Crafting Synergies in Skills Training through Swiss VPET Roadshows in China
Access to highly skilled employees is becoming increasingly competitive and expensive in China, a fact which is also felt by many of the roughly 700 Swiss companies with a presence in the country. While some of these companies have taken matters into their own hands and implemented training programs inspired by the Swiss vocational and professional education and training (VPET) system, so far synergies and common opportunities between these initiatives have gone unnoticed. This is what the Sino-Swiss VPET Alliance – a partnership between the Science and Technology Office at the Swiss Embassy in Beijing and SwissCham China - aims to improve.
The VPET Alliance is working towards creating common initiatives to strengthen Swiss VPET in China by directly involving around 10 Swiss companies present in China. For example, Swiss companies can start negotiations with potential Chinese partner schools as a group, thereby immediately increasing their attractiveness and possible intake of local students into their training programmes. The Science and Technology Office and SwissCham are closely advising and supporting these initiatives and establishing contacts where possible.
A key component of the VPET Alliance in 2023 were the VPET roadshows. A significant challenge in China is the unfavourable reputation of VPET, despite the Chinese governments’ best efforts to promote skills-based education. The Science and Technology Office took the lead in developing the VPET roadshow which in 2023 has already travelled to Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing and Xiamen. At the center of the roadshows is an interactive exhibition of the Swiss VPET system, illustrating its three characteristics: permeability, cost-efficiency and market fit. The interactive elements allow visitors to take a typical Swiss career fit test, try out digital learning tools, and experience the permeability of Swiss skilled talents in a game. The exhibition is then complemented with panel discussions and workshops, which bring together Swiss companies, Chinese companies, policy makers, local VPET schools and education experts. The roadshows have been playing an important role in strategically positioning Swiss VPET in China, providing a forum to foster new local partnerships, while expanding the companies’ high-level contacts.
We look forward to continuing our work in 2024 together with the VPET Alliance in China and continuing in roadshow to new destinations.
