Athletes get boost to their job prospects

A record 171 athletes will be representing Switzerland at the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, which start on Friday. But only a few can make a living from their sport. They need a job and a company willing to be flexible over training and competition needs. Enter the new “athlete-friendly companies” label. Curler Benoît Schwarz, a bronze medallist at the World Men’s Curling Championship last year, is among those going to South Korea. He trains 25 hours a week and feels top fit, but he is lagging behind on the career front, despite having a Bachelors degree. “When I compare myself to my peers, we have the same education but I needed longer because of the sport and now I am getting older. My peers can get a better hold on the work market,” 26-year-old Schwarz told Swiss public television SRF ahead of his trip to PyeongChang. Flexible Flexible employers are key. This is why the Swiss Olympic Association (Swiss Olympic) has founded, along with the employment firm Adecco Group, a ...