Vocational training
All-round success
All-round success
We collaborate with the KV Zurich Business School and the commercial association to offer a complete four-year apprenticeship as a business and commercial graduate. We follow a two-track approach and provide both intensive support for talented athletes or dancers and top-level serious and recognised vocational education as a federally qualified business and commercial graduate.
School-based training
Vocational business commercial education
Our students complete the academic part of their vocational training at the largest vocational school in Switzerland, the state vocational school of the KV Zurich. They work in small groups in regular KV classes and generally complete their apprenticeship in the B or E profile. Information on the M profile apprenticeship, which is also possible, can be found under the menu item Berufsmatura.
Students do no internship work during the first two years of their education. This gives them a lot of time for training, recuperation and learning for vocational school. Students have four half days each week to do this.
They attend two school days at KV Zurich (see below for variations). On two further half days, they attend additional lessons and supervised homework lessons. These additional lessons help to ensure that the talented young athletes and dancers successfully complete the school-based part of the KV education. School ends in the afternoon at 15:30 at the latest. On days when there are additional lessons in the morning it ends at 11:55.
In the third year of education, students attend one school day at KV Zurich and the practical internship period begins, with a workload of 50% to 60%. They still have 20% to 30% of the working week left for sports or dance training. The training times are arranged individually with the company offering the internship. The qualification procedure (QV) at the end of the third year concludes the school-based part of the education.
The fourth year of training is the reward for the rigorous third year – the future business and commercial graduates can concentrate on their internship and training. The internship in the company covers 50% to 70% of working hours – 30% to 50% of the working week is available for sports or dance training and for fine-tuning their nascent careers.
Training model version 1 (TUE WED)
Training model version 2 (WED THU)
Training model version 3 (MON FRI)
Training model version 4 Training possible in the afternoon
Training model version 5 Tuesday & Wednesday free
Training model version 6 4-day-weekend
Vocational Matura certificate
Admission to the M-profile (vocational matura) can only be obtained after successful completion of an entrance examination or on passing an examination at a Gymnasium or a commercial college. This entrance examination takes place in March, with the registration deadline being the end of February. For more information, please visit the KV Zurich website or the information evening which takes place every January in the assembly hall of the KV main building at Limmatstrasse 310.
You can register for the examination directly with KV Zurich or via the administrative office of the Sport Academy Zurich. Admission is possible without an examination for those Gymnasium students who have broken off their education, (possibly even directly to the 2nd BMS year).
Admission to polytechnics can also be achieved with KV E-Profile. After successfully completing an apprenticeship as a business and commercial graduate, SAZ students have the opportunity to obtain an M-Profile degree at the KV Zurich Business School (BM2). This can be done either in one year of full-time training or in two years of part-time training.
In-company training
In-company training at the Sport Academy Zurich is provided in cooperation with partner companies from the private sector or with public administration. From the third year of education onwards, SAZ students spend two years working in and for the internship company. Thanks to the two-year preparation period at the vocational school, they are now well prepared and have already completed their IT training (IKA) and the subject English (E-Profile). They have also completed 15 IPT days (integrated practical components) in preparation for the internship.
For the sake of clarity, we refer to the company internship as an internship apprenticeship, as the learning content is the same as in a shortened KV apprenticeship (two instead of three years). During the practical training, two ALS (work and learning situations) and a üK certificate of competence (exhibition of work) must be completed.
In the first year of their internship, students attend one more school day at KV Zurich, with the workload in the company amounting to 50% to 60%, and in the second year of their internship, the workload in the company amounts to 50% to 80% working hours. In total, 100% presence in the company must be achieved over two years. The training dates are arranged individually and favourably with the company offering the internship.
Due to the training model of the SAZ, our students are significantly further along in their theoretical training and personal development than a student who comes directly from secondary school. The talented athletes and dancers are now mature enough to work in the company and are looking forward to applying what they have learned in the first two years of education.
Partner companies
Our partner companies come from the most diverse areas. They include companies operating in Switzerland and around the world, as well as many small and medium-sized businesses that operate in the region. Their common denominator is their business and commercial education, which is mainly in the service and administration sector, and of course their commitment to talented young athletes and dancers. Our students appreciate the trust and goodwill shown to them – and they pay it back with reliability and hard work.
