The Swiss banking industry clearly shows how well a continuing education market functions when it is run by the education providers themselves with no central control by an industry association. Swiss Banking’s latest survey confirms this. The banks are very happy with the wide range of banking and finance courses currently offered by Swiss educational institutions, which are highly relevant to their business and exemplary in the way they allow people to switch between different pathways. The banks are maintaining their significant strategic investments in continuing education for their staff. 

Individual Continuing Education Strategies 

There is a broad choice of established continuing education formats, including the Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) and Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) as well as courses at universities of applied sciences. Institutions attach particular importance to quality and practical orientation. 

«Central control of continuing education is a thing of the past – a positive development.»

A large number of banks have worked with external partners to develop in-house programmes tailored precisely to their needs. Central control of continuing education by Swiss Banking is a thing of the past – a positive development, given the fast pace of today’s continuing education market.

The situation with regard to basic training is rather different due to legal requirements and uniform treatment of the approximately 250 professions in which apprenticeships are offered. Here, Swiss Banking assumes overall responsibility for the Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training for commercial employees in banking and plays a central role in determining the industry-specific course requirements. It is also responsible for the «banking course for school leavers» programme, which is vital in attracting talented young staff to the industry. 

Increased demand for courses at universities of applied sciences

Demand for the «Banker, Advanced Federal Diploma of Higher Education» pathway has fallen steadily in recent years as a result of changing educational preferences. The logical consequence of this is that it will be discontinued at the end of 2026.

«The banks are prepared to tackle new challenges.»

The number of trainee bankers with a professionally oriented school leaver’s certificate, meanwhile, has grown continually. These have direct access to universities of applied sciences, and increasing numbers of them are taking advantage of it, boosting demand for this pathway. The banks were quick to take note of this trend and adjust their educational strategies accordingly. The end of the Advanced Federal Diploma of Higher Education for bankers is thus seen as a natural progression rather than a loss. 

Future Skills Integral to Continuing Education

The banks are prepared to tackle new challenges. Various educational organisations have incorporated banks’ key needs into their portfolios through “micro-credentials”, modular learning pathways and programmes on digital ethics and data literacy. Artificial intelligence has long since ceased to be an abstract topic for banks and is now a field in which specific continuing education opportunities are required. 

The scope of continuing education available to financial sector staff is thus expanding, for example with the “Future Banking & Digital Transformation” and “Banking Business Transformation” CAS courses, which address changing business models, new technologies and shifting customer needs.  

Swiss Banking as Facilitator 

The educational landscape in banking has to keep evolving in view of the digital transformation and increasing regulatory requirements. Practically focused courses, lifelong learning and targeted promotion of specific skills are essential to the industry’s future. 

Swiss Banking has a key role to play here. On the one hand, it offers compact, practically focused and easy-to-understand webinars and seminars on the latest regulatory developments and industry trends through the Swiss Banking Academy. These are ideal for specialists and managers alike who want an efficient and targeted way to keep learning.

On the other hand, Swiss Banking acts as a facilitator in its capacity as an industry association, strengthening the quality of banking education and promoting exchange between educational institutions and banks. In today’s rapidly changing environment, all stakeholders – banks, education providers, associations and politicians – need to take responsibility and work together on a future-proof educational landscape. This is the only way to ensure that Switzerland’s banks can continue to have outstandingly trained specialist staff who will actively shape change.