I am starting to understand why Europeans make fun of U.S. construction.

For me as a Swiss, it is strange to see how fascinated you are. Here, when a plumber comes to your house to fix something, you know that he has learned and knows what to do. He can also advise you if you are planning a remodel. The same is true with the baker, electrician, salesman, and so on. I myself did an apprenticeship and two years of further training. That's pretty normal in Switzerland. The dual training program, which consists of working in the apprenticing company and attending school at the same time, has proven its worth. An interesting perspective, thanks for the video!

As a German living in Switzerland, who also lived in the states for two years, I can relate to the educational facts. However what I really like about this video is this purely positive attitude and open-mindedness. You talk with respect and an eye to what you can learn from it. Thank you for that example!

I like to see professionals respectfully admiring the achievements of other professionals. That speaks for those guys a lot 👍

Swiss school teacher here: So proud to see you enjoying and admiring what some of my students will do!

I'm a beginning woodworker and found this book kzfaq.infoUgkxD-QRFQz730FJEh4f9BYSf-nkIMIC9hL_ gives useful advice on different types of tools & their usage, types of bits, safety etc. So when i do start to buy tools and bits, i basically know what to look for, how to use them & the types of woods certain bits are recommended to use on.

Made me smile when you guys commented on those roof frame mockups the students were required to make in a way like "you don't have to do it like this, it's to show what could be done"... In fact here in Europe carpenters will be regularly called upon making repairs to houses that are considerably older than the USA as a nation, where nothing is a perfect 90° angle and you're often mandated to stick to historic practices in terms of wood connections. For a carpenter here it's not that unusual to be asked to put a new roof on a 350-year-old house with the goal of that lasting the next 100 years minimum while the average American carpenter spends his days building houses out of two-by-fours and drywall, aimed to last about 60 years or till the next tornado comes around.

As a carpenter who’s got some years of timber framing under my belt having designed, cut, assembled, raised and finished, I am humbled by the ocean of information these students are being fed in this school. A healthy sense of envy is what I’m experiencing and simultaneously inspired to deepen my knowledge and understanding of the different realms of the craft. Great video! Thanks for sharing it with us!

I remember my girlfriend preparing for these exams, she told me part of why you use the old tools is that you might also work in restoration and here in Germany there are laws that govern how you do restoration on some of the buildings and these can include certain building techniques being required for old buildings that pretty much require hand tools to be used for a big part of it

In Switzerland, all craftsmen have such a school. So painters, locksmiths, bricklayers, car mechanics, carpenters... And in the usually four years of apprenticeship you work four days a week in a company and one day you go to school for theory. In such a training center like in the video one goes twice in the year for one week each and learns thereby different practice in the handicraft. These schools are state funded, not privately funded. After the four years of training and passing the practical meteoretical exam, you are then a craftsman, not a master craftsman. After completing the apprenticeship and another 4 years of practice in the craft, you can then spend another year in the master craftsman training. During the training you get a salary from the company in which you work, not very high but at least you do not have to pay anything. And for carpenters there are two different trainings on the one hand the furniture carpenters and for interior finishing of houses and like the ones in the video construction of roof structures which also build entire houses

"it's not about how fast can i get it done, it's about how correct can i get it done" , thank you guys for this! Swiss Carpenter and Joiner here, gives me a great push to go forward on my path. Cheers from Serbia

We used to have schools like this in the U.S. When I went to high school in the early 80s, we had Tech schools. Half a day at high school, half a day at Tech for three years. There were carpentry, masonry, mechanics and so on. Unfortunately, those days are long gone. People are finally starting to wake up and realize that there's not an app for everything, you actually need people to do the work and there are few left that know how. We desperately NEED schools like this.

My father was a carpenter. He went through a union apprenticeship program (work in the day time, school at night). Near his retirement, his local union asked him to apply as an instructor for a new Job Corps center. He did it just to get the head guy off his back. Turned out he was the only person that passed the exam. That started a second career teaching kids carpentry. Upon graduation, each kid was give a toolbox with basic good quality tools and set up with a job and mentors.

I’ve been a carpenter for 30 years and would love to go do this training I wish we had this opportunity

The trades in Europe were organised in Guilds since Roman times right up until the late 18th century. Some guilds in Germany (Zunft) are still in existence. You nailed it when you explained that the purpose of the school is allow the student to understand his/her trade holistically. I really hope you guys realise a “US Carpenter guild” with education system to match!

Thank you for your video showing the great training that is being done in Switzerland. I run a Union 4 year United Brotherhood of Carpenters Apprenticeship program in Seattle where the Apprentices do many of the things shown in this video. All of the classes go in depth into the theory, not just the work being done, including the different wood species, log cuts, building science and safety regulations. 4 weeks of in class training are paired with 1700 field work hours each year. Just like the Swiss program, there is no cost to the Apprentices, since all of the training is jointly funded by both the union members and the contractors. At the end of the four year apprenticeship program, they become Journeymen Carpenters, earning a living wage with full medical benefits and a pension.

