Watchmaking becomes more attractive for Swiss workers as prestige trumps salaries. The Swiss watchmaking industry has been training more and more people, boosted by record exports last year.
Many youngsters, but also plenty of adults wanting to switch jobs, have taken an interest in careers that had lost much of their allure when the watch industry went downhill in the 1970s. “An oscillating movement is like a beating heart,” said Isabelle Musitelli. The Swiss Search Engine - search.ch. A mainstay of the Swiss economy - Switzerland - Information.
Paradeplatz in Zurich: iconic heartland of the Swiss financial centre and home to three renowned Swiss banking institutions. © swissworld.org When you mention Switzerland, most people automatically think of mountains and cheese, with banks coming a close third.
This is not surprising given that the Swiss financial centre is a central pillar of the Swiss economy, generating over 10 % of Swiss GDP. At the end of 2011, some 211,000 people (full-time equivalents) – or 6 % of Switzerland’s total working population – were directly employed by banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions. The term "financial centre" generally refers to major cities like New York and London, which have a dense network of banks, financial companies, stock exchanges, insurance companies and international trading firms. These centres boast a high concentration of myriad financial services.