Cultural Diversity in Swiss Vocational Schools

Introduction
In Swiss dual VET programmes, trainees spend one or two days a week at a vocational school (school-based learning) and three to four days a week at a host company (work-based learning). In such VET programmes, vocational schools constitute the main learning location where VET students gain access to various resources: mediation and healthcare services, remedial courses in different branches, counselling, social workers. Vocational schools are also the place where apprentices can meet each other, exchange information and impressions about what they are experiencing and learning at host companies and integrate a community of practice.

Roughly two- thirds of all young people coming out of lower-secondary school in Switzerland choose to enrol in a VET programme (64% of young women, 80% of young men and 74% of foreign nationals [OFFT, 2008]). The choice to enrol in a VET programme is therefore not simply a “fallback option” that young people chose when they have no better options. In fact, Vocational education and training (VET) enables young people to enter the labour market and ensures that there are enough specialists and managers in the future. Hence, career scope after finishing the study is very high.

Looking at the cultural diversity in the VET schools I think  essential for teachers to develop intercultural competencies. With regard to the possible philosophical and educational options, certain authors provide interesting global observations. Allemann-Ghionda (2000) identifies four main paradigms:
•    the assimilationism paradigm, which is based on the hypothesis of deficit,

•    the multiculturalism paradigm, which is based on the hypothesis of difference,

•    the critique of multiculturalism paradigm, which is based on the hypothesis of equality,

•    the pluralism and acceptance of heterogeneity paradigm, which is based on the hypothesis of diversity.

Within the context of VET programmes, vocational school teachers must not only enable VET students to acquire the knowledge and competencies needed for the occupation, but they must also contribute to teaching VET students to assume their future role as citizens. I think teachers should incoporate methods such as cooperative learning and group work as part of the learning curriculum. In doing so, they should also make sure that the groups are culturally hetergenous. I think this is easier said than done, but taking the initiative to form such groups as a teacher is also not impossible. Alongside these educational instruments, institutional measures may also be introduced by the schools themselves. These measures include such things as language support classes, mediation services, counselling services, possible mentoring, etc.

source: http://www.iffp-suisse.ch

What educational and organisational arrangements have been made to facilitate the integration of migrants?
When it comes to welcoming and integrating migrants in vocational schools, two things need to be considered: the vocational schools themselves and the resources that each vocational school sets aside for VET students regardless of their cultural origins. There has been a case study that analyses these requirementsa and found out that in all the vocational schools studied, no services or structures were in place to specifically help migrant VET students beyond the integration classes that all newcomers receive. The existing mediation, health and counselling services are available for all VET students and do not propose a specific approach for young people from immigrant families. For more information, see www.iffp-suisse.ch

References:

• http://www.iffp-suisse.ch

• Allemann-Ghionda C. 2000. La pluralité, dimension sous-estimée mais constitutive du curriculum de l’éducation générale, In : Dasen P., Perregaux Ch. (eds). Pourquoi des approches interculturelles en sciences de l’éducation ? Bruxelles : De Boeck Université, Raisons éducatives no 3, 2000/1-2, pp.163-180.
• Gomolla M. 2006. Tackling underachievement of learners from ethnic minorities : A comparison of recent policies of
  school improvement in Germany, England and Switzerland, Current Issues in Comparative Education, vol. 9 (1),
  pp. 46-59.