Self-test: Is the "Maintenance Manager with Federal Diploma (HFP)" course the right one for me?
Change note: This higher professional examination is now offered under the title "Head of Facility Management and Maintenance".
Click here for the new self-test for facility management and maintenance managers.
Analysis of the functions and activities of federally certified maintenance managers
For whom is the "Maintenance Manager (HFP)" course suitable?
- Persons with a federal certificate as a maintenance specialist
- People with higher education in facility management and maintenance who aspire to a management and leadership position
What does the day-to-day work within these functions look like? Which activities are carried out and how often?
Maintenance managers lead a company in the maintenance sector or manage the maintenance department of a commercial, industrial or service company. They design the maintenance strategy and define the operational processes for its implementation. Their area of responsibility includes ensuring the permanent operational readiness and fault-free functioning of all systems and equipment, planning and monitoring regular inspection and repair work as well as concepts for the fastest possible troubleshooting, on-call service, etc. In addition to technical management, they are also responsible for the personnel management of the division and for the selection of management staff.
Job descriptions in job advertisements for maintenance managers:
| Main tasks | Frequency in % |
|---|---|
| Personnel and technical management of the teams and organizational units, technical advice to the operational areas regarding maintenance and upkeep | 30 |
| Co-design and implementation of the division strategy, responsibility for achieving the division's budget and process targets, acquisition and negotiation management with customers | 20 |
| Ensuring the operational readiness of technical systems and equipment, analyzing and optimizing work processes, designing preventive, planned maintenance and repairs for all systems, planning and monitoring recurring inspection work | 35 |
| Management, planning and collaboration in projects and in the continuous improvement process | 15 |
The weighting of the individual areas of responsibility can vary greatly depending on the job profile.
Typical requirements in job advertisements:
- Basic training in the sector or area of responsibility
- Several years of professional experience in maintenance and project management
- Proven management experience
- High quality orientation and assertiveness
- Forward-thinking, solution-oriented and innovative personality
- Good communication skills in German (written and spoken) and a good command of English
- Enjoy varied activities and interdisciplinary collaboration
Question 1:
Do the activities of maintenance managers correspond to my expectations?
Yes, if you like the actual job, you can assume that you are on the right track thematically. The next question is what type of training is best for you to acquire the relevant skills.
If individual parts of the tasks do not appeal to you, you could check job advertisements to see whether there are job profiles that are more in line with your wishes. Or take a look at the suggestions for similar training courses in other areas.
- Operations Manager Transportation and Logistics (HFP)
- Building cleaner (HFP)
- Janitor (HFP)
- Real estate trustee (HFP)
- Industrial foreman (HFP)
- Head of Technical Customer Service (HFP)
- Head of Facility Management (HFP)
- Supply Chain Manager (HFP)
If you do not like the job as a whole, you should find out about other further training opportunities that are possible with your previous training and professional experience.
Course description "Maintenance Manager (HFP)"
The most important key points of the "Maintenance Manager (HFP)" course are described here:
{#course descriptionLink#}
Question 2:
Are you generally interested in this course?
If you are interested in this course but answered "partly" or "no" to question 1, you should try to find out whether there are other types of jobs that you could do with this training that you like better than the job profile described in question 1.
If you have already answered "Yes" to question 1, then this course seems to fit your expectations.
If you like the job description under question 1 and you have marked "No" here, you should try to analyze which contents of the course would appeal to you and which would not. And with what you find out, you can look at the following further training opportunities in related fields to see if you can find something that better suits your interests.
And if you don't like the job description either, it might make sense to look for a different training program that suits you better.
- Operations Manager Transportation and Logistics (HFP)
- Building cleaner (HFP)
- Janitor (HFP)
- Real estate trustee (HFP)
- Industrial foreman (HFP)
- Head of technical customer service
- Head of Facility Management (HFP)
- Supply Chain Manager (HFP)
Requirements for admission to the higher specialist examination
- Federal certificate as a maintenance specialist and 5 years of professional experience in maintenance
- Or another federal higher vocational training qualification (BP, HFP, HF, FH) and at least 5 years of professional experience in maintenance and passed the MFS entry test (basics of maintenance)
Question 3:
Do I meet the requirements?
If you meet the requirements, you can start your training at the earliest possible date.
If you have a federal certificate that does not clearly belong to the area of facility management, ask directly at theAssociationaccording to your possibilities to be admitted.
If you have a professional qualification in maintenance / facility management but no specialist certificate, you should first find out about your options at the professional examination level. For example, maintenance specialist, building cleaning specialist or janitor.
If you have neither a federal certificate nor a professional qualification in facility management, find out about further training opportunities in your profession.
Financing of further training
The course fees for the "Maintenance Manager (HFP)" course must be paid either at the beginning of the course or by the semester. However, in individual cases it is also possible to agree individual installment payments.
Since 1.1.2018, preparatory courses for federal higher professional examinations have been financially supported by the federal government. Graduates of these courses can therefore be reimbursed up to 50% of the course costs paid after taking the federal examination.Further information is available here.
Question 4:
Are you in a position to pre-finance between CHF 11,800 and CHF 15,200 for the course fee until you are reimbursed the federal contribution after taking the final examination?
