Becoming a Company-Based Trainer in Swiss Dual VET: An In-Depth Look at Career Paths and the Role of the Trainer

Abstract

Context: In Switzerland, dual apprenticeships are the most popular post-compulsory education pathway, combining workplace-based training with vocational school learning. Company-based trainers play a pivotal role in guiding apprentices through this dual system, ensuring that they acquire both practical skills and professional knowledge. Despite their centrality in the apprenticeship system, research focusing specifically on these key individuals and their career trajectories remains scarce. This study investigates the career pathways leading to becoming company-based trainers and explores the factors and processes influencing their role adoption. 

Approach: The research employs a qualitative methodology, comprising 80 semi-structured interviews with trainers across diverse sectors in French-speaking Switzerland. Participants were selected to represent a range of industries, company sizes, and professional backgrounds in order to capture the variety of experiences among trainers. Interviews focused on their career histories leading to the trainer role, as well as their experiences while performing this role. Data analysis followed thematic content analysis and typological approaches to identify distinct trainer profiles and their professional trajectories. 

Findings: The study identifies four ideal types of trainers: entrepreneurs, artisans, converted, and resigned. These profiles highlight the varying factors, career transitions, and professional ethos underpinning trainers' engagement in their roles. Entrepreneurs often approach training as an extension of their business or a strategic career step, while artisans see it as a way to pass on their craft and expertise. Converted trainers take on the role following career changes, seeking personal fulfilment or responding to organizational needs, whereas resigned trainers experience misalignment between their expectations and professional reality. These findings highlight the complexity and heterogeneity of trainers' career trajectories and the various factors shaping their role adoption. 

Conclusion: The findings underscore the heterogeneity of pathways into the training role and its implications for vocational education and training (VET) systems. Recognizing and supporting these diverse pathways can enhance trainers' satisfaction and impact, ultimately benefiting apprentices and organizations. Future research should explore the interplay between organizational contexts and individual drivers to optimize the training experience.