My son, who is 16 years old, enrolled in a Swiss program last summer to find a job. He could spend a week at school and the following week doing a Mini Internship (Schnupperwoche) before repeating this process.
I am happy to announce that he has decided to pursue a career in carpentry, focusing on construction and window building.
He only knew that he did not want to spend his days behind a desk like his parents. I don’t blame him.
He was interested in forestry and enjoyed helicopter rides around Lauterbrunnen. However, the only apprenticeships that were available for the next school year either took place in French-speaking Switzerland (which he did not want to do) or locally. He is eager to be independent, but knows that his parents will not pay for an apartment.
He hated surveying which he had thought he would love. He was glad he didn’t spend four years in school before discovering that he hated his work. He was loved by them, and they offered him an apprenticeship.
He accepted the apprenticeship confidently, having already accomplished many things. The four-year program is paid and includes four days of schooling, plus four days of working. It’s a low-paying program (year one pays $5 per hour; year four, a little over twice that amount), but it’s cheaper than paying for his education in the US. He’ll become a master woodworker, which will be in demand for many decades if not ever.
I would post a photo of him at his new desk, but it’s against the rules for teenage boys. This is all the information that I got about the helicopter flight until he returned home. For those without one or unaware, teenage boys think this is an excessive amount information given to their mothers.
