What does the day-to-day work of an energy and environmental engineer with an HF diploma look like?

Technicians specializing in energy and environmental technology (new: energy and environmental technicians HF) work on the generation, distribution and efficient use of energy from renewable sources. Their tasks are very varied, e.g:

• Analyze the energy balance of existing systems and develop proposals for improvements
• Collaboration on projects to harness energy sources such as water, wind, sun, geothermal energy and biomass
• Designing and calculating new systems such as photovoltaic, wind and hydropower plants, district heating or recycling systems
• Build systems, e.g. on facades, on roofs, in the mountains, in bodies of water, cities and conurbations
• Commissioning and monitoring systems, rectifying faults and carrying out maintenance work
• Interdisciplinary collaboration with engineers, process and project managers from other departments
• Project management and team leadership tasks

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

Target group and skills: For whom is the Energy and Environmental Engineering degree program for Energy and Environmental Engineers HF suitable?

Would you like to help shape a resource-conserving and sustainable energy future? Are you interested in photovoltaic systems, harnessing wind, generating energy from waste or recovering valuable raw materials? Then perhaps you belong to the target group of this course.

The "Energy and Environment (HF)" courses (formerly HF Energy and Environment Technician) are aimed at technically experienced professionals who wish to specialize in renewable energies with a practice-oriented course of study.

Important qualities for this profession are

• Technical and practical/handicraft skills
• Mathematical and scientific flair
• Systematic and solution-oriented thinking
• Quick comprehension
• Spatial imagination
• Good powers of observation
• Interest in energy and environmental issues
• Proactive
• Organizational talent
• Communication skills
• Ability to work in a team
• Leadership qualities

Requirements for admission to the Energy and Environmental Engineering degree course (HF):

The following requirements generally apply for admission* to an "Energy and Environment (HF)" degree program:

• Completion of relevant basic vocational training (apprenticeship) with EFZ**

Or

• Apprenticeship certificate (EFZ) in another profession or high school diploma and several years of relevant professional experience in the field of electricity, environment and energy management.

In addition

• During the course of study: work experience of at least 50% in a field corresponding to the course of study. (Note: In the case of a full-time course of study, an internship of at least 720 learning hours must be completed as part of the training to become an energy and environmental technician with a relevant EFZ and at least 1800 learning hours without a relevant EFZ)
• Depending on the school: entrance examination or aptitude test and/or attendance of a preliminary course, for example in mathematics.

Note:

• In some cases, it is possible to have previous educational achievements recognized. The school of your choice will provide detailed information.
• People who have a technical vocational baccalaureate benefit from a shortened study period at some schools. Information on this can be obtained from the respective HF.

* The universities of applied sciences (HF) decide independently on the admission procedure. There may therefore be differences between the providers. The admission procedure is set out and regulated in the study regulations of the respective HF. It must comply with the relevant legal requirements. More information on this can be found in the answers.

** A list of the relevant EFZ can be found in the framework curriculum "Energy and Environmental Technology HF". The link to the framework curriculum can be found in the answers.

Subject matter and content of the training

The course content taught in an Energy and Environmental Engineering degree program is generally based on the framework curriculum* "Energy and Environmental Engineering HF".

Nevertheless, the universities of applied sciences have a certain amount of leeway when designing their training courses for energy and environmental technicians (formerly HF energy and environment technicians). Which course content is ultimately covered and how it is structured or deepened can therefore vary from college to college. The universities of applied sciences can also offer specializations, for example.**

The Energy and Environment HF degree programs cover many subjects and contents. The main ones are

• Engineering and process technology
• Plant engineering, construction technology
• Building technology
• Automation, computer science
• Energy technology
• Ecology, sustainability, environmental technology
• Mobility
• Knowledge management, project and process management skills
• Leadership and social skills
• Management competencies

* The sponsors of the framework curriculum are as follows:

• Organization of the world of work (OdA)Swissmem, EIT.swiss, VSE Association of Swiss Electricity Companies, Suisstec (Swiss-Liechtenstein Association of Building Services Engineers)
• Representation of education providersConference of Higher Technical Colleges KHF-T

The sponsoring body is responsible for drawing up the framework curriculum and for periodically checking that it is up to date and of high quality.

