Nachwuchsprogramme

SDG Youth Programme

With a bachelor's or professional degree in hand, gain initial work experience with an internationally active NGO or social enterprise.

Do you often think about how you can drive systemic change through your actions? Have you ever wondered how international NGOs and social enterprises work to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? Every year, the SDG Youth Programme offers five one-year trainee positions, each in a different organisation, partly in Switzerland and partly abroad.

Next call for application: April 2023

All "SDG Youth Programme" positions and other opportunities for graduates are published on our job portal cinfoPoste.
Stay informed by creating your profile now and turning on the relevant "job agents".

Create a profile

Why this programme

Do all the jobs you apply for require experience, even entry-level ones?

Your struggles to gain initial work experience are exactly what led us, Mercator Foundation Switzerland and cinfo, to create this new programme. We want to offer young people an insight into the professional field of international cooperation, with internationally active NGOs and social enterprises.

This opportunity will allow you to

  • develop your expertise and contribute to finding solutions for tomorrow’s problems,
  • discover your own motivation for international cooperation and the SDGs to facilitate your career in this area,
  • learn from experienced colleagues within the host organisation / partner organisations,
  • transfer newly acquired knowledge and skills back to the Swiss labour market and society,
  • be remunerated for your work (paid traineeship).

Recently advertised positions, application is now closed

Trainee urban ecological transition

Discover the activities of a private company with an international commitment to urban development; help us consolidate our analyses on ecological transition issues to improve the relevance of our services in this field.

Urbaplan
www.urbaplan.ch

Lausanne (7-8 months) + participation in international assignments (4-5 months)

Application closed

Local sustainable tourism facilitator

In Morocco, Swisscontact implements projects for the professional integration of vulnerable youth, capacity building for agricultural cooperatives and the development of sustainable tourism. Your role will be to support the implementation of the sustainable tourism action plan with local actors and Swisscontact experts.

Swisscontact
www.swisscontact.org

Morocco

Application closed

Climate Change and Education Trainee

Pestalozzi Children's Foundation wants to strengthen its activities related to climate change. Support us in integrating environmental aspects into our projects and programmes in Switzerland and abroad.

Pestalozzi Children's Foundation
www.pestalozzi.ch

Trogen, Appenzell (up to 9 months) + opportunity of field visits to countries such as Thailand, Serbia, etc. (at least 3 months)

Application closed

Trainee International Programmes and Digital Transformation

Get hands-on experience with an international NGO by working on a topic that is at the forefront of innovation to address humanitarian and development challenges.

Helvetas
www.helvetas.org

Zurich (6-9 months) + participation in an international assignment (3-6 months)

Application closed

Climate Policy and Energy Management Advisor

Support IDE-E in developing new areas of intervention in fields such as seawater desalination, circular economy/integrated waste management, sustainable water management, electric mobility and innovative energy and climate finance.

Institute for Development, Environment and Energy (IDE-E)
www.ide-e.org

Lausanne (up to 6 months) + Bogota (with partner organisation, at least 6 months)

Application closed

Minimum requirements

  • The SDG Youth Programme is open to Swiss nationals or C Permit holders.
  • You have a bachelor's degree (University or FH/HES), or an Advanced Federal Diploma of Higher Education, or a Federal Diploma of Higher Education.
  • You haven't yet gained relevant professional experience in international cooperation.
  • You demonstrate a keen interest and motivation to contribute to the SDGs.

Any questions?