The professional examination for business IT specialists is the path to the first specialization after a Federal Certificate of Competence (EFZ). It is about specialization in the specific field of ICT and paves the way for the higher professional examination as an ICT manager. Studying at a university of applied sciences takes twice as long (or the same amount of time full-time) and is more expensive. A vocational baccalaureate or high school diploma is required for the university of applied sciences.

Business IT specialists with a federal certificate analyze, develop, supervise and manage IT projects for a wide range of company needs. This can be, for example, the introduction of an administration system, the adaptation of an e-mail system or the purchase of software. Technical, economic and organizational aspects are taken into account in ICT tasks.

The Business Information Systems course prepares students specifically for the Federal Professional Examination and provides them with sound skills at the interface between IT and business administration. The content can be divided into two main areas: general professional skills in the ICT sector and subject-specific knowledge.

• General professional skills ICT:
  • Evaluate and assess IT resources
  • Planning and ensuring information security
  • Delineate systems and record and specify requirements
  • Create budgets for IT services
  • Plan, coordinate and monitor IT projects
  • Implement release and update management
• Subject-specific skills in business informatics:
  • Developing requirements analyses for applications
  • Supporting business processes with IT solutions
  • Calculate IT investments and check profitability
  • Helping to shape and support change processes
  • Select and introduce standard software
  • Leading and managing teams in IT projects
  • Co-develop and apply ICT concepts
  • Involving the corporate environment in IT projects
  • Implement ICT projects in compliance with legal requirements
  • Define IT services and make service agreements
• The modules covered are called:
  • Application engineering: supporting DevOps processes with tools
  • Building Systems Engineering: Implementing regulation and control functions in ventilation systems
  • Business Engineering: Realizing ICT solutions with the latest technologies
  • Business management: Analyzing the environment for an ICT project
  • Data management: creating databases and inserting data
  • Design: Evaluating the benefits and integrability of ICT technologies
  • Network Management: Realizing IT and network infrastructure for a small company
  • Project Management: Carry out assignments independently in your own professional environment
  • Security/risk management: use coding, compression and encryption methods
  • Apply data protection and data security: Developing an information security strategy
  • Service management: securing data and ensuring the functionality of services
  • Web engineering: Implementing standard software in a company-specific way

Briefly explained: The general skills prepare students for typical tasks in project and IT management, while the subject-specific content teaches practical skills for combining IT and business requirements.

Important: Do you have more detailed questions about the course content? Then it's worth asking the chosen school directly. Use our contact form to send questions directly to the desired schools.

The business informatics tasks are:

• Analysis and evaluation of the environment, requirements, resources, feasibility, potential, costs and savings - in order to make system changes and align ICT more effectively
• Project management for the selection and procurement of suitable hardware and software as well as commissioning, including testing, training and support
• Optimization and operation with business process analysis and optimization as well as monitoring
• ensure IT security

Training in business informatics with preparation for the Federal Professional Examination usually takes one to two years and is completed on a part-time basis. The course costs around CHF 15,000. It enables professionals who work in IT or in the IT environment to obtain a higher federal qualification. Ask the school of your choice about the exact costs (course, documents, exam preparation, exams, etc.).

Business IT specialists with a federal certificate work in larger companies as part of a team with other IT specialists and business economists involved in the projects. In smaller companies, they are all-rounders and carry out all work independently. Professionals with a Federal Certificate in Information Systems usually work in IT or industrial companies, public administrations, insurance companies or banks as IT project managers, heads of IT departments, business analysts, requirement engineers, service owners or IT consultants.

The requirements for the Business Informatics Certificate are:

• Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (VET Diploma) in the field of information and communication technology (ICT) or as a business management assistant (profile E and M) and at least 2 years of professional experience in the field of ICT
• Other Federal Vocational Baccalaureate, Federal Vocational Baccalaureate, Specialized Baccalaureate, Baccalaureate or equivalent qualification and at least 4 years of professional experience in ICT

Further information is available from the training providers.

The following further training courses are recommended after the certificate in business informatics:

• Courses offered by vocational colleges and professional associations in the fields of IT and business administration
• Higher professional examination (HFP) as a qualified ICT manager
• Higher technical college as a certified business IT specialist HF
• University of Applied Sciences with a Bachelor of Science (FH) in Computer Science or in Business Informatics

As a business computer scientist you should fulfill the following requirements:

• IT skills
• Ability to develop, implement and review projects
• Ability to negotiate
• Good knowledge of business administration
• Working with is demanding and often stressful - this requires the ability to set priorities correctly and structure processes well.