Self-test: Is the "Tinsmith foreman with Federal Diploma of Higher Education" course the right one for me?

What is the day-to-day work of a tinsmith foreman with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education like?

A tinsmith foreman with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education manages the work in the workshop and on the construction site as a group leader, department manager or deputy manager. Thanks to their foreman training, foremen can plan and organize work processes to ensure the precise and efficient execution of tinsmith work such as metal roofing, sealing systems and façade cladding. In addition to construction plans, they also take into account the project-related conditions and the availability of personnel and machinery. After completing the foreman training, graduates are able to create sectional drawings and isometric representations for fabrication and installation. A tinsmith foreman supervises employees and apprentices on the construction site, prepares daily reports and control reports and ensures compliance with occupational safety regulations. When selecting systems, the foremen take into account regulations and standards as well as physical, ecological and aesthetic aspects.

The following areas of work are typical in tinsmith foreman jobs after training as a foreman:

• Planning tinsmith work taking into account:
  • Aspects of economic efficiency and environmental compatibility
  • Construction plans and property-related conditions
  • Creation of sectional drawings and isometric representations including the required dimensions and assembly sequence
  • Regulations and standards as well as building physics, ecological and aesthetic aspects for the right choice of system
  • Availability of necessary personnel and machines
  • Efficient work processes in compliance with regulations and legal issues
  • The preparation of individual work steps for precise and punctual execution

• Monitoring the execution on site
  • Instruct employees and apprentices in efficient and professional fabrication and assembly
  • Checking the correct execution
  • Checking compliance with all regulations
  • Hold meetings with customers, architects and site managers on the construction site
  • Create daily and government reports for payroll accounting
  • The compilation of all important documents such as standard item catalogs

Target group and skills: Who is the preparation course for the tinsmith foreman Federal Professional Examination suitable for? What qualities and skills are required?

The tinsmith foreman training is aimed at tinsmiths with a Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training and specialists from related professions who pursue the following goals:

• Deepening theoretical and practical specialist knowledge through training as a foreman
• Networking different areas of competence and using them appropriately
• Work in a supervisor function in the middle management of a planning and execution company in the plumbing industry
• After training as a foreman, complete further training courses or the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) to become a master tinsmith

The following skills and characteristics are required for a successful job as a tinsmith foreman:

• Social skills, sociability, perseverance, patience and humor
• Interest in metalworking
• Manual dexterity, leadership qualities and social skills
• Spatial imagination, technical understanding
• Resilient constitution
• Mobility
• Precise way of working, high quality awareness and organizational talent
• Sociability, customer orientation
• Creative talent
• No balance disorder / dizziness
• Independence and a sense of responsibility

Requirements for admission to the Federal Professional Examination in Tinsmithing and Polishing:

The following prerequisites are required for admission to the Federal Professional Examination in Tinsmithing:

• Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (VET Diploma) as a plumber
• and at least 2 years of professional experience in the plumbing industry after completing vocational education and training (VET)

or

• Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (VET Diploma) in a related profession
• and at least 4 years of professional experience in the plumbing industry after completing vocational education and training (VET)

In addition to the above conditions, the following is required for the Federal Professional Examination in Tinsmith Polishing:

• Proof of the required module qualifications or certificates of equivalence
• Successful completion of the vocational trainer course

The individual modules are completed as compulsory modules (see course content) in the preparatory courses for the Federal Professional Examination. The module certificates are valid for five years. You will be informed in writing at least three months before the start of the Federal Professional Examination whether you meet the requirements for the tinsmith foreman / tinsmith foreman examination - in the event of rejection, including reasons and instructions on how to appeal.

Subject matter and content based on tinsmith foreman modules:

The subject matter of the preparatory courses for the Federal Diploma of Higher Education in Tinsmithing is based on the specifications of the responsible body for the Federal Diploma of Higher Education, theswisstec.

The tinsmith foreman modules form the learning content of the continuing education foreman further training:

• Practical work
  • Application technology 1 & 2:
    • Basic working techniques
    • Welding / soldering
    • Deform
  • Metal roofing and cladding:
    • Metal roof
    • Metal façade
  • Basics of waterproofing of buildings:
    • Bituminous waterproofing
    • Plastic films
    • Liquid plastic (connections and terminations)
• Work organization
  • Construction and technical drawing:
    • Drawing principles
    • Construction drawings, detailed sketches
    • Specialized drawing
  • Order processing:
    • AVOR (work preparation)
    • Project management
    • Occupational safety
• Professional knowledge
  • Lightning protection:
    • Standards/guiding principles/guidelines
    • Lightning protection systems (LPS)
  • Building science:
    • Dimensioning basics
    • Generally applicable standards and guidelines
    • Building physics
    • Building materials
    • Solar technology
  • Sloping roofs / clad exterior walls:
    • Standards, guidelines, instructions, information sheets
    • Building materials
    • Drainage
    • Pitched roofs / Clad exterior walls
    • Interfaces to other systems
    • Solar technology installation
  • Waterproofing of buildings
    • Standards, guidelines, instructions, information sheets
    • Sealing systems
    • Connections and terminations
    • Drainage
• Applied legal issues
  • Legal basis:
    • Basics of liability law and contract law
    • Fundamentals of employment contract law and the collective labor agreement (CLA)
    • Principles of the contract for work and services (with standard SIA 118)
    • Structure and functioning of our state system
    • Structure of the Swiss legal system
• Finance
  • Calculation basics:
    • NPK / Extent
    • Cost elements
• Personnel management
  • Personnel management:
    • The basic skills in communication
    • Using communication techniques
    • Fundamentals of leadership
    • The management functions
    • The personal management style
    • Management by objectives (MbO)
    • Assessing employees

