During the field visits, participants were asked to think of the two following guiding questionsand try to come up with answers:

1. From what you have seen and heard today, where do you see the potential learning that could be beneficial for your own project/programme/work context? Where do you see any leverage points?
2. In what you have seen and heard today, how are results measured and communicated at different institutional levels? For example:
   • Does Schweizer Hagel know what long lasting impact they have on their clients?
   • Do the VET actors – the vocational school, the firm, the association – know about the career paths of their trainees? Do they support them actively in their career paths?

George, Gaga, Nazia, Jypar, Razik, Usha, Derek, Soneli, Arminio

PSD/FSD

Question 1: This group visited two farms in the Swiss Bernese Oberlands. Our impressions were that everything works perfectly in the Swiss context. However, compared to developing countries, the visited farmers are rather large scale farmers. Regarding relevance for the group’s daily work, one participant observes that the model of the Swiss Hail Insurance would be difficult to replicate in his context, Bangladesh. The sheer number of smallholder farmers would make inspection too costly. Also, one would need to hire inspectors full time, as the militia system applied by Swiss Hail would not work. Many participants were impressed by the level of diversification of income sources observed on the first farm visited (dairy/wood/energy production/employment as an inspector by Swiss Hail). The lesson is that insurance is just one way of mitigating risk. In this particular case, diversification of production was actually a more efficient strategy. Some group members remark that this level of diversification is only possible in some contexts, and difficult to implement when working with farmers cultivating only one acre. Participants noticed that farming is significantly subsidized by the state in Switzerland in order to ensure stability of the farming business. However, most developing countries cannot afford that luxury.

Question 2: Swiss hail measures the results very precisely within the organisation, all data is centralized at the Zurich headquarters. The farmer visited has been insured since 1984, and experienced losses eight times. Despite having only received one third of the money he contributed over the years back as compensation for his losses, he still thinks he is better off than without the insurance, as it allowed him to cope with big punctual losses.

VSD

Question 1: The VSD group visited a VET school and an employer, Wandfluh, who hires apprentices and also met with a representative of the industry association, Swissmechanics. Our impressions were that the dual track system works well in Switzerland, with the VET schools, host company, indusry association and the canton authorities. What was impressive was that the curriculum for the different trades and occupations was developed in collaboration with the private sector and this is something that has a replication potential in Laos and Georgia. For the Bangladesh and the Kyrgyz context, the linkages and collaboration between the local authorities of the canton and the industry association was quite impressive and this is something that may be further promoted.

Question 2: It was interesting for the group to learn that the VET schools, host companies and the industry associations do not track the results or follow the career path of the graduates. However, the framework for career path does exist, but this is not utilized to keep record of the trainees. On the other hand, it must be mentioned that the canton/local authority is currently thinking about tracking the career paths of the graduates.

Nathalie W., Nathalie B., Lea, Sybille, Myriam, Alidou, Frédérique

PSD/FSD

• The cooperative hail insurance model is successful in Switzerland. The fact that it is not profit-driven and that the farmers can influence the product design and development, have been reasons for success and continuous relevance to farmers.
• It might be interesting for SDC to have a closer look at the cooperative insurance models: what are necessary institutional and organizational conditions, technical expertise needed, experience sharing between regions, etc.

VSD

• Difficult to draw implications for our programmes, further away from the contexts we work in than what we thought before the visit. The Swiss model is so context specific that it cannot be exported as such. It is a source of inspiration.
• Private sector is key: companies & professional associations are at the center of programmes definition. How to achieve that the private sector is organized and involved as a main player is a key question.
• Long term career path is not considered as important to assess since people are free to change occupations through lifelong learning and and in an enabling context. The stakeholders we met believe that apprentices gain the skills needed to enter the labour market successfully

Mohammad, Nay, Carmen, Jose-Luis, Blondine, Lilian, Aneta, Beatrice

PSD/FSD

Inspiration from the insurance case:

Direct transfer is not possible: the Swiss farmers are rich compared to our target groups. However, in our projects we could try to improve various aspects: the direct contact between the companies and the clients, with continuous exchanges at different levels, the client’s information on the benefits of such products and to introduce the role of peers in the information and assessment of damages.

VSD

What we learned from the apprenticeship system:

The role of the private sector is striking, especially in the curriculum development. In our projects we could strengthen the professional associations for them to play a stronger role. TVET is demand driven in Switzerland and the public sector regulates and provides funds only for the residential learning, contrary to what we face in many of our countries. There are regular and collaborative contacts between the supply and demand side of TVET. In many of our partner countries, the trust between the three partners (government, private sector and training providers) don’t exist and we could work to improve it. However it requires to work on the clarification of the respective roles, ie clarify the institutional and regulatory framework).

Result measurement

In both cases, no explicit monitoring of results seems to be in place.

Neither the training center, nor the professional associations are following the career paths of the trainees, but it seems that there are statistics made at the cantonal level. There is room for improvement to match the career paths with the training and long life learning, as well as to assess the permeability / mobility of the system.

In the insurance case, the data is collected by the company, regular visits are made and the farmers have a refined accounting systems. As no goals are defined, there are no results to measure, but the data system is adapted to the needs.

Martin, Bettina, Nora, Rana, Siroco, Arjeta, Silvana, Tanya, Sandra, Mersiha, Markus

Question 1

VET:

• Private sector participation in education system is very important
• Apprentices will bring benefit to the private companies, this is a precondition for the private sector
• It is a clear that there is a need for a systemic approach;
• Compulsory (carrier guidance in lower secondary school) schools are preparing students for the choice of the apprenticeship that makes them ready for the labour market by providing all information needed.

PSD/VSD

• Willingness from farmers to come together for their interest – established private insurance system.
• Demand driven and individual specific – every farmer can choose the type of insurance they can afford.
• It started with great farmers – so the initial model was successful to be copied by other farmers. It also started to be promoted when the damage took place – company found the momentum.

Question 2

• VET: The VET school GIB does not trace the career paths of the trainees but the canton does studies at regular basis.
• PSD/VSD: Swiss insurance know their long lasting impact to their clients.