41 New Swiss Cable Car Professionals Complete Apprenticeships

Recently, 38 cable car mechatronics engineers EFZ and three cable car operators EBA celebrated the completion of their training on the Mont-Fort near Siviez in Nendaz. Benedicta Aregger, Vice Director of Swiss Cable Cars, and François Fournier, Director of the Nendaz-Veysonnaz Mountain Railways, congratulated the newly qualified cable car workers.

After four intensive years of training, 35 male and three female cable car mechatronics engineers received their federal certificate of proficiency (EFZ) on Friday, June 28, 2024. In addition, after two years of training, three cable car workers received a federal professional certificate (EBA) for their successful completion of their apprenticeship. It is the first time that 41 young people have successfully completed their training in the cable car industry in the same year.

The diplomas were ceremoniously presented by Benedicta Aregger, Vice Director of Swiss Cable Cars (SBS), and François Fournier, Director of the Nendaz-Veysonnaz cable cars. The 41 new professionals were congratulated by invited guests, including family members and Marc Ziegler, Head of the SBS Training Center.

Cable car professionals for eight regions in Switzerland

33 German-speaking apprentices from different regions met during their apprenticeship for lessons at the SBS training center in Meiringen. During the same period, eight French-speaking apprentices attended the vocational school in Sion. The Bern region has the most apprenticeships this year, with ten new cable car professionals. The Graubünden mountain railways have seven male and one female graduates. Central Switzerland is celebrating eight newly qualified professionals, while six male and one female graduates from the Valais received their diplomas. Eastern Switzerland has three apprentices this year, two apprenticeships are being completed in Ticino and the Vaud region, and one apprenticeship is being celebrated in the Basel region.

Diverse and captivating training period at the cable cars

The passion for cable cars was clear in conversation with the graduates and the joy at successfully completing their apprenticeship was also palpable. Emanuela Zielinski spent her apprenticeship at the Monteceneri Army Logistics Center and was able to get to know cable cars at various locations such as Andermatt, the Furka Pass and Ticino. She chose the apprenticeship because she had been fascinated by cable cars since she was eight years old. The trial apprenticeship made her realize that it was her dream job, also because she really enjoys working in nature and in the mountains. When asked how she experienced the apprenticeship as one of three cable car mechatronics engineers, she replied: "The apprenticeship was great and if something was too difficult or I wasn't tall enough, I could always count on the support of the team."

Matthias Raboud remembers his training as a cable car mechatronics engineer at Téléverbier SA as being extremely varied: "In the course of a working day, you can do everything from mechanical adjustments to operating a cable car cabin and customer service." The Valais native describes the assembly of a new gondola lift as the highlight of his four-year training: "I was fascinated and found each new stage of construction great!"

For Samuele Curti from Ticino, completing his apprenticeship as a cable car mechatronics engineer is a dream come true. He remains loyal to his training company and mentions further ambitions in the interview: "At Monte Tamaro SA, the gondola lift is being completely replaced and I will continue to work there until the summer of 2025. After the military, I want to train as a cable car specialist and I am also very interested in training as a cable car manager."

Promising prospects after the cable car apprenticeship

The newly qualified cable car mechatronics engineers now have the opportunity to train as cable car specialists. After the 18-month part-time training and the receipt of the federal professional certificate, graduates are qualified to take over the technical management of a cable car company. Benedicta Aregger showed the young people that a career in the cable car industry offers a lot of development potential: "The mountain railways face a wide range of challenges and need innovative and motivated talents who are looking for new solutions with fresh ideas. You can initiate and support exciting projects in this industry and achieve a lot."

"I'm really looking forward to welcoming some of you back to class soon," Marc Ziegler added to his thoughts on further training. He also reminded the new cable car professionals that they belong to an exclusive circle: "Cable car apprenticeships have only been around for 18 years, and you are the first to start your training in the middle of a pandemic. This shows that you are not only flexible, but can also handle immense challenges."

Cable car training in Switzerland is a true success story: Since 2006, over 400 young people have been trained in apprenticeships in the cable car industry. 372 cable car mechatronics technicians EFZ and 64 cable car operators EBA have successfully completed their training. During their apprenticeship, they attended vocational school and inter-company courses at the training center in Meiringen, Sion or Bodio.

The new cable car professionals .

• Tom Avanthey EFZ Tele Champéry-Les Crosets (Portes du Soleil Suisse SA)
• Ueli Beeler EFZ Bartholet Maschinenbau AG
• Erik Bieri EFZ Firstbahn AG
• Jan Bregy EFZ Belalp Bahnen AG
• Jakob Brigger EBA Tourist Company Grächen
• Samuele Curti EFZ Monte Tamaro SA
• Delano Feusi EFZ RIGI RAILWAYS AG
• Léa Feuz EFZ NV Mechanical Repairs SA
• Thomas Gertsch EFZ Garaventa AG, Uetendorf branch
• Vitus Giger EFZ Andermatt-Sedrun Sport AG
• Louis Ginier EFZ Tele Leysin-Col des Mosses La Lécherette
• Thibault Gremaud EFZ Mountain Railways Destination Gstaad
• Adrian Grob EFZ Davos Klosters Bergbahnen AG
• Fabian Hiss EFZ Mountain Railways Engelberg-Trübsee-Titlis BET AG
• Jan Hunziker EFZ Lenzerheide Bergbahnen AG
• Lino Jeuch EFZ Engadin St. Moritz Mountains AG
• Benjamin Jud EFZ Tele Champéry-Les Crosets (Portes du Soleil Suisse SA)
• Flurin Maissen EFZ Stoosbahnen AG
• Joël Fabian Müller EFZ Von Rotz & Wiedemar AG
• Baptiste Navaux EFZ Tele-Villars-Gryon-Diablerets SA
• Lukas Nigg EFZ Bartholet Maschinenbau AG
• Sandro Nuotclà EBA Davos Klosters Bergbahnen AG
• Matthias Raboud EFZ Téléverbier SA
• Sandro Ramseyer EFZ Bergbahnen Adelboden-Lenk AG
• Dominik Regli EFZ Andermatt Sedrun Sport AG
• Alberto Saligari EFZ Foundation Cable Car Reigoldswil -Wasserfallen
• Nicolo Schenk EFZ Firstbahn AG
• Pascal Scherz EFZ Wiriehornbahnen AG
• Ricco Samuele Schürch EFZ Bergbahnen Disentis AG
• Lana Sprecher EFZ Lenzerheide Bergbahnen AG
• Andri Stahel EFZ Bergbahnen Beckenried-Emmetten AG
• Lars Streun EFZ Firstbahn AG
• Niels Stutz EFZ Toggenburg Bergbahnen AG
• Mauro Trepp EFZ Arosa Bergbahnen AG
• Yannick Robert Torello EFZ Televerbier SA
• Andri Truttmann EFZ Bergbahnen Sörenberg AG
• Marc Wälti EBA Firstbahn AG
• Gabriel Simon Weber EFZ VBS Swiss Army
• Command Support Base FUB
• Silvan Zeller EFZ Schilthornbahn AG
• Emanuela Zielinski EFZ Army Logistics Center Monteceneri

Apprenticeships in the cable car industry

Cable car mechatronics technicians EFZ receive a comprehensive training for a wide range of applications:

You monitor the operation of the railways, check Ropes, rollers and drives, overhaul system components and carry out repairs to mechanical and electrical components.

The basic vocational training qualifies cable car operators EBA in particular for activities as operating and counter staff on cable cars as well as for supporting tasks in the maintenance of the systems.