I'm a Swiss guy who did an apprenticeship, but in automation technology. I really apprechiate the Swiss education system. I wish you the very best in creating a good school over in America.

As a German growing up in a family of carpenters, i can confirm that all of those things aren't not only the same in Germany and many more european countries, also all the little "mockups" and traditional techniques are still very much used and required today in the repair and new construction of traditional houses.

One of the most life-changing moments for me growing up in the 1960s was when my Austrian mother convinced my American dad to buy a simple alpine farmhouse tucked in the S. Austrian alps accessed via an unpaved set of switchbacks used by logging trucks and farmers and herders. The old chap next door (come to think of it, not much older than I am now...!) taught me the elements of woodworking, tool sharpening, faith, and patience. I must have had a sense of how special this all was back then. I certainly do now. Thankfully, an old black and white photo survives of this kindly old chap and me. Yes, if only someday we here in the US would take these trades more seriously and with greater pride. But I do see a Renaissance as represented by the people featured in this excellent video.

This was so interesting to watch and I picked up how humble you are. I was trained as a carpenter in NZ and was not allowed to use a power tool for 2 years until I mastered every hand tool and knew how to sharpen them. I had to cut a roof out by hand and the wall framing and all finishing mitres. As apprentices we were required to attend night school 2 evenings a week for theory and 4 week block course for detailed practical twice a year. In later years I went to Japan and worked and needed to start my wood working education again. I thought I was capable until working beside Japanese carpenters.

Stadler (Swiss train manufacturer) has started a swiss-style apprenticeship program for the trades they need at their Salt Lake City factory, so there are similar efforts for things like this in the US.

Having lived in Switzerland for five years I am an ardent admirer of the German/Swiss/Austrian apprenticeship programmes for any vocational ‘trade’ - top class highly respected professional craftsmen/women are the result! I for one would love to spend a couple of years in a school like this even at my ripe old age!

"It's about how well you can get it done, not how fast you can get it done, which separates Swiss for US crafts.." Good things need time. Great video!

Oh and by the way all this education is FREE. When I tell fellow chefs that I had to pay to go to culinary school, they are so confused and blown away. Living in Switzerland had changed my life.

I made it from a trained bricklayer with a Swiss degree to Harvard - studying and doing research. One might think the two things are not connected. Well, they are. In Switzerland, we have pretty much the same apprentice model for every trade. Plumbers, Electricians, Carpenters, Bricklayer... you name it. You work for 3 to 4 days a week and go to school one or two days a week. You have some intensive courses where you go to a camp for one or two weeks on top of it. You get tested all the time and you know where you are weak and where you need to improve. There is a lot of pride and discipline because in the end - construction is about getting things done the right way. Having lived and studied in Boston, I know a four-year program simply won't work in the US. But maybe an accelerated program in-person program for about 8 to 10 weeks could work. Online learning only helps you that much since a student needs a real in-person teacher to ask when he or she didn't understand a detail the first time. Or simply misses a detail to start with.

You must unterstand, that these courses are part of 9 „external“ practical courses over 4 years. We also got the permit to drive different forklifts and for the chainsaw and also got educated in fall protection. During this 4 years we also visit carpentry theoretical school once a week where we learn math and drawing etc. And beside al this we work on the constructionside to gain knowledge. The valleys are made here in switzerland. With CNC it even won‘t take more time. I was one of the students in this center and appreciated my time there very much.

There is a distinct advantage about having the craftmanship schools and examinations in Germany/Switzerland over just learning by doing in the USA. You can find very skilled craftsmen in both countries, no doubt about it. Having every craftsman learn the craft in a school with an examination as proof of knowledge & skill makes sure, that they understand the basics and specialities of the crafts. In the USA you can learn it all aswell, if you work for/with skilled craftsmen who are able to teach you their knowledge, but in the USA craftsmen are more prone to learning to do things in a wrong way if a craftsmen is doing it wrong and teaches the craft to another and that one will pass on the wrong techniques again and may add some more failures to it, so after a few generations of craftsmen there might be craftmen who are doing things completely wrong without ever knowing about it (until a house collapses or a roof goes flying). When every generation of craftsman gets taught in a craftsman school, they all learn how to do their craft the correct way. They may do things wrong later in their career, but they will not pass this on to the next generation, so the craft stays pure und untainted forever. I learned this the hard way when I lived in the USA and had my car repaired by a mechanic who hadn't learned his craft in a proper way but was mostly self taught. The initial repair lead to a more expensive repair later on, because the unlearned mechanic didn't know all the aspects of the craft. I was very confused to learn at that time, that he needed absolutely no qualification to work in the shop and that even the owner of the shop had no qualification other then "I've worked on cars all my live".

