What does the everyday working life of holders of a VSH office management diploma look like?

Commercial employees with an office management diploma can often be found in the entrance area of a company, where they operate the switchboard, receive customers or guests and process incoming mail.

They write letters, minutes and memos, tables and lists on the computer according to specifications. They manage electronic and physical filing, copy and distribute documents and are the first point of contact for everyone and everything. They manage office supplies, look after office equipment and, depending on the position, are responsible for the public diary, general e-mail correspondence or monitoring payment transactions via bank or post.

Note: The weighting of the individual task areas can vary greatly depending on the company and task profile.

The Association of Swiss Commercial Schools (VSH): What tasks does the association perform?

The Association of Swiss Commercial Schools (VSH) has existed since 1978 as an association of private commercial schools. The private commercial schools are private educational companies that offer commercial training and further education.

The aim of the association and its member schools is to provide sound training and further education for commercial practice.

To ensure the uniform and high quality of VSH training courses, the association is in close contact with important organizations and associations, offices, authorities and private institutions in the education sector. In addition, the VSH carries out regular monitoring at its member schools to check whether the respective school and its employees are complying with the association's standards, specifications, requirements and rules.

The examinations leading to a VSH diploma are regulated and monitored by the VSH, giving the diploma a certain quality label - which is also recognized and valued on the job market. The VSH diplomas awarded are registered by the association.

Target group and skills: Who is the VSH office management diploma course suitable for? What qualities and skills are required?

The training and further education for the office management diploma with VSH diploma is aimed at the following target groups.

• People changing careers, for example from the craft sector, who want to switch to a job in the administrative sector
• Re-entrants who want to bring themselves up to date
• Persons who require up-to-date additional commercial training

Holders of an office management diploma should have the following personal qualities and skills:

• Good manners and well-groomed appearance
• Willingness to provide service
• Enjoy computer work
• Accuracy in dealing with numbers
• Organizational skills

Requirements for admission to the VSH office management diploma course, further training:

There are no official admission requirements for the VSH office management diploma course. Most schools require the following for admission to an office management diploma course:

• Minimum age 18 years and completed schooling
• Good keyboarding skills
• German language skills at level B2/C1 (European Language Reference Framework) for non-German native speakers

Note: At some schools, it is also possible to attend the course without taking an exam. However, you will not be left empty-handed - in this case, you will usually receive a so-called "school certificate".

In addition, many schools offer various preliminary courses, such as German grammar, spelling, keyboarding, computer science or languages.

Subject matter and content of the training

The subject matter of the VSH office management diploma training and further training courses is based on the VSH association's specifications. As a rule, the following topics are covered (analogous to the examination subjects):

• Standard language: German(e.g. word types, spelling, punctuation, text editing, presentation, verbal and non-verbal communication)
• Foreign languages: French/Italian and English(including vocabulary, grammar, comprehension strategies, listening, speaking, reading, writing)
• IKA: Information/Communication/Administration(including information management and administration, basic computer science, written communication, text design, spreadsheets, automation)
• W+G Economy and society(including understanding financial and business contexts, bookkeeping, law and the state)
• Project work

There may well be slight differences in the learning content between schools. For example, the schools can offer additional subjects, so-called "free subjects" in further education. The examination requirements for the additionally examined subjects are then determined by the schools themselves - however, these are not effective for passing the VSH office management diploma examination.

Costs and financing of further training

The costs vary depending on the school and training model. In general, the following costs must be expected for the 2-semester course:

• Course feesbetween CHF 5'500.- and CHF 16'200.- (this usually includes the examination fees for the VSH office diploma)
• ECDL-Certificates: approx. CHF 400.
• Some providers requireExtra costsfor
  • Enrollment
  • Teaching aids
  • Training documents
  • Internal examinations and examination training
  • Simulation test

It is best to contact the provider of your choice directly regarding the possible extra costs.

Duration of study, number of lessons and learning effort

• The training and further education for the VSH office management diploma is modular and lasts 2 semesters (longer or shorter depending on the provider)
• The VSH Office Specialist Diploma further training course comprises between approx. 300 lessons and 1000 lessons. (Depending on the offer and training model)
• Various time options are offered for attending the lessons or learning hours. There are full-time models, where lessons take place all day on weekdays from Monday to Friday, but part-time models, for example with evening lessons on two weekdays, can also be found in some educational programs.
• Many schools offer a mix of face-to-face and online courses (online, hybrid teaching, blended learning) as well as self-study. You can therefore choose the format that allows you to combine further education with your family, career and free time in the best possible way.
• Thanks to the in-service training concept, you can apply and deepen the learning material in practice straight away. Nevertheless, you should allow sufficient time for preparation and follow-up of the lessons and for self-study - how much depends on your prior knowledge, working style and learning speed. We recommend that you allow at least 4-6 hours per week as a precaution.

Note: Some schools offer so-called "taster lessons". This gives you the opportunity to gain an insight into the lessons and the learning atmosphere. Important aspects on the way to a successful graduation. It is best to contact the school of your choice directly for a taster lesson.

Degree and diploma

The path to the VSH office management diploma usually involves various examinations during training. These so-called experience grades then count towards the qualification.

Finally, the diploma examination takes place via a central examination. Every year, the VSH Quality Commission creates so-called examination series, i.e. examination templates that must be used unchanged by the schools.

For quality assurance purposes, the VSH monitors the conduct, control and grading of all parts of the diploma examinations, as well as the issuing of the VSH diploma.

The final examination for the VSH Office Management Diploma is structured as follows (subject, form and duration):

1. Standard language (German): written (90 min.) and oral (20 min.)
2. Foreign language (French/Italian or English): written (60 min.) and oral (20 min.)
3. IKA Information/Communication/Administration: written (150 min.)
4. W+G Economy and Society: written (150 min.)
5. Project work

Diploma and title

Successful graduates of an office management diploma further training course receive the "VSH Office Management Diploma", which is recognized throughout Switzerland.