Self-test: Is the course "Chief Plumbing Fitter with Federal Diploma of Higher Education" what I am looking for?

What are the activities of the head fitter for sanitary installations with the Federal Diploma of Higher Education?

A Lead Plumbing Technician with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education or a Professional Bachelor’s degree is responsible for the technical and administrative management of plumbing installations. Their work includes planning projects, coordinating and supervising the work of their assigned staff, and covers all stages of the process—from ordering materials to the final inspection of the installed cold- and hot-water supply systems as well as the drainage systems.

Lead Plumbing Installers serve as the direct points of contact and consultants for end customers, architects, and government agencies. In this mid-level management role at plumbing contractors, they are responsible for their own projects and also train the next generation of professionals.

The daily work of a lead plumbing technician includes the following tasks:

• Administrative management of assembly work:
  • Planning the systems in compliance with laws, standards and regulations
  • Create design sketches
  • Create material extracts
  • Organize prefabrication of system components
  • Ordering material
  • Create schedule
  • Create employee assignments
  • Find out about regulations in the contract for work and services
  • Check assembly documents for completeness
  • Create all documents required for billing
  • Create final invoice

• Technical management of assembly work and team:
  • Monitor prefabrication and check results
  • Construction site organization
  • Management of the assembly group and discussion of work processes
  • Instruct plumbers and apprentices (show basic work techniques, explain fastening systems and convey sound insulation measures)
  • Record material consumption
  • Keeping work reports
  • Responsible for compliance with occupational safety regulations
  • Commissioning the installed fittings, systems, components and piping systems
  • Technical acceptance of the work and functional checks
  • Elimination of any faults
  • Clear explanation of correct operation and maintenance to customers
  • Continuing education, further training, as you have to be familiar with the constantly changing materials, systems and regulations in the building technology sector

• Points of contact and consultants for end customers, architects, and the public sector:
  • Leading construction meetings
  • Discuss work processes in advance
  • Define deadlines and responsibilities
  • Logging and information distribution

Target Audience and Skills: Who are the "Lead Plumber" courses with the Federal Professional Examination intended for? What qualities and skills are required?

The head fitter plumbing courses are aimed at plumbers who:

• expand and perfect their craftsmanship,
• assume a supervisor function,
• earn a higher vocational training qualification with the Federal Diploma of Higher Education
• and who would like to lay the groundwork for advancing to become a certified master plumber (AFPE).

To be successful as a Lead Plumbing Installer, you must possess the following skills and qualities:

• Leadership qualities and a sense of responsibility
• Spatial imagination and organizational skills
• Commercial skills and flair for numbers
• Technical understanding and manual skills as well as an interest in physical processes
• Mobility
• Independence and ability to work in a team
• Reliability and flexibility
• Sociability and pronounced environmental awareness
• Sense of order and cleanliness
• Resistant constitution, no balance disorder / dizziness

Prerequisites for admission to the Federal Professional Examination for Head Sanitary Engineer:

To be eligible to take the “Federal Professional Examination for Lead Plumber” (male or female), the following requirements must be met at the time of the examination:

• Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (VET Diploma) as a plumber
• and at least 2 years of professional experience in the sanitary industry after vocational education and training (VET)

or

• Federal VET Diploma (EFZ) as a Heating Installer
• and at least 3 years of professional experience in the plumbing industry following completion of vocational education and training (VET)

or

• Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (VET Diploma) in a related profession
• and at least 4 years of professional experience in the sanitary industry after vocational education and training (VET)

and

• the required module qualifications or certificates of equivalence
• Proof of successful completion of a vocational training instructor course

 

The following module qualifications must be demonstrated for admission to the examination and the award of the Federal Diploma of Higher Education as Head Plumbing Fitter:

Practical Work

• Piping systems
• Mounting systems
• Showcase technology
• Commissioning and error handling for installations

Work organization

• Work preparation 1 Supply
• Work preparation 2 Disposal
• Work preparation 3
• Order processing 1

