What is a cover letter for an apprenticeship?
The cover letter, in Switzerland often called Motivationsschreiben, is the letter that accompanies your application dossier for an apprenticeship. It explains why you want this specific apprenticeship at this specific company and why you are suited to it. While the CV shows what you have done so far, the cover letter shows your motivation and personality.
For pupils it is often the first real application. That is no reason to worry: with a clear structure and concrete examples you convince even without work experience. You can find a general guide in our article on the cover letter.
The structure: opening, body, closing
A cover letter for an apprenticeship fits on one page and has three parts.
The opening
Do not start with a standard line like I am hereby applying. Instead, say why you are interested in the trade and the company. A reference to a taster apprenticeship or an experience feels personal and genuine.
