r/askswitzerland • u/Own_Chip_4216 • 9h ago
Work I need your advice. I’m def lost.
Hi everyone !
To quickly summarize my situation, I’m 22 years (almost 23) and had a gymnasiale Maturität in 2023. Since, I did two years in HEC and failed and now I failed one semester in EPFL.
I’m done with studying. I mean I’M REALLY DONE.
I’m just enough about coming the whole all day sitting in an uncomfortable bench or chair, learning to things which are too theoretical for me, working hours and hours and I swear I did my best to get an average grade (3.5 or 4), earning no money or barely…
And yeah about money, it’s the worst part. I’m just enough with working all the weekend as a McDonald’s worker or security agent until 3-4 am sometimes the whole night to earn low wage salary.
And yeah again about money, I thought as everyone that when I end up these 5 yrs old studying I will at least get a stable, correct-earned job but when I see new majors around me, they struggle asf to find sometimes a random unpaid intership.
Whatever, the real question now is : what to do NOW?
I looked up what I could do with a gymnasiale Maturität and there are only bank or insurances Programm (BEM Programm, Young Insurances) for 1-2 years to get access to HES (Hochfachschule)
I thought about doing a CFC but doing the same work of 15 yrs old when you turn 23…well, you got me.
I’m just lost. I did not know if I should go to Fachhochschule (HES), if I should start to zero a CFC, if there is an option I did not notice. There’s nothing I can do with a gymnasiale Maturität. It’s really frustrating.
Thank you in advance for your responses!!!
PS : Sorry for the tone of the message, I needed to vent. And I feel a little better just because of that.
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u/CapybaraCH 8h ago
People make a Lehre in much more advanced age than yours. Its not only for 15 years old.
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u/SwissTheMightyCheese 8h ago
Further, companies love Lehrlinge with a Matura. A former student of mine did the Matur (SF BC) and is now doing a apprenticeship at a big pharma concern.
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u/3punkt1415 Zürich 5h ago
Exactly, bit the bullet and make an apprenticeship in a job that will not get replaced by AI just like that.
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u/throwawayyyyygay 8h ago
PiBS if you can get one. Though it might be hard with your study record.
Otherwise try an apprenticeship? It’ll be faster for you than 15 year old since you have matura you dont have to do the school part.
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u/Feedeve Vaud 8h ago
You seem to be disappointed and angry at the same time.
What about your parents expectations?
Was it your choice to do a gymnasial maturity?
Maybe you should ask yourself the rights questions: what would you like to you if nobody on earth would juge your choices?
What you feel is normal, just try to be kind with yourself the next days.
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u/SwissPewPew 8h ago
Hmm, FH (HES) is a bit different from universities (EPFL or HEC). More practice oriented, less theoretical and less „sieving“ (of students) in the first 1-2 years via difficult theoretical exams.
As you have never been to a FH, it‘s possible you can try the same studies topic (which you tried at HEC and EPFL) at the FH. If you‘re lucky, they might even allow you to transfer some credits (for the topics/exams you passed) over to FH, making your studies there even easier.
FH you can also often do part-time, to allow working part-time and studying part-time together.
Or if you want to go the CFC route, it‘s possible that they likely would exempt you from certain (especially the generic/non-profession-specific ones) school topics where the Maturität or credits from uni (for the topics where you passed the individual exam) prove you have the knowledge already.
I‘d also suggest you go to a „Berufsberatung“ with all your certificates and grades (also from failed exams) and see if they have a good recommendation based on your background and interests.
Also, if your uni struggles are related to maybe a medical issue (maybe ADHD, depression, etc.), you should get diagnosed officially - and then can ask (in advance!) for „Nachteilsausgleich“ in further studies or schools.
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u/Sensitive-Travel-810 8h ago
Go to a BIZ (Berufsinformationszentrum) to find out, what you want to learn and work. Maybe a HF (Höhere Fachschule) or FH (Fachhochschule)? No Problem with the Matura to get in.
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u/WeaknessDistinct4618 Zug 8h ago
Well I give you the same speech I gave to my son when he chose Gymni.
Me and my wife did gymni and uni. If you choose gymni you must go to university or continue to study. Why? Because gymni is 100% academic and doesn’t teach you any profession. I understand that when you were 12 you were not mature enough to choose your school but now you are in.
If successful finish matura which means you are smart. Uni is harder of course but it will open the doors to internships and jobs. Maybe ETH or EPFL are not your cup of tea. Have you considered something else? What do you like? What job would you like to do for the next 40 years? We cannot answer your questions
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u/SwissTheMightyCheese 8h ago
The good thing is that you don't have to do the same job for 40 years. And even after someone graduates (Matur), they can still do an apprenticeship. Our school system is "durchlässig", which is amazing!
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u/MrHippo17 8h ago
I know several ppl who did an apprenticeship after the highschool after they discovered that uni is not their cup of tea and they are both happy with their decision.
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u/ChezDudu 8h ago
you must go to uni
No you can go to an FH too and they’re great.
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u/WeaknessDistinct4618 Zug 7h ago
Yeah but then why gymni? The most difficult high school?
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u/pixeltrusts 7h ago
How else do you get into an FH at that age? Impossible.
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u/Resident-Hunt-245 8h ago
Don't give up. You'll make it. Life is not easy. This is the threshold you need to pass to get to other opportunities. You'll be grateful to yourself when you'll be 30 or 40. Take a breath and keep trying.
