Retail specialist: training, continuing education, further training, information, self-tests

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Detailhandelsspezialist / Detailhandelsspezialistin (BP)
Karriere-Sprungbrett im Detailhandel
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Would you like to train as a retail specialist with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education? - Here you will find suitable schools as well as further information, tips and tools for choosing the right continuing education, further training.

If you would like personal advice on preparing for the Federal Professional Examination, contact the provider of your choice via the "Free information on the topic..." button - without obligation, quickly and easily.

Self-test "Training as a retail trade specialist (FPE)": Is this course the right one for me?

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Retail trade specialist with Federal Diploma of Higher Education: a springboard to a career in retail trade

Retail specialists manage areas, rayons, departments or entire branches of all kinds of goods - whether chocolate specialties, hosiery or workshop accessories. As specialists and managers in their sales area, they usually belong to middle management and are involved in practically all relevant work steps - from purchasing goods and designing the product range to marketing and planning staff deployment.

Education:The umbrella organization "Bildung Detailhandel Schweiz" (BDS) is behind the Federal Diploma of Higher Education in Retail Trade. It promotes young professionals in the retail trade and is committed to providing job-related continuing education, further training with uniform quality standards. The retail trade specialist continuing education, which has been in existence since 1999, is well established on the job market and opens the door to Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE).

Learning content:The training provides general knowledge on the topics of the company, environment, personnel management, personnel management, logistics, procurement, marketing and sales.

Relevance:Due to digitalization and changing consumer behaviour, the Swiss retail trade is particularly confronted with the upheavals in the economy and everyday life. As qualified specialists with the necessary, up-to-date know-how, retail specialists with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education are in high demand on the job market.

Activity:Retail specialists usually work in small or medium-sized supermarkets, specialist or specialty stores as area, district, department or branch managers. Their tasks are numerous: they are responsible for purchasing the product range, tracking the movement of goods and ensuring that the warehouse is managed professionally. In doing so, they comply with the statutory safety measures. They develop suitable solutions for incorrect purchases and gaps in the range and also ensure that the product range is attractively designed. They also calculate costs, monitor the budget and optimize processes on an ongoing basis. Retail specialists also conduct market research: among other things, they analyze key figures on purchasing behavior and derive sales-promoting measures from them. Finally, they also instruct their employees and support them in the implementation of their tasks.

Personal requirement:Outgoing and reliable professionals from the retail sector who have a good nose for upcoming trends and seasonal sales opportunities as well as a flair for figures and would like to take on management responsibility are well served by a retail specialist apprenticeship.

Questions and answers

For holders of the Federal Certificate of Competence as a Retail Trade Specialist who are interested in a comprehensive education in the retail trade sector and want to deepen their knowledge in the disciplines of corporate management, financial and personnel management as well as communication and information management, we recommend attending the higher professional examination for retail trade managers with a federal diploma.

 

Further possibilities are:

  • Professional specialization as a category manager or merchandiser
  • Higher professional examination for a federal diploma as a retail economist, buyer, sales manager or marketing manager
  • Advanced technical college HF in business administration or marketing management
  • With vocational baccalaureate: University of Applied Sciences degree in Business Administration

You become a QSK retail specialist after passing the Federal Professional Examination, which is conducted by the Quality Assurance Commission for Retail Specialists. The examination fee is CHF 1,050 and the total cost of the QSK retail trade specialist course is around CHF 10,000, making you a sought-after generalist in the retail trade sector. With the knowledge you have acquired about sales and everything that promotes and supports it, you can work as a department manager, branch manager or as a self-employed person.

The course leading to the Federal Professional Examination (FPE) in Retail Trade Specialist with a Federal Certificate provides comprehensive general business management knowledge. Graduates of the certificate have the necessary specialist and management skills to work in a responsible position in retail businesses. Retail specialists optimize and promote core sales processes in order to achieve company goals. To this end, they manage and motivate employees, use their solid business management skills to analyze and design projects and communicate competently with internal and external parties.

In a first step, the Retail Trade Specialist exam tests the five modules Company and Environment, Human Resources Management, Finance and Accounting, Procurement and Logistics, Sales and Marketing.

