Vocational School Teacher Education in Switzerland: Roles, Responsibilities, and Training

Abstract

In Switzerland two-thirds of all young people completing compulsory education enroll in upper-secondary vocational education and training (VET) and subsequently choose one of around 230 occupations. Most VET programs consist of part-time classroom instruction (1–2 days a week) at vocational schools combined with part-time apprenticeship at a host company (3–4 days a week). There is also a large availability of professional education (PET) which can be attended after initial upper-secondary level VET training. Since VET and PET are highly connected, this chapter refers to vocational and professional education and training (VPET). Within this system specific teacher and trainer profiles are required. Providing training to apprentices at a host company, for example, requires work expertise as well as a pedagogical qualification, teaching vocational subjects at vocational schools or colleges of higher education requires work related as well as theoretical and pedagogical knowledge, whereas teaching general education subjects requires a teaching diploma but no work expertise. Because of the challenge of combining practical and theoretical training in VET and because young people can choose from a large variety of further studies and career options within the framework of professional education and training, various roles and different functions have to be assumed. The entire personnel educated for this purpose in Switzerland is called “professionals responsible for vocational and professional education and training.” This chapter focuses on their responsibilities, their training, and on the training and certification structures.