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Highly qualified and jobless

Higher education is no guarantee of a permanent job. But steps are being taken to help executives get back on the job ladder. (SRF/swissinfo.ch)

In Switzerland, the number of highly skilled unemployed has almost doubled in the last ten years to 30,000 people.

The number of people who are out of work and highly skilled has been on the increase in part because the labour force is becoming more and more qualified. In addition, more and more skilled labour is being recruited abroad.

For a professional with years of experience, often getting back onto the job market can become a frustrating experience. They can be rejected for being overqualified, and at the same time are facing ever-increasing competition.

To tackle this problem and target this part of the workforce, Zurich, like other cantons, has initiated programmes to help skilled job seekers. 

The programme pairs job hunters with volunteer mentors who come from management positions in the same line of work. This way, they are helped with a network of contacts that can help them get to positions before they are even advertised.

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SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR