ISFB Insight
Continuing education: a practical way to boost employability
March 18, 2026
In a rapidly changing world of work, continuing education is no longer just a perk. It has become a key driver of employability. Of course, continuing education helps keep one’s knowledge up to date. But its role goes beyond that. Continuing education helps secure career paths, supports career development, and strengthens the ability to adapt to changes in the labor market. In other words, it’s not just about learning more. It helps you stay relevant in your profession over the long term.
A real impact on career paths
Data available in Switzerland confirm that continuing education has tangible benefits. Research reported by the Swiss Federation for Continuing Education (FSEA) shows that it can have a positive impact on both income and the reduction of unemployment risk. These findings are important because they underscore that employability does not depend solely on initial education. It is also built over time through the ability to develop one’s skills throughout one’s professional life.
In a rapidly changing professional landscape, failing to pursue further training often means allowing a gap to widen between the demands of the workplace and one’s own professional skills.
For employees, training is becoming a necessity
For professionals, the question is no longer simply whether training is worthwhile, but when and in what areas. In many sectors—and particularly in banking and finance—expectations are changing. Employers are still looking for strong technical skills, but they also expect the ability to adapt, learn quickly, navigate more complex environments, and integrate new dimensions—whether digital, regulatory, or relational.
Continuing education does exactly that: it helps you maintain your skill level, broaden your expertise, prepare for new responsibilities, or enhance your value in the job market. So, pursuing continuing education is an investment in your career path.
For employers, certifying a training program is an investment
From a business perspective, continuing education should no longer be viewed as a minor expense. Authorizing training, supporting skill development, or encouraging employees to advance their qualifications is an investment in the organization’s resilience. It also empowers teams to adapt to changes in the industry, better navigate transformations, and maintain high performance over the long term.
Swiss companies themselves widely acknowledge this reality. Many view continuing education as a key to success. Yet, in practice, training needs are not always adequately met due to a lack of time, resources, or, at times, a clear enough vision of the skills that need to be developed.
This is where a major challenge lies: it is not enough simply to assert that skills are important. We must also create the conditions necessary for their development.
In the banking industry, needs are changing rapidly
The banking sector is a particularly good example of this trend.
Businesses are facing a wide range of changes: digital transformation, shifting customer expectations, stricter regulatory requirements, and the growing importance of data, compliance, risk management, and artificial intelligence.
In this context, employability no longer depends solely on mastery of a fixed set of technical skills. It increasingly depends on a combination of competencies: professional expertise, understanding of tools, analytical skills, interpersonal skills, adaptability, and continuous learning. Recent ISFB publications on careers, skills relevant to the sector, and digital transformation point in this direction: banking professions are changing, and career paths must now be based on a model of continuous development.
The ISFB Observatory: Providing Clarity on Skills Trends
It was precisely to address this challenge that the ISFB launched its Observatory of Banking and Financial Skills.
Launched on March 3, 2026, this observatory is designed to analyze changes in the workforce, identify emerging skills, and inform decisions regarding human resources, training, and employability in the banking and finance sector in French-speaking Switzerland.
Its value is clear: to provide clarity in a rapidly changing environment. As industries evolve, it becomes essential to be able to objectively assess these changes, identify underlying trends, better understand the needs of institutions, and offer useful guidance to both professionals and employers.
A shared responsibility
The issue of employability does not concern only individuals. It also involves employers, educational institutions, and, more broadly, society as a whole.
For employees, training helps solidify their career path and stay in control of their professional development.
For employers, supporting training means investing in their teams’ ability to adapt.
Finally, for the community, recognizing the importance of initiatives such as the ISFB Observatory means acknowledging that the development of skills can no longer be left to chance. It must be monitored, analyzed, and supported in a structured and collaborative manner.
Continuing education is no longer just an added bonus. It has become a key driver of competitiveness, career mobility, and career stability. In this context, the ISFB’s role extends beyond simply providing training opportunities. By establishing a platform for analysis, monitoring, and foresight regarding skills for banking and finance professions in French-speaking Switzerland, the ISFB helps set the tone on an issue that is set to become increasingly strategic for the industry.
