Self-test: Is the "Electrical Project Manager Installation and Safety (FPE)" course right for you?

Electrical Project Manager Installation and Safety with Federal Diploma of Higher Education: Everyday working life - what do electrical project manager jobs look like?

Electrical project managers for installation and safety work in electrical installation and planning companies. Depending on the size of the company, they also take on management tasks in addition to their specialist tasks. They can also work independently on behalf of operators and users of electrical installations.

Electrical project managers for installation and safety are responsible for electrical installation projects - from planning and coordination through to installation and further support and monitoring. They also carry out various checks on electrical installations and advise their customers on safety-related issues. They are authorized to carry out inspections in accordance with the Low Voltage Installation Ordinance (NIV) and can perform the corresponding measurements.

Under expert supervision and management, electrical project managers for installation and safety independently take on electrical installation projects for smaller new builds or conversions and are involved in larger installation projects, such as in hospitals or hotels.

They determine the optimum electrical installations, grids, circuits and fuse systems, taking into account the wishes of the client and architects. They calculate the costs and prepare quotations. During project implementation, they regularly visit the construction site, supervise the installation work and carry out final and spot checks as well as acceptance inspections.

Their tasks also include periodic inspections of existing electrical installations in the low-voltage range. For example, they check whether installations still comply with the applicable standards, define optimization measures if necessary and advise their customers in this regard.

Finally, maintaining customer contacts and other stakeholder groups is also part of the daily tasks of electrical project management installation and safety specialists.

Who is continuing education, further training suitable for? What qualities and skills are required?

The target group for the preparatory courses and the Federal Professional Examination for Electrical Project Manager for Installation and Safety are:

• Professionals from the electrical industry who want to take on more responsible tasks in the future and create a good basis for their next career steps with the Federal Diploma of Higher Education
• Electrical specialists who want to deepen their skills (e.g. obtain the inspection authorization) and position themselves advantageously on the job market with the Federal Diploma of Higher Education
• Technically interested persons with an electric Federal VET Diploma who would like to undergo further technical training and certify their newly acquired knowledge accordingly

Specialists in electrical project management for installation and safety should have the following personal qualities and skills:

• Analytical-conceptual skills
• Technical understanding
• Networked thinking and action
• Craftsmanship
• Sense of responsibility
• Service and customer orientation
• Structural engineering knowledge

Admission to continuing education, further training and Federal Professional Examination

For theAdmission to continuing education, further trainingschools generally require a vocational qualification as an electrical fitter Federal VET Diploma or electrical planner Federal VET Diploma or a Federal VET Diploma in another profession in the electrical industry. Some schools also require relevant professional experience.

For theAdmission to the Federal Professional Examinationfor Electrical Project Manager Installation and Safety you need:

• Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training as an electrician or electrical planner or equivalent qualification and at least two years of professional experience in the field of planning or creating installations in accordance with NIV under expert supervision in Switzerland

Or

• Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training as an installation electrician or equivalent qualification and at least four years of professional experience in the planning or construction of installations in accordance with NIV under expert supervision in Switzerland

Or

• Other Federal VET Diploma in a comparable profession in the electrical industry and corresponding practical experience of at least four years in the field of planning or creating installations in accordance with NIV under expert supervision in Switzerland

Or

• ESTI ruling on the equivalence of foreign electrical engineering training with the Swiss Federal VET Diploma in Electrical Installation and at least two years' professional experience in the field of planning or installing installations in accordance with the NIV under expert supervision in Switzerland

And

• The required five module certificates (see step 4 in the self-test) or confirmations of equivalence

And

• Completed internship and report of the internship training

Subject matter and content of continuing education, further training

The course content is taught in five modules. The following topics are covered:

Module 1: Technical basics

• Fundamentals of electrical engineering and mathematics: mathematics, electrical engineering basics, direct current theory, electric field, magnetism, single-phase alternating current
• Electrical systems engineering (materials science):Construction of the network, passive and active installation material
• Rules and technology:Legal pyramid, low-voltage installation standard (NIN), dangers of electricity
• Technical documentation (schematics and plans)Electrical engineering symbols, types of diagrams, conventional lighting technology controls, installation planning

