The skills shortage in the trades has one proven answer: train your own. Apprentices are, in the medium term, the most reliable source of good tradespeople, and in the short term more productive than their reputation suggests, when the business leads them properly.
The formal requirements
- Training permit: only businesses with a permit from the cantonal vocational training office may train apprentices. It is issued per trade and requires a designated in-house trainer.
- Trainer course: the responsible person needs the trainer course (typically 40 course hours, or five days), plus work experience and the relevant qualification in the training trade.
- Apprenticeship contract: concluded with the apprentice (with the parents if a minor) and approved by the canton.
- Youth protection: special working-time rules apply to apprentices under 18 (no night work, limited daily working hours, special accident protection). Time tracking matters doubly here, since apprentices are the first thing checked in an inspection.
What does an apprentice cost, and what do they bring?
Apprentice wages are not set by law; the guidance of the trade associations applies, typically a few hundred francs in the first year and toward a thousand or more in the final year. On top come social insurance contributions, school and course days, and the supervision time of your skilled staff.
Against that stands productive work: from the second year onward, apprentices deliver real billable hours on site. Whoever records those hours and calculates them at a reasonable, lower rate sees in black and white that a well-run apprenticeship costs the business little to nothing, and at the end you have a skilled worker who knows the business.
Apprentices in a digital business
For the generation that grew up with a phone in hand, digital recording is the most natural part of the job:
- Clock in, log materials, take photos: the reporting discipline trainers have fought for over generations comes almost automatically with the app.
- Clear tasks: a daily schedule and project status on the phone give apprentices orientation, especially when the trainer is on a different site.
- Training documentation: the project photos double as material for the training log that’s part of the apprenticeship.
Frequently asked questions
Does the apprentice count under the time tracking obligation like a regular employee? Yes, with additional protective rules for minors. Start, end, and breaks need to be documented like for any employee.
Can the apprentice go to the job site alone? As training progresses, yes, within the scope of their training level and the safety rules. Provided the trainer is reachable and the work is age-appropriate.
What if it’s not working out? The probationary period (one to three months) exists precisely so you can look honestly at fit. After that, ending the contract needs important reasons and involves the vocational training office. Better to recruit carefully beforehand, with a trial apprenticeship.