Table 3 Comparison of commercial VET in Germany and Switzerland.
From: Challenges of a cross-national computer-based test adaptation
| Â | Germany | Switzerland |
|---|---|---|
Organization | Dual system (combination of apprenticeship in a company and vocational education in a VET school) Apprentices are employees of a company Duration of apprenticeship: typically 3Â years | |
Learning venues | Companies, branch courses, VET schools | |
Specific characteristics of education | Branch-specific education in the vocational education school, training company and branch courses | ‘General’ commercial education for all 21 branches in commercial vocational school Branch-specific education in the training company and branch courses |
Aim of education | Train apprentices in both school and at the company to work in the industrial branch Commercial work in an industrial company | Train apprentices  In school to become economic-civic citizens and  In school and at the company to become commercial employees in one of the commercial branches  Commercial work in one of the 21 commercial branches  For M-profile: reach higher education entrance qualification (e.g., at a university of applied sciences) |
Norms (Curricula) | A national company’s curriculum for each commercial apprenticeship A national single curriculum for VET school for each of more than 50 specialized commercial apprenticeships | A national company curriculum for each of 21 branches of commercial apprenticeship A common national curriculum for VET school for all 21 branches of commercial apprenticeship |
Characteristics target group of the test | Age 18+ Graduates with upper-secondary level qualification | Age 15–16 Graduates of compulsory school |
Relevance of commercial apprenticeship in industrial companies | Fifth most-chosen commercial apprenticeship, and the most favored apprenticeship among graduates 14.7% of all commercial apprenticeships in Germany in 2015a | ‘Industry’ is the fourth largest commercial branch 5% of commercial indentures |