Self-test: Is the "Electrical Project Manager Planning with Federal Certificate" course the right one for me?

What are the activities in electrical project manager jobs in the field of planning?

An electrical project manager for planning works in electrical planning offices, electricity supply companies or in industry, mainly in the office as a middle management employee. They are responsible for planning the electrical infrastructure. This includes working on electrical projects from the initial meeting through to planning and handover of the systems to the customer. To do this, electrical project managers must be very familiar with installation technology. They are also responsible for advising and coordinating industry-related trades such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning and plumbing with regard to installation and safety. This means providing assistance with electronic interfaces.

The following activities are common in electrical project manager planning jobs:

• Run your own electrical installation or planning company
• Take on greater team responsibility in a company
• Responsible activity in a control company or electricity supply company
• Bring specialization and specialization in energy technology or building automation into the team
• Management of larger projects as electrical project manager planning
  • Procuring the basis for the system
  • Planning the electrotechnical infrastructure
  • Negotiating with customers and authorities
  • Provide electricity services
  • Guiding employees and apprentices
  • Coordinate project processes
  • Ensure electrotechnical interfaces with other areas
  • Exercise control authorization according to NIV or the specialist knowledge through the practical examination
  • Tools Developing tools and methods in line with requirements
  • analyze and evaluate technical and social developments and develop innovative solutions from them
• Always act according to high ecological and energy principles

Target group and skills: Who is the electrical project manager planning course with professional examination suitable for? What qualities and skills are required?

The electrical project manager planning training with subsequent professional examination is aimed at technically interested people who:

• continue their education,
• expand their expertise,
• further develop their methodological skills,
• want to expand their social skills in order to meet the future demands of the job market.

The following skills and qualities are required to be successful in the role of Electrical Project Manager Planning:

• Interest in electronics, leadership qualities
• Interest in planning work, no color vision impairment
• Logical thinking, analytical and conceptual skills
• Technical understanding and construction knowledge
• Sense of responsibility
• Flexibility, independence, ability to work in a team
• Resilient constitution
• Manual dexterity, practical disposition
• Quick comprehension, networked thinking and acting
• Speditive way of working as well as customer and service orientation

Requirements for admission to the professional examination for Electrical Project Manager Planning:

You will be admitted to the professional examination for Electrical Project Manager Planning if you meet the following requirements:

• are in possession of a federal certificate of competence as an electrician EFZ or electrical planner EFZ or equivalent qualification and have at least two years of professional experience in the planning or construction of low-voltage electrical installations in Switzerland

or

• A federal certificate of proficiency as an installation electrician EFZ or an equivalent qualification and at least four years of professional experience in the planning or installation of low-voltage electrical installations in Switzerland

or

• Have another EFZ in a comparable Swiss profession in the electrical sector as well as corresponding practical experience of at least four years in the field of planning or installing low-voltage electrical installations in Switzerland

or

• are in possession of a decree from the ESTI regarding the recognition of the equivalence of foreign electrotechnical training with that of an electrician EFZ and can present at least two years of professional experience in the planning or construction of low-voltage electrical installations in Switzerland

and

• have the required module certificates* or certificates of equivalence

*The following is a list of the modules that must be completed for admission to the final examination (BP) as an electrical project manager in planning. (The individual modules are completed in the preparatory courses for the professional examination. The module certificates are valid for five years, i.e. you can take the BP Electrical Project Manager Planning examination within these five years):

• Module 1: Technical basics
• Module 2: Project management I
• Module 3: Planning and technical processing I
• Module 4: Planning
• Module 5: Leadership, communication and personnel management

You will find out whether you have been admitted to the professional examination for Electrical Project Manager Planning 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: The number of years of professional experience must be available at the time of exam registration or the start of the exam. At some schools it is therefore possible to start the preparatory course for the professional examination for Electrical Project Manager Planning even if you do not (yet) meet the requirements. It is then your responsibility to ensure that you meet the necessary requirements by the required date.

In addition: Many schools offer preliminary courses in mathematics or other electrical subjects. This gives you the opportunity to refresh your knowledge in this area. You can find offers and suitable schools here:
Mathematics,Electrician

Subject matter and content of the further training course for electrical project managers in planning:

The subject matter of the preparatory courses for the professional examination for the federal certificate as an electrical project manager in planning is based on the specifications of the sponsoring body of the federal examination, theEIT.swiss.

The learning content of the Electrical Project Manager Planning course is taught in modules, which in turn contain so-called "learning fields". These cover the following electrical project manager topics:

Module 1: Technical basics

• Learning field basics, electrical engineering and mathematics: Mathematics, Electrical engineering basics, Direct current theory, Electric field, Magnetism, Single-phase alternating current
• Electrical systems engineering (materials science):Structure of the network, passive and active installation material
• Learning field Rules and technology:Legal pyramid, low-voltage installation standard (NIN), dangers of electricity
• Technical documentation learning field (schematics and planning)Electrical engineering symbols, types of diagrams, conventional lighting technology controls, installation planning

Module 2: Project management I

• Calculation learning field:including project objectives with customers and personnel, price calculations, purchase of materials and components, preparation of quotations, price checks, preparation and control of dimensions, assessment and monitoring of excess or shortfall in services, presentation of quotations
• Controlling learning field:Checking project and revision plans, monitoring quality standards, acceptance and inspection of electrical systems and installations, interpreting work contracts, etc.
• Learning field construction site management:including provision of materials, scheduling and personnel resource planning, ensuring and optimizing processes and workflows, customer communication

