The Federal Diploma of Higher Education in Purchasing has a modular structure and is divided into a written and an oral part. A total of twelve examination topics are covered.

• Written parts of the exam
  The written examinations take place over two days and cover the following subject areas:
  • Procurement logistics (90 min.)
  • Supplier management (90 min.)
  • Procurement strategies (60 min.)
  • Procurement market research (90 min.)
  • Price and cost structure analysis (90 min.)
  • Project management (60 min.)
  • Finance and accounting (60 min.)
• Oral parts of the exam
  The oral examinations take place on a separate day and include practical topics from the following areas:
  • Supply Cham Management and Sustainability (45 min.)
  • Contract law (30 min.)
  • Economics (30 min.)
  • Self-management and leadership (30 min.)
  • Conversation and negotiation skills (45 min.)

The Federal Professional Examination imparts comprehensive skills in all relevant areas of purchasing - from strategic planning and legal security to successful teamwork. The modular structure enables targeted preparation and a practical examination situation.

The purchasing specialist training course covers a wide range of practical and theoretical topics to enable you to operate successfully in modern procurement. The central learning content includes:

• Procurement logistics: organization and optimization of goods flows within the supply chain
• Supplier management: selection, evaluation and development of supplier relationships
• Procurement strategies: development of long-term strategies to secure supply
• Procurement market research (BMF): Analysis of national and international procurement markets
• Price and cost structure analysis: evaluation of price offers and identification of potential savings
• Supply chain management and sustainability: sustainable design of the entire supply chain
• Project management: planning, control and implementation of projects in purchasing
• Finance and accounting: Basic understanding of business contexts and budget planning
• Contract law: Legal basis for national and international purchasing contracts
• Economics: Understanding of economic relationships and their influence on purchasing
• Self-management and leadership: personal organization and leadership skills
• Conducting discussions and negotiations: strategies for successful communication with internal and external partners

This course not only provides in-depth specialist knowledge, but also strengthens key skills for a successful career in purchasing. The practical orientation provides optimal preparation for the challenges of everyday working life.

Important: The learning content and the way it is taught may vary slightly from school to school beyond the guidelines of the examination organization, as each educational institution determines the focus individually. For binding information, we recommend contacting the desired school directly.

Use our contact form to forward your questions directly to the relevant school - it's quick, easy and straightforward.

The following admission criteria apply to the Federal Professional Examination for Purchasing Specialists with a Federal PET Diploma:

• Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training, high school diploma (all types), technical college diploma or equivalent and 3 years of professional experience in purchasing, procurement, materials management or logistics
• or a Federal VET Certificate and 5 years of professional experience in purchasing, procurement, materials management or logistics
• or a Federal Diploma of Higher Education in the field of materials management, purchasing, procurement or logistics

You should have the following personal qualities for further training as a purchasing specialist:

• Self-confidence and a confident demeanor
• Communication skills, negotiation skills
• Sociability, strong communication skills Diplomacy
• Analytical thinking and commercial skills
• Organized and efficient way of working
• Personal responsibility and assertiveness
• Ability to work in a team
• High customer and service orientation
• Good foreign language skills

Holders of the title "Purchasing Specialist with Federal Certificate of Competence" who are planning the next step in their career and aspire to a leading position in the purchasing industry can attend the course "Higher Professional Examination for Purchasing Managers with Federal Diploma".

Graduates of the advanced training course for purchasing specialists with a federal certificate are able to carry out operational procurement processes derived from the procurement strategy. They have the necessary expertise to analyze and optimize internal process chains as well as the entire procurement process. They review risks and cost structures along the process chains and are able to develop and implement improvement measures. Regular supplier evaluations, independent negotiation with internal and external partners and methodical research of procurement markets round off the skills profile of procurement specialists.