HR assistant (now HR assistant): further education, training, schools at a glance

The HR Assistant course is suitable for HR assistants:

• for all those who would like to enter the field of human resources. (Training is a prerequisite for most vacancies).
• For employees who have acquired theoretical knowledge in practice and would like to consolidate and deepen their knowledge of human resources.
• For future graduates of the HR Specialist with Federal Certificate course, passing the certificate examination is a prerequisite for admission.

Im Bereich der Personalassistenz wird von der Trägerschafts HRSE eine Zertifikatsprüfung angeboten, die von HR Swiss, dem Verband der Personaldienstleister Swissstaffing, dem Kaufmännischen Verband Zürich, dem Schweizerischen Arbeitgeberverband, dem Verband der Personal- und Ausbildungsfachleute (VPA) sowie dem Verband Schweizerischer Arbeitsmarktbehörden (VSAA) getragen wird. Somit geniesst der Abschluss zum / zur „Personalassistent/in mit Zertifikat von HRSE Human Resources Swiss Exams“ ein weitreichendes Ansehen in der Schweiz.

A personnel assistant (in Switzerland) performs day-to-day assistance functions and tasks in the human resources department of larger companies. In SMEs and the public sector, they can even independently manage payroll and personnel administration and deal with basic questions of employment and social security law. They also support the planning and coordination of all personnel activities as well as personnel-oriented company management.

Upon successful completion of the course, the HR Assistant certificate is issued with recognition from the Swiss Association for Professional and Higher Professional Examinations in Human Resources. The certificate is established and recognized by employers and is almost invariably a prerequisite for job advertisements in the field of HR assistance.

Wer eine Ausbildung absolviert und die Prüfung Personalassistent/in bestanden hat, der kann als Sachbearbeiter respektive Sachbearbeiterin im Human Resources eine Anstellung finden und dort administrative Aufgaben wahrnehmen. HR-Assistenten und -Assistentinnen sind für die Erstellung von Stelleninseraten und deren Veröffentlichung in den verschiedensten Medien zuständig, der Erteilung von telefonischen Auskünften an Bewerbende, die Erstellung des Firmenportraits und der ausgeschriebenen sowie das Zusenden der Bewerbungsunterlagen an die Interessenten zuständig. Sie sind somit Kontaktperson zwischen Unternehmen und Bewerbern. Sie übernehmen die Sichtung der Bewerbungsdossiers und die Grobeinteilung der Kandidaten (Einladung zum Bewerbungsgespräch, zweite Wahl oder Absage). Bei einem Vorstellungsgespräch wirken sie mit, klären die Salärstufe und Sozialleistungen, kümmern sich um Grenzgänger-, Arbeits- und Aufenthaltsbewilligungen für ausländische Mitarbeitende und arbeiten auf Anweisung des Human Resource die Arbeitsverträge aus. Sie kümmern sich um Austrittsgespräche, Arbeitszeugnisse und Austrittsformalitäten. Auch innerbetrieblich dient eine Personalassistentin / ein Personalassistent als Kontakt zwischen dem Unternehmen und den Mitarbeiten, etwa bei Themen wie Krankheit, Lohn, Arbeitszeiten, Unfall, Zulagen, Beförderungsanliegen, Problemen am Arbeitsplatz, Burn-out und Versetzungen.

You can achieve the following with a personnel assistant training course:

• Gain an overview of important topics in human resources
• Build a good foundation in human resources through HR assistant training
• Acquire basic knowledge for general personnel administration
• Expand knowledge of personnel issues
• Develop yourself in your private life too - e.g. by dealing better with priorities
• Preparation for external examination - also through simulation test
• Gain confidence through HR assistant training, feel comfortable in the HR sector and want to develop further
• Gain a foothold in human resources as a personnel assistant

Nach Abschluss des Lehrgangs steht Personalassistentinnen und Personalassistenten beispielsweise eine Weiterbildung zum HR-Fachmann / zur HR-Fachfrau mit eidgenössischem Fachausweis offen, ebenso wie diverse Lehrgänge von Schulen, Verbänden und Höheren Fachschulen.

Die Personalassistent / Personalassistentin Zertifikatsprüfung besteht aus fünf Prüfungsteilen, die online durchgeführt werden und insgesamt drei Stunden umfassen. Mit 30 Prozent liegen die Hauptgewichtungen auf den Prüfungsteilen „Personaladministration“ sowie „Lohnadministration“. Mit einer Gewichtung von 20 Prozent erfolgt der Teil „Arbeitsrechtliche Grundlagen“ sowie mit jeweils 10 Prozent Gewichtung die beiden Prüfungsteile „Grundlagen Human Resource Management“ sowie „Weitere Gebiete“.

