Social insurance administrator: Experience report by participant Rita Zülle - Switching from the electronics industry to a health insurance company thanks to further training in social insurance

Please tell us about your professional career.

My name is Rita Zülle. I am married and have two children aged 13 and 9. I am a commercial employee and adult educator by profession. I currently work as a social insurance clerk at a health insurance company in Baden.

Which course did you attend at the KV Aarau business school?

I completed the social insurance clerk course at the KV Aarau commercial college.

Why did you decide to take the social insurance clerk course?

I decided to do the social insurance clerk course because I wanted to switch to a different area. After the training, I was able to switch from the electronics industry to the social insurance sector.

Why did you choose HKV Aarau as your school?

I chose HKV Aarau because of its professional internet presence. In addition, the secretariat was able to provide me with very competent information in response to queries.

How does this further training support you in your day-to-day work?

Thanks to the further training as a social insurance administrator, I was able to switch to this area of responsibility. The basic knowledge I learned is very valuable and comprehensive for my day-to-day work. I can apply it very well in my day-to-day work. When people ask me questions on the phone about social insurance, I can answer them. I can explain the difference between basic and supplementary insurance to customers quickly and clearly.

Did you also benefit privately from the social insurance training?

Yes, for my parents. They both needed care. Thanks to my knowledge of the complex area of social insurance, I knew what was important and what needed to be applied for. With my knowledge as a social insurance administrator, I was able to help and advise my parents in this situation.

What motivated you to complete a social insurance apprenticeship?

After my training, it was important for me to be able to create a mind map of the social insurance sector. This enabled me to recognize the connections and dependencies between the individual sub-areas such as AHV or BVG. This was the basic motivation for me to train as a social insurance clerk in order to better recognize and understand these connections.

What were the challenges for you during your training as a social insurance administrator?

For me, the biggest challenge was finding time for this further training alongside my job, family and household. I drew up a precise plan before I started my training to become a social insurance administrator so that I would have enough time to study. It was sometimes exhausting to actually follow through with everything.

Were you able to increase your satisfaction with the social insurance clerk course?

Yes, my training as a social insurance clerk enabled me to start a new job in this area. Today I am part of a good team. My work is very interesting and varied. So the training has really paid off for me.

What learning content helped you in particular?

These were certainly the basics of the social insurance sector. Historical aspects were also highlighted. I also liked the fact that the BVG area was dealt with in depth. The salary system was also interesting. I was particularly fascinated by these three areas during the social insurance clerk course.

When did you particularly enjoy the lessons?

Through my own work as an adult educator, it is important to me that knowledge is conveyed in a simple and understandable way. I liked it best when this was the case in the lessons. This was very often the case.

When did you like it the least in class?

There was only one situation for me in the social insurance clerk course when we had a deputy. This person was very competent in terms of knowledge, but unfortunately was unable to convey this to us. This part of the course was held again by the HKV Aarau in the usual form.

Who would you recommend the social insurance clerk course to?

I would recommend the social insurance clerk course to anyone who wants to acquire basic skills in the social insurance sector. With the basic knowledge you have acquired, you can gain a foothold in the social insurance sector. However, the course is also of interest to people who are regularly confronted with questions in this area in their work.

Did you have an "aha" moment during your training?

Yes, I had an "aha" experience during the social insurance clerk course in connection with unemployment insurance. I didn't realize that people who had not worked for two years beforehand and paid contributions into the insurance scheme were not entitled to benefits. I think this is important to know.

What was the atmosphere like during the training?

The mood was generally very good. However, we went straight into the corona crisis. This presented us participants and lecturers with new challenges: School via the Teams online tool, compulsory masks and dealing with this new situation. But in the end, together with HKV Aarau, we coped well.

What did you like best about the KV Aarau business school?

I like the documents provided at the KV Aarau business school. They are very factual and informative. The school is also very easy to reach by public transport. Lecturers always had time for my questions and were very helpful. The school is competent, but still personal, informal and manageable in size.

What was your main motivation for attending this training course?

For me, the main motivation for training as a social security administrator was to change to a different area of work. This was my clear goal. And now I work in the social insurance sector and am very happy there.

Overview of schools "Social security clerk"