"Watchmaking is the art of doors, and manufacturers need to know how to respect the old - respecting the traditional craftsmanship of watch making and knowing how to innovate - absorbing cutting-edge technologies in the manufacturing industry and requiring unique artistry, craftsmanship, and solid Disciplinary Basis. "- Excerpt from the Swatch Group website While students in most countries are still braving how to attend the world's top institutions of higher learning, two-thirds of students in Switzerland, a comfortable and affluent Central European city, have chosen a different Road - Apprentice. The Swiss apprenticeship has a long history. At first the watchmaking machinery had not yet appeared. The Swiss watches were all hand-made. By the middle of the 19th century, the Swiss-made manufacturing process became more and more complex. At the request of the watch factory, the first apprenticeship watchmaking school was established in 1824 in Geneva. There are currently six watchmaking schools in Switzerland, naturally located in the Arc Jurassienhas - in addition to this ancient Geneva school, other schools include: ETVJ at Cantons of Vaud, Ecole Technique de la Vallée de Joux CIFOM Ecole Technique in Neuchâtel (main campus in Le Locle) CFP / BBZ in Berne, in Bienne ZeitZentrum Uhrmacherschule in Solothurn, in Granges Jura's EHMP, in Porrentruy Currently about 2,000 students enrolled in the Swiss watch school, where the classroom furnishings sophisticated, sophisticated manufacturing equipment display which, most of the young apprentice look, carry out the most basic file, drill, grinding, cutting the basic technology, indulge in the micro-world , As if the time is still. (Pictured above: Patek Phillippe's production site) Swiss watch industry to complete the compulsory education students to provide two career options, the first is purely theoretical teaching, the other is the combination of theoretical and practical teaching, the first model is currently more popular in Switzerland, but because of the second More practical models, but also by the industry organizations, the degree of accreditation gradually increased. To keep up with the times, according to the request of the federal government, schools update the teaching content every five years to meet the needs of technological development. The school said the most recent update will be conducted in January 2015. At the end of school training, apprentices who pass the final exam will receive two nationally recognized federal certificates: certificat fédéral de capacité or attestation fédérale de formation professionnelle. Due to strict requirements, the number of students who pass the exams each year is very limited. In 2011, 206 apprentices received federal certificates, and by 2013 the number rose to 395. In addition to the above six specialized watch schools, there are two options for those who want to learn clockmaking skills: 1) Watch business education center: For example, the Swatch Group has the founder named Nicolas G. Hayek watchmaking school, other family watch companies also have their own internal training mechanism. 2) Re-education centers designed specifically for adults: currently hosted by Convention Patronale and grown in seven locations in Switzerland including Delémont, Geneva, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Le Locle, Morges and Tramelan, and Morteau in France People organized a modular watchmaking training course, dominated by night schools, and since 1900 1,900 people have been trained and over 300 have obtained the CFC + AFP. Adhere to apprenticeship vocational education is a magic weapon for the success of the Swiss watch industry, this educational model is the respect of the traditional craftsmanship, but also a way to effectively train personnel. Although the recent Swiss watch industry is undergoing a perfect storm, but through its apprentice system support, coupled with the recent Swiss watch exports stabilized, Swiss watch industry is expected to gradually recover.