The criteria for admission to the HR Assistant certificate examination are as follows:

• Matura or federal certificate of proficiency (apprenticeship certificate).
• 2 years of general professional experience after completion of training.
• 4 years of general professional experience if no Matura or certificate of proficiency (apprenticeship certificate) is available.
• Part-time assignments with a degree of employment of 70% or more are treated in the same way as full-time assignments.

Zur Zertifikatsprüfung „Personalassistent/in mit Zertifikat von HRSE Human Resources Swiss Exams“ wird zugelassen, wer über ein EFZ oder eine Maturität verfügt und mindestens zwei Jahre allgemeine Berufspraxis nach Abschluss vorweisen kann oder ohne eine dieser Abschlüsse mindestens vier Jahre allgemeine Berufserfahrung besitzt. Die Beschäftigungsdauer ist auf eine 100%-Tätigkeit ausgerichtet, bei einem niedrigeren Pensum verlängert sich die erforderliche Mindestberufstätigkeit entsprechend.

A survey of prospective students who have enquired at one or more schools about training as a personnel assistant reveals the following results:

• For 51%, an online assessment led to a school inquiry
• 24 % already knew the schools before the inquiry
• 25 % were recommended the school they enquired about

Schools with good online ratings are more frequently requested for HR assistant training (now HR assistant), as this survey result from the education platform Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch confirms. This is why the education platform also publishes star ratings of schools by students to make it easier for future students to choose a school.

We learned more interesting reasons via text responses:

• Schools near me
• Location and start time would be suitable
• I would like to take a trial lesson
• Looking for training as close to home as possible
• Internet research
• Since everything is online
• Online lessons
• because I don't know the school
• Location conditional
• By chance
• Start date
• because I would like to have more information about the training and the provider is not unfamiliar to me
• the training day fits best
• because I am under time pressure
• I came across it at www.ausbildung-weiterbildung.ch
• out of curiosity

74% of all people who are interested in further training as a human resources administrator do so in order to match this training opportunity with their own needs. They want to find out whether the training meets their own needs. This is shown by the survey conducted by the education portal Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch among the relevant people. In turn, 13% confirmed that they had been mentioned in job advertisements for HR assistant jobs as the reason for their inquiry. Another 13 % developed their interest through a recommendation. The free text responses also revealed other reasons:

• Knowledge building: "I already work in HR and would like to acquire more knowledge", "I would like to complete this course to deepen my knowledge, as I already worked in HR", "I would like to expand my knowledge in HR assistance and use this to benefit my current job", "To increase my knowledge in HR assistance", "To expand my knowledge", "Current HR consultant, expand specialist knowledge"
• Proof of qualification: "to be able to continue my professional training", "I want to continue my training in the direction of HR assistant", "retake failed exam", "because I already work as an HR assistant and have no training", "personal further training, personal perspective HR specialist", "possibly decisive for my future", "already work in HR", "is required in my job", "I already work in this function, but I still need further training", "I am aiming for the HR Fachfrau FA", "HRSE certificate exam is a must for admission to the eidg. FA HR"
• Interest: "Interest in human resources", "I need information about Swiss labor law and payroll accounting in Switzerland", "Learning something new that interests me"
• Job change: "I would like to work in HR", "I would like to develop myself further", "I would like to work in a new profession", "I work in HR but don't have a degree in it. I am looking to change jobs in HR.", "Because I want to change to this area."

Je nach gewählter Ausbildungsstätte hat der Zertifikatslehrgang Personalassistent / Personalassistentin eine Dauer von einem bis zwei Semester, die berufsbegleitend absolviert werden.

During training as an HR assistant, you will acquire the knowledge required to perform a qualified job in personnel administration. In smaller companies, they carry out HR administration tasks independently. In larger companies, HR assistants effectively support and relieve their line manager.

The content of all the training courses mentioned is basically the same:

• HR Assistant (Cert.)
• Human Resources Administrator (Certified)
• Personnel Assistant (Cert.)

What is different is the recognition by the association HRSE (Human Resources Swiss Exams).

Anyone wishing to train as an HR specialist in the future should complete a course with an HRSE certificate.

Participants in the further training course for HR assistants learn the following subjects:

• Fundamentals of Human Resources Management (HRM mission, sub-processes, etc.)
• Personnel administration (recruitment, employment references, etc.)
• Salary administration (payroll accounting, social insurance, etc.)
• Labor law basics (contract, duties, etc.)
• other topics such as commercial register, education system etc.

In short, the HR assistant further training (now HR assistant further training or HR assistant further training) provides the necessary knowledge to independently manage personnel administration in an SME or public company.