Depending on their degree, electrical engineers HF work either in applied research and development (FH degree) or in applied engineering, implementation and project planning (HF degree). With a degree from a higher technical college (HF), electrical engineers HF (formerly HF electrical engineering technicians) work in the development of electronic or electrical control circuits, in program development and in the project planning of networked systems, electrical machines and devices.

Assembly, commissioning and optimization are also usually part of their area of responsibility, as are maintenance and troubleshooting. The creation of test set-ups, performance and function checks, and the measurement and evaluation of electrical and non-electrical variables as well as, depending on the position, quality assurance, technical customer advice or sales, are among the tasks of electrical engineers HF.

A completed vocational apprenticeship or another upper secondary level qualification is mandatory for the HF training course to become a HF electrical engineer (formerly HF electrical engineering technician), preferably as an EFZ automation technician, EFZ building IT technician, EFZ physics laboratory technician, EFZ electrical planner, EFZ polymechanic, EFZ electrical fitter, EFZ electronics technician or EFZ IT technician. If you do not have the relevant training in one of the professions listed above or have a high school diploma, you must also have at least one year's professional experience in electrical engineering.

The HF Electrical Engineering course (formerly known as "Techniker HF Elektrotechnik", now "Elektrotechniker HF") teaches you the following:

• Scientific basics
  • Mathematics
  • Geometry
  • Physics
• Linguistic basics
  • German
  • English
• Fundamentals of electrical engineering
  • Electrical engineering
  • Logic
  • Processor technology
  • Measurement technology
  • PLC basics (power engineering)
  • C basics (electronics)
  • Electronics
• Management training
  • Presentation technology
  • Learning and working techniques
  • Systems Engineering
  • Project management

The tasks of an electrical engineer HF specializing in energy technology are

• Project planning and realization of energy systems of various dimensions
• Managing photovoltaic projects - including projects in connection with large-scale energy systems from the idea to implementation
• Calculation of the economic efficiency of energy systems using renewable energy sources such as sunlight, geothermal energy, wind, water and biomass
• Taking on management tasks in a team

Note: With the new framework curriculum since fall 2022, the specializations have been abolished. However, schools can continue to offer individual specializations (under certain conditions). However, this has no effect on the protected title "Dipl. Elektrotechniker HF" / "dipl. Elektrotechnikerin HF".

Continuing education, further training to become an electrical engineer CHE (formerly an electrical engineering technician CHE) can be completed in six to seven semesters while working, or in four semesters in full-time study, i.e. in two years. The Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree course has a standard duration of six semesters in full-time study, but can also be completed part-time or part-time, which extends the duration of study accordingly. Find out about the duration of study before enrolling.

As an electrical engineering technician CHE, you have the following further training opportunities:

• Offers from professional associations, Colleges of Higher Education and Universities of Applied Sciences
• University of Applied Sciences e.g. Bachelor of Science (UAS) in Electrical Engineering, in Computer Science or in Telecommunications
• Postgraduate studies in the form of courses offered by Colleges of Higher Education, Universities of Applied Sciences and the FIT in fields such as electrical engineering, microelectronics, automation, management, etc.

After passing the examination to become a qualified electrical engineer HF, you will receive the federally recognized title "qualified electrical engineer HF" (formerly "qualified technician HF electrical engineering").

You should have the following personal requirements for a higher technical college for electrical engineering to become an electrical engineer HF (formerly technician HF electrical engineering):

• Technical understanding
• analytical skills
• IT skills

The following specializations can or could be chosen in the HF electrical engineering course (formerly HF electrical engineering technician):

• Electronics
  • Applied mathematics
  • Microcontroller applications
  • FGPA / VHDL
  • Information and communication technology
  • Analog technology
  • Signal processing
  • Embedded Systems
• Energy technology
  • Bus systems
  • PLC applications
  • Medium-voltage technology
  • Networks
  • Regulation and control technology
  • Building technology / energy generation
  • Power electronics
  • Electrical systems / electrical planning

With the new framework curriculum since fall 2022, the specializations have been removed from the framework curriculum. However, schools can continue to offer specializations on a voluntary basis (under certain conditions). However, this does not change the protected title.

If you study part-time at a higher technical college to become an electrical engineer HF (formerly a technician HF electrical engineering), you not only have the opportunity to continue working - you are also generally required to work 50% of the time in a technical field.