If you have marked "Yes" and would even be able to pay the full amount upfront, many schools will give you an additional discount.
If you have marked "Partial" or "No": Ask the schools about the possibility of individual installment payments. Or try to get your employer to make a contribution to your further education costs or find someone in your private social circle who will support your specific further education project with a loan. There are also banks and credit institutions that grant educational loans.
Time spent on classroom teaching and learning (homework)
The course lasts 2-4 semesters while working. The average amount of time spent in class is approx. 8-9 hours per week. The learning effort (homework) amounts to about 8 hours every two weeks in addition to the school lessons and a diploma thesis must be written towards the end of the course.
Question 5:
Can I cope with the time and effort required for the face-to-face lessons and homework?
If you can manage the workload very easily, this seems to be a good time for further training.
If you have little time, you should check whether you can create more freedom in another way. Could you reduce your workload a little or could someone close to you perhaps take on certain tasks for you for the limited period of your training?
Graduation?
Will I graduate?
General success factors are:
- Interest in the topic
- Active participation in lessons
- Preparation and follow-up of the lesson material at home
- Regular practice to get into the routine of solving tasks
- Contact and exchange with other participants, lecturers and successful former graduates of the course
Question 6:
Do I have the confidence to pass the final exams?
If you are confident that you can pass this qualification, the most you can do is consider whether you would like to achieve even better results using suitable learning and working methods or whether you would like to achieve the same results with less effort.
If you have marked "Partly" or "No", you should contact a course provider in person to find out more about the detailed subject matter, examination requirements and support options. Perhaps there is a preliminary course or supportive accompanying courses for subjects in which you have weaknesses. Or discuss whether there is the possibility of internal tests. In the case of intense exam anxiety, you may also want to consider external help from learning therapists, kinesiologists, autogenic training providers or mental training providers.
Receive course or training documents from suitable schools immediately
Under Instandhaltungsleiter / Instandhaltungsleiterin (HFP) you will find an overview of schools that offer the "Maintenance Manager (HFP)" course. You can request detailed documents with just one click and usually receive them directly by e-mail. You can also use the area search to find providers in your immediate vicinity.
Conclusion:
Before you want to complete the "Maintenance Manager (HFP)" course, you should be convinced that you really want to work in maintenance and repair management. The course description should also appeal to you. If you have answered these first two questions with a clear "yes", you can continue to look into this course. If you are unsure about these questions, you should consider which other further training courses are also suitable for you.
If you do not meet the admission requirements because you have not completed a Swiss basic education, contact the Examinations Office to find out about your admission options. If you do not have an apprenticeship certificate but have a high school diploma, find out about your options for admission to a degree course in Facility Management or take the "Facility Management FH" self-test at www.ausbildung-weiterbildung.ch
Financing further training is not always easy. Several thousand francs have to be paid over 1-2 years. In individual cases, many schools offer the option of semester or even individual monthly installment payments so that the entire amount does not have to be paid at once. In addition, it is helpful for part-time courses that participants continue to work during the course and thus earn money for the entire duration of the course. If this is not enough to finance the training alone, it is sometimes possible to obtain a loan from a private source. Banks and credit institutions sometimes also offer educational loans. A good argument for financing further education is the relatively quick amortization of costs through wage increases. Do the following calculation: How much would a wage increase of 10% per year amount to? How many years would you need to recoup the costs of the course? How much more will you earn over your entire working life as a result of this pay rise? In most cases, this is a six-figure sum, which confirms that training or further education is the best personal investment there is.
The time required for training or further education should not be underestimated. Going out, vacations and spontaneous wellness weekends often fall by the wayside. However, this time usually passes relatively quickly. The prospect of better job opportunities and more pay should be motivation enough to get through this time. It often helps to organize yourself into study groups. It also makes sense to stick with it right from the start and schedule fixed study times. Good learning effects can be achieved by creating summaries and mind maps. Flashcard systems help with memorization. There are many tools and ideas to make learning easier. You can obtain the guide "The personal learning strategy" free of charge if you register with a school via Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch.
If you have any doubts about whether you will pass the final exam, speak to your head teacher or course leader and ask for support. But with good motivation, perseverance and hard work, it is generally possible to pass these exams. If you suffer from exam anxiety, good preparation, various practical tips, therapeutic treatments or, in severe cases, even medication can help. You can obtain the guide "Overcoming exam anxiety" if you register with a school via Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch. Here you will also findsuitable providerson the subject of test anxiety.
The benefits of further training are usually measured in terms of a higher salary, more challenging tasks or promotions. This presupposes that you make an effort to change your professional position accordingly and, if necessary, are able to assert your demands. If you have already experienced that this is not always so easy for you, you could also check whether personal job coaching could be of benefit to you in addition to further training.
Now it's up to you to decide. If in doubt, seek personal advice from a school or external advice center. If you enquire about course or training documents via www.ausbildung-weiterbildung.ch, you will receive a free educational or school consultation worth CHF 150.00 on request.
You can find a list of providers here: {#courseLink#}
We wish you all the best in your professional and private lives and a bright and exciting future!
The team of Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch
Linda, deine Weiterbildungsfinderin