What does the day-to-day work of a production specialist with a federal certificate look like?

A production specialist works in small, medium-sized and large companies in the MEM sector (mechanical, electrical and metal industries). They are the manager of a workshop, group or project and act as a link between the employees and the management.

Production specialists are experts in the field of industrial manufacturing of products and parts in the MEM industry. Their aim is to optimize manufacturing and production processes in line with the economic aspects of Industry 4.0 and put them into practice.

They carry out the following activities:

• Planning the individual work steps
• Determination of suitable manufacturing and processing methods
• Organization, control, monitoring and improvement of processes
• Initiation and development of solutions (e.g. automation)
• Independent development of simple constructions
• Consideration of the cost-effective and environmentally conscious use of resources
• Control of production and resource efficiency with optimum capacity utilization (minimum downtime)
• Verification of product quality.

Production specialists have specialist knowledge of, among other things, the structure and function of production systems that manufacture individual parts, for example. They ensure that the production systems are optimally utilized and work without any faults. As "production cracks", they are able to locate, analyze and rectify faults or malfunctions. They help decide on the purchase of new tools, machines and other production equipment and are also responsible for their maintenance. They carry out minor maintenance and repair work themselves.

Production specialists are team leaders. They carry out their managerial role according to modern communication and management principles. They set targets for the whole team as well as on an individual level for individual employees and give clear and comprehensible work instructions. They also play a key role in the training of apprentices. They use their expertise to advise line managers and customers on technical issues and matters relating to investments.

Target group: Who is the vocational examination for production specialists with a federal certificate suitable for?

The "Production Specialist (BP)" courses are suitable for:

• People with a technical vocational qualification (EFZ), e.g. mechanic EFZ, polymechanic EFZ, production mechanic EFZ, design engineer EFZ, plant and apparatus engineer EFZ, automation technician EFZ, electronics technician EFZ, IT technician EFZ or equivalent qualification, who wish to qualify for a lower to middle management position in a production company.
• Professionals in the MEM sector (mechanical, electrical and metal industries) who want to take on more responsibility for production, processes and employees.

Production specialists should have the following personal requirements:

• Technical understanding
• Spatial imagination
• Craftsmanship
• Structured and goal-oriented way of working
• Motivational ability
• Commitment
• Assertiveness
• Load capacity
• Patience and perseverance
• Organizational talent
• Sense of responsibility
• Good linguistic expression
• High social competence
• Ability to work in a team
• Leadership ability

Requirements for admission to the federal vocational examination for production specialists:

You must meet the following requirements for admission to the federal vocational examination "Production Specialist (BP)":

• Federal certificate of proficiency (EFZ) as a polymechanic, production mechanic, mechanic, design engineer or equivalent qualification.
• 2 years of professional experience with four-year basic training or 3 years of professional experience with three-year basic training in the MEM sector after completion of the apprenticeship.
• The following module qualifications* or confirmation(s) of equivalence:
  • Technical Calculations module
  • Specialist module Resource Management
  • Specialist module process control
  • Specialist module Industry 4.0 (Basic)
  • Specialist module on working methods and leadership
  • Specialist elective module CNC-CAM techniques or specialist elective module Handling Systems

*This module regulation has been in force since February 2020; until the end of 2024, candidates who obtained the required (and still valid) module qualifications before this change will still be admitted to the final examination.

You will find out whether you will be admitted to the professional examination at least six months before the examination begins.

Note: Individual schools may also be prepared to admit you to a preparatory course for the vocational examination for production specialists if you do not (yet) meet the criteria for admission to the federal examination. It is then your responsibility to ensure that you meet the necessary requirements at the time of the examination/application for the examination.

