It is possible to specialize during the training to become an HR specialist with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education. Prospective students choose one of the three specializations when they register:

• Operational Human Resource Management
• Public recruitment and consulting
• Private recruitment agency

According to graduates, you can achieve the following with HR specialist training:

• depending on the chosen specialization of the HR specialist training:
  • Professional skills in operational human resource management
  • Specialist skills in public recruitment and consulting
  • Specialist expertise in private recruitment and staff leasing
• Gain good specialist knowledge for a job in the HR department of an SME, on the RAV or in a recruitment agency
• perform responsible tasks in the human resources sector, in job placement or in recruitment services
• with training as an HR specialist, employment as an HR employee, team leader or department head is possible
• Good preparation for the Federal Diploma of Higher Education examination in HR
• Opportunity for further development as HR Manager

As an HR specialist, you are responsible for all HR matters in SMEs or sub-functions thereof in larger companies and accompany organizational changes with HR resources. Information is also made comprehensible by structuring and presenting it appropriately. The tasks vary depending on the specialization:

• Operational HR management
  • support line managers in the recruitment of new employees
  • analyze the development needs of employees and derive suitable personnel development measures from this
  • implement the dismissal of employees correctly and professionally
  • advise those involved in HR management
• Public recruitment and consulting
  • Helping jobseekers to integrate into the labor market
  • Coordination of services with institutions such as social services, social insurance companies, advice centers, doctors and clinics
  • Defining a job search strategy and proposing labor market measures
  • Supporting companies with redundancies
  • Labor market situation analyses
• Private recruitment and staff leasing
  • Support companies in recruiting the necessary human resources
  • Analysis of jobseekers' profiles and skills
  • Employability assessments

HR specialists manage the entire recruitment process. They create requirement profiles, conduct interviews and conclude employment contracts. They are the point of contact for employees and apprentices for questions relating to training and further education. An HR specialist supports and relieves the HR management and implements the company and HR policy operationally. They are characterized by detailed knowledge of topics such as social insurance, employment contract law, salary and apprenticeship systems.

Agile HR management is an important topic for HR professionals who want to establish a dynamic and agile structure in the HR department in an agile organization. Several years of experience in the field of human resources is recommended to ensure a comprehensive understanding.

The first step towards agile HR is to shift the focus from HR itself to the business itself. The inclusion of employees, the transfer of competencies such as recruiting and training to teams and employees under the supervision of HR as well as ongoing adjustments in line with the current business environment and objectives. The CAS Leading HR (flex) FH offers a good opportunity for HR professionals to learn this, for example.

The education platform Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch asked those interested in training how they proceed when enquiring about schools for HR specialist training. The survey results showed that:

• 49% of respondents triggered requests to schools for an online assessment
• 29% of survey participants knew the school from before
• 22% received a recommendation for school

The former was confirmed by a free text response: "Good recessions". Other reasons for school inquiries for HR specialist training that were mentioned were: "I found it while searching online", "I came across it online during my research", "online learning course", "location", "fits in with today's digital age", "location and quality", "possibility of e-learning", "nearby", "day course", "due to the online offer", "appeared first when searching", "internet search", "coincidence", "don't know this school yet", "is not unknown to me due to advertising", "the data corresponds to my availability", "distance learning", "offer comparison" and "location".

In order to acquire comprehensive skills for agile HR, it is worth taking a further training course such as the CAS Leading HR (flex). In this approximately 10-day course, participants learn...
...to work out current trends and issues in HR and find ways to solve them.
...a comprehensive understanding of agility in the organization.
...get to know flexible and dynamic models.
...to understand psychological decision-making processes.

The Federal Professional Examination (FPE) HR Specialist with Federal Diploma of Higher Education consists of three examination parts and a total of five examination items. The "Generalist knowledge of human resources" part of the examination is the same written examination for all candidates and is weighted at 1. Exam part two consists of two exam items that are assessed equally and together are assessed as an exam part with a weighting of 1. This part of the HR specialist training examination is "Professional case processing" with the items "Integrated case study" and "Presentation / technical discussion including preparation time". The "Professional conduct in everyday working life" part of the examination is weighted with the same weighting, which also depends on the subject area and consists of the examination items "Mini-cases" and "Reflection on an interview situation (including preparation video)".

Depending on the chosen specialization, participants in continuing education, further training as an HR specialist FA are required to have different prior knowledge.

For example, at least four years of professional experience is expected for all specializations after completing basic training:

• for people who are aiming for HR continuing education, further training in the field of operational human resource management, two years of which must be HR practice
• two years in the field of unemployment insurance and insolvency compensation for the specialist area of public personnel placement and consulting
• Two years of HR practice, including one year in private recruitment and placement, for the specialization in private recruitment and placement

In addition, for all HR Specialist disciplines, prospective students are required to have a Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training, a Baccalaureate, a Specialized Baccalaureate, a Federal Vocational Education and Training Certificate or an equivalent qualification and to have passed the HR Assistant certificate examination.

During the continuing education, Higher Education and Federal Diploma of Higher Education in HR, participants acquire basic cross-disciplinary knowledge, such as basic knowledge, interaction design and information and network maintenance. This is supplemented by skills in the respective specialist field.

These are for specialization A (operational HRM):

• Extraction and separation
• Advice for employees and line managers
• Assessment, development, remuneration
• Project management, infrastructure management

For specialization B (public personnel placement and consulting) of the HR specialist training:

• Placement of job seekers
• Cooperation with employers
• Labor market measures
• Sovereign enforcement tasks

And for specialization C (private recruitment and placement):

• Placement of job seekers
• Cooperation with employer
• Acting as a manager (supervision of employees)
• Acting as a manager (managing a business unit)

The education portal Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch conducted a survey to find out why people are interested in further training as an HR specialist. These are the results:

• 74 % would still like to align further training with their own needs
• 11 % show interest through a recommendation
• 15 % are interested in this course because the qualification is required in job advertisements

Several people have defined the reason for their interest in the HR specialist training program in terms of their goals:

• "Personnel consultant"
• "to increase my knowledge"
• "Putting my many years of expertise in HR on paper."
• "Career change"
• "I would like to expand my expertise"
• "I would like to develop further in the area of personnel"
• "Further training desired"
• "Next training step following the HR assistant qualification"
• "the course complements my professional practice"
• "I have seen an interesting job advertisement for which this training is desirable"

Two people are very sure about their interest: "I know that I would like to complete the HR specialist course" and "I find this area very exciting.".

Three other people are already working in this area: "I already work in HR",
"I am already an HR assistant" and "I have completed the HR assistant course and would like to develop further"

Agile HR is important in an agile company, as processes such as onboarding, recruitment and development can be made more efficient and innovative. Agile HR methods are based on the strong involvement and personal responsibility of employees and teams and a shared focus on the business objective.

With the HR specialist certificate, you have the following further development opportunities:

• Head of Human Resources with federal diploma
• Training manager with federal diploma
• Certified business economist HF
• Bachelor of Science (FH) in Business Administration
• Bachelor of Science (FH) in Applied Psychology with various specializations
• Certified Human Resources Manager NDS HF

Continuing education, further education and training to become an HR specialist with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education takes place on a part-time basis. It lasts two to three semesters, i.e. one to one and a half years. Detailed information can be obtained directly from the providers.