Federal Councillor Schneider-Ammann welcomes over 500 visitors from 80 countries to Winterthur

Bern, 07. On 7 June Federal Councillor Johann N. Schneider-Ammann opened the 3rd International VPET Congress in Winterthur. At the event, the theme of which was Skills for Employability and Careers, Mr Schneider-Ammann discussed educational issues with the US education minister Betsy DeVos and Singapore's education minister Ong Ye Kung. In his opening address to over 500 guests from 80 countries, Mr Schneider-Ammann, Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER, spoke of the global challenges faced by the world of work. Structural change and digitalisation, for example, are raising questions about how education systems - including vocational education and training - need to adapt in order to teach the skills required on the labour market. The dual-track system of vocational and professional education and training (VPET) and its ability to adapt to market needs were also key topics discussed by Mr Schneider-Ammann with US Education Secretary DeVos and Singaporean Education Minister Ong. Both the US and Singapore are interested in dual-track VPET and discussed with their Swiss counterpart the characteristics of the Swiss model and its potential in their respective countries.