Definitely needs something like this in the states

The most of this hand tools we used also in Switzerland at the elementary school in the regular handicraft class when I was 10 years old. The basic use and handling with this tools at a young age and the trust from craft-teachers and parents to let us handle chisel, welding machine, band saw, jig saw and planer, starts growing the interest in craftsmanship for girls and boys and gives confidence and sense of responsibility. I have benefited a lot from it and chose after a craft profession.

Yesterday I visited my old high school. The once prestigious industrial arts program was shut down years ago. I would have loved attending a school like this which is light-years beyond what we had then. And now, there is nothing.

Its very cool seeing you walking trough my Carpentry education. I go there about once a year in my apprentice.

My son just started a two-year trade school program (not carpentry). His employer for the past two years wants him to come back after school and offered him $2000 for school costs per year if he would commit. I told him to pay for it himself ($20k/year) and he could name his price later. I think this carpentry school has got it right--if employers want skilled workers AND commitment, employers should be willing to pay for the training. If they just want to do it cheaply (as most American companies do), they can expect neither quality nor commitment.

Real training for a real occupation, starting at high school ages. We need to improve our programs if carpentry and other trades are going to be viewed as desirable occupations in the US.

Swiss apprenticeships in any profession are awesome. I went to Zürich, Switzerland for a 6-month language course and added a 4-year apprenticeship in mechanical engineering to it. Best choice I ever made.

We definitely need schools like this all over the US. And not even just for carpentry, but rather as a model school for many trades. Thanks for filming the tour.

Europe has a greater respect for the trade at every level. Good American potential craftsman are put off to the trades because of the elements entering the trade, the clients disrespect and the physical end. We definitely need schools like this in every trade. Without shelter we are animals. Carpenters, plumbers and electricians need to be given respect. Respect starts at home and then at school. Thank you for bringing this to everyones attention. Its huge! Only takes one peddle to make a wave.

I came from a military background to finish carpentry two years ago. One thing that I realized immediately was that there were ZERO formal training opportunities to get a solid grasp on the basics before I started installing trim on jobsites. The learning curve was (and is) steep, very steep at times especially when you're working on fully custom luxury homes. It's easy to get discouraged because of having to figure things out as you go/on your own, and another issue that comes up is the old hands are either too ornery or just not interested in teaching all that they know because they are worried about a motivated fast riser taking their job, which is completely stupid. There a lot of issues in our trade, but good to see some guys like you trying to work together to find solutions.

I have just recently retired after 40 plus years as a contractor and carpenter specializing in resttoration and finish carpentry. I am seriously impressed with the school and the skills being taught at the schools.We honestly have nothing that compares here in the US. While we do have some excellent carpenters what we lack are dedicated schools to teach these skills before they are lost.Impressive school.

I'm jealous of the amazing wood they get to work with. Even the most simple things they build look like art.

I grew up in Germany and learned my trade there in a very similar way (though now I live in the US). I sooo miss this type of education for my kids! I wish more people here realized what a great way to teach young people this is!

Beginner hobbyist woodworker here. I feel like everything you mentioned here is 100% TRUE. From day 1 we're taught in the States to not work with your hands, and if you end up doing that you are somehow beneath someone who went and got a 4 year degree doing something else. The end result: we have an infrastructure which seems to be under a constant state of decay. Forgive me if I'm sounding naive and ignorant; it's just my perspective. Although woodworking/carpentry is not my profession, I have a tremendous amount of respect for people who work with their hands as I'm now finally venturing into woodworking in the middle of my life. I think if we want to see change, the actual conversation and mindset needs to be changed first (pride needs to be instilled in our youth today). It will be extremely difficult but it's all about speed here (like you said), and time is money. Thank you for posting this incredible video, it's really inspiring.

I come from an English speaking country but live in Germany for more than thirty years. As in Switzerland, an apprenticeship takes three to four years, unless you start with an Abitur (matriculation level - i.e. the qualification required to enter university), in which case your apprenticeship "might" be reduced by a year. At the end you are a qualified tradesman, but still a long way from a master. To get to that level, you need a number of years experience (depending on which trade it is), then you need to go back to school to learn additional trade related skills as well as business and legal related topics. Knowledge of the laws relating to a trade is a major requirement for opening a company, therefore for all skills related businesses a Master and only a Master can start his own company. A normal electrician, carpenter, mechanic, painter, etc. cannot start his own company. For example, an electrician needs to know (and pass a state exam on) what is legally allowed when wiring houses, large buildings, manufacturing plants, etc. Only buildings signed off by a Master Electrician can be connected to the national grid, and if for example there is a fire due to incorrect wiring, the Master Electrician can be held responsible. In that respect he has a higher status than most engineers and he may even be required to check the work carried out by engineers to ensure it conforms with the law. To get around that, engineers can also take the state exams, but most of them don't. In my estimation, this system is what's at the heart of Germany's famed engineering skills. It's not so much that they have better engineers than other countries, even though they are very good, but it's because the people building what those engineers develop are so well trained. Also, tradesmen are respected here and a Master is recognised as the equivalent of a Bachelor degree. But there is still a major shortage of skilled tradesmen and it's getting worse year by year. But don't get the idea that it's like that everywhere in Europe! My German brother-in-law moved to another European country, which shall remain nameless, and he tells me that 80% of their tradesmen are very poorly trained and the system of education for them is way below what he's used to.