** The specialization may focus on a maximum of 10% of the total learning hours. The specialization or the corresponding additional competencies must be described in the school curriculum. The protected title "Dipl. Energie- und Umwelttechniker HF / dipl. Energie- und Umwelttechnikerin HF" remains unchanged.

Costs and financing of further training

The total costs of studying energy and environmental technology and the costs you actually have to expect (including extra costs, etc.) depend on the provider, the location and the training model and can therefore vary.

In general, the following costs must be expected for the 4-6 semester course to become an energy and environmental technician:

• Tuition feesThe semester fee depends on the school and your canton of residence. On average, you can expect to pay around CHF 18,000 to CHF 22,000 for students residing in the canton of training*. The costs for the examinations and diploma thesis are usually included in the course fees.
• Fees for additional certificatesFor example, in English or project management (IPMA) etc. Whether you can complete additional certificates during your studies varies depending on the provider.
• Other extra costsSome providers charge extra costs for the registration fee and the student ID card, preliminary courses, teaching materials, special software, licenses, laboratory exercises, practicals, training documents, examinations/diploma papers and examination retakes. Find out about the additional costs directly from the HF of your choice.

* Courses at universities of applied sciences are financially supported by the cantons. Students from outside the canton pay higher tuition fees. The following conditions apply in order to receive cantonal funding:

• at least two years of residence in the canton
• The course is listed on the EDK (Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education) list of eligible courses (you will find the link to the list in the answer texts).

Duration of study, number of teaching hours, teaching times, teaching format and learning effort

• Duration of study:The Energy and Environment HF courses are usually part-time and last three years. However, some schools also offer them full-time, in which case they last two years. In order to attend the part-time course, you must be working in the relevant field for at least 50% of the time. In the full-time program, corresponding internships must be completed.In addition:People with a technical vocational baccalaureate benefit from a shortened study period at some schools. The respective HF will provide further information.
• Number of lessons:There are different curricula for people with a relevant occupation and those with other occupations, which therefore differ in terms of the total number of hours. With a relevant EFZ, the course comprises at least 3600 learning hours. For courses without a relevant EFZ, the number of learning hours usually increases to 5400 learning hours, please contact the school of your choice. The learning hours are divided into the following study elements: Contact study, guided self-study, individual self-study, practical training/internship, qualification procedure and other learning assessments, diploma thesis.
• Lesson times:The part-time or full-time HF Energy and Environmental Technology course is offered at different times. For example, lessons can take place on a full working day, two evenings a week or on individual half-days. These teaching times are determined by the schools, so there may be differences.
• Teaching format:Many schools offer a mix of face-to-face and online courses (online, hybrid teaching, blended learning). Please contact the provider directly to find out which forms they offer.
• Learning effort:You should allow sufficient time to prepare for and follow up on the lessons and for self-study - how much depends on your prior knowledge, working style, learning speed and chosen training model. We recommend that you allow at least 4-6 hours per week for the part-time model.

Note: Some schools offer so-called "taster lessons"/"trial 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. Take the opportunity and contact the school of your choice directly.

Degree, diploma and title

During the course of study, various qualification achievements (so-called doctorates) must be completed, e.g. in the form of examinations, independent practical work and presentations.

Those who have completed all qualifications are admitted to the final qualification procedure. This usually proceeds as follows:

1. The results of the previous semester examinations and/or assessed semester papers (so-called experience grades)
2. Diploma thesis: The diploma thesis deals with a topic from the subject area and must have a practical or economic benefit. The thesis is written individually and at the end of the course. Here too, the time frame is determined by the respective HF in its study regulations.
3. The thesis is also presented to a panel of experts (a group of specialists) and then defended in a discussion.

The details of implementation are regulated by the respective HF in its study regulations.

Diploma and title

Graduates of the course receive an HF diploma and are entitled to use the federally recognized and protected professional title "Dipl. Energie- und Umwelttechnikerin / dipl. Energie- und Umwelttechniker HF". (formerly Dipl. Techniker HF Energie und Umwelt)

• In French: "Technicienne diplômée ES en énergie et environnement / Technicien diplômé ES en énergie et environnement"
• In Italian: "Tecnica dipl. SSS in energia e ambiente / Tecnico dipl. SSS in energia e ambiente"
• In English: "Advanced Federal Diploma of Higher Education in Energy and Environmental Technology" This is not a protected title, but merely a translation, which is listed in the diploma supplements.