Analogue meets digital
VET graduates recently qualified for the occupation of Information and Documentation Specialist EFZ (Swiss Federal VET Diploma) can complete a work placement training period of several months in a European library or another information institution. Some 10 newly qualified trainees benefit from this offer every year.
With work experience in another European country, the participants not only acquire practical experience in an international environment, they also learn different rules in librarianship. What’s more, they demonstrate their independence and flexibility and improve their foreign language skills. These experiences make it easier for them to enter the Swiss labour market when they return.
In the work placement, the newly qualified trainees take an active part in day-to-day library work, are assigned a small project to carry out independently or they are part of a project team. In addition, they can attend language classes or other courses, for example “Library and Information Science“. The work placement trainees report about their period abroad on their own platform.
VET trainers also take part in the project for one week. Along with the reciprocal visit by the VET trainers to partner libraries, they accompany the work placement mentors in the job shadowing and are given feedback regarding the work programme. In this way, the educational staff gain a whole host of new impressions and can widen their network.
Like to find out more about an exchange period abroad? Read the blog by Sandrine. She reports on her experiences working at the Magdalen College Library in Oxford.
Like to know more about the project? You’ll find many more experiences, photographs and project results on the project page.
If interested, individuals from the sector can apply directly to the Education Delegation I+D.