This is a wonderful video. It makes me immensely proud of the Swiss apprenticeship model. Kudos to the two gentlemen presenters for their humility and honesty and vision for US craftsmen. All the best, Rob in Switzerland

That was really interesting for me as a swiss furniture maker/carpenter. I've learned a lot about how different the education system in the US is compared to switzerland. I think we are definitely really privileged here in switzerland with this education system.

I love this school and the service it provides. Another challenge we have in the US is to educate the public to demand (and be willing to pay for) higher quality buildings. The market follows demand. When people are uneducated about the materials that live behind the paint on the their walls, they aren't willing to pay more for the quality of those materials and the time it takes to put them together.

I'm Swiss and this has been really interesting to watch from an outside perspective.

Its the same so called "dual system" in Austria, where you often have a lt of snow on the roof. So static has to be excellent. Apprentices come to roofmaker/carpenter-school either once the week or a month/year. I loved it! B*/Vienna

My town has a huge career center during sophomore thru senior years of high school. All the building trades were right there. The foresight was great. They purchased 100s of acres near the school for subdivisions. Each year the school completed at least one home all by the students. The home was sold and the profits went back to help fund the school. The school even had botany and a landscaping department. During the senior year statewide trade competitions were held were contractors could do direct hire and guarantee students jobs upon Graduation. This was one of the best trade schools in the nation as far as I’m concerned. Mostly hands-on. The way it should be. We waste billions giving to other countries and paying student loans. We should be investing in our kids futures and the nation.

i am a Swiss too and didnt do an apprenticeship but my son is now doing one and I am very impressed how serious the company he works for takes it and the focus on quality. And it's nice that they are also allowed to make mistakes. The apprentice of my car garage managed to destroy the engine of my car but it was all relaxed and everyone accepts that kids can make mistakes.

My maternal side is Swiss/German and I get the do it right the first time. My Grampy was not a master carpenter but did make cabinets and such for himself and a select few family members. I got to 'help' on a few projects and I can tell you that most of what he made is still in use today. It's been over 50 years and these pieces are still as study as the day they were put together. This country is so behind Europe when it comes to trades. It's such a shame that we can't have these types of schools available for our kids.

It’s amazing what you can learn when you’re not worried about what’s between your legs and what color it is

This is by far, one your best and most informative episodes I've watched from your channel. I always knew that the United States lagged as far as educating craftsmen, carpenters and many other trades and this definitely causes our deficiency to stand out. I'm only a DIY guy, but the reason I watch channels like this is because I'm so obsessed with creating the best home I can possibly create and make every update and remodel stand out. Those kids in this particular school may not even realize how lucky they are. Thanks for sharing!

Canada also has a four year training program for trades (Red Seal Certification). Every year, you go to school for a certain amount of time, we’re talking 7-12 weeks depending on the trade. Each block of schooling touches on different aspects of the trade. A final exam is required at the end of the apprenticeship to receive the ticket of the trade. I finished mine two years ago in carpentry and started my own business since. If you trained with the right employer(s) during your apprenticeship, you have a well rounded set of skills to apply.

Here in Canada, we have a carpenter by the name of Patrick Moore who teaches the drafting/layout techniques seen around 0:10:27 He studied these techniques in France, but many other countries in Europe, like Switzerland, teach them as well. He offers courses throughout Canada and the Eastern U.S. and would be a great follow up to this video because he is actively trying to revive these techniques here in North America

Gobsmacked, enthused and really very envious.

i‘m a german carpenter and our job education looked almost the same. These small models i also had to build. It‘s good for understanding if you have to work with big material on the jobsite. But also our education cost about 50.000$ and takes about 3 years to complete which has to pay the Company where you will work with.

The Swiss approach to standardizing apprenticeships nation-wide (all of them usually 3 or 4 years long), and to combine learning on the job with going to school, is really one of the things that Switzerland should export to the rest of the world. It is a great option for young people who don't want or can't go to university. Not to mention, that in an apprenticeship, you already earn your first, very own wage (although a small one). I think many countries that are now very focused on people either becoming academics, and if not, remain untrained/uneducated, would profit from this system.

