To date, SOL has enabled nearly 1,500 young men and women to have their first work experiences abroad. Should young unemployed people also have this chance? There are a number of arguments in favour.

Proven effectiveness

The Leonardo traineeship provides its many beneficiaries with an ideal transition between their education and the world of employment. This type of international mobility is a great spur to personal, linguistic, social and professional development. A study commissioned in 2007 by the European Commission confirms the effectiveness of the program. It helps persons in training to find employment by providing them with the flexibility and skills which are increasingly in demand in today's globalised economy. Up to now the program has mainly benefited students and college graduates. But its evident success is in itself a powerful argument for developing it further so as to reach more people.

The study shows that professional skills acquired during the training stay abroad can be very profitable. For example, 58% of unemployed found a job after their stay abroad, 32% of the employed persons found work abroad, 27% improved their job type and 34% found a job with greater responsibilities. The experiences gained abroad also bolstered the participants' confidence (70%), their adaptability (73%) and their taste for team work (62%). The study indicates that 66% of participants improved their language skills, 65% their ability to deal with unexpected situations, 72% the interpersonal skills and 71% their capacity to meet new challenges. The only criticism concerns the length of the traineeship: 48% of participants were sorry that the stay was so short.

Soon to become a job market measure?

Currently, a person signed on to unemployment benefit in Switzerland and who wishes to participate in the program has to give up his daily benefit. The Leonardo traineeship has not yet been recognised as a job market measure. Nevertheless, discussions are under way with the SECO (State Secretariat for the Economy) to examine ways of removing this financial obstacle. If the measure is accepted, the first beneficiaries could leave this autumn.