Executive Summary

On 5 June 2026, the Federal Council adopted a report on promoting education and training during professional reentry after employment breaks. The report, prepared by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SBFI), analyzes in particular the situation of women with care responsibilities. Switzerland already has sufficient financing instruments such as federal support, cantonal scholarships, and unemployment insurance benefits. New specific support instruments are not deemed necessary. Instead, the report recommends making more targeted use of existing offers and improving access to information.

Persons

  • State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SBFI)

Topics

  • Labour market integration
  • Professional continuing education
  • Work-life balance
  • Women's labour force participation

Clarus Lead

The recommendation against new support measures signals pragmatic fiscal policy: instead of creating additional programs, the federal government and cantons should coordinate and promote their existing instruments more efficiently. This is relevant for cantons and employers who can specifically support re-entrants in personnel development. The report emphasizes that family-friendly working conditions and childcare services are more important than formal continuing education – an insight with direct implications for labour market policy in the coming years.

Detailed Summary

Switzerland has a high level of women's labour force participation in international comparison. Most women return to work within a year of giving birth, often in part-time positions. Success factors include family-friendly working conditions, adequate childcare provision, and the elimination of financial disincentives. Lack of education or training is typically not a primary obstacle, but can be relevant for single parents, migrants, and low-income individuals. Employers often value practical experience and social skills more highly than formal certificates.

For longer employment breaks, targeted upskilling in sector-specific courses offered by associations or employers can be worthwhile. Financing options already exist: private contributions, federal support for preparatory courses for federal examinations, cantonal scholarships, and unemployment insurance benefits. Implementation varies by canton. The report notes that new special measures would lead to duplication and demarcation problems and are therefore not recommended. Instead, better information and more targeted use of existing offers are prioritized to reach disadvantaged groups as well.

Key Findings

  • Switzerland has high women's labour force participation; most return within a year
  • Family-friendly conditions and childcare are more decisive than continuing education
  • Existing financing instruments are sufficient; new measures are not necessary
  • Access to information and coordination between federal and cantonal levels should be improved
  • Employers weigh practical experience more highly than formal certificates

Critical Questions

  1. Data Quality: What time period and sample size does the analysis of women's labour force participation based on, and how representative are the findings for all cantons?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: Which perspectives from employer associations have been incorporated into the analysis, and were trade unions or women's organizations given equal weight?

  3. Causality: To what extent is it proven that lack of information (rather than lack of instruments) is the main reason for underutilization – or could structural barriers such as childcare costs be the bigger problem?

  4. Feasibility: How are the federal government and cantons to concretely coordinate the information campaign when cantonal practice is already heterogeneous?

  5. Side Effects: Could the rejection of new support measures disadvantage particularly vulnerable groups (migrants, single parents)?

  6. Evidence for Upskilling: What data demonstrates that target-group-specific continuing education courses actually lead to better reentry rates?

Bibliography

Primary Source: [Federal Council Report on Promoting Education and Training During Professional Reentry] – https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/de/publication?id=GujlryIKi6jA

Verification Status: ✓ 05.06.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 05.06.2026