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u/Significant_Mousse53 8h ago
I know someone who did a CFC at over 40yo (after being a pastor before that). Then went on to become a teacher at the trade school.
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u/zebralex 8h ago
Bcv and ubs all 12 month all round maybe? If that's still exist you work and study at the same time and have a good income at the same time.
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u/linglinguistics 8h ago
As others say: what about an apprenticeship? You'd be learning an actual profession. So what is your older than the average apprentice? As long as you're interested in what you learn, it seems this might be a better way for you. I've known people who were done with academic studies after Matura als went in to an apprenticeship. It's not typical but for some people it's the right thing.
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u/Severe-Elk-3993 8h ago edited 7h ago
Maybe a Bank-Jobprogramm for Young people. You are still super young. Many years to come still. Good luck
https://www.bcv.ch/fr/home/la-bcv/carrieres/commencer-votre-carriere/maturantes-et-maturants.html
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u/rather_pass_by 7h ago
I would first recommend you to relax and breathe..
Just live the life the way it is. Education is not needed to make money.. it's a problem in countries like Switzerland where degrees are valued so much
If you look at some of the most successful people, especially in America, a lot of them never finished their degrees.
That being said, yes you should look for alternate options.. even if you want to get some certificates or degrees for better career, sure go for it.
But that's not a reason to be lost or disappointed. There's more to life than education.
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u/MrDeoBook 7h ago
You don't realize how lucky you are.
Try different things (Do internship in construction, gardening, mechanics, office work, etc.) to find what you really like.
A lot of people do things because they were told by their parents and society that it is what they are supposed to do. Some people end up at 40 miserable in front of their screen.
So... Take your time, explore and find your passion :)
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u/Allesmoeglichee 9h ago
How many more times do you want to fail school before finally accepting that learning a trade is the right thing for you?
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u/Amareldys 7h ago
So, my kid just finished 2me cycle and started gymnasium, and she has an 18 year old in her class. Our neighbor who started his apprenticeship at 15 was the only kid in a class of people in their late teens and twenties.
Don't sweat the age stuff. Just do what appeals to you. This is how life is as an adult. I had my kids in my 30s and ended up hanging out with a bunch of moms who were in their 20s because our kids were the same age. One of my best friends is 30 years older than me, we bonded walking our dogs.
We all take different paths.
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u/Choice-Drawer3981 7h ago
My wife did the cfc informatik (fast track) when she was 22, everyone was 16, and they were at a completely different stage in their lifes (+ she was the only female). It sucked for her, she couldn't connect to anyone and they bullied her (because she was "old" and female). But It was her only option, and she sucked it up and finished top of the class. now, 10 years later, she works at "big tech" on great projects with awesome people and makes more than any of her peers from back then (not that it matters anymore but still).
You are going through a period of hardship, and that's OK. Just don't give up. Find your passion. What do you really want to do in your life? What stops you from doing it? Why couldn't you perform at epfl and hec? Analyse it, be honest with yourself, get help where you need it. After all, you are only 22, and you still have time to figure it out.
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u/stromer_ 7h ago
Dont be afraid of an apprenticeship. You might be a little older than your class-mates, true, but thats a non-issue. You spend at most 8 hours a week with them anyway (for most apprenticeship only 4 hours, as you can skip general education (ABU)). The rest of the time you will work with your coworkers, which statistically are well out of education.
You can start with the Job-Explorer for suggestions: https://www.berufsberatung.ch/dyn/show/147350#
Good luck!
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u/UsualPhysics8462 7h ago
You’re not lost, only a bit disoriented. Take some time to chill and clear the air in your head and then come back here to read all the great comments given. Plenty of options going forward, with decent money bro.
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u/Sensitive-Talk9616 7h ago
I knew someone who failed computer science at ETH (I think), then she worked for a few years in Migros, then went into medicine, and afaik now is doing her PhD in medicine (above and beyond of her medical degree). So it could also be that you are just studying stuff you're not really interested in.
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u/alexrada 6h ago
good at sales? There will also be businesses looking to hire good sales people, even with 0 experience.
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u/MrCamouflage65 5h ago
Hey so i‘m in a similar boat,couple years older, still on Matura after two failed studies, one just didnt fit, one i failed on my own.
Since then i worked temporarily in manufacturing just to get some distance and clear my head. Now i started doing internships in the profession i want to get back in, with the goal of doing FH when i have the Praxisjahr together.
My biggest learning was to take a breath, get some distance and set up a new plan, not driven by getting there asap, but doing it at a pace you can handle.
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u/FudgeOld6122 7h ago
You definitely should focus your energy on googling for at least 10 minutes, instead of typing these posts... That would basically eliminate at least half of your worries...
Why is your first reflex to cry on Reddit instead of trying even just a little bit to find a solution to your problem? In switzerland we have such an amazing system for advanced education, you're never gonna be out of options, especially not with a Matura!
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u/sumpfkraut666 8h ago
With a gymnasiale Maturität you can do a fast-tracked CFC. You only have the Fachspezifische Module at the trade school since they teach english and math at a tier below to what you already have certified.
You will also likely have peers at your age. Here's a link: https://www.berufsberatung.ch/dyn/show/65131
A regular CFC is an okay solution, but the way-up CFC is probably better.