Target group and skills: Who is the vocational examination for automation specialists with a federal certificate suitable for? What qualities and skills are required?

The automation specialist apprenticeship is aimed at professionals with a technical apprenticeship qualification who wish to continue their training in automation, or for career changers entering the technical field. Predestined are professions such as:

• Polymechanic
• Machine mechanic
• Design engineer
• Car mechanic
• Electrician
• Plant and apparatus engineer
• Automatic fitter

The following skills and characteristics are required for a successful job as an automation specialist:

• Technical understanding
• Interest in electronics and complex tasks
• Enjoy developing and trying things out
• Sense for complex systems and ability to abstract
• Good organizational skills
• Goal-oriented action and precise working methods
• Experimentation and perseverance
• Independence
• Ability to work in a team
• Sense of responsibility and reliability
• Knowledge of mathematics
• Leadership qualities

Requirements for admission to the vocational examination for automation specialists:

For admission to the final examination (federal professional examination) as an automation technician, the following prerequisites are required at the start of the examination:

• Federal certificate of proficiency in a technical profession or equivalent qualification and two years of practical experience in a field of application for automation specialists

or

• Federal certificate of proficiency in a non-technical profession or equivalent qualification and four years of practical experience, including three years in a field of application for automation specialists

or

• eight years of practical experience, including three years in a field of application for automation specialists

and

• Passed preliminary examinations in the subjects of electronics, hydraulics and pneumatics, electrical drive technology, control technology, measurement / control / regulation, technical project management. These examinations are part of the preparatory courses and are taken at the relevant school.

Some schools require sufficient prior knowledge of electrical engineering, control technology and the use of a PC or notebook, good written and spoken German (level C1). Depending on your previous knowledge, we recommend a preliminary course in electrical engineering, electronics, computer applications or a German language course.

You will be informed in writing at least two months before the start of the examination whether you meet the requirements for the professional examination for automation specialists - in the event of rejection, including reasons and information on legal remedies.

Subject matter and content of the further training course for automation specialists:

The subject matter of the preparatory courses for the professional examination for the automation specialist certificate is based on the specifications of the sponsor of the federal examination, theVAMAssociation for BP for automation specialists in mechanical and apparatus engineering.

The course content of the automation specialist training is divided into the following topics or modules:

• Electronics
  • Components
  • Integrated modules
  • Circuit technology
  • Measurement technology
• Hydraulics and pneumatics
  • Hydraulics basics
  • Hydraulic components
  • Hydraulic controls and circuits
  • Pneumatics basics
  • Pneumatic components
  • Pneumatic controls and circuits
• Electrical drive technology
  • Basic concepts of drive technology and dynamics
  • Direct current (DC) motor on the power converter
  • Asynchronous motor on the frequency inverter
• Control technology
  • PLC basics
  • PLC programming basics
  • PLC programming in AWL or FBS
  • PLC programming sequence control
  • PLC program creation
  • Safety aspects of control systems
• Measurement, control, regulation
  • Basics
  • Measurement of physical quantities (sensors), actuators (drives), effectors (grippers)
  • Controls with discontinuous controllers, controls with continuous controllers
  • Commissioning and settings of controls
  • Practically relevant standard project
• Technical project management
  • Basics
  • Systems thinking
  • Problem-solving cycle
  • Project management

Costs and financing of further training for automation specialists:

The costs vary depending on the provider and duration of the training to become an automation specialist. On average, these amounts are to be expected for the training costs:

• Course fees:between CHF 14'800.- and CHF 18'000.-
  After taking the exam, you will receive around 50% of this back from the federal government on application (regardless of the result)*.
• Examination fees:CHF 1,200 (as at: 2023)
  The examination fee is set by the body responsible for the professional examination. It is paid by the candidate after confirmation of admission to the automation specialist examination.
• Extra costs:At some schools, the costs for enrolment fees, teaching materials, training documents, books, intensive exam training, simulation exams, school diplomas and interim qualifications, for example, are not included in the course fees. Please contact the provider of your choice directly to find out what additional costs you can expect for the automation specialist training course.

*Since 1.1.2018, preparatory courses for federal professional examinations, such as training to become an automation specialist, have been financially supported by the federal government. Graduates of these courses can therefore be reimbursed up to 50% (max. CHF 9,500) of the course costs paid after taking the federal examination. In cases of hardship, the federal contributions are also pre-financed in exceptional cases.

Duration of study, number of lessons and learning effort for the automation specialist apprenticeship:

• The automation specialist training and further education course is modular (i.e. some of the skills are assessed in module examinations before the professional examination and are only tested across modules in the final examination) and lasts 4 semesters while working. It comprises around 650 lessons.
• Class times vary depending on the provider of the automation specialist training course. Classroom teaching usually takes place one evening a week or on Saturdays.
• Many schools now offer a mix of face-to-face and online teaching (online, hybrid teaching, blended learning) as well as self-study.
• Thanks to the extra-occupational concept of the further training course for automation specialists, you can immediately apply and deepen your knowledge in practice. Nevertheless, you should allow sufficient time for lesson preparation and follow-up as well as for self-study. Depending on your prior knowledge, working style and learning speed, we recommend that you allow at least 4 to 8 hours per week.

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 successfully completing an automation specialist qualification.

Degree, diploma and title Automatikfachleute:

The professional examination "Automatikfachmann mit eidg. Fachausweis / Automatikfachfrau mit eidg. Fachausweis" takes place annually, provided that the minimum number of candidates per language meet the admission requirements, otherwise every two years:

• in German language min. 25 persons
• in French language min. 8 persons
• in Italian language min. 3 persons

Candidates for the professional examination for automation specialists are notified at least 2 months 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 professional examination for automation specialists comprises the following three parts:

• Automation in general (written, 1 hour, weighting 1)
• Technology (written, 3 hours, weighting 2)
• Project management (written, 1.5 hours, weighting 1)

Diploma and title "Automatikfachmann / Automatikfachfrau"

Graduates of the professional examination receive a federal certificate and are entitled to use the federally recognized and protected title "Automation specialist with federal certificate" or "Automation specialist with federal certificate".

• In French: "Agent en automatique avec brevet fédéral", "Agente en automatique avec brevet fédéral"
• In Italian: "Specialista in automatica con attestato professionale federale"
• In English: "Automation Specialist, Federal Diploma of Higher Education" (Attention: This is only a recommendation/translation and not a protected title)