Apprenticeships Completed By 33 New Swiss Ropeway Techs

28 EFZ cable car mechatronics technicians and five EBA cable car operators celebrated the completion of their apprenticeship last Friday on Flumserberg. The St. Gallen District President Stefan Kölliker congratulated the two female and 31 male new ropeway professionals.

After four and two years of training, the time had come: 27 ropeway mechatronics technicians and one ropeway mechatronics technician were able to receive their Federal Certificate of Competence (EFZ) and four ropeway operators and one ropeway woman received a Federal Vocational Certificate (EBA) on Friday, June 30, 2023. for their successful completion of the course.

The diplomas were presented by Stefan Kölliker, District President and Head of the St. Gallen Education Department on the Flumserberg. The 33 new professionals received their congratulations from invited guests. In addition to the family members of the cable car mechatronics technicians, these included Michael Ackermann, Head of Cable Cars & Technology at Bergbahnen Flumserberg as the host, Berno Stoffel, Director of Cable Cars Switzerland (SBS) and Marc Ziegler, Head of the SBS Training Center.

Cable car professionals for the different regions

During the apprenticeship, the 24 German-speaking learners from different regions of Switzerland met for lessons at the SBS training center in Meiringen. Meanwhile, the nine French-speaking apprentices went to school at the vocational school in Sion. This year, Valais celebrated the most apprenticeships with eleven ropeway professionals. The Bündner Bergbahnen had seven graduates, Eastern Switzerland had six, Central Switzerland celebrated five newly qualified professionals, the Berner Bergbahnen had three new cable car mechatronics technicians EFZ and the Freiburg Alps celebrated the completion of an apprenticeship.

The apprenticeship with the cable cars: varied and exciting

The joy of having successfully completed the apprenticeship was written all over the faces of the graduates. When talking to Yara Lehmann, who completed her apprenticeship at Jungfrau Railways, you can feel her enthusiasm for the cable car industry: "The cohesion in my team was great, I received enormous support and we always had a good atmosphere." What she liked best was the work in nature and the fact that the job was very varied.

Robin Ramseier completed his German-language apprenticeship with top marks. Regarding the highlight of his apprenticeship at Zermatt Bergbahnen, he says: "Although I really liked all the major overhaul work, it was unique that we were able to replace a suspension cable with the support of the manufacturer."

Florian Gaspoz, who did his apprenticeship in Portes du Soleil Suisses, achieved the best grade in the French-speaking class. He now wants to gain experience and further his education. One of his next goals is to take the professional exam to become a ropeway specialist. With this federal certificate, he could take over the technical management of a cable car company.

It was precisely these future prospects that Berno Stoffel promised the young professionals at the graduation ceremony: “After the ropeway apprenticeship, the world is at your feet and the doors to further training are open. The mountain railways need future-oriented and motivated people who are looking for new solutions. There are exciting opportunities and career opportunities, because let's be honest: mountain railway jobs really are the most beautiful jobs there are. As cable car professionals, you work where others go on vacation.”

An extraordinary time for the apprentices and the training center

Marc Ziegler meanwhile looked back on the training period: "Not only did all the apprentices pass their final exam right away, we should actually also be handing out certificates for flexibility: from classroom to online lessons, practical lessons under extraordinary conditions - and you still made it."

The learners who completed their apprenticeship this year received their teaching documents in paper form as the last classes. From 2024, only learners who have received all teaching documents digitally will graduate. Seilbahnen Schweiz attaches great importance to working with the latest technology in training.