You should have the following personal qualities for further training as a purchasing specialist:

• Self-confidence and a confident demeanor
• Communication skills, negotiation skills
• Sociability, strong communication skills Diplomacy
• Analytical thinking and commercial skills
• Organized and efficient way of working
• Personal responsibility and assertiveness
• Ability to work in a team
• High customer and service orientation
• Good foreign language skills

Graduates of the advanced training course for purchasing specialists with a federal certificate are able to carry out operational procurement processes derived from the procurement strategy. They have the necessary expertise to analyze and optimize internal process chains as well as the entire procurement process. They review risks and cost structures along the process chains and are able to develop and implement improvement measures. Regular supplier evaluations, independent negotiation with internal and external partners and methodical research of procurement markets round off the skills profile of procurement specialists.

The following admission criteria apply to the Federal Professional Examination for Purchasing Specialists with a Federal PET Diploma:

• Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training, high school diploma (all types), technical college diploma or equivalent and 3 years of professional experience in purchasing, procurement, materials management or logistics
• or a Federal VET Certificate and 5 years of professional experience in purchasing, procurement, materials management or logistics
• or a Federal Diploma of Higher Education in the field of materials management, purchasing, procurement or logistics

Holders of the title "Purchasing Specialist with Federal Certificate of Competence" who are planning the next step in their career and aspire to a leading position in the purchasing industry can attend the course "Higher Professional Examination for Purchasing Managers with Federal Diploma".

The following content is taught during the purchasing specialist training:

• Procurement logistics
• Procurement strategies
• Procurement market research
• Finance and accounting
• Conversation and negotiation skills
• Supplier and quality management
• Price and cost structure analysis
• Project management
• Supply Chain Management & Sustainability
• Self-management and leadership
• Contract law
• Economics

The professional examination for purchasing specialists with a federal certificate consists of twelve parts:

Written part of the final examination:

• Procurement logistics (90 min.)
• Supplier management (90 min.)
• Procurement strategies (60 min.)
• Procurement market research (90 min.)
• Price and cost structure analysis (90 min.)
• Supply Cham Management and Sustainability (45 min.)
• Project management (60 min.)
• Finance and accounting (60 min.)

Oral part of the final examination:

• Contract law (30 min.)
• Economics (30 min.)
• Self-management and leadership (30 min.)
• Conversation and negotiation skills (45 min.)