Direct contact with guests at the Tourist Centre counter, organising and running media trips, looking after the Instagram and Facebook social media channels, helping with events, bookkeeping and much more. The work at a tourism organisation is varied. And so the apprentices at Jungfrau Region Tourismus AG (JRT) also benefit from a varied training programme. Here they talk about their day-to-day work. Today we let Chantal Kocher have her say. The 21-year-old from Spiez is training to become an HGT B profile clerk. She looks back on her apprenticeship, which will come to an end in August.

It all started in August 2019. After my three-year apprenticeship as a catering specialist, I decided to do a second apprenticeship. I was given the opportunity to start a commercial apprenticeship at Jungfrau Region Tourismus AG. I spent the first year of my apprenticeship at the tourism counter in Meiringen. Every day at the counter was different. I never knew exactly what to expect the next day. Every guest and every local had a different wish. But I really enjoyed the work. During this time, I got to know the various ticket office systems (Bergbahnen Meiringen-Hasliberg, PostBus, Zentralbahn). One of my highlights in the first six months was the Famigros Ski Day (now Migros Ski Day) on Hasliberg. It was great to see the children's eyes light up when they were presented with a medal at the finish line.

The start of the pandemic

The second half of the year was very special, as we had to close the tourism desk due to Covid-19. During this time, we weren't allowed to go to vocational school and had homeschooling instead. A very cool experience. However, I also realised that we didn't learn as much at home in front of the screen as we did in the classroom. Most of the employees at the counter were put on short-time working. Nevertheless, we still had to look after the incoming mail and the telephone. I was allowed to do these tasks independently. Unfortunately, many events were cancelled during this extraordinary time. I had been looking forward to organising them and helping out on site.

Marketing and e-commerce

For my second year of training, I moved to Interlaken in August 2020. In digital marketing. My tasks included looking after the social media channels (including Instagram and Facebook) and regularly checking reviews. I also gained an insight into e-commerce. I was able to work on various projects, and in the end I even carried out some of them myself. One of the first projects I was allowed to help with was the Jungfrau Region Winter Guide. I was allowed to fill 15 pages with my idea "Dr perfekt Schiitag". A section that is also part of this year's guide. I'm very proud of that.

One project that I was even able to carry out independently was the bedroom roulette. I asked various hotels whether they would take part in the campaign and offer locals an overnight stay in a double room. I found it very exciting to exchange ideas with the various hoteliers.

Of course, this apprenticeship year was also characterised by the coronavirus pandemic. In November 2020, the federal government made working from home compulsory again. That was a challenge. But thanks to today's technology, we were able to stay in contact with each other very well.

The sales department

In February 2021, I moved to the Sales department. I organised various media and study trips and provided input. Unfortunately, the time in Sales was also characterised by coronavirus. Many trade fairs and webinars were postponed or even cancelled. Nevertheless, there was a period in May 2021 when we had a lot to do. It was very exhausting, but also very instructive. There were days when I was "swimming" in work, but I didn't mind. On the contrary. I enjoyed it. I have fond memories of this time in particular. I found it very exciting to come into contact with so many people. The collaboration with our service providers and partners was varied. My highlight was accompanying media and study trips. This allowed me to get to know the journalists and tour operators better. As a result, I was able to respond much better to their needs.

Central services

My time in Sales flew by. For my third year of training, I moved to the Central Services department, which is also based in Interlaken. My tasks included: posting accounts payable invoices, creating invoices, posting banks and some organisational tasks, such as drawing up the apprentices' work schedule, ordering coffee, helping with the induction of new employees and much more. In this department, it is very important to act sustainably and economically. This starts with (not) printing documents, for example. In accounting, everything must always be accurate to the centime. If this is not the case, the error must be searched for until it is found. This can happen very quickly, for example if you make a typo. The time in the accounts department was challenging because every single entry can make a big difference in one of the many accounts.

Back at the counter

I've been working at the Grindelwald tourist office since February. I initially spent two months at the counter. During this time, I was able to apply my knowledge from the first year of my apprenticeship and learn a lot. The counter was and is also good practice for my final apprenticeship exam. Now I'm moving to the Grindelwald Tourism marketing team for the next two months. Here I can help organise media and study trips and plan events. I will then spend the last two months of my apprenticeship actively supporting the counter team.

To be continued

Shortly before my final apprenticeship exam, I can say that my apprenticeship so far has been very exciting and varied. Every change of department brought new tasks and challenges. Of course, the three years were characterised by working from home and home schooling. The annual plan was thrown out of kilter by the pandemic. New projects had to be created from scratch. It makes me proud to have played a small part in this. It was exciting to see how the company adapted to such a situation. I have benefited a lot. My rucksack is now a few experiences richer. And my journey at Jungfrau Region Tourismus AG is not over yet. It will continue after my apprenticeship at the head office in Interlaken.

Jungfrau Region Tourismus AG offers two apprenticeships every year. During the three-year HGT E-profile apprenticeship, the apprentices work for one and a half years each at the head office in Interlaken (marketing/accounting) and in the tourist centres (Grindelwald and either Meiringen or Mürren).