I think it helps to explain this education system, which works more or less the same in Germany and Austria. Schools are normally free in these countries. What you looked at was a School commonly referred to as a Berrufsschule. All trades have these no matter what type of trade, it can be electricians, painter, car mechanics or cabinet making. As a student you enter a 3-4 year apprenticeship. You get a salary from the first year on. And you are fully employed,. Each school year you spend a certain amount of time in a school you saw. But you also work in the real world with your experienced colleagues on jobs.

BTW, thank you for posting this, and also recognizing that even you as a “master carpenter” was not as skilled as some of these kids. We can all learn more everyday!

The Swiss Apprentice system for ALL trades is awesome. I arrived with my young kids 7 years ago and it is one aspect of the Swiss education system that I am most impressed with.

I'd like to clarify a misconception in this video: After a three or four year vocational training in one of the fifty or so trades and school education in general topics, every apprentice in Switzerland receives a national certificate of achievement in his/her particular trade. Why is it so important that this certificate is a NATIONAL certificate? Because it lets any employer know that if he hires a tradesman of a specific trade, he'll know what this person is capable of, which skills he will bring with him/her, and which types of work he/she can expect the new hire to complete. This is extremely important to assess the salaries that can be paid as well as which projects such a person can do right after his / her certification, or 5 years later, even 10 years later, etc. To become an instructor responsible for the eductaion os apprentiices, a swiss certified carpenter (for example) must first work for a few years in his profession , then do an additional 2 year education to become a formal Master Carpenter. Again, this is a national certificate with a nationally defined curriculum that must be achieved and is tested in national exams (to ensure the same standards are applied in all language regions and states of Switzerland). This professional carpenter then will carry the titel of a nationally certified Master Carpenter. The level of knowledge required to achieve this status is extremely high and encompasses not only carpenter skills, but also educational knowledge, business, general legal and accounting skills, math, material sciences and many more topics.

In Switzerland or in Germany learning the craft is another story. Carpenter, roofer, electrician, etc. It's in depth theory and practice, and you can see it clearly in the results. I wish that was more common across other countries because it levels quality.

I'm an engineer who has always loved working with his hands. When I was bored growing up, I'd often go out into the garage and find whatever scraps of wood I could get my hands on to facilitate small projects. It's been years since I've had the time or space to work with wood in the ways that I love, but that time and space are finally just around the corner. I'm highly interested in European and Asian woodworking techniques and wish there was a place where I could go learn such skills. While the internet is a vast sea of knowledge, it's just not the same as hands on education with somebody experienced in the craft you wish to learn. I'll be pursuing woodworking on my own, but I love the thought of a more readily available and structured learning space as you two discussed at the end of this video. Thanks for the tour.

A guy I went to school in Switzerland with became a carpenter and emigrated to NYC. He's making great money doing custom stuff for expensive appartments. Apparently, his skills are very sought after. I think he's pretty good at his job though, he used to build wooden skate parks as a hobby back in Switzerland.

I’m European and have been working with woodworkers in my country and abroad. Yes this is the way to build better. Just subscribed because I like honest people. I helped with insulation, air- and windtightness for low energy and passive houses. I learned carpentry from pioneers in the field in 2005 and on.

Canada + other commonwealth countries have a similar 4 year apprenticeship program. So Australians + Canadians sometimes interchange a year. Each year requires 1560 hours on the job before returning for 8 weeks of school. You miss a day and there'd better be a good reason. Like the Swiss we're graded on our shop projects ( marks docked after 1 mil out in 4th year.), And the theory exams require a minimum of 70%. Final year, 4th, has 2 theory exams provincial (state) and a national before your a licensed tradesman. Journeyman who have more than one trade license, depending on the province and their exam results are issued one Red Seal with a master designation. Personally, i think who the apprentice shadows -the journeyman's teaching skills and the scope of the construction projects makes a big difference. But Nick, in my experience if a tradesman doesn't have project supervisor experience they have not reached a master tradesman level. thanks for your show there's always more to learn.

we need these programs in the US! great video! thank you. Children, young adults need guidance on how to work with their minds and hands. The myth is that a young person can be anything they want. Rather than going with a students strengths and building on that.

Nice to see you appreciate. The whole apprenticeship system is one of the reasons everything in Switzerland is of such high quality... and that I have no problem trusting a 20yo fixng my plumbery or any other part of my house :)

In the mid 60's my US grade school started "Industrial arts" shop in 6th grade (age 11) . For two classes per week I learned about woodworking, metal working, and basic electricity. I developed a liking for manufacturing and industrial processes due to this very pleasant exposure. Somehow our country has become so impoverished educationally that extracurriculars that I enjoyed as a kid have been defunded. In the 2015 timeframe, my daughter had No Shop class, no art class, no music class, No PE class, they even eliminated outdoor recess that followed lunch. They were talking about eliminating the library so they wouldn't need to pay a Librarian. I had all of these things in public school. Any extracurriculars for my daughter had to be provided by privately hired services that were out of reach for many parents. We have impoverished the education of the majority of Americans. They are then handed a hammer, and after a few minutes of instruction are building our homes.

