Self-test Electrical Installation and Safety Expert course with Advanced Federal Diploma of Higher Education (Achtung: Englisch wie gleich Dipl. HF): Is this course right for me?

What does the day-to-day work of electrical installation and security experts with a federal diploma look like?

Electrical installation experts and safety experts are qualified specialists for electrical installations in accordance with the Low Voltage Installation Ordinance (NIV). They generally run their own planning office or company for electrical installations, electrical safety or electrical inspection, or they have a management function in such a company. They bear both commercial and technical responsibility for all project steps from preliminary clarification, development, planning, costing, coordination and organization through to installation, final inspection and further analyses.

Electrical installation and safety experts develop and implement strategies, concepts and projects, taking into account economic and ecological aspects as well as sustainability issues. In doing so, they incorporate observations and assessments of technical and societal developments. They also take into account the (complex) interactions with related sectors such as ventilation, heating, air conditioning and sanitation and contribute to the ongoing development and improvement of tools, instruments and methods in line with requirements.

Electrical installation and safety experts are the central point of contact for their customers, which include business owners, architects, building owners and users of electrical systems, who they advise and support accordingly, for example on issues relating to energy efficiency and renewable energies.

Electrical installation and safety experts mainly work in the office. However, they often also go to their customers or to the installations and construction sites. Other important tasks include personnel development and the management and training of employees.

The most important activities of electrical installation and security experts at a glance:

• Management of installation and security companies or departments/projects
• Planning, monitoring, realization and responsibility of electrotechnical installation projects
• Preparation of safety-related expert reports, analyses, strategies and concepts
• Assessment of the optimization potential of energy generation plants
• Acquisition of new customers
• Maintaining customer relationships and looking after customers
• Development of corporate strategies including marketing, taking into account ecological, economic, sustainable and social aspects
• Recruitment, training, continuing education, further training and management of employees

The distribution of tasks (weighting and frequency) may vary depending on the task profile/job profile or function and company.

Target group and skills: Who is the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) for electrical installation and safety experts with a federal diploma suitable for? What qualities and skills are required?

The course and the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) "Electrical Installation and Safety Expert" are suitable for

• for experienced professionals who want to become self-employed and run their own electrical company
• for professionals with relevant professional experience who wish to take on a managerial role
• for determined practitioners who want to prove their skills with a federal diploma and increase their career opportunities
• for interested parties with relevant professional experience who would like to expand and deepen their specialist knowledge

Electrical installation and security experts should have the following personal qualities and skills:

• analytical and conceptual skills
• quick comprehension
• networked thinking and acting
• Independent and reliable way of working
• Sense of responsibility
• Leadership and organizational skills
• Customer and service orientation

Requirements for admission to the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) for Electrical Installation and Safety Experts:

In order to take the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) for electrical installation and safety experts, you must be registered by the date of the examination in accordance with the examination regulations:

• Have a Federal Diploma of Higher Education for Electrical Project Managers for Installation and Safety or an equivalent qualification

Or

• be the holder of a Federal Diploma of Higher Education "Electrical Project Manager" (in accordance with the regulations of 25.6.2003)

And

• Have at least 1 year of relevant professional experience after passing the Federal Professional Examination

And

• Have the required module qualifications or certificates of equivalence

And

• The thesis was submitted by

You will find out whether you have been admitted to the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) at least three months before the start of the examination with a written notification including reasons and information on legal remedies in the event of rejection.

Note: Some schools are prepared to admit you to a preparatory course for the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) for Electrical Installation and Safety Experts if you do not (yet) meet the criteria for admission to the federal examination. It is then your responsibility to ensure that you meet the necessary requirements at the time of the examination/examination registration. At some schools, it is also possible to attend the course without the intention of taking an examination. Admission requirements vary depending on the provider.

Subject matter and content of continuing education, further training

The subject matter of the preparatory courses for the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) for electrical installation and safety experts is based on the specifications of the responsible body for the federal examination, the Swiss association EIT.swiss (formerly VSEI).

The course material is divided into four modules, which impart the knowledge and skills required for the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE):

• Module 1:Project management IIProject planning, realization and controlling
• Module 2:Planning and technical processing IIServices, technology and specialist advice, energy advice, safety and technical regulations
• Module 3:Installation and security expertiseMeasurements, analyses, expert opinions, safety concepts and safety documentation
• Module 4:Corporate managementGeneral corporate management, organization, accounting, marketing, public relations, supplier and customer relations, legal aspects of corporate management in SMEs

Note: Candidates with demonstrably sufficient previous knowledge (e.g. holders of a Federal Diploma of Higher Education as an Electrical Project Manager for Installation and Safety or Planning (formerly Electrical Project Manager) or a Federal Diploma as an Electrical Planning Expert) may be able to be exempted from individual parts of the examination. Binding information can be obtained from EIT.swiss.

Costs and financing of continuing education, further training

The costs vary depending on the provider. In general, the following costs must be expected for the 2 to 4-semester part-time continuing education, further training to become an electrical installation and safety expert:

• Course feesbetween CHF 15,500 and CHF 21,000. You will receive up to 50% of this amount back from the federal government upon application (regardless of the result).
• Examination feeCandidates pay the examination fee of currently CHF 1530 (as of August 2025) after admission has been confirmed.
• Some providers requireExtra costsfor
  • Teaching aids
  • Training documents
  • Supervised exercise sequences
  • Simulation tests
  • Use of the laboratory outside lesson times
  • Rental of measuring equipment etc.

Find out directly from the provider of your choice what additional costs you can expect.

*Since 1.1.2018, preparatory courses for Federal Professional Examination (FPE) and Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) have been financially supported by the federal government. Graduates of these courses will therefore be reimbursed up to 50% (max. CHF 9,500 for FPE, max. CHF 10,500 for AFPE) of the course costs paid upon application after taking the federal examinations. In exceptional cases of hardship, the federal contributions will also be paid out in advance.

Duration of study, number of lessons and learning effort

• Continuing education to become an electrical installation and safety expert has a modular structure and lasts 2 to 4 semesters.
• The course comprises between 560 and 608 lessons, which usually take place on one or two evenings per week and/or Saturday mornings.
• 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 continuing education, further training with family, work and leisure in the best possible way.
• Thanks to the extra-occupational concept of continuing education, further training, you can apply and deepen your knowledge immediately in practice. 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.

Degree, diploma and title

The Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) for electrical installation and safety experts is held annually if at least 10 candidates meet the admission requirements (otherwise every two years). Candidates can take the examination in one of the three official languages German, French or Italian.

The Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) consists of three parts:

• onePractical projecton two of the topics and questions announced by the responsible body at least seven working days before the examination day. These must be worked on in practice within the candidate's own professional environment, described to the examination board and submitted as a digital presentation before the examination. The presentation must be presented on the day of the examination (maximum 10 minutes), followed by a specialist discussion (50 minutes).
• oneCase studyand oneProject analysis. The case study and project analysis also require at least seven working days of preparation. The examinations for these take the form of one-hour technical discussions, which may also include written and practical tasks.

Diploma and title

Successful graduates of the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) receive a federal diploma and are entitled to use the federally recognized and protected title "Certified Electrical Installation and Safety Expert".

In French: "Experte en installation et sécurité électrique diplômé / Experte en installation et sécurité électrique diplômée"

In Italian: "Esperto in installazioni e sicurezza elettriche diplomato / Esperta in installazioni e sicurezza elettriche diplomata"

In English: "Lincensed Electrical Installation and Safety Expert, Advanced Federal Diploma of Higher Education"