Which occupation suits me?

Knowing at 13 or 14 what you want to do for the rest of your life? Nobody has to. It is enough to find a good start. After the apprenticeship, many paths are open to you.

1. Look at what you enjoy

Start with yourself. The occupations come later.

• What do you do in your free time without anyone telling you to?
• Do you prefer working with your hands, with people, with numbers, with animals or on the computer?
• Do you prefer being inside or outside? In a team or alone?
• What do other people ask you to help with?

2. Look at the fields

On Stifti, all apprenticeship occupations are sorted into five fields: IT and technology, construction and crafts, nature and animals, hospitality, retail and health. Under Occupations, first look at the fields that match your answers. At the very top we present popular occupations in a few sentences. And with six short questions under Which occupation suits you? you get first ideas. Click your way through. Many occupations you do not even know until you see them.

Write down five to ten occupations that appeal to you. Also ones you are unsure about.

3. Read up

For every occupation, Stifti shows you the qualification, the length and open apprenticeships. Detailed descriptions, videos and requirements are on berufsberatung.ch. Pay special attention to:

• What do people do on a normal day?
• What do you need at school, for example in maths or languages?
• What comes after the apprenticeship?

4. Talk to people who do it

Nobody explains an occupation better than someone who is learning it right now. Ask around for apprentices and professionals. Most of them like to talk about it. Career fairs are also made for this.

The career guidance service of your canton helps you for free, with conversations and tests that show what could suit you.

5. Try it out

In the end, the taster placement decides. Only there do you notice whether you really like the work, whether you feel good in the team and whether you can imagine doing it every day. Do taster placements in several occupations, also in one that is not at the top of your list.

You can find open taster placements under Taster placements. How to make good use of them is explained in Taster placement: how to get the most out of it.

And if I make the wrong choice?

Then you still learn a lot and have a qualification in your pocket. Many people change occupation after the apprenticeship, continue their education or do a second apprenticeship. How open the system is, is explained in EFZ, EBA, vocational baccalaureate: what is what?.