The starting point of this paper was twofold. Firstly, although the dual VET system in Switzerland is considered to be very successful, there are considerable differences between training occupations in their capacity of integrating young skilled workers into the labour market and preparing them for their careers. Secondly, international comparative research has shown that institutional dimensions of the education system matter for school-to-work transitions. It is assumed that institutional characteristics of education systems shape learning processes and competence development of students and apprentices, which in turn affect their transitions opportunities and chances. However, the mechanisms explaining differences in labour market outcomes between training occupations are located at the level of national training programs, and cannot be reliably tested with country comparison. In order to test these mechanisms we have collected data on differences in institutional characteristics between approximately 550 Swiss upper secondary training occupations. In this paper we have describe the transfer of the institutional dimensions to a Swiss VET context, with the aim of going beyond the simple distinctions between education systems. We have focused on the dimensions found to be important in comparative research: standardisation, differentiation and vocational specificity. We have gone beyond existing research by distinguishing different sub-dimension of standardisation, differentiation and vocational specificity. This has been possible due to the operationalization on a national level, which was the prerequisite for a more detailed decomposition. Further, we have demonstrated that the institutional characteristics vary substantially between training occupations in Switzerland. When considering the population of apprentices, which is unevenly distributed across the occupations, some institutional characteristics are well represented, others are less frequent. With this data on differences in institutional characteristics between VET occupations, we can further disentangle the influence of standardisation, differentiation and specificity on individual transition chances and thus get a better picture of the success factors and pitfalls of dual VET. Further research will show to what extend the identified sub-dimensions of standardisation, differentiation and vocational specificity and their measurement are useful in order to explain the pattern and quality of VET learners’ labour market entry and early careers.