Activ Fitness, Oerlikon Allianz Suisse Versicherungs-Gesellschaft AG, Wallisellen Amendola AG, Wollerau Angst+Pfister AG, Zürich A Plus Reinigungen AG, Hinwil Basler Versicherungen AG, verschiedene Agenturen BDO AG, Zürich Betriebsgesellschaft FCZ AG, Zürich Binelli Group, Adliswil Bolli Treuhand, Winterthur Confidas Treuhand AG, Zürich Die Mobiliar, verschiedene Agenturen Empa, Dübendorf Ersparniskasse Schaffhausen, Schaffhausen Europcar AMAG Services AG, Kloten Evangelisch-reformierte Kirchgemeinde, Horgen Evangelisch-reformierte Kirchgemeinde, Thalwil Flying Teachers AG, Zürich FG Fasogips AG, Rupperswil Gemeindeverwaltung, Dinhard Gemeindeverwaltung, Pfäffikon E3 AG, Zürich Generali Personenversicherungen AG, Adliswil H. Wetter AG, Stetten Helvetia Versicherungen Schweiz, Basel Hilti (Schweiz) AG, Adliswil ICAS Schweiz AG, Wallisellen IGKG Züri, Zürich Jaisli-Xamax AG, Dietikon Kanton Zürich, Zürich Kantonale Verwaltung, Schaffhausen KIBAG Dienstleistungen AG, Zürich KPMG, Zürich Kyburz Feinmechanik AG, Wettswil Lehrinstitut für Psychotonik AG, Zürich login Berufsbildung AG, diverse Standorte Lüpold AG, Möriken med-sportiv GmbH, Zürich Media Markt Schweiz AG, Dietikon Nets Schweiz AG, Wallisellen OMIT AG, Dietikon Pensionskasse SHP, Dietikon Physio & Training Bonthuis, Wilen b. Wollerau pom+Consulting, Zürich Pöyry Schweiz, Zürich Primework AG, Zürich Pure Aveda, Basel Rechtsanwalt Dr. iur. Bisang, Zürich Sandra Cortesi Architektin, Chur Sauber+Gisin Engineering AG, Zürich Schweizerische Treuhänder Schule, Zürich Securitas AG, Zürich Swiss Ice Hockey Federation, Glattbrugg Swiss Winding Inventing AG, Altendorf Telco Wiedikon GmbH, Zürich VSZ Services GmbH, Kloten WB Bürgin AG, Grüningen Young Solutions AG, Zürich YourPower Kriminalprävention AG, Winterthur ZKS – Zürcher Kantonalverband für Sport, Dübendorf Zürich Versicherungs-Gesellschaft AG, Zürich
We are looking for additional partner companies
From August 2023 to July 2025 we are looking for additional well-managed partner companies. Our students have been attending school for a long time and are now eager to work in a company. Naturally, they want good in-company education, but they are also willing to work hard. The experience of our still young school with the apprentices studying on the job has been very encouraging thus far. We receive plenty of positive feedback.
The students are quite flexible in terms of time. In addition to one day of school at KV Zurich, three training sessions are scheduled in the morning, but these can be freely chosen (except Wednesday). They can reduce their training to two sessions if the work in the company requires it. The ideal would be a workload of 50% in the first year of in-company education. School-based education is completed in the second year of practical training, and the school day is dropped – from August 2023, the workload can be 50 to 80%, depending on requirements.
If the company does not employ a vocational trainer, the SAZ vocational trainers can take over this function. Either way, Mr Kasampidis and Mrs Freitag are always available to give advice and support the companies in all matters.
Detailed information is summarised in the Partner Companies factsheet:
Partner Companies Factsheet – M-Profile
The SAZ training models show the possible weekly schedule variations during the entire four years of training – this can be found under Downloads.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Preparatory year (10th school year)
Young people who lack the academic prerequisites for the demanding KV education after regular schooling can use the commercial preparation year to fill in the gaps in their knowledge and make the leap into education at the Sport Academy Zurich a year later. They can already attend the high-level, individual athletics training or the professional football training – and of course this also applies to privately organised sport or dance training. Three mornings off and Wednesday afternoon are available.
The school-based part of the commercial 10th school year is completed by the prospective commercial trainees at the SFK Schule für Förderkurse Zürich, which has been successfully preparing school leavers for forthcoming vocational education for more than 20 years and supports KV trainees during their apprenticeship.
Instruction is based on the subjects of the business and commercial apprenticeship. The support classes also allow students to delve deeper into the subject matter and allow them plenty of time to practise. Young people can work through missed school material from previous years (especially German) and improve step by step, thereby creating a good basis for subsequent vocational education.
Up-and-coming young athletes can also take part in the preparatory year and arrange their own individual training sessions. The costs will of course be adjusted accordingly.
Testimonials
Dilsah Bilge
The school for Förderkurse made it possible for me to enter the Sport Academy Zurich. The one-year preparatory year allowed us to be as well prepared as possible for the KV apprenticeship. I had to do this intermediate year because I had some educational deficits. After half a year, the decision was made as to whether or not I would be admitted to the Sport Academy. I failed the multi-check test on my first try, but the headmistress, Mrs Jelec, believed in me and discussed it with the headmaster of the Sport Academy, Mr Naegeli. I was given a second chance. So, I went full throttle and passed the Multicheck test at the second attempt with good results and I also improved my school grades. As a result, I was accepted into the Sport Academy and now I feel like I’m in good hands.
Noah Maurer
I attended the school for Förderkurse last year. Mr. Naegeli recommended that I do this extra year, otherwise I would have difficulties in KV life. At first it was a bit difficult to cope with all the new material, but I was constantly supported by all the teachers and they gave us confidence. When I struggled with the subject W&G (Economy and Society), Mrs Jelec helped me for hours all Wednesday afternoon until I understood it. While the other students went to England and France for language study, we had football training practically every day and studied in the supplementary classes for KV. I improved in all subjects in the 2nd semester, passed the Multicheck test and was accepted at the Sport Academy Zurich. I’m very satisfied with the preparatory year and I’d do it again. Without this additional year, I wouldn’t have ended up at the Sport Academy and in KV.
Lukas Espinosa
I attended the school for Förderkurse a year ago and can only say that it was a hit. At SFK, you benefit both academically and in terms of sport. I was able to make a lot of progress at school, especially in the languages. I highly recommend it.
