With a crash course against the teacher shortage: now there are summer camps for career changers

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It’s still summer vacation, but soon the new school year will start. Only: In many places there is still a lack of teachers. There are more than a hundred vacancies in practically every canton, both in primary and secondary education. And the problem is likely to get worse. According to the Federal Bureau of Statistics, there will be a shortage of more than 10,000 teachers by 2031.

The problem is not new – many teacher training colleges have long had programs for career changers with a college degree and professional experience that last only two years instead of the usual three. With the increasing teacher shortage, some cantons are now going further: they offer summer camps for teachers without an official diploma. But does rapid whitening really work?

Big question in Bern

The University of Education (PH) in Bern has held such a summer camp for the past two weeks. The students received a first insight into the basics of the teaching profession. It concerned questions such as: What is in the current curriculum? What teaching materials are used? What are mandatory elements in cooperation with legal guardians?

The demand was great. A total of 130 people visited the camp. «It’s a great experience, you gain a lot of knowledge in a short time and certain connections became clearer to me. The elective modules for the individual subjects were very enriching,” says a participant from the Hasli and Kandersteg BE schools. The course was free for teachers from the canton of Bern.

Education expert convinced of the camps

Like the participants, education expert Rebekka Masson (62) is convinced of the camps. «I think summer camps like this are a better solution than weekly courses of a few hours. You have the opportunity to exchange ideas and to deepen specific areas.”

Masson generally believes that career changers are good for our school system. Life experience is what you need to be a teacher. It also helps if the teachers are familiar with the labor market and not only know the teaching profession. “Schools are becoming more colorful, vibrant and also more personal thanks to experienced career changers,” Masson tells Blick.

Beware of a two-tiered society

The Swiss schools depend on lateral entrants. “But you have to be careful not to end up in a two-class system. Lateral entrants must obtain the necessary diplomas and be recognized as fully-fledged teachers,” says Masson. The PH Bern makes it clear in its press release: a summer camp does not replace a diploma.

“The offer is varied, but there is very little time for each individual subject,” explains Andrea Meuli, project manager of the summer camp. “The complexity of the teaching profession is very high, the summer camp is not a substitute for an internship.” The rapid bleaching is rather the prelude to dealing with the new profession – and for some also the bridge to study to become a teacher.

Source:Blick