss Review / November 2019 / No.6 31 OSA news Gaining life experience in Switzerland What to do after finishing compulsory education or high school? Often the best answer is to take a year out. There is a plethora of gap year opportunities to choose from in Switzerland. Go to university? Do vocational train- ing? Or look for a job? Many young people ponder these questions once they have left school. Making the right choice is not always easy, which iswhy gap years are a popular option in Swit- zerland. Bridge-year courses Bridge-year courses, of which there aremany, used to be referred to as the “tenth school year”. They are run by the cantons and can vary considerably in nature. On average, a bridge-year pro- gramme will last six to 12 months. Many help to fill gaps in schooling or provide guidance on choosing a pro- fession. Thiswill often include helping people to find apprenticeships. Voluntary work In return for doing voluntary work, you will receive free board/lodging and possibly a small amount of pocket money. Many volunteers like to work on farms. Agriviva is a body that organ- ises agricultural placements for some 1,500 young volunteers from around theworld each year. Swiss Abroad also take advantage of these opportunities. For example, Yaycia Robinson from Australia spent this summer working at a family farm in the canton of Solo- thurn. “I definitelywant to beworking with animals in future,” says Robinson, who developed a particular affection for the cows. Internship Internships provide an in-depth in- sight into the world of work. From hospitality and healthcare, to media and construction – almost all profes- sions offer work placements. Most of these are advertised on various online platforms. When applying for an in- ternship, youmust provide a CV, cover letter and references – just like you would if you were applying for a per- manent job. Interns are treated as em- ployees and usually receive a small wage. To gain admission to a univer- sity of applied sciences, you normally need to have been on a work place- ment for several months. Movetia offers a language assist- antship programme that allows stu- dents fromabroad to gain initial work experience by helping out for a year as a language assistant at an upper secondary school or vocational school. Au pair Working as an au pair for a familywith children can be an interesting experi- ence for young men and women alike. Although the remuneration is nothing to write home about, you not only re- ceive free board and lodging but are also given enough spare time to attend language courses and get to know Switzerland better. Language courses Intensive language courses allow you to immerse yourself in the language of your choice. Numerous private schools in Switzerland offer language courses for every level. We recom- mend that you aim for a course that earns you a recognised language cer- tificate. RUTH VON GUNTEN Young Australian Yaycia Robinson (left) with her “Agriviva parents” Stefan and Maria Marti, alongside “Fuba” the cow. (Photo: Julia Spahr, “Schweizer Bauer”). Information sheets on the relevant options are available to order free of charge from education- suisse by email (info@educationsuisse.ch) . Edu- cationsuisse also has a Facebook page, which now also includes a closed group for all young Swiss Abroad who are currently furthering their education in Switzerland. educationsuisse, Education in Switzerland, Alpenstrasse 26, 3006 Berne, Switzerland Tel.: +41 31 356 61 04 , info@educationsuisse.ch, www.educationsuisse.ch. IMPRINT: “Swiss Review”, the magazine for the Swiss Abroad, is in its 45 th year of publication and is published in German, French, English and Spanish in 14 regional editions. It has a total circulation of 418,000, including 223,000 electronic copies. Regional news appears four times a year. The ordering parties are fully responsible for the content of advertisements and promotional inserts. This content does not necessarily represent the opinion of either the editorial office or the publisher. EDITORS: Marc Lettau (MUL), Editor-in-Chief; Stéphane Herzog (SH); Theodora Peter (TP); Susanne Wenger (SWE); Simone Flubacher (SF), responsible for “news.admin.ch” , Relations with the Swiss Abroad, FDFA, 3003 Berne, Switzerland EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Sandra Krebs TRANSLATION: SwissGlobal Language Services AG; LAYOUT: Joseph Haas, Zürich; PRINT: Vogt-Schild Druck AG, 4552 Derendingen POSTAL ADDRESS: Publisher, editorial office, advertising: Organisation of the Swiss Abroad, Alpenstrasse 26, 3006 Berne, Tel.: +41313566110, Fax: +41313566101, Postal account (Swiss National Giro): 30-6768-9. Email: revue@aso.ch COPY DEADLINE for this edition: 21. October 2019 All Swiss Abroad who are registered with a Swiss representation receive the magazine free of charge. Anyone else can subscribe to the magazine for an annual fee (Switzerland: CHF 30 / abroad: CHF 50). Subscribers are sent the magazine direct from Berne. www.revue.ch CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Please advise your local embassy or consulate. Do not write to the editorial office in Berne.