Module 3: Planning and technical processing I

• Learning field Regulations and standards:e.g. Electricity Act (EIeG), Ordinance on Low-Voltage Electrical Products (NEV), Heavy Current Ordinance (Stv), Low-Voltage Installation Ordinance (NIV), occupational safety, lightning protection systems
• Learning field Technological basicsElectrical engineering, lighting technology, emergency and safety lighting, building automation, photovoltaic systems, etc.
• Project planning, realization and services learning fieldIncluding schematic diagram, circuit diagram, apparatus plans, planning order, dimensioning and selection of conductors, updating of revision plans

Module 4: Planning (specific for electrical project managers in planning)

• Project planning learning field:Including protection and safety concept, construction and expansion descriptions, contact with authorities, measurement concept, functional descriptions, requirements analysis, operating and maintenance concept, planning interfaces, installation technologies and handling of hazardous substances
• Cost management learning field:including quotations, cost review with bill of quantities, cost control and forecasting as well as operating costs
• Learning field specialist construction management:Among other things, support of executing company, technical execution work supervision as well as organization of commissioning and acceptance as electrical project manager planning / electrical project manager planning

Module 5: Leadership, communication and personnel management

• Learning field leadership, communication, personnel management:This learning field corresponds to Module 2 "SME Management Specialist (FUF)" of the Swiss Association for Education in Business Management (BFG Schweiz).Hereyou will find all information on Module 2.

Electrical project manager courses - costs and financing:

The costs listed for a preparatory course for the professional examination for electrical project manager planning vary greatly in some cases. This is because the schools set the costs themselves.

The examination fee, on the other hand, is set by the organizing body of the federal examination. It is binding for all candidates.

You should expect the following costs for the two to four semester electrical project manager course:

• Course fees/course costs:between CHF 15,600 and CHF 19,960. Thanks to the federal government's subject financing, you will receive around 50% back from the federal government upon application after the examination (regardless of the result).* In addition, suissetec members benefit from a reduction of CHF 900. This amount is automatically reimbursed by suisstec to those entitled.
• Fee for module examinations:CHF 1,880. The costs for the module examinations are determined by the provider who organizes and conducts them.
• Examination fees:CHF 1,395. This fee is paid by the candidate as soon as they receive confirmation of admission to the professional examination for Electrical Project Manager Planning.
• Extra costs:You will often have to expect additional costs for preliminary courses, teaching materials, training documents and simulation examinations, for example. Please contact the provider of your choice directly to find out what additional costs you can expect in addition to the course, module and examination fees.

*Since 1.1.2018, preparatory courses for federal professional examinations (BP) and higher professional examinations (HFP) have been financially supported by the federal government. Graduates of these courses can therefore be reimbursed up to 50% (max. CHF 9,500 for BP, max. CHF 10,500 for HFP) of the course costs paid after taking the federal examination. In exceptional cases of hardship, the federal contributions are also paid out in advance.

Duration of study, number of teaching hours, teaching times and learning effort for electrical project manager training:

• Duration of study:The electrical project manager planning course is modular in structure (i.e. some of the skills are assessed in module examinations prior to the professional examination and are only tested across modules in the final examination) and lasts three to four semesters.
• Number of lessons:The training for the electrical project manager planning professional examination comprises around 790 lessons.
• Lesson times:Lesson times vary depending on the provider of the Electrical Project Manager Planning course. The lessons usually take place on two evenings per week or on one afternoon and one evening per week, sometimes also on Saturdays. Please note: The course dates or timetables are put together independently by the school. There may therefore be differences from provider to provider
• Learning effort:Thanks to the in-service training concept, you can apply and deepen the learning material in practice straight away. Nevertheless, you should allow sufficient time for lesson preparation and follow-up as well as for self-study. Depending on your previous knowledge, working style and learning speed, we recommend that you allow another four to six hours per week for the additional workload.

Note: Some schools offer so-called "taster lessons", which provide an insight into the lessons and the learning atmosphere. A suitable learning environment is important on the way to successful completion of the electrical project manager planning course.

Degree, diploma and title:

The professional examination "Electrical project manager planning with federal certificate" takes place annually, provided that the minimum number of 10 candidates meet the admission requirements. Otherwise, the examination is held one year later - regardless of the number of participants. The examination can be taken in the three official languages German, French and Italian.

Candidates for the Electrical Project Manager Planning professional examination are notified at least 50 days before the start of the examination. The invitation includes the examination program (with details of the place and time of the examination as well as permitted aids) and the list of experts.

The electrical project manager planning professional examination lasts a total of seven hours and comprises three examination parts, which are structured as follows:

1) Project management

1.1) Project task (written/AVOR*, 120 min.)

In this part of the examination, candidates are given a task in the area of installation. They create detailed projects based on the information provided.

1.2) Presentation and technical discussion (oral, 80 min.)

In this part of the examination, candidates present their detailed projects to a panel of experts.

2) Case work (standards and safety) (AVOR, 60 min., written/practical/oral, 80 min.)

Candidates are given a case situation which they must work on or prepare for the subsequent examination interview within 60 minutes.

3) Planning case (written/practical/oral, 80 min.)

In this part of the examination, candidates are given one or more planning cases. They must present and justify the solutions.

*AVOR = work preparation for the examination interview

Diploma and title

Graduates of the professional examination receive a federal certificate and are entitled to use the federally recognized and protected title "Electrical Project Manager Planning with Federal Certificate" or "Electrical Project Manager Planning with Federal Certificate".

• In French: "Électricien chef de projet en planification avec brevet fédéral", "Élektricienne cheffe de projet en planification avec brevet fédéral"
• In Italian: "Elettricista capo progetto in planificazione con attestato professionale federale"
• In English: "Project Manager for Electrical Design, Federal Diploma of Higher Education" (Attention: This is only a recommendation/translation and not a protected title)