Foremen are responsible for the structural maintenance of outdoor facilities and buildings. They are responsible for the cost-efficient planning of the maintenance of green areas, roads, paths, collection points and sewage systems, which includes repairs, maintenance of equipment and vehicles as well as winter services. The foreman is also responsible for personnel management and acts as a vocational trainer. In most cases, they work for the public sector.

The complete foreman/worksman course comprises 400 lessons spread over three semesters. The course takes place alternately on Mondays all day and on Saturday mornings in one week and on Thursday evenings in the other.

The foreman course provides specific specialist knowledge on the topics of road maintenance and sewerage, water cycle, nature conservation, collection points, public facilities, environment and machinery, as well as operational management, administration and personnel management. There is also a course for vocational trainers to enable them to train apprentices professionally.

This continuing education, further training to become a foreman is aimed at people who are already working in plant services and would like to take part in more in-depth training in order to be able to take on management tasks or further develop their existing management skills.

The costs for the training course to become a foreman in plant services, including the course, excursions, certificate examination, vocational trainer course with a federally recognized qualification and teaching materials, amount to CHF 7,500 (as of 2017).

The admission requirements for the foreman/works service course are a Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (Federal VET Diploma in Plant Maintenance) or an equivalent qualification with at least three years of professional experience in the works service or six years of professional experience in this field without a Federal VET Diploma.