We’ve had these type of schools in the US for years. The United Brotherhood of Carpenters has been doing this for decades and has schools all over the country and Canada. All funding by the signatory contractors. The programs vary due to local need but it’s a 4 year apprenticeship. We don’t start till after high school. But this is a trade for adults.

This is a program we need to continue to have a skilled workforce in the future.

What a humbling experience to see this. This is the type of school that should be the standard in the US and Canada. Incredible.

I would give anything for there to be a school like this for our youngest when he is older. At 7, he was making perfectly square cross cuts with a handsaw. He's 9 now, and the other day, I showed him how to cut a mortise with a chisel, just once. Tonight, I came across him with the chisels I gave him cutting a square mortise just for the fun of it, and doing it correctly. I am no carpenter, just a hobbyist, and trying to learn things now just so I can help him learn and grow, but there's only so far that can go. Most schools have nothing for industrial arts, and there is so much talent like his that is going to go underutilized because of that. Honestly, I was watching this video thinking about what it would take to learn German and move to Switzerland just so he could have a chance at a school like this.

I think it's really great you did this tour and imho it is a testimony to your professionalism and dedication to your profession that you can appreciate the qualities of this swiss education. I think one thing I'd like to point out here (I'm swiss, teacher and educational scientist) is that the quality of the carpenter apprenticeship is reflecting the fundamentally different education system in Switzerland compared to the USA and most other countries. The main difference is that in Switzerland people go Kindergarten 2 years, then school 9 years. After that the system is different. There is the choice between the apprenticeship-way and the academic way. In the apprenticeship-way we have about 250 different professions to chose from. Carpenter is just one of them. Bricklayer, Nurse, Office, Car-mechanic, you name it, each has its own apprenticeship with a minimum of 3 years. Typical is 4 years though. All apprenticeships are usually 3 to 4 days work in a company, 1 day school and a couple of months of intense full time courses in places like the one you visited. Now that is already very different. But what may be even more amazing is: 65% of all people in Switzerland do the apprenticeship. Only 35% do something like "highschool" which will end with a big test and the permission to enter a university. Therefore apprenticeships have a very good standing in Swiss culture. Once you have finished an apprenticeship you can proceed back to school and get your entry into university or other tertiary schools within one or two years and still pursue an academic career. This is true for everyone. All those school as well as the apprenticeships are free. And so are universities. If you pass the tests you can go to any university in Switzerland for free. Also there are two "branches" of Tertiary education in Switzerland. One is the universities, which you need the highschool degree for, or two years of school after apprenticeship. It's the highest level and more on the theoretical and research side. The other branch is not translatable, because it would be translated as "highschool". But its probably more like college? Anyhow. After you do it your are for example an engineer, and to enter it you need only one additional year after an apprenticeship. Like if you are a carpenter you will study maybe wood-engineering or if you are an electrician you will become an electrical-engineer. Or you switch area, which you can. So, I hope that was interesting :)

I appreciate your ambition to see this kind of educational level to the carpentry vocation. It is a dignified craft that has unfortunate stereotypes here in USA. This kind of educational vision - if implemented - has incredible power to the field and craftsman into the future. I hope this vision gets legs!

I studied Japanese carpentry.. the skills of a Japanese carpenter is absolutely insane

I trained as a carpenter in Ireland and has a very similar 4year apprenticeship. Onside working for a company then college for some of the time. Its allowed me to jump into any area of carpentry all over the world. Great system.

What an incredible school! The Wood Technology Center in Seattle was teaching very close to this level. I was heart broken to leave because of the shut down from covid. Now Seattle Colleges wants to sell the property and get rid of the carpentry school. We need these quality trade school programs, desperately. If I could buy the Wood Technology Center campus or build one like this school in Switzerland, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

I can only speak for the educational system in Germany. I am a carpenter and I worked in Switzerland for about 1,5 years. Without that 4 year (Switzerland, in Germany mostly 3 years) apprenticeship, you are not a carpenter or any other craftsman like bricklayer, blacksmith, roofer, joiner, painter and so on. You don't get to call yourself a carpenter or anything. And believe me, "Zimmerer" are one of the craftsman, that really take pride in their profession and love the tradition of carpentry. There is a specific dress code, at least in Germany. Not every carpenter wears "Kluft", but I do. It's like the white coat for doctors. Back to education... :) If you fail the final test after 3 years of learning, you are officially no carpenter. And you don't get to call yourself carpenter unless you pass the final exam. The pride comes into play here. :P After passsing you get a certificate = "Gesellenbrief" or "Facharbeiterbrief". With that piece of paper you officially are a carpenter and can look for jobs in carpentry. Otherwise it's a lot harder to even find a job in construction, because you are just not educated enough. It's great to see you guys appreciating the apprenticeship and the way of education so much, because in Germany, Switzerland, Austria it's the basic knowledge for becoming a carpenter in those countries. I don't mean to sound arrogant. That's just the way it is in those countries. It's the basic knowledge that is required to become a carpenter. People seem to forget, that it really is an "art", as you called it. For becoming a "Master carpenter" you will have to do another year of school in full time, or 3 years of education beside the work you still have to do from monday to friday. School is on fridays after work and saturdays then. As I mentioned for 3 years additionally to your 3 year apprenticeship. So after 6 years of education and practice your could be a Master. You get the "Meisterbrief" after passing the final tests. I would wish for that appreciation for crafts here in Germany. Very cool to see you that interested and passionate about carpentry! All the best from Germany :) I really loved watching this.

