"The dual path - an absolutely brilliant thing".

Congratulations, Ms. Meyer, with an average grade of 5.1, you are the best of all 304 newly qualified sales specialists. Did you expect this?
No, not at all, that was an absolute surprise for me! Well, I was usually in the top quarter when I was at school for the sales specialist exam, but I never expected this award.

You are also the first winner of the new Swiss Marketing Junior Sales Award. Where will the statue of Ivo Soldini go?
I think I'll put them in my office.

You work in the field of packaging machines and did your commercial apprenticeship at a transport security company. Not exactly a typically feminine field of work. What fascinates you about the world of machines?
In fact, all my jobs so far have been pretty technical. I like to immerse myself in such topics. It never gets boring - every machine is built a little differently and has its very own specifications.

What exactly do you do in the internal sales department of Hünenberger Multivac Export AG?
I mainly support our sales representatives in the field and am sometimes in direct contact with our customers. I'm mainly concerned with timing processes and appointments so that everything runs smoothly for the sales force.

What made you decide to train as a sales specialist?
My medium or long-term goal is to become the head of an internal sales department or possibly also work in field sales. The sales specialist certificate is a very good qualification for this.

Today, academic titles are awarded in an almost inflationary manner. Why did you choose the dual path?
I think further training that equates theory and practice makes much more sense for the professional world. It also helps us young people to apply what we've learned in the workplace. If I had to draw one conclusion, it would be this: The dual path - an absolutely brilliant thing.

But it's also a path that you have to earn hard. How did you manage to combine work and school?
I worked one hundred percent during the entire 15 months of school. That was tough; after all, school was on Mondays and Wednesdays in the evening, and often on Saturdays too. Plus, of course, up to six hours of homework a week. I opted for the full workload because I probably wouldn't have been much more productive at school if I'd had one day off a week, for example. And the decision was also made for financial reasons.

What learning tips can you give?
You have to know what type of learner you are. I am the auditory type, I need to hear learning material first and foremost and can then process it best. I've also found that I learn best early in the morning. When I was preparing for the certificate, I often studied between 7 and 8 a.m.; when it came to the exam, I got up at 5 a.m. a few times to cram.

With the double burden of work/school, your circle of friends is probably suffering a little, isn't it?
That was the case. My circle of colleagues had to take a back seat, and there was also little time for sport. In the beginning, it was enough for regular aerobics, but in the last three months before the exam, I had to give that up too. But I always made time for my family.

What advice do you give to people in further education when they hit a major slump?
I knew and know the feeling too, of course. You sometimes fear that you might not make it despite your great efforts and many hardships.

And what is your recipe against this?
Quite simply: persevere, persevere, persevere. Success in Lucerne Corinne Meyer, 24, completed a commercial apprenticeship at the Wohlen-based transport security company Strapex and now works in internal sales at the packaging specialist Multivac Export AG in Hünenberg, Canton Zug. She prepared for the sales specialist exam at the Lucerne IWB - now KV Luzern Berufsakademie.