Successful completion is required for admission to the Federal Professional Examination for Retail Trade Specialists with a Federal Certificate of Competence and is considered proof of competence.

The Federal Professional Examination is divided into a case study and an assessment day.

The case work is sent out for processing 14 weeks before the examination and must be submitted no later than 6 weeks before the examination. The result is presented at the Federal Professional Examination.

On the assessment day, critical incidents must be answered and a planning task solved and presented.

Those interested in retail specialist training expect the following insights from an information event at the school:

  • 70 % Key data on further training
  • 63 % Information on the training method
  • 62 % View learning materials
  • 55 % Get to know the school better
  • 53 % learn more about future career opportunities
  • 35 % Info on success rates and ratings "Retail specialist"
  • 34 % can clarify individual questions
  • 28 % Hold discussions with lecturers
  • 24 % Meet and interview graduates
  • 23 % Information on the Swiss education system
  • 16 % See classroom

The following are the Retail Trade Specialist requirements for the Federal Professional Examination:

  • Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training as a retail trade specialist or as a retail trade employee or equivalent and at least three years of professional experience in the retail trade after completing an apprenticeship.

or

  • Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training or equivalent and at least four years of professional experience in retail trade after completing an apprenticeship.

or

  • Professional certificate as a retail trade assistant and at least five years of professional experience in the retail trade after completing basic training.

or

  • None of the aforementioned qualifications and at least ten years of professional experience in the retail trade.

and

  • Proof of at least one year in a management position in the retail trade.
  • Proof of the required module qualifications or confirmation of equivalence.

A retail specialist takes on demanding specialist and management tasks in the retail trade. The tasks in retail specialist jobs include procuring goods, managing the warehouse, attractive product presentation, conducting market research and evaluating customer surveys. A retail specialist works in a supermarket, specialty store or specialty store. Retail specialists also deal with errors and compliance with safety measures as well as process optimization. In the area of finance and accounting, retail specialists determine important key figures, draw up budgets and calculate costs. They are also responsible for the optimal deployment of personnel.

A survey of training graduates provides a benchmark for the amount of time spent on self-study - e.g. casework for retail trade specialists. According to this, graduates of further education courses spent the following amount of time per week:

  • 1 % less than one hour
  • 8 % one to two hours
  • 20 % three to four hours
  • 18 % five to six hours
  • 19 % seven to eight hours
  • 11 % nine to ten hours
  • 8 % eleven to fifteen hours
  • 15 % more than fifteen hours

A specialist in retail trade has the following responsibilities after graduation:

  • Ensuring the sales success of the branch/department
  • Branch manager in larger branches Deputy
  • Product range design, goods procurement, logistics and marketing
  • Personnel management
  • Comply with regulations regarding goods and technical equipment
  • Budget compliance

You should meet these personal requirements for the retail trade specialist apprenticeship:

  • Customer orientation
  • Service orientation
  • communicative competence
  • Pleasure in consulting and sales
  • analytical skills
  • Sociability

Most people interested in a training course want to check at the beginning of the interest phase whether the course meets their personal requirements for further training. This is also confirmed by a survey conducted by Ausbildung-Weiterbildung among those interested in retail specialist training. Almost all respondents cited this as the reason for their interest - namely 61%. 29% were interested in the course because they had received a recommendation. 10% of respondents were interested in further training because it is often mentioned in job advertisements. Other reasons given in free text responses are as follows:

  • "Because I have a qualification as an EFZ retail specialist"
  • "I want to get closer to my professional goal"
  • "The course is a prerequisite for a job I'm applying for"
  • "Expansion of specialist knowledge"

A survey of people who have enquired at one or more schools about further training as a retail specialist reveals the following results:

  • In 50% of cases, an online assessment triggered the school inquiry
  • 33.75 % were recommended the school they enquired about
  • 16.25 % already knew the school/s before the request

Schools with good online ratings or well-known schools with which a prospective student has already been satisfied are almost always shortlisted for the new training course. This survey by the education platform Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch therefore also confirms this for the retail trade specialist course. As an additional important reason, respondents gave us the following text responses: "The school is the easiest to reach", "Bernese schools", "the school is close to where I live", "is nearby", "compare several together", "due to start date" and "by chance".

