FHNW: Practice-integrated Bachelor's degree program to combat the shortage of skilled workers

The shortage of skilled workers in Switzerland is increasing - especially in the technical sector. The first two places in the Swiss Skilled Worker Shortage Index are occupied by engineering and IT professions. Yet Switzerland's current challenges can hardly be met without the right skilled workers. The focus at the moment is primarily on Switzerland's energy supply and the associated expansion of renewable energies: temperature records, the threat of shortages and rapidly rising prices for fossil fuels and electricity are increasing the urgency of the energy turnaround. "Well-trained and innovative engineers are needed to implement the energy transition," says Ruth Schmitt, head of education at the FHNW School of Engineering. "That's why we're offering high school graduates a new, direct path to a degree starting in the fall semester of 2022. In this way, we want to attract more young people to a technical education." And this path leads via a practice-integrated bachelor's degree program.

Dual bachelor studies for high school graduates

Students who wish to study at a technical university of applied sciences do not necessarily have to have completed a technical apprenticeship. High school graduates are also admitted if they have at least one year of practical experience in the world of work before starting their studies, which fits in with the chosen course of study. Starting in the fall semester of 2022, high school graduates at the FHNW will be able to start their technical studies directly - and build up their practical work experience in parallel. This is possible thanks to a pilot trial by the federal government: The practice-integrated bachelor's degree (PiBS) was launched as part of a package of measures to combat the shortage of skilled workers in the MINT sector (mathematics, information technology, natural sciences and technology).

The PiBS is a dual education: Students attend the study modules at the FHNW and work 40% at a partner company from industry and business. To do this, they either divide the week into study and internship days or study in phases in the full-time model and spend longer practical phases at the company. The study content is the same as in a three-year full-time program. A practice-integrated course of study usually lasts four years, but offers a major advantage, according to the FHNW: "The high school graduates start their professional life and their studies at the same time. This allows them to apply what they have learned in practice right away - and, conversely, to bring their practical experience into their everyday studies. For example, in student projects, a central part of every degree program at the FHNW School of Engineering: From the first semester, students work in teams to implement specific assignments from industry," says Ruth Schmitt.

First places for study start in fall 2022

Anyone wishing to enroll in a practice-integrated bachelor's degree program PiBS must sign a training contract with a company for the entire duration of the program. Brugg Cables and Pfiffner Messwandler are two of the first partner companies to offer internships to high school graduates who have made up their minds and want to start a dual study program in electrical and information technology, energy and environmental technology or mechanical engineering in the fall of 2022. Brugg Cables is internationally active in the systems business with high-, medium- and low-voltage cables and accessories. The company's research and development department is constantly working on new, innovative products for the highest voltage levels and for the complex cabling of power supply systems. The company is located just a stone's throw from the FHNW University of Applied Sciences, but is globally networked. Pfiffner Messwandler, on the other hand, develops, produces and sells products and solutions for customers in the field of energy technology with around 220 employees. "Major technical challenges await us in the energy sector. To master these, we need young people who can shape the grids of the future with their ideas," says Dr. Jürgen Bernauer, CEO of the company, about the motivation to support future students in their careers.

The range of companies offering internships is to be expanded on an ongoing basis.

More information: www.fhnw.ch/technik/pibs