Subject matter and content of the training

The content of the preparatory courses for the federal vocational examination for production specialists is based on the specifications of the sponsoring body for the vocational examination, the Swiss Association for Mechanical-Technical Continuing Education VMTW. The course material is divided into three areas, which in turn comprise various modules with different content:

1) Basic, general knowledge and skills

• Technical calculations (mathematics and physics)
• Applied Computer Science I

2) Specialist and industry-specific knowledge and skills

• Resource management
• Process control
• Industry 4.0 (Basic)
• CNC/CAM techniques (elective module)
• Handling Systems (elective module)

3) Leadership-specific knowledge and skills

• Working methods and leadership

Costs and financing of further training

The costs may vary depending on the provider. In general, the following costs can be expected for the 2- or 3-semester, part-time course:

• Course fees: between CHF 9,900 and CHF 13,600, half of which you will receive back from the federal government on application after passing the examination (regardless of the result) (federal contributions*). If you complete the production specialist course with a Swissmechanic/VMTW training partner and your employer is a member of Swissmechanic and pays into the vocational training fund, you will be reimbursed a further part of the course costs (around CHF 700).
• Examination fee: After positive notification of admission, the candidate pays the examination fee of CHF 1,800 (as of 2021).
• Some providers charge extra costs for teaching materials, training documents and the seminar hotel. Please contact the respective provider directly for more information.

The course fees for the "Production Specialist (BP)" course are to be paid either at the start of the course or by the semester. In individual cases, it is also possible to arrange individual installment payments, please contact the provider of your choice directly.

* Since 1.1.2018, preparatory courses for federal professional examinations (BP) / higher professional examinations (HFP) have been financially supported by the federal government. Graduates of these courses can therefore be reimbursed up to 50% (max. CHF 9,500 for BP, max. CHF 10,500 for HFP) of the course costs paid after taking the federal examination. In cases of hardship, it is also possible to receive the federal contribution in advance.

Duration of study, number of lessons and learning effort

• The "Production Specialist (BP)" course lasts 2-3 semesters, has a modular structure and is completed on a part-time basis. In addition, the course forms the first year of the HF degree course to become a "qualified technician HF mechanical engineering, production technology".
• The course contains 580 lessons, which are usually completed in blocks on two days a week (usually Monday or Friday and Saturday). In addition, there is one week for the work methodology and leadership module.
• The individual time required for self-study and exam preparation averages a further 3-5 hours per week.

Degree, diploma and title

The professional examination for "Production Specialist" takes place annually in October (as of 2021), provided that 10 candidates meet the admission requirements. It can be taken in one of the three official languages German, French and Italian.

The federal examination consists of three parts, which are structured as follows:

1) Project work: prepared in advance, written (weighting 3x)

Within six weeks, candidates work individually and independently on a written paper in which they develop and document a topic from their own working environment. They submit the topic 5 months before the examination. It is then checked by a team of experts to ensure that it conforms to the rules and is released or returned for revision 2.5 months before the examination. The paper comprises 20-22 pages (excluding directories, management summary and appendix) and must comply with the specifications on the design and form of the documentation.

2) Presentation of the project work: 20 minutes, oral (weighting 1x)

During the presentation, the candidates present their project work orally. The following infrastructure is usually available for this purpose: Beamer, blackboard, flipchart, overhead projector, PC, CD drive and USB access.

3) Expert discussion: 40 minutes, oral (weighting 2x)

The candidates answer the experts' questions in the technical discussion.

Here are some general success factors on the way to a new training qualification:

• Regular attendance of lessons
• Actively contribute your questions, don't leave anything half-understood in the room
• Interest in the topic and active participation in class
• Detailed preparation and follow-up of the lesson material at home
• Committed cooperation in group work, processing of case studies, etc.
• Participation in learning groups for regular exchange
• Intensive exam preparation: practise exam situations and gain important exam experience, e.g. in simulation exams.

Diploma and title:

Graduates of the professional examination receive a federal certificate and may use the federally recognized and protected title "Production Specialist with Federal Certificate".

In French: "Expert / Experte en production avec brevet fédéral"

In Italian: "Esperto / Esperta in produzione con attestato professionale federale"

In English: "Expert in Production, Federal Diploma of Higher Education"