Apprenticeship – the hidden face of Swiss research

From the laboratory to construction, from electronics to polymechanics: some twenty professions are taught in the institutions of the ETH Domain. These different professions play a key role in the scientific advances that have made Swiss research internationally renowned. "Our apprentices work on very specific research projects," explains Stefan Hösli, head of apprenticeships at Empa. "Some conduct experiments alongside our scientists, others manufacture complex parts for all kinds of devices and installations. They too are players in Swiss research, but they are scarcely visible."

Céline Henzelin-Nkubana, head of the apprentice laboratory school at EPFL's Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, points out that the Swiss dual training system is not well known to the many foreign scientists working in Switzerland: "They often underestimate the capabilities of the young people we train. Every year, I look for research groups to supervise the eight new apprentices who join us, and I sometimes observe some reluctance on the part of the professors. But next they are very surprised when they see the quality of the work done. Our apprentices spend a year and a half perfecting laboratory techniques and are often very fast, efficient and meticulous.

The different worlds of apprenticeship and research do not always see eye to eye with each other, continues the chemist: "One group leader had ignored an apprentice for months during the weekly meetings, but he finally integrated her: after talking to her once alone, he realised that she knew a lot more than he had imagined. In order to better integrate these two worlds, the EPFL has entrusted the management of the Laboratory-School to a duo: I have had a career in academic and industrial research, while my colleague did an apprenticeship followed by studies at a university of applied sciences and a spell in the private sector."

Apprentice and author of a scientific article

Some professions – such as laboratory assistants in chemistry, physics and biology – are well integrated into research groups. Young people prepare and conduct experiments under the supervision of PhD students. These contributions are generally recognised, for example in the acknowledgements at the end of scientific articles or during presentations. Sometimes apprentices are even listed as co-authors, a nice recognition of their contribution to research.

Other professions have more distant links with the academic world. "We usually receive orders from manufacturers and it is they who talk to the scientists," says Markus Fritschi, a polymechanics trainer at PSI. But these apprenticeships are also influenced by the research environment: "Our apprentices work on very special parts in small numbers – in contrast to industry, which generally produces large quantities in a more standardised way," says Stefan Hösli of Empa. "We have a great deal of freedom in what we teach them, and of course we work with state-of-the-art technology which is not always available in vocational schools. In fact, we are in discussion with the professional associations about how we can speed up the development of vocational education by integrating modern tools such as 3D printing."

Curious, open-minded and talented young people

The young people who do their apprenticeship in the research institutions of the ETH Domain have a special profile, say the trainers: "Curious people who are interested in both manual work and thinking and who are not afraid of a challenge. There is a small – but growing – number of women," says Cornel Andreoli, trainer of physics laboratory assistants at ETH Zurich.

The paradox is that these young talents often end up leaving their basic profession to pursue higher education. "On the one hand, I am delighted to see apprentices continuing their education at university. On the other hand, these are talented people who will be missed in our profession," says Stefan Hösli. A real hand drain, to echo the famous brain drain of academics who leave their country of origin. Only a quarter of these chemical laboratory assistants remain in the profession, confirms Céline Henzelin-Nkubana, with a quarter changing direction slightly and a good half going on to higher studies. "At the beginning, most of them say they want to work and not study. But these research experiences often trigger a change of direction - and create new vocations.