great attitude! also feel a little proud for our carpenters :)

I had carpentry in H.S... I built my first house at the ripe old age of 15.. I've be building custom staircases for over 20 yrs . I had a fifth generation stair builder from Czechoslovakia train me.. . I had over 20 years as a carpenter/finish Carpenter before I started custom staircases. It still took me over 4 years to learn them. I now have over 43 yrs under my belt.. although a lot of people call me a master Carpenter / stair builder, I won't consider myself a master Carpenter until the day they bury me. BTW. I have one of those adjustable shoe curved hand planes. I will use it on rare occasion on a curved staircase.. I remember the days before nail guns and speed squares... Also... They're called balusters not spindles. AKA balustrade! Okay that's a rookie mistake. LOL also here in the states and most everywhere else. We used was called a housed stringer. We route out the stringer to accept the treads and risers. I suggest you KZfaq some stair builder videos .... If you want to see some real artisan woodworking / craftsmanship. Go to Japan

Kudos to you for presenting this. As I have looked over this and other schools, I know that at best at present I would be considered, MAYBE, a second-year student. I'm now 69 years old. So much of crash-and-burn learning goes on in this country, it appalls me. I tried to get into a timber framing apprenticeship program in the late 1970s, but as my father had NEVER taught me German (indeed, discouraged me), I could not get into the schools in Germany. I would have eventually had dual citizenship as a descendant of German grandparents, and a full college education (but frankly, wanted the wood work skills)...but that is a long and complex story, as things happen. I DID have the opportunity on a few occasions to work with properly school-trained carpenters from Germany and Switzerland, but this was mostly in my late 40s and 50s. The gaps in my understanding exposed me to the chasm between my abilities R.E. work habits and tool use skills. I am glad you removed the humiliating 'master carpenter' from your business cards. When you get exposed to such high levels of workmanship, it is a lesson in itself. Foe many years I had learned to support myself as what we call a handyman. My object was to get in, get out, and in finishing have no evidence that I had ever been there. Nowadays I am training myself in more tool use and finishing techniques...not applying finishes, but rather the fitting of joints, proper use of fasteners (and when not to), etc. Right now I'm in the process of completely rebuilding and re-evaluating my small shop for proper function, utility, and ease of use. I have been going through my hand and power tools, getting rid of lesser quality and utility items, and finding things of which I have multiples and passing them on to another recent retiree who desperately needs to take in some training, and hope I can pass on to him what few lessons I have learned in a sometimes hard and struggling life. When the shop is in full order, my first tasks will be to completely re-handle all of my wood chisels, and re-hang several axes. Then a matter of some work to make some pocket change: mallets of various types, frame and turning saws, etc. This will, with further networking, I hope, lead me to a set of gigs as a (late) apprentice timber framer. I'd worked on seven timber buildings, two of which were new work, and have found it to be the ONLY thing I've done and enjoyed doing.

What a great tour. Thanks for sharing this - love it.

Its great to see so much appretiation from 2 experts.

I so wish we had this Public/Private partnership in the US where young people could learn the trades while working a bit and be under contract to work off their learning/education. The skills they are learning benefits the end customer, so it's a win/win/win. Trades at that skill level will increase costs, no doubt, as most framers are OJT trained from entry to better, but the learning stops and it's treated like production factory line work instead of a craft.

I love this kind of education. I attended the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding and they had an extremely similar approach toe ducation. Many hours spent in theory and craft. I learned more in my Associates degree then I did in 4 years of college.

Such a great video. Credit to you both for your presentation style. Loved how you were appreciative of the work and the setup you witnessed and your openness and eagerness to pass it on.

HOPE YOU SUCCEED THIS COUNTRY REALLY NEEDS SOMETHING LIKE THIS FOR ALL THE TRADES.

Thanks for doing this video! It's great for Americans to see what people are doing in other countries. Real carpentry! Not just boards cut to length, slapped together and attached with metal straps. I've traveled a lot in Switzerland and southern Germany. They are making houses like this today and they are really beautiful homes. And not just "homes for the rich". I plan to build a house in Europe myself, in 2-3 years. I'll be working with a cabinet maker in Switzerland to have the kitchen fittings made to order.