  • Federal certificate of proficiency as a retail trade specialist (EFZ) and at least three years of professional experience in the retail trade.

or

  • Other 3-year basic vocational training or equivalent training and 4 years of professional experience in the retail trade.

or

  • Federal Vocational Certificate in Retail Assistant (EBA) and at least five years of professional experience in the textile retail trade.

or

  • Anyone who does not have one of the aforementioned certificates must provide evidence of ten years' professional experience in the retail trade.

and

  • 1 year of management experience in retail trade

and

  • Required module qualifications or certificates of equivalence

The Retail Trade Specialist training course for the Federal Professional Examination in Retail Trade Specialist with Federal Certificate consists of the following modules:

  • Module 1: Company and environment
  • Module 2: Personnel leadership and personnel management
  • Module 3: Finance and accounting
  • Module 4: Procurement and logistics
  • Module 5: Sales and marketing

Tips, tests and information on "Retail Trade Specialist with Federal Diploma of Higher Education"

How well known and what is the image of the "Retail Trade Specialist" course among potential employers?
» Awareness and image
What wage increase can I expect after completing the course?
» Wage information, wage calculator
What can graduates do after completing the course? What will I gain from continuing education, further training?
» Skills and prospects of retail specialists
Is the retail trade specialist course the right one for me?
» Do I meet the requirements, do I belong to the target group, will I graduate?
Is the "Retail Trade Specialist (FPE)" course right for me?
» Self-test for the course
What are the advantages of the Retail Trade Specialist course?
» Advantages of a retail specialist
Overview of the professional field of sales and retail trade
» Marketing, sales, communication guide
What is required in the retail specialist job? How are the activities divided up?
» Information from job advertisements
What experiences have previous course participants had with the retail specialist training course?
» Evaluation of training / experience

Infographic "Sales and retail training and further education"

Find the right educational level and qualification immediately with Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch!

Do you know your options for training or further education in sales and retail? We will show you where you stand in the Swiss education system and what higher levels and qualifications are available.

Download infographic immediately free of charge

Redaktionelle Leitung:

Stefan Schmidlin, Bildungsberatung, Content-Team Modula AG

Quellen

Website des Schweizerischen Sekretariats für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation SBFI , Website www.berufsberatung.ch (offizielles schweizerisches Informationsportal der Studien-, Berufs- und Laufbahnberatung) sowie Websites und anderweitige Informationen der Berufsverbände und Bildungsanbieter.

Erfahrungen, Bewertungen und Meinungen zur Ausbildung / Weiterbildung

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Address:
Stampfenbachstrasse 6
8001 Zürich
FfD Technical college for retail trade & technical college for e-commerce
(5.7) Excellent 230 230 Ratings (100% )
As the specialist in retail and e-commerce, we offer you an attractive range of further training courses: Retail specialist course with a federal certificate (16 months) and e-commerce specialist course with a federal certificate (16 months).

We specialize in extra-occupational courses and successfully conduct lessons on site, in parallel via livestream and with video recording. This means you benefit 100% from the flexibility. You attend classes according to your availability. Everyone benefits.

The courses take place at different times. Here, too, you benefit from our flexibility. You can make up for missed lessons in another time variant.

Other diploma & certificate courses we offer include E-commerce courses on various topics such as PIM, product presentation in the online store, interface management in the digital sales process, online store marketing, sales courses, sales consultants, visual merchandising & checkout course.
» Company conditions and cooperation opportunities
Strengths: 3-track concept: on-site lessons, livestream & video; personal support right up to the exam; modular course structure with certificate and diploma qualifications; fair payment conditions and fees!
Region: Basel, Bern, Zürich
Sites: Zürich
Certifications, Memberships, Qualifications:
Firmenangebote
Bundesbeiträge
eduQua
Hybrid-Unterricht
Address:
Emil Frey-Strasse 100
4142 Münchenstein
kv pro AG
(5.1) Very good 11 11 Ratings (100% )
As kv pro, we are committed to higher vocational training and are one of the largest providers of part-time continuing education, further training in the commercial sector in the region. Originating from the continuing education, further training and management training of the KV Basel commercial school (Basel-Stadt) and Avanti KV Weiterbildungen (Baselland), we have been shaping the commercial education system in the region for more than 150 years.