Tinsmith polisher continuing education, further training costs and financing:

Depending on the provider and duration, the costs for training as a tinsmith foreman / tinsmith foreman vary. On average, these amounts are to be expected for the training costs:

• Course fees:approx. CHF 21,000 to CHF 25,600
  After taking the exam, you will receive around 50% of this back from the federal government on application (regardless of the result)*.
  Swisstec members receive a member discount of CHF 8,000. Participants who are subject to the canton's CLA receive an additional PLK contribution of CHF 2,800. PLZ stands for Paritätische Landeskommission, which promotes continuing education, further training and pays annual contributions to selected course organizers to directly reduce the cost of continuing education courses.
• Examination fees:CHF 400 (as at August 2025)
  The examination fee is set by the body responsible for the Federal Professional Examination. It is paid by the candidate after confirmation of admission to the tinsmith foreman examination.
• Extra costs:At some schools, the costs for preliminary courses, enrolment fees, teaching materials, training documents, books, accommodation, meals, travel expenses, intensive exam training, simulation exams, school diplomas and intermediate qualifications are not included in the course fees. Please contact the provider of your choice directly to find out what additional costs you can expect for training to become a tinsmith foreman.

*Since 1.1.2018, preparatory courses for Federal Professional Examination such as the tinsmith foreman training have been financially supported by the federal government. Graduates of these courses can therefore be reimbursed up to 50% (max. CHF 9,500) of the course costs paid after taking the federal examination. In cases of hardship, the federal contributions are also pre-financed in exceptional cases.

Duration of study, number of lessons and learning effort for the Federal Professional Examination in Tinsmithing:

• The tinsmith foreman training, continuing education, further training has a modular structure (i.e. some of the skills are assessed in module examinations before the Federal Professional Examination and are only tested across modules at the final examination). The continuing education, further training for plasterers lasts three to four semesters and includes around 420 lessons for the practical part and around 570 lessons for the theoretical part.
• The teaching times for the foreman course vary depending on the provider. The theoretical modules take place in the afternoon and on Saturdays or on one or two weekdays. However, the practical lessons are completed in around five to eight block weeks. However, there are also courses with around ten training blocks of two to three weeks each (around 23 weeks in total).
• Thanks to the extra-occupational concept of the tinsmith foreman training course, you can apply and deepen the learning material in practice straight away. Nevertheless, you should allow sufficient time for lesson preparation and follow-up as well as for self-study. Depending on your previous knowledge, working style and learning speed, we recommend that you allow the same amount of time for the additional workload as the regular course duration.

Note: Some schools offer so-called "taster lessons", which provide an insight into the lessons and the learning atmosphere. A suitable learning environment is important on the way to successful completion of the tinsmith foreman course.

Degree, diploma and title:

The Federal Professional Examination "Plumber with Federal Diploma of Higher Education" is held annually in German, French and Italian, provided that the minimum number of 10 candidates meet the admission requirements.

Candidates for the Federal Professional Examination in Tinsmithing and Plumbing will be notified at least 30 days before the start of the examination. The invitation includes the examination program (with details of the place and time of the examination as well as permitted aids) and the list of experts.

The Federal Professional Examination for Tinsmiths comprises the following two parts:

• Case study (written, 4 hours, double weighting):
  This is a predetermined project that covers as many of the tasks of a future tinsmith foreman as possible and corresponds to the object model of today. The implementation is assessed according to:
  • Obtaining an overview of the content and scope of the individual tasks
  • Self-assessment with time management
  • Task solution with consideration of time management

• Expert discussion (oral, 45 minutes, single weighting) - this includes:
  • Extensive list of questions for the case study
  • Some detailed questions from the written project

Diploma and title

Graduates of the Federal Professional Examination receive a Federal Diploma of Higher Education and are entitled to use the federally recognized and protected title "Tinsmith foreman with Federal Diploma of Higher Education" or "Tinsmith foreman with Federal Diploma of Higher Education".

• In French: "Contremaître en ferblanterie avec brevet fédéral"
• In Italian: "Capo lattoniere con attestato professionale federale", "Capo lattoniera con attestato professionale federale"
• In English: "Chief Plumbing Engineer with Federal Diploma of Professional Education and Training" (Attention: This is only a recommendation/translation and not a protected title)