Wage increase after completion of the "Timber Construction Foreman / Timber Construction Foreman (FPE)" course
There is a good chance that you will be paid more if you obtain the Federal Diploma of Higher Education as a timber construction foreman. The minimum wages in the timber construction industry are set out in a collective labor agreement (CLA) (as of 2025). Acquiring this Federal Diploma of Higher Education leads to the following wage increase (the minimum annual experience supplement does not differ with and without the certificate):
- Carpenter Federal VET Diploma in the 1st year: CHF 4,747, in the 2nd year CHF 5,028, in the 3rd year CHF 5,168, ...
- Timber construction foreman function without federal certificate: in the 1st year CHF 5,231, in the 2nd year CHF 5,510, in the 3rd year CHF 5,652, ...
- Timber construction foreman with federal certificate: CHF 6,280 in the 1st year, CHF 5,847 in the 2nd year, CHF 5,988 in the 3rd year, ...
Take Felipe, for example.
Felipe completed his apprenticeship as a carpenter with the highest rank and was given the tasks of a foreman by his supervisor immediately after completing his Federal VET Diploma due to his above-average performance, his organizational skills and his talent for leadership. He therefore received a higher salary than he would have earned as a "simple" Federal VET Diploma carpenter: CHF 5,150 per month after one year, i.e. around CHF 438 more than a Federal VET Diploma carpenter. If he had started the 1-year continuing education, further training as a timber construction foreman immediately after his apprenticeship and passed the exam, he would have been entitled to a minimum wage of CHF 5,487 at the same time, i.e.around CHF 337 more per month(provided that his boss counts the time since completing his apprenticeship as experience towards this salary level).
Calculation of the possible wage increase with the Federal Diploma of Higher Education "Timber Construction Foreman / Timber Construction Foreman"
Actual wages and prescribed minimum wages generally differ.
Important criteria for determining wages
Your actual salary opportunities depend on various criteria such as the industry, the region, the size of your employer company, your previous training, your professional experience and your age.
With the "Salarium" salary calculator, you can calculate the potential salary tailored to your individual situation after completing the Federal Professional Examination.
Go to "Salarium" via the link at the bottom of the source and click on the "Calculate salary" button:
- Region: Choose your place of work
- Industry: Select industry 41 Building construction or 42 Civil engineering.
- Occupational group: Enter "Timber construction foreman", Salarium shows the corresponding occupational group 31 (engineering and comparable specialists).
- Position in the company: Select "lower management".
- Hours per week: 42
- Education: Choose "Higher Vocational Training, College of Higher Education"
- Age: Your estimated age after completing continuing education, further training
- Years of service: Your number of years of service after completing continuing education, further training
- Company size: Choose the size
- 12/13 monthly salary 12 monthly salaries
- Special payments: No
- Monthly/hourly wage: Monthly wage
Source:"Federal Statistical Office, FSO"
Note: This sample calculation refers to the data from Salarium (end of 2024). You can find informationhere. A list of other payroll calculator tools is availablehere.
Find an educational institute now that offers the preparatory course for the Federal Professional Examination for "Timber Construction Foreman / Timber Construction Foreman (FPE)":
Provider of continuing education, further training to become a timber construction foreman (FPE)