We are committed to high quality standards in order to provide our customers with the best possible preparation for the professional challenges of our time. We see ourselves as a partner on the career path of our participants.

At our teaching locations in Basel, Liestal and Münchenstein, we offer continuing education, further training in all commercial specializations and at all common (NQF levels). The majority of our experienced lecturers come from the private sector.

kv pro is supported by the Kaufmännischer Verband Region Beide Basel, the employees' association for business people.
Strengths: High level of practical transfer, personal advice and support, up-to-date teaching materials, lecturers with practical experience, location assessments, many years of experience.
Region: Basel
Sites: Basel, Liestal, Münchenstein
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Certifications, Memberships, Qualifications:
Firmenangebote
Bundesbeiträge
Blended Learning
Cambridge English
KV Bildungsgruppe Schweiz
kv edupool
ODEC
Online-Unterricht
Address:
Landenbergstrasse 37
6005 Luzern
KV Luzern Berufsakademie
The KV Luzern University of Cooperative Education focuses on the success of its students. With a clear focus and a wide range of continuing education opportunities, we accompany you on your way to your career goal. We have only one mission: your professional and personal development.

Our recipe for success? Experience, passion and commitment. Our lecturers have many years of up-to-date practical experience and are continuously training. In this way, we ensure that you are optimally prepared for your exams and achieve above-average results together. Our students regularly graduate with excellent results above the Swiss average. Your progress counts with us - and we make it possible.
Strengths: THE largest business competence center in Central Switzerland - high success rates - 400 lecturers from the business world - 100 courses - learn today - apply tomorrow - central location
Region: Zentralschweiz
Sites: Luzern
Next start date
Certifications, Memberships, Qualifications:
Bundesbeiträge
Cicero
eduQua
hfw
HRSE
IAF
KV Bildungsgruppe Schweiz
kv edupool
SVF
Institut für berufliche Aus- und Weiterbildung IBAW
Plan your next career move

Would you like to take off professionally? Support your employees with customized further training? The IBAW offers high-quality, practical training courses for private individuals and companies/institutions at various locations in Switzerland.

The offer includes the following areas:

- Finance and accounting
- Management and business administration
- Human Resources
- Commercial offers
- Office & ECDL
- Marketing & Sales
- Project and service management
- Business informatics
- System and network technology
- Digital Collaboration and Transformation
- Graphic Design
- Coding and data science
- Web design and development
- Microsoft certifications
Strengths: The Institute for Vocational Education and Training IBAW offers high-quality, practical training courses for private individuals and companies/institutions throughout Switzerland.
Region: Aargau, Basel, Bern, Ostschweiz, Westschweiz, Zentralschweiz, Zürich
Sites: Aarau, Baden, Basel, Bern, Horgen, Luzern, Olten, Rapperswil, Thun, Zug, Zürich
Certifications, Memberships, Qualifications:
Bundesbeiträge
Blended Learning
ECDL
Hermes 5
HRSE
Hybrid-Unterricht
ICT Berufsbildung
IPMA
ISO 21001 SGS
ISO 21001 SQS
ITIL
Online-Unterricht
SAFe
Schweizer Berghilfe
SVF
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Address:
Baarerstrasse 137
6302 Zug
Preview of the video «Detailhandelsspezialist / Detailhandelsspezialistin (BP)»
Preview of the video «Detailhandelsspezialist / Detailhandelsspezialistin (BP)»
Art of Formation – Weiterbildung WBA AG
(5.3) Very good 39 39 Ratings (97% )
+ Over 20 years of experience in course concepts
+ Guided online lessons and small groups: Proven, successful, high completion rates - save up to 3 hrs of your time per week!
+ First certified online training institute in Switzerland
+ Lecturer team with extensive experience in federal exam preparation
+ High federal completion rate of 90% across all courses
+ Pioneer of online teaching: We train wherever you are and whenever you have time!
+ Unique learning environment with small classes
+ Always half-year start spring and fall
+ Small class guarantee from 5 to 15 participants
+ Course price guarantee with 50% subsidy
+ "Referral gift!"
+ Easy and quick access to locations (by public transport or car)
+ Free additional lessons during the course
+ Personal consultation appointments
+ Uncomplicated and fast administrative support
+ E-learning with gamification
+ Course support from start to finish
+ High federal graduation rate (90%)
Strengths: + Guided online lessons: proven, successful, high completion rates + Half-yearly start spring/autumn + Small class guarantee of 5 - 15 participants + Course price guarantee with 50% subsidy
Region: Aargau, Basel, Bern, Ostschweiz, Zentralschweiz, Zürich
Sites: Egerkingen, Emmenbrücke, Geführter ONLINE-UNTERRICHT, Muri bei Bern, Muttenz, Spiez, St. Gallen, Winterthur, Zürich
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Certifications, Memberships, Qualifications:
Bundesbeiträge
anavant
eduQua
Innovative Ausbildungsmethoden
Online-Unterricht
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Address:

