Good foreign language skills in at least one foreign language (English, French, possibly Italian) are expected as a prerequisite for an apprenticeship as a receptionist. For a Federal Professional Examination (FPE) Chef de Réception, knowledge of German, French or Italian at level C2 and knowledge of English at level B2 must be demonstrated by the time of the examination. Further language skills are an advantage.

Receptionists with a federal diploma (Chef de Réception) are responsible for looking after and advising guests, selling tourism and hotel offers as well as making reservations and check-out/check-in. They are responsible for planning market development measures, correspondence, planning, organizing and selling various events and optimizing and designing work processes and back and front office. They also deal with offer and price calculations, employee recruitment, employee management and accounts payable and receivable accounting, the preparation and monitoring of the department budget, commission accounting, key figure calculations, profitability analysis and communication between guests, partners, authorities, suppliers and employees.

The professional field of the apprenticeship qualification only plays a subordinate role for continuing education, further training to become a Chef de Réception. Federal VET Diploma merchants have the advantage over participants with other Federal VET Diplomas that they only need to have three years of professional experience in the commercial sector, of which only one year in administration/reception, while people with other Federal VET Diplomas must have at least four years in administration/reception. In addition, Federal VET Diploma commercial clerks do not have to complete the basic modules Finance I and Marketing and Sales I.

The continuing education, Receptionist with Federal Diploma of Higher Education (Chef de Réception) includes five modules. These are: Front Office and Administration; Marketing and Sales II, Business Organization; Finance II, and Management. For those without a Federal VET Diploma in Business Administration, there are also two basic modules: Marketing and Sales I and Finance I. For detailed information on the individual modules, please contact the relevant school directly and without obligation using our contact form.

It is true that the majority of Swiss cantons and the Principality of Liechtenstein pay a cantonal contribution towards continuing education, further training as a receptionist (Chef de Réception with Federal Diploma of Higher Education) if your employment relationship is not subject to the L-GAV in the hospitality industry. Exceptions are the cantons of Vaud, Neuchâtel, Jura, Geneva and Aargau. However, if the employment relationship is subject to the L-GAV, the costs are minimized from CHF 7,450 (without cantonal contribution) or CHF 4,705 (with cantonal contribution) to CHF 900 if the final examination is passed in the first run, otherwise to CHF 1,800 (information applies to continuing education, further training in Weggis for 2017/2018). For a more up-to-date list of costs, please contact the relevant school directly.

Yes, a shortened additional apprenticeship is possible for receptionists after completing their apprenticeship, for example as a hotel communication specialist Federal VET Diploma, namely as a cook Federal VET Diploma, hotel specialist Federal VET Diploma or restaurant specialist Federal VET Diploma. With an apprenticeship as a hotel specialist Federal VET Diploma, graduates are eligible for shortened second apprenticeships as a restaurant specialist Federal VET Diploma, cook Federal VET Diploma and system catering specialist Federal VET Diploma.