Last week, senior White House and Cabinet officials hosted a Swiss delegation, including the Vice President and corporate leaders, in the Roosevelt Room to discuss opportunities to spur new investments and create jobs.

The companies announced plans to invest about $3 billion combined into their U.S. operations in 2015. Many of the executives also announced plans to expand or launch apprenticeship programs in the United States, reinforcing President Obama’s goal of doubling registered apprenticeships over the next five years.

For details on the companies and their specific announcements, please see the Commerce Department’s fact sheet.

The Swiss delegation, led by Vice President of the Swiss Confederation, Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann and U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein Suzan LeVine, included chief executive officers and senior executives from Alevo Group, Bühler, Kudelski Group, Nestlé, Novartis, Pilatus Aircraft, Reha Technology, and Zurich Insurance Group.

The participating companies shared feedback on the U.S. investment climate and on opportunities to partner on workforce development. Executives described how they are adapting the unique Swiss model of apprenticeships to the United States to strengthen both their competitiveness and their local communities.  

Swiss FDI by the numbers:

• Swiss foreign direct investment (FDI) into the United States grew by 115 percent from 2009-2013, from $65 to $140 billion. 
• Switzerland is the 6th largest source of FDI in United States, and U.S. subsidiaries of Swiss firms employed more than 472,200 U.S. workers in 2012.
• Swiss investors are the top international source of research and development (R&D) investment in the United States, spending nearly $9.4 billion in 2012.