A survey shows that 71% of those working in German-speaking Switzerland would change jobs if they could. Dream jobs vary significantly by gender. The survey, conducted by Marketagent.com on behalf of XING Switzerland, questioned around 1,000 employees in German-speaking Switzerland between the ages of 18 and 65. If age and and education could be ignored, 71% of the […]
Would you pass the test to graduate from Swiss school?
An online test put together by Swiss broadcaster RTS based on past school exams has drawn a crowd of online test takers. The test, aimed at French speakers, includes sections testing French, Maths and German, three of the four core school subjects – the fourth is science. There are ten questions on each subject. The quiz is a […]
For the first time many Swiss commercial apprenticeship positions to be left vacant
20 Minutes. Normally commercial apprenticeship positions in Switzerland are snapped up nearly one year in advance. However this year many will be left vacant according to Zurich newspaper NZZ am Sonntag. Commercial apprenticeships cover tasks such as accounting, administration and secretarial activities. Training takes around three years and results in a federal certificate. Graduates work for banks, […]
Swiss study shows how much males dominate crime
A recent study from the Swiss Federal Statistical office, which followed young lawbreakers from 1999 until 2015 found a number of things that predicted the likelihood of someone committing another crime. A study of 6,649 young lawbreakers born in 1992 found the chances of crime as an adult rose significantly with the number of juvenile […]
Swiss vote on paternity leave gets enough qualifying signatures
20 Minutes. Before a Swiss popular vote or referendum can be launched 100,000 valid signatures must be collected within the space of 18 months. The group behind a vote to introduce paid paternity leave of four weeks recently announced it had collected more than 120,000 signatures, 6 months ahead of the 18 month deadline, suggesting there might be […]
Could compulsory military service be extended to Swiss women?
20 Minutes. In Switzerland all able men must serve in the country’s military when they turn 18. Women can sign up however this is not legally required and few do. The minimum military training male Swiss citizens must undertake depends on rank. For the lowest rank of corporal the minimum is 260 days, which starts with initial […]
Switzerland sees steep rise in number of mothers working
Recent figures from Switzerland’s Federal Statistical office show that in 2016 74% of women with children under 15 were working. In 1996, the same percentage was 61%. The percentage of mums working climbs significantly with the level of education. In 2016, 79% of those with tertiary qualifications were working, compared to 61% of mums in […]
Vote launched to legalise cannabis in Switzerland
Tribune de Genève. Last week a group called “Legalize it“, launched an initiative to have cannabis legalised. They now have 18 months to get 100,000 signatures, the minimum number required to qualify for a referendum, known as a popular initiative. Unlike a failed referendum on the subject in 2008, this one includes a ban on sales […]
Swiss military aptitude seems to depend on job, socio-economic status and political leaning
Le Matin. Based on a study of 240,000 Swiss military conscripts between 2010 and 2015, what an individual does, where they live, their socio-economic status, and their political leaning correlates with whether they are deemed fit for the Swiss military forces. The study conducted by the University of Zurich, shows that trades people, farmers and […]
The number of solo parents rises in Switzerland with big variances across cantons
Between 2014 and 2015 the number of solo parents rose 11,500 (+5.6%) bringing the total to 218,000. Single parent families made up 6% of Swiss households in 2015, according to statistics released this week. The percentages vary significantly by canton. The cantons with the highest rates of of solo mums and dads are Geneva (8.7%), Neuchâtel (8.0%), […]