Postgasse 66
3000 Bern
Vocational school for the retail trade Bern
bsd. Vocational school for the retail trade - where education is not a detail. bsd. specializes in training in the retail trade. You benefit from the knowledge and economic links of the largest training institution in the retail trade.
Region: Bern
Sites: Bern
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Address:
Niklausstrasse 16
8090 Zürich
Vocational school for retail trade and pharmacy Zurich
The Vocational School for Retail and Pharmacy Zurich is a cantonal vocational school with two locations in the city of Zurich. Around 2200 young people are trained here in basic vocational training to become retail specialists, retail assistants and pharmaceutical assistants. An extensive range of additional courses and various services prepare the young people for their professional future.
Strengths: Practical relevance, experienced and didactically and methodically trained instructors, proven course concepts and teaching materials, know-how as a founding member of the Swiss Retail Competence Center (kdhs)
Region: Zürich
Sites: Zürich
Certifications, Memberships, Qualifications:
Bundesbeiträge
ECDL
eduQua
ISO 9001 SGS
Address:
Verena-Conzett-Strasse 23
8004 Zürich
SIU - Swiss Institute for Entrepreneurial Training
(5.2) Very good 106 106 Ratings (97% )
Success is no coincidence - grab your chance for promotion with SIU now!

- Find the right continuing education, further training that suits you
- Benefit from excellent success rates and first-class continuing education, further training
- Our content is continuously adapted to the latest industry requirements - in collaboration with leading employers, professional associations and experienced lecturers from the field

You've laid the foundations with your apprenticeship - now it's time to move on:

- Deepen your knowledge in business, retail and electrical engineering
- Benefit from modern teaching methods such as hybrid teaching
- Start your career advancement at SIU

Your advantages at SIU:

- Part-time continuing education, further training at numerous locations in Switzerland
- Flexible offers that can be optimally combined with your job
- Continuing education, further training at the highest level, adapted to your industry
- Lecturers from the field
Strengths: High level of practical transfer, personal support, industry-specific teaching materials, lecturers from the field, proven online model, location assessments
Region: Aargau, Basel, Bern, Ostschweiz, Tessin, Westschweiz, Zentralschweiz, Zürich
Sites: Bern, Basel, Zürich, Olten, Luzern, Sargans, Winterthur, St. Gallen, Paudex
Certifications, Memberships, Qualifications:
Bildungsberatung
Bundesbeiträge
Blended Learning
Hybrid-Unterricht
IQNet
ISO 21001 SQS
Address:
Weiterbildung
Bahnhofstrasse 46
5000 Aarau
HKV Aarau
HKV Aarau is the leading educational institute for in-service commercial training in the Aarau region.
» Company conditions and cooperation opportunities
Region: Aargau
Sites: Aarau, Rheinfelden

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