Professional knowledge

• Water 1
• Gas 1
• Property drainage 1
• Specialized arithmetic 1
• Building technology
• Building services

Project planning

• Project planning 1

Applied Legal Issues

• Legal basis

Finance

• Calculation 1

Personnel management

• Personnel management
• Vocational training qualification (in accordance with Article 44(1)(c) of the Vocational Training Ordinance)

The individual modules are completed as required modules in the preparatory courses for the Federal Professional Examination. The module certificates are valid for five years. You will be notified in writing at least three months before the exam begins whether you meet the requirements for the Federal Professional Examination for Chief Plumber—in the event of rejection, the notification will include the reasons for the decision and information on your right to appeal.

Learning material and content of the continuing education, further training and qualification as a head fitter:

The subject matter of the preparatory courses for the Federal Diploma of Higher Education in Plumbing is based on the specifications of the responsible body for the Federal Examination, the Swiss-Liechtenstein Building Services Engineering Associationsuissetec.

The learning content of the continuing education, further training to become a head fitter for plumbing is divided into modules and is divided into the following topics and areas of competence:

• Practical Work
  • Piping systems
    • Steel tube processing
    • Copper and stainless steel installations
    • Plastic and metal composite pipe installations
    • Sewage systems
    • Accident and fire prevention
  • Mounting systems
    • Systems
    • Planning
    • Realize
    • Fastening systems
    • Sound insulation
  • Showcase technology
    • Instruction
    • Basic working techniques
    • Piping systems
    • Fastening systems
    • Sound insulation
  • Commissioning and error handling for installations
    • Commissioning and troubleshooting of valves and systems
    • Commissioning and troubleshooting of gas and heater components
    • Commissioning and fault handling for cables and line systems
• Work organization
  • Work preparation 1 Supply
    • Fabrication sketch / illustration
    • Material pull-outs for assembly
    • Calculating combinations and axis offsets
    • Installation technology and fastening systems
  • Work preparation 2 Disposal
    • Fabrication sketch / illustration
    • Material pull-outs for fastenings and brackets
    • Calculating interlacing and overcranking
    • Installation technology and fastening systems
  • Work preparation 3
    • Pre-wall systems
    • Fire protection practice
    • Sound insulation practice
    • Installation and fastening technology
  • Order processing 1
    • Project organization, assembly processing, materials management
    • Deadline, coordination, acceptance
    • Facilities, work team, training
    • Occupational safety
• Professional knowledge
  • Water 1
    • Structure and tasks of the water supply
    • Cold water supply
    • Hot water supply
  • Gas 1
    • Gas and combustion theory
    • Structure and tasks of the gas supply
    • Domestic installations with natural gas
    • Domestic installations with liquid gas
  • Property drainage 1
    • Building drainage, wastewater and rainwater
    • Lifting systems
    • Separation systems
  • Specialized arithmetic 1
    • Mechanics
    • Hydrostatics
    • Hydrodynamics
    • Thermodynamics
  • Building technology
    • Building construction
    • Building physics
  • Building technology
    • Heating technology
    • Ventilation and air conditioning technology
    • Refrigeration technology
    • Electrical engineering
• Project planning
  • Project planning 1
    • Drawing standards / types of representation
    • Detailed plans
    • Cable sections and installation instructions
    • Recess plans
    • Cold water supply systems
    • Hot water supply systems
    • Drainage systems
    • Gas
    • Project presentation
• Applied Legal Issues
  • Legal basis
    • Basics of liability law and contract law
    • Fundamentals of employment contract law and the collective labor agreement (CLA)
    • Principles of the contract for work and services (with standard SIA 118)
    • Structure and functioning of our state system
    • Structure of the Swiss legal system
• Finance
  • Calculation 1
    • Cost components / allocation types
    • Calculation
    • Standards / Conditions
    • Reports / extent for billing
    • Information element calculation
• Personnel management
  • Personnel management
    • The basic skills in communication
    • Using communication techniques
    • Fundamentals of leadership
    • The management function
    • The personal management style
    • Management by objectives (MbO)
    • Assessing employees
  • Vocational trainer course
  • Vocational training qualification (in accordance with Article 44(1)(c) of the Vocational Training Ordinance)

Some schools recommend a preliminary course in specialized arithmetic.

