The Federal Professional Examination for Trainers with a Federal Certificate is suitable for anyone working in adult education who wants to qualify as a specialist in the education market and demonstrate their methodological and didactic skills with a qualification recognized by SERI (State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation).

The words Ausbilder or Ausbildner or Ausbilderin or Ausbildnerin are synonyms with no difference in meaning. Overall, the majority of people in Switzerland use the variant Ausbildner / Ausbildnerin. However, the official title after the Federal Professional Examination is instructor with a federal certificate. Professional certificate.

Required module qualifications for the federal certificate for trainers:

• Old system since 2015:
  • Module 1 - Conducting learning events with adults
  • Module 2 - Supporting group processes in learning events
  • Module 3 - Informing and supporting learners
  • Module 4 - Planning learning events for adults
  • Module 5 - Didactically designing learning events for adults
• New instructor system according to the new Ada modular system from 2023:
  • Group module
  • Accompanying module
  • Didactics module
  • Transversal module
  • Networking module
  • Specialization module

Further training courses after graduating as an instructor with a federal certificate:

• Higher professional examination for qualified training manager
• Higher professional examination for qualified Head of Human Resources
• CAS - MAS in Education Management / in E-Learning / in Knowledge Management
  
  

The results of a survey conducted by the education platform Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch answer this question about training for trainers as follows:

• 77% of respondents would still like to see whether this course meets their needs.
• However, 12% of survey participants show their interest on the basis of a recommendation.
• 11% show interest due to being mentioned in job advertisements.

We find out about other motives by means of a free text response option:

• "I want to be able to teach cosmetics"
• "New perspectives"
• "Filling gaps"
• "I would like to pass on my knowledge to learners and improve my CV as a result"
• "Because it interests me and suits me"
• "As we have juniors, I would like to give them the opportunity to start an apprenticeship with us"
• "Opens up new job prospects"
• "I have already completed this in Germany"

The course leading to the Federal Certificate of Competence for Trainers provides the necessary methodological and didactic skills to work as a qualified specialist in adult education. You will be able to conduct learning events, accompany group processes, inform and support learners and plan and didactically design learning events. You will learn about your role in a group and self-reflection. Various practical exercises in a protected environment as well as feedback from the outside leads to greater self-confidence for many. This also encourages you to try out new things. Participants learn about presence when teaching, good storytelling and how to integrate an arc of suspense into the training concept.

A survey of those interested in education revealed the following findings:

• 65% of respondents have sent school inquiries to schools for instructor training after reading an online assessment.
• 22% made school inquiries following a recommendation.
• 13% knew the school(s) they contacted for detailed information on further training.

Other reasons were given in free text responses: "because of the location", "I live nearby", "I wanted to get broad information", "Google suggestion", "good reputation" and "out of interest".

With a "Trainer (FPE)" training course, you can achieve the following according to graduates:

• Entry into qualified educational work with adults
• have the necessary social, professional and methodological skills
• Support adults in learning and respond to different types of learners
• Competent learning support for individuals or groups
• Design and organize courses/seminars and be responsible for implementation and evaluation
• Evaluate educational needs for specific target groups and create tailored educational concepts
• Intermediate qualification with SVEB certificate for course instructors
• prepare optimally for the Federal Diploma of Higher Education examination for trainers
• Obtain a Federal Diploma of Higher Education as an instructor
• Take advantage of new career opportunities
• Shortened entry into continuing education, further training to become a company mentor
• Further development in training management with a federal diploma or postgraduate courses

In an instructor job, the following activities are required after the professional examination:

• Leading courses, seminars and conferences
  • Organizing and following up on events
  • Train and develop employees
  • Leading courses for educational and leisure centers, clubs, associations and trade unions
• before the courses, seminars or conferences
  • Planning educational offers and developing new offers
  • Evaluate the training needs of companies, institutions or specific target groups
  • take into account subject-specific, methodological-didactic as well as educational policy, organizational and financial framework conditions
  • Define learning content and learning objectives with the client
• during courses, seminars and conferences
  • Competent support for individuals and groups
  • Accompany and support learners in the learning process
  • Motivating learners and checking learning progress

Instructor certificate - the following is required at the latest when applying for the certificate, i.e. when registering for the professional examination:

• At least three years of vocational training (EFZ) or a technical, vocational or high school diploma or
  Equivalent qualification at upper secondary level
• At least four years or 300 hours of professional experience in the field of training
• Acquisition of all required module qualifications
• Proof of at least 16 hours of group supervision in relation to the training practice

With some SVEB providers, it is possible to complete the SVEB certificate in combination with the recognized EUROLTA certificate for language course instructors. To be on the safe side, you should ask the schools directly whether this option is available. For people who want to teach languages, this is certainly an ideal supplement.

The requirements for instructor jobs are:

• Good general knowledge and a high level of expertise in their own specialist area
• Enjoy working with adults
• Interest in educational issues
• pedagogical talent
• Communication and conflict resolution skills
• Performance competence
• Organizational talent
• Time flexibility due to irregular assignments