The Swiss abroad Sara Alouini, who grew up in Tunisia, came to Switzerland for her vocational training. She successfully completed her apprenticeship as an electronics technician and also obtained her vocational baccalaureate. She is now beginning her studies in electrical engineering at the University of Applied Sciences in Winterthur. Here she tells why an apprenticeship was the perfect decision and how her journey will continue.
Sara Alouini during her apprenticeship. Photo provided
“Life isn't always easy. Sometimes we have to sacrifice our well-being in order to move forward”, my father said to me shortly before I left Djerba, the pearl of the Mediterranean known as the “dream island”, and moved to Switzerland.
As half-Tunisian, half-Swiss, my brother and I spoke Swiss German with my mother and Tunisian (an Arabic dialect) with my father. When everyone was at home, we spoke standard German. Switzerland was not foreign to me – at least as a holiday destination. I visited my maternal relatives once or twice a year. But living there? That was a completely different story. The decision was difficult for me. I had built a life in Tunisia that I liked: valuable friendships, hobbies such as karate, horse riding and diving – and a deep sense of gratitude for what I had. But just as the sun sets on the horizon to make way for a new day, I felt it was time for a new beginning.
After completing my Tunisian Baccalauréat with a focus on mathematics, the big question arose: what next? I had already heard about the dual vocational training system in Switzerland and knew that I valued both theory and practice. After thorough research, I decided to pursue an apprenticeship as an electronics technician – a path that allowed me to directly apply my passion for mathematics and physics.
Then came 14 July 2018, the day my plane took off and my previous life on the island was left behind. Inside, I felt like a stormy sea. Waves of sadness rolled in because I had to leave my family behind, and currents of uncertainty pulled me along because I hardly knew anyone in Switzerland. But between all the dark clouds, rays of sunshine also shone through – moments of excitement about the new opportunities that lay ahead of me.
I quickly realised that many of my worries were unfounded. Of course, it was a challenge to rebuild my life from scratch. I had to learn how to buy train tickets in Switzerland, fill out tax returns, apply for scholarships and even participate in national elections... But I was lucky: during my apprenticeship, I was able to live with a warm and welcoming host family. They supported me with advice and assistance and gave me the security I needed to put down roots in my new home. In addition, educationsuisse helped me with my scholarship application to my home canton of Bern.
The apprenticeship proved to be the right decision. Thanks to my prior knowledge of mathematics, I had a slight head start and was able to complete my vocational baccalaureate diploma at the same time as my apprenticeship. Nevertheless, the motto was: “No pain, no gain.” During my training as an electronics technician, I learned how to design circuit diagrams and layouts for circuit boards, program microcontrollers and, if it didn't work right away, find and correct errors. The apprenticeship enabled me to develop my own projects, which I really enjoyed. During my apprenticeship, I also had the opportunity to try out a wide range of activities in my company. These included drawing designs that were printed using a 3D printer, welding work and manufacturing mechanical components in the workshop. Overall, I found the apprenticeship to be extremely educational and varied. Step by step, I was able to deepen my knowledge, make valuable professional and academic contacts, and earn my own money at the same time. Thanks in particular to vocational school and the vocational baccalaureate, I got to know people with whom I am still in regular contact today.
After completing my apprenticeship, I started working as a software tester. This job not only gave me valuable professional experience, but also the financial freedom to indulge my passion for travel. Every year, I discover new countries, new cultures and new stories. But my journey is far from over: I will soon be starting a degree in electrical engineering at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) in Winterthur to further expand my knowledge.
Life is a journey with unknown paths. But nothing ventured, nothing gained.
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