Maintaining Employer Cooperation: Organisations of the World of Work in Swiss Collective Skill Formation

Maintaining Employer Cooperation: Organisations of the World of Work in Swiss Collective Skill Formation Alexandra Strebel University of St. Gallen, Switzerland Currently, the Swiss collective skill formation system appears as surprisingly robust in a changing socio-economic environment. Focusing on the labour market stakeholders involved in governing this vocational education and training (VET) system, this dissertation reveals that specialised VET organisations rather than traditional employer associations increasingly govern Swiss apprenticeships. At the same time, using the extreme cases of three very small occupations, this dissertation shows the associations’ key role and the important efforts in the form of institutional work that associational leaders mobilise for upgrading apprenticeships and securing employers’ commitment to VET. CONTACT Alexandra Strebel alexandra.strebel@ehb.swiss Degree and year: Doctor of Philosophy in International Affairs and Political Economy, 2021 Supervisors: Professor. Dr. Patrick Emmenegger, University of St.Gallen; Professor. Dr. Justin J.W. Powell, University of Luxemburg; Prof. Dr. Carmen Baumeler, Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training. JOURNAL OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION & TRAINING 2021, VOL. 73, NO. 4, 624 https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2021.1995672 © 2021 The Vocational Aspect of Education Ltd