[Reasons for apprentice dropout in a large industrial enterprise]

641 people employed in a large industrial enterprise of northwestern Switzerland as apprentices for a profession in the chemical or mechanical industry have been examined. 14.5% have discontinued their apprentiship. The most frequent reasons have been difficulties with the formal training (6.2%), unsatisfactory performance (2.7%) and inaptitude/change of the profession (3.0%). After a change of the curriculum for chemical professions "difficulties with the formal training" as a reason for discontinuing the apprentiship dropped from 13 to 2%. Health reasons have been noted more rarely (0.5%) than expected. At the occasion of the medical aptitude examination, 0.5% were considered medically unqualified and have been rejected. The question if this is the cause for the low proportion of later drop-outs for health reasons remains open.