Specialist in hotel housekeeping EFZ / Specialist in hotel housekeeping (formerly specialist in housekeeping EFZ / specialist in housekeeping EFZ): What does your day-to-day work look like?

The hotel housekeeping specialist EFZ performs the typical tasks of a housekeeper in large households, hospitals, retirement and care centers, facilities for the disabled, restaurants or hotels. They are the good soul of the house, making sure that everything looks inviting and cozy, is tidy and clean and that potted plants and pets are just as comfortable as the guests, residents or patients.

In addition to the daily cleaning of all rooms, corridors and sanitary facilities, they take care of the laundry and can also do minor sewing and repair work themselves. In larger homes, they take care of the organization and distribution of food, in smaller facilities they make the menus themselves and also cook.

As trained professionals, they instruct apprentices and instruct auxiliary staff and external personnel. They also carry out the administrative tasks involved in the management and administration of cleaning materials, kitchen supplies and laundry requirements independently; in large facilities, they may also provide services for residents and customers such as errands or the internal distribution of mail.

Target group and skills: For whom is the catch-up training in accordance with Art. 32 BBV to become a hotel housekeeping specialist EFZ / hotel housekeeping specialist EFZ with a federal certificate of competence suitable? What qualities and skills are required?

The courses to prepare for the qualification procedure (QV), i.e. the final apprenticeship examination (LAP), to become a specialist in hotel housekeeping EFZ or a specialist in hotel housekeeping (formerly specialist in housekeeping EFZ / specialist in housekeeping EFZ) as part of catch-up training in accordance with Art. 32 BBV (Vocational Training Ordinance) are aimed at professionals from the hotel and housekeeping sector who wish to obtain the federal certificate of competence.

Home economics specialists with a federal certificate of competence should have the following personal qualities and skills:

• Friendly demeanor and pleasure in dealing with people
• Reliable, fast and precise way of working
• Practical disposition
• Good physical constitution
• Organizational talent
• Reliability and trustworthiness
• Sense of order, hygiene and cleanliness
• Ability to work in a team
• Good communication skills
• Operational readiness even at weekends

Prerequisites for admission to the QV for hotel housekeeping specialist EFZ / hotel housekeeping specialist EFZ as part of catch-up training in accordance with Art. 32 BBV

You must meet the following requirements for admission to the qualification procedure (final apprenticeship examination, also known as LAP) to become a hotel housekeeping specialist EFZ or a hotel housekeeping specialist EFZ (formerly housekeeping specialist EFZ / housekeeping specialist EFZ):

• 5 years of professional practice, including 3 years in housekeeping
• Good written and spoken German (at least B2)
• Good written and spoken English skills (at least A2)
• Employment (at least 40%) in a company in the hotel housekeeping sector
• Sewing machine and IT skills are an advantage.

The cantonal office for vocational education and training in your canton of residence decides on admission to the qualification procedure (QV). Interested persons must submit a corresponding application to the Vocational Training Office. This office then checks whether the admission requirements have been met and decides on any exemptions for the QV.

By the way:Admission to the QV is not dependent on attending a specific course. The following information applies: Professionals from the hotel and catering sector who wish to complete the QV without basic vocational training must acquire the relevant vocational and general knowledge. They are free to choose how they wish to prepare for the QV. The following options are available:

• Attending vocational school with the regular apprentices (young people)
• Attend special courses for adults (covered in this self-test): For professions in which many adults catch up on their vocational qualifications, there are training courses specially designed for adults. They usually take place every week in the evening and/or on Saturdays.
• Self-study: preparation for the QV without attending school, using the teaching materials used at the vocational schools

Subject matter and content of the training

The course content for the EFZ hotel housekeeping specialist (formerly EFZ housekeeping specialist) is basically divided into the following parts:

• Vocational knowledge: the basics of the hotel and catering profession
• Specialist knowledge: specific knowledge depending on the chosen direction: housekeeping or hotel business
• General education: The subjects "Language and Communication" and "Society" are taught here
• Inter-company courses: acquisition of basic practical skills (in addition to training in the company and at vocational school)*

