Author: Tobias Meyer
Setting about for a better future: Roger Boder has decided to start all over again at an old age. The 50-year-old is doing an apprenticeship as a business maintenance specialist – in his third year as an apprentice.
Boder is a trained glazier and worked for a long time in construction. He could not imagine doing this physically demanding job until retirement age. Now he is back at the bottom of the career ladder as an apprentice.
And what are his goals? “In the future, I want to be able to work independently, take on responsibility and pursue a career,” says Boder in “10vor10”.
Author: Sabine Jermann Trainees, Cook
He can already work independently in his new profession. He keeps the Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz going. His tasks: Cleaning, technical support and minor repairs.
Change of location, Restaurant Pintli in Feldbrunnen in Solothurn – St. Niklaus: Sabine Jermann works in a much smaller space, with much more teamwork. The trained physiotherapist also had to start at the bottom again. Jermann is 45 years old, a cook in her first year of training. How did she experience the new beginning? “Yes, that was a change, especially the hierarchy in a restaurant kitchen. That was new territory for me.”
At the beginning there is only cold cuisine
Jermann always liked to cook. Now she wants to learn the craft from scratch and turn it into a profession. The tasks are clearly distributed. In the first year Jermann is only allowed to take care of the cold kitchen.
For Sylvia Aebi, managing director of the restaurant Pintli, the somewhat older apprentice daughter is an enrichment. Adults are more concentrated and independent – even at school: “You always have to ask the young apprentices. Sabine gives good grades, we never have to ask for them,” says Aebi.
An exotic at school
Back to school at 45 – and with 16-year-olds. That made Sabine Jermann’s decision difficult. “At school I am an exotic, but in the end I have one goal in mind: That’s three years, half a day a week and I enjoy it,” says Jermann.
Back to the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland. There Roger Boder has his goal right in front of him. The final exams are scheduled for this year. He has been going back to school for three years now.
Boder also had a queasy feeling at first. But he was well received – by teachers and classmates – although these could be his children. And what do the classmates think about their older school colleague? Classmate Flavian Fankhauser describes it as follows: “Yes, in the beginning it was a bit funny. But in the meantime I welcome the fact that an older person is also doing a second education.”
Joel Uhlmann says: “I think he’s doing very well. It was a bit difficult in his first year as an apprentice. Now in his third year, he’s doing very well. I am convinced that he will graduate.”
Author: Sabine Jermann Trainees, Cook
Roger Boder is not only the oldest in the class. His professional teacher, Stefan Uhlmann, is also much younger. Despite all the praise, the teacher also knows the difficulties for older students. “An older student like Mr. Boder, for example, has to learn to learn properly again: “How do I prepare for exams?
“She’s got a middle thing”
The case is different with Sabine Jermann, an apprentice chef. The school is easy for her. But she also has to make sacrifices for her dream. “Of course there is a financial loss, that’s how it is. But I see the three years as an investment in my future,” says Jermann.
According to the Gastrosuisse association, a trained cook earns 4100 francs a month. A trainee receives 1000 francs in the first year of training. Jermann is lucky, she earns more. Jermann’s boss gives the reason: “We were of the opinion that she brings something to our company with her great life experience. That’s why she has such a middle thing. She doesn’t have an apprentice’s salary, but it’s also not the salary of a trained employee.”
Financial losses, school, everything back to zero. A path that requires a lot of hard work again. But Sabine Jermann and Roger Boder are well on their way to a fresh start in their careers.
Don’t miss important news
Receive the most important news via browser push messages. Read more
Push notifications are short messages on your screen with the most important messages – regardless of whether srf.ch is currently open or not. If you click on one of the notifications, you will be taken to the corresponding article. You can deactivate these messages at any time. Less
You have already hidden this note for activating browser push messages several times. Do you want to hide this message permanently or be reminded again in a few weeks?
Register with Facebook or Twitter
For the registration we need additional information about your person.
Welcome back
Please log in to add a comment.