Module 2: Project management I

• Calculation:including setting project goals with customers and personnel, price calculations, purchasing materials and components, preparing quotations, checking prices, preparing and checking dimensions, assessing and monitoring excess or shortfall in services, presenting quotations
• Controlling:Checking project and revision plans, monitoring quality standards, acceptance and inspection of electrical systems and installations, interpreting work contracts, etc.
• 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

• 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
• Technological basics:including electrical engineering, lighting technology, emergency and safety lighting, building automation, photovoltaic systems
• Project planning, realization and services:Including schematic diagram, circuit diagram, apparatus plans, planning order, dimensioning and selection of conductors, updating of revision plans

Module 4: Installation and safety check

• Installation check:including visual inspection, ground measurement, interpretation of measured values, device testing
• Control documentation:including preparation and review of control documentation, measurement and test reports
• Occupational safety and hazardous substances:including vital rules for handling electricity, hazardous substances, health protection and environmental protection

Module 5: Leadership, communication and personnel management

• 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 the information you need.

Internship:

• The course also includes an internship in which the course participants learn about the processes and the necessity of final, acceptance and periodic electrical inspections in everyday life.

Costs and financing of continuing education, further training

You can expect the following costs for the electrical project manager training course, which usually lasts three to four semesters:

• Course fees/course costs:After the examination, you will receive 50% of the course costs (max. CHF 9,500) back from the federal government upon application (regardless of the result).
• Federal Professional Examination fee:CHF 1955 (as at April 2026)
• Extra costs:Depending on the school, there may be additional costs for teaching materials, training documents or similar. Information on this can be obtained from the schools.

Duration of study, number of lessons, teaching times, teaching model and learning effort

Continuing education, Federal Diploma of Higher Education as an electrical project manager for installation and safety

• usually lasts 3-4 semesters (rarely 2) and is completed part-time.
• is modular; each of the five modules concludes with a module examination.
• comprises around 750-800 lessons. These usually take place on two half-days per week, in the evenings, afternoons or Saturdays, depending on the provider.
• is offered as face-to-face teaching, online teaching, hybrid teaching and blended learning.
• Thanks to the extra-occupational concept of continuing education, further training allows you to apply and deepen your knowledge immediately in practice. Nevertheless, you should allow enough time for preparation and follow-up work and independent learning - how much depends on your prior knowledge, working style and learning speed. To be on the safe side, allow at least 4-6 hours per week.

Degree, diploma and title

If you have allFive modules successfully completedand aboutthe necessary professional experienceyou can register for the Federal Professional Examination.

TheFederal Professional Examinationto become an "Electrical Project Manager Installation and Safety with Federal Diploma of Higher Education" takes place at the following locationsyearlywill take place if at least ten candidates meet the admission requirements,otherwise every two years.

The Federal Professional Examination for Electrical Project Manager Installation and Safety takes a total of three hours and consists of three parts (60 minutes each):

• Project management
• Case work
• Measuring task/electrical engineering

The tasks for the project management and casework parts of the examination will be communicated at least seven working days before the examination date. The examinations are oral, but may also include written and practical elements.

Diploma and title

If you pass the Federal Professional Examination, you will receive the federal certificate and are entitled to use the following protected title:

• "Electrical project manager for installation and safety with a federal certificate" / "Electrical project manager for installation and safety with a federal certificate"
• "Élektricienne cheffe de projet en installation et sécurité avec brevet fédéral / Électricien chef de projet en installation et sécurité avec brevet fédéral"
• "Elettricista capo progetto in installazione e sicurezza con attestato professionale federale"

The English title recommendation is "Licensed Project Manager for Electrical Installation and Safety, Federal Diploma of Higher Education". This is not a protected title.

At some schools, after obtaining the Federal Diploma of Higher Education for Electrical Project Managers, it is possible to go on to obtain the CHE degree in Electrical Engineering in just two semesters. Find out more about the CHE course in electrical engineeringhere.