Trainers usually work part-time and on a mandate basis
The SVEB's Focus Continuing Education 2023 deals with the employment conditions of staff in continuing education. The study is based on the results of an annual survey of Swiss continuing education providers. It shows a heterogeneous picture, particularly among trainers, who make up around two thirds of staff in Swiss continuing education organizations.
Every spring, the SVEB surveys Swiss further education providers on changing key topics. This year's survey took place between April and May 2023 and 447 providers from all three language regions took part. For 65% of the organizations, continuing education is their main purpose and for 35% it is their secondary purpose.
Most of the trainers work on a mandate basis
Trainers make up around two thirds of staff in continuing education organizations. An important feature of the sector is the large number of mandates in which providers only pay trainers for a specific assignment. On average, the organizations employ around one third permanent staff and two thirds mandated staff.
The proportion of mandated trainers is higher among the large providers than among the smaller ones. Providers in German-speaking Switzerland work with mandated trainers more often than those in other language regions. Providers of vocational and general continuing education also work with a higher proportion of mandated trainers than foreign language and basic skills providers.
Many work part-time
The majority of permanent employees also work part-time as trainers, in some cases with a mini-workload of less than 20 percent. Almost half of the providers have no full-time trainers. There is also a wide range of salary levels: while some trainers earn between 20 and 30 francs per hour, others earn over 140 francs. Wages tend to be low in the areas of foreign languages and general/cultural further education.
Heterogeneity of employment conditions
The results published in Focus Continuing Education make it clear that working as a trainer is still primarily a part-time job, but that the employment conditions in continuing education are very heterogeneous. The opportunity to work part-time and in very small workloads has both advantages and disadvantages: on the one hand, it promotes potentially precarious conditions associated with working evenings and weekends, while on the other hand, working in continuing education makes it possible to combine it with another main job and/or family. For example, working in continuing professional development on a mandate basis can be a lucrative sideline. However, it may be difficult to earn a secure household income from this job alone.
Source: www.alice.ch
