News 
The recent START! Careers Forum trade fair held in Fribourg spanned six days of exchanges and discoveries, notably featuring the first participation of watchmaking professions in this event. From 18 to 23 February, the “metiers-horlogerie.ch” booth aroused great interest among young visitors and their families, as part of a record edition that attracted 27,000 visitors.
Thanks to demonstrations by AFP watchmaking operators and CFC watch exterior finishers, visitors were able to discover first-hand the skilled, accurate touch required in these professions. The interactive nature of the booth enabled young people to learn about the subtleties of watch assembly and finishing, awakening potential new vocations and stirring curiosity about these demanding but fascinating professions.
The presence of the “metiers-horlogerie.ch” booth at the show was marked by inspiring interactions with young people looking for guidance, as well as with their parents keen to learn more about the opportunities in watchmaking. Many showed a real interest in the training available in the canton of Fribourg from the start of the 2026 academic year.
The Convention Patronale (CP – Swiss watch industry employers’ organisation), which organised the booth, gave a very positive assessment of this first participation in Fribourg. The interest generated by watchmaking professions is promising and encouraging for future apprenticeships. Visitors’ curiosity testifies to genuine enthusiasm for these training courses, thus opening up new prospects for young people in the region. All available apprenticeships are listed on metiers-horlogerie.ch.
Meanwhile, the Ecole professionnelle artisanale et industrielle (EPAI) is preparing to integrate watchmaking precision into its range of training opportunities, with the August 2026 opening of a course dedicated to training watchmaking operators (AFP). This new training programme offered in the canton of Fribourg is supported by the Rolex and Cartier Manufactures. It will welcome nine apprentices as part of a dual-education system, combining apprenticeship within a company and theoretical learning in the school environment. This initiative underlines the commitment of the region and industrial players to training a new generation of professionals and thereby meet the growing needs of the watch industry.
March 13, 2025