The subject matter in the vocational knowledge and technical knowledge sections is based on the skills to be taught, which are set out in the training plan for hotel and catering specialists EFZ:

Overview of competencies in the hotel and catering industry:

• Appearance and communication*
• Serving drinks and food**
• Cleaning and designing rooms
• Ensuring the supply of laundry
• Organizing and implementing operational processes

*Vocational competencies with additional operational performance targets in the hotel industry:

• Advising and looking after guests and customers in the field of hotel housekeeping: conducting simple conversations in a second national language or English, reproducing or forwarding verbal messages received in a second national language or English. Receive and process feedback from guests and customers in the field of hotel housekeeping

**Occupational competencies with additional operational performance targets in home economics:

• Ordering and preparing food and drinks: Ordering the required ingredients and preparing simple dishes from fresh products as well as semi-finished and finished products in a professional, target group and situation-specific manner, operating kitchen aids, machines and equipment for the preparation of simple dishes, implementing specifications, implementing recommendations and operational specifications on hygiene, occupational safety and health protection in connection with the preparation of simple dishes.

Practical training is the responsibility of the candidates as part of their employment in the company. You are also required to keep a record of what you have learned in practice.

* As part of the catch-up training for adults in accordance with Art. 32 BBV, interested persons do not have to attend the inter-company courses (these are compulsory for graduates of the regular home economics apprenticeship). Nevertheless, it is recommended that you attend these courses to ensure that you are fully prepared for the QV. You can obtain more information from theOdA Home Economics Switzerland.

Costs and financing of further training

In general, the following costs must be expected for the four-semester part-time hotel and restaurant management postgraduate course for adults in accordance with Art. 32 BBV:

• Teaching materials, registration fees and practical days/excursions: approx. CHF 1,000.
• Lessons in special classes for adults (vocational, technical and general education): approx. CHF 6300.- to CHF 15000.- (depending on the school)
• Inter-company courses (ÜK): approx. CHF 2000.

Teaching materials and registration fees must always be paid by the student. The costs for the general education subjects may be waived if you have a dispensation from the Vocational Training Office. The costs for inter-company costs are also only incurred if you attend a corresponding course; these are not obligatory as part of catch-up training for adults.

Different regulations exist with regard to the assumption of teaching costs by the canton.
Certain cantons, for example, grant scholarships. Information can be obtained from the respective municipal office.

Duration of study, teaching times, teaching form and learning effort

• Duration:The postgraduate course for adults to become an EFZ hotel housekeeping specialist takes two years and is completed alongside work.
• Lesson time:Depending on the school and the courses on offer, home economics training takes place once a week on an evening or on a Saturday.
• Teaching format:Lessons usually take place on the school's premises (classroom teaching).
• Learning effort:Thanks to the extra-occupational concept of the course, you can apply and deepen the learning material in practice straight away. Nevertheless, you should allow sufficient time for preparation and follow-up of the lessons and for self-study - how much depends on your prior knowledge, working style and learning speed. We recommend that you allow at least 4-6 hours per week as a precaution.

Degree, diploma and title

The qualification procedure (QV, formerly: final apprenticeship examination/LAP) is a centrally organized examination that is used to determine whether candidates have acquired the skills required for successful professional activity. It includes the following parts:

• Specified practical work (VPA): 6h
• Professional knowledge: 3h
• General education

Diploma and title

Successful graduates receive a Federal Certificate of Competence (EFZ) and are entitled to use the following protected federal title:

• German: Fachfrau Hotellerie-Hauswirtschaft EFZ / Fachmann Hotellerie-Hauswirtshaft EFZ
• French: Gestionnaire en hôtellerie-intendance CFC
• Italian: Impiegata del settore alberghiero domestica AFC / Impiegato del settore alberghiero-economia domestiaca AFC