Motivation semester
Motivation semesters are Swiss work and education programs for adolescents and young adults who have not found an apprenticeship position after completing primary school or have prematurely broken off basic vocational training. The aim is to find a suitable professional solution for all participants.
These programs are defined by the framework conditions of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO); this is an office of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs. The motivation semesters are financed by unemployment insurance and organized by the cantonal employment offices.
Motivation semesters have existed since 1994; A total of 75 programs are currently running across Switzerland (as of the end of 2017). The design of the individual programs is very different.