Gugger completed an apprenticeship as mechanic in Steffisburg. He later completed a trainee program in social work in Colombia became a youth and social worker upon completion of the training. Gugger was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology in Odisha, India for his social work for children and young people. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nik Gugger launched a fundraising campaign to enable ventilator purchases in Odisha, India.