Sanitary courses - costs and financing:

Depending on the provider and the duration of the program, the cost of training to become a lead plumbing technician varies. On average, you can expect the following amounts for training costs:

• Course fees:Approximately CHF 17,000–33,000; after the exam, you’ll be reimbursed 50% of this amount (up to CHF 9,500) by the federal government upon request (regardless of your result).* Discounts may be available for suissetec members (up to CHF 8,000), as well as contributions from the Joint National Commission (PLK) (up to CHF 4,200).
• Examination fees:CHF 400; suissetec members: CHF 200 (as of October 2026)
• Extra costs:At some schools, the costs for items such as enrollment fees, teaching materials, course handouts, books, intensive exam preparation, practice exams, school diplomas, and interim certificates are not included in the course fees. Check directly with the provider of your choice to find out what additional costs you can expect for the program.

* In cases of hardship, federal grants are also pre-financed.

Duration of study, teaching times and learning effort for continuing education, further training as a plumbing fitter:

• The continuing education program for Lead Plumbing Technician is structured in modules; this means that some of the competencies are assessed in module exams prior to the Federal Professional Examination, and in the final exam, only cross-module competencies are tested. The program is designed to be completed while working and lasts three to four semesters. The training program leading to the Federal Professional Examination for Lead Plumbing Technician comprises approximately 800 hours of instruction.
• Class schedules vary depending on the provider of the continuing education, further training program for Lead Plumbing Technician. In-person classes are held one to two days (or half-days) per week, or one weekday and Saturdays, or during (sometimes additional) intensive weeks.
• Thanks to the work-study format of the Senior Plumbing Technician training program, you can immediately apply and reinforce what you’ve learned in a practical setting. Nevertheless, you should set aside enough time for preparing for and reviewing lessons, as well as for self-study. Depending on your prior knowledge, work style, and learning pace, we recommend setting aside just as much time for these activities as you do for class.

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 after continuing education, further training as a plumbing fitter.

Degree, diploma and title:

The Federal Professional Examination for “Lead Plumber with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education / Lead Plumber with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education” is held annually in German, French, and Italian, provided that at least 10 candidates meet the admission requirements.

Candidates for the Federal Professional Examination in Plumbing will be notified at least 30 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 Federal Professional Examination for Head Fitter for Plumbing comprises the following two parts:

• Case study (written, 4 hours, double weighting):
  • It consists of five tasks in the areas of property drainage, cutouts, hot water demand, material list, and technical calculations—such as correcting an incorrect wastewater diagram, calculating stormwater drainage, creating a cutout plan, calculating hot water demand and storage tank size for hot water production, preparing a materials list for ordering a basement distribution system, and six technical calculation tasks. By successfully completing the case study, the candidate demonstrates that she or he is able to identify complex problems in a professional context, analyze them, and develop practical solutions.
• Expert discussion (oral, approx. 45 minutes, 1-fold weighting):
  • The subject of the expert discussion will be questions from the entire range of topics covered by the Federal Professional Examination modules, including the case study task. The candidate demonstrates to the experts that he or she can implement the module content in a networked and application-oriented manner.

 

Diploma and title

Graduates who successfully pass the Federal Professional Examination receive a federal certificate and are entitled to use the protected title “Lead Plumber with Federal Certificate” or “Lead Plumber with a Federal Certificate of Competence” along with the optional English title suffix “Professional Bachelor.”

• In French: “Contremaître sanitaire avec brevet fédéral,” Professional Bachelor’s Degree
• In Italian: “Capo montatrice di impianti sanitari con attestato professionale federale / Capo montatore di impianti sanitari con attestato professionale federale,” Professional Bachelor’s Degree

The recommended English translation is: “Chief Plumbing Technician, Professional Bachelor” (Note: This is not a protected title)