Pre-vocational training for refugees in Switzerland: Characteristics of workplace learning

Our explorative study focused on the analysis of workplace learning in Swiss companies offering a one-year pre-vocational programme (PAI) to young persons with a refugee background. We included three companies in the plumbing, commercial, and horticultural sectors, interviewing an in-company trainer and a former PAI apprentice from the same company in each sector. Drawing on a model of the quality of learning environments in a workplace setting (Filliettaz, 2012; Fuller & Unwin, 2003), we investigated how trainers and PAI apprentices perceived affordances, that is, social and structural resources provided in the workplace, and PAI apprentices’ commitment, referring to their individual prerequisites to make use of these affordances.

Our results emphasise the importance of an expansive workplace learning environment that enables PAI apprentices’ progressive involvement in professional tasks, and the crucial role of trainers’ and co-workers’ guidance and support. Our results also showed that PAI apprentices were interested, motivated, and took initiative in the workplace, though their full involvement was undermined by their often-difficult life circumstances.