Very eye opening episode. Let you know how certain countries are ahead in some aspects. Great initiative to implement it in the US.

Very inspiring even though the Swiss have had a reputation for excellence for as long as I can remember. To contrast this to what we do in Amerika is truly sad. I became a union apprentice carpenter in Southern California in 1977 and watched the slow decline of the construction industry; especially the last 20 years have really been a race to the bottom. Despite that, I'm very glad I have the skills I do. If we could only emulate the EU educational system, but sadly, we're too myopic. Thanks to NS Builders !

There's a fundamental difference in being in a career to make money and working in it to do a good job and letting the quality determine the reward.

Great video....during my travels throughout Europe I've come to realize we're far behind the Le Compagnons(traditional French Carpenters), German Zimmerman, and Sukiya-Daiku(residential Japanese Carpenters) when it comes to carpentry and their methods...what you were looking at is called "L’art du trait", which is a method of combining elevation and plan view drawings that allows the craftsman to create any segment of or whole work piece with complete confidence as to its correctness. In short, those working drawings created by carpenters and masons allows them to build the soaring cathedrals of the Gothic period throughout Europe. L’art du trait is a subset or extension of what we now refer to as stereotomy, which is, essentially an applied geometry that relies on graphic presentation as opposed to formulaic calculation, geometry without calculus. However, the art of stereotomy has become associated almost exclusively with the craft of the stone mason and today it has been displaced by computer based descriptive and projective geometry. The methods of L’art du trait were highly guarded secrets and shared only with those young craftsmen who had been found acceptable to masters of the craft. This knowledge, jealously guarded as it was, gave masons and carpenters tremendous standing within their communities. Architects (acting more as project developers and managers) were completely reliant on the knowledge and skill of the craftsmen. And, this was the case until as late as the middle of the nineteenth century, when architects, engineers began to use descriptive geometry and, in short order, assumed the “mantle of authority” that had been worn by masons and carpenters for centuries. Sadly, due to the power of commercial and governmental interests, master craftsmen were reduced to the rank of mere workmen. But the tradition of l’art du trait is still alive and being learned and practiced by a small group of dedicated carpenters in northern Europe, primarily France and Germany, and now Montreal Canada, thanks to Patrick Moore(google him) and Sim Ayers of Discovery Bay California who is the author of The Holy Grail of Roof Framing Geometry & Trigonometry(a highly suggested read) And, although it has been displaced by modern technology, l’art du trait is considered so important that it has been recognized as part of the “intangible cultural heritage of humanity” by UNESCO......for those of you on IG, follow David Bowman @student_of_stereotomy on Instagram.....as for getting a program started here in the states, I'm all for it....It would be great if you could get together with Ryan Smith of Oswego NY, Dominique "Nick" Ridge of NorCal, Sim Ayers, and put something together....they're all over on JLC Live and IG

What a great program! I’m a retired electrician and former heavy equipment mechanic as well as a lifelong home remodeler, one of my good friends is a mechanical engineer turned plumber turned builder. We often marvel at the level of training and licensing we had to go through and yet the guys that are building the structural part of a house (framers) in most areas don’t have any amount of training, experience, or licensing required. They just put it together the way they think is right or that they can get away with and hope a building inspector that may or may not know what they are looking at will approve it. We can and should do better.

Simply fantastic, amazing

Excellent and inspiring video. This is what education should be

The companies would not just get a carpenter. They would get a highly educated and talented craftsman out of the whole deal. Great video guys thank you so much. Shows how far behind we are👍👍👍😎🇨🇱

This is a cool video, timber framing verses stick framing. What I find interesting is the "we need a school" we have schools, they are typically union based they are definitely available and timber framing schools are as well. The bother hood of carpenters has schools for those interested. Scholarship programs are good but they are not perfect and can be abused. Then there is the insurance required because someone gets hurt and the society we live is is law suit happy. One of the reasons the school programs shut down, or were concentrated into a single location, was the cost of the equipment. When Sawstop came out all schools would have to upgrade because it was the latest technology that protected someone's baby from cutting off his or her own finger. They were and still are crazy expensive so school budgets just dried up. It's the unfortunate situation today. -MG

Went to school with Nick. I love this tour, and we definitely need more of these Stateside. The tech and edu program they have at that school is amazing. Great way to set the students up for success right out of the gate!

I spent yesterday at Swiss Skills exhibition in Bern, Switzerland, talking to middle school students and their parents about apprenticeships and careers in IT, one of the job profiles that apprentices can train in at the company I work for. During coffee breaks, I walked around the exhibition hall and was really impressed by the variety and quality of the training programs available. Each company's stand was manned by apprentices who were happy to demonstrate their work. The pride that these young people take in their craft was palpable. It's an excellent system that produces top-notch tradespeople.