Bern canton secures future for 80 BiCT apprentices

Bern canton has found a solution for around 80 mediamatics apprentices whose private training provider, BiCT AG, is closing after the autumn holidays because of financial problems, SRF reported.

The Technical School of Bern, a canton-funded vocational training centre, will take over all of BiCT AG’s mediamatics apprentices in their first and second years. The company currently has around 120 apprentices in informatics and mediamatics.

The school’s eight coaches will also move to the new institution, allowing the apprentices to keep their trainers. They will continue attending the same vocational school.

“We are relieved that there is now a solution for our son. It was a very difficult time,” said Denise Vogel, whose 16-year-old son Nico began his mediamatics apprenticeship this summer.

The Technical School of Bern currently offers 650 apprenticeships in 13 professions. It will now add 80 mediamatics apprentices. Director Matthias Zurbuchen said the school had the necessary size and experience to manage the transition.

BiCT AG said its financial difficulties were linked partly to an outstanding Covid loan that still had to be repaid. In addition, partner companies had become less willing to take on apprentices and pay for their work because of falling demand for informatics apprentices.

Under BiCT’s model, apprentices complete their first two years at the company and at vocational school. In their third and fourth years, they finish their training at a partner company. The Technical School of Bern plans to continue this arrangement. Existing BiCT partners have agreed to take on apprentices on the same scale as before, Zurbuchen said.

Bern’s director of education and culture, Reto Müller, welcomed the agreement. He said workable solutions had been found after two round-table meetings, but could not yet say how much the canton would spend on the new programme.

Vogel said the family learned about BiCT’s financial problems in August, shortly before her son’s apprenticeship began. She questioned why the company had continued signing training contracts despite its difficulties. The agreement has now ended the uncertainty for the 80 apprentices.