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Technical trainers overcoming the challenges of rapid methodological change

Vector Informatik offers technical training on different topics for engineers in the context of its Vector Academy. While some trainings were already implemented in a blended learning format, most were conducted as classroom trainings when the pandemic lockdown occurred. The Vector Academy rapidly created an offer for remote trainings tailored specifically to the further education of engineers, who were now restricted to their home office. Many existing studies on the nonmedical effects of the Covid-19 pandemic focus on schools or university students, but of course learning continues into the vocational regime of working adults where technical trainers like those of the Vector Academy provide job-relevant trainings for engineers. While some previous studies about trainers investigate the readiness of this very content-focussed teaching group to incorporate modern didactic concepts, now a radical switch to remote teaching formats was imposed. How did the trainers face that challenge? Guided (semi-structured) interviews with several technical trainers of both genders are analysed for common key concepts and summarized. We identify successful strategies and advantageous existing preconditions, as well as opposing factors hindering a swift methodical transition. These are translated into competencies and compared with a known competency model for technical trainers. We investigate whether competencies aiding a swift methodical transition are already included in a previously identified sub-set most relevant for this occupation and identify possible blind spots of either the model or the trainers. From the shared experience, recommendations are derived. Drastic changes like the pandemic lockdown of 2020 will be the focus of many studies in different fields, that might eventually condense into meta-studies and our common pool of knowledge. For those, studies like this one increase the range of teaching and learning subjects beyond the typical student age. We hope the findings can also help individuals to reflect on their own changes in teaching and learning strategies.