Achieving the objective via circuitous routes?

Two-year basic vocational training programmes leading to acquisition of the Federal VET Certificate (EBA) are a type of provision that was added to the VET system in Switzerland with the goal of improving occupational integration whilst also offering a low threshold point of entry. However, a survey has revealed that most EBA learners, especially those from a special school or migration background, subsequently go on to bridging programmes rather than entering training directly. This article describes these transitional phases and investigates which groups of young people suffer a delay before commencing training and how this affects their experiences at the start of training.