Compulsory education ends in Switzerland at age 16, when students have a choice between going to a university or opting for a three-year vocational education and training (VET). People who completed apprenticeships in electricity and mechanical construction can expect to earn 5,445 francs after five years, followed by architecture and construction (5,425 francs); accounting, marketing, and office work (5,367 francs), and the social sector (5,349 francs). If you didn’t study at a Swiss higher education institution or complete an apprenticeship here, you can have your foreign qualifications recognised in Switzerland — and earn an equivalent salary (wages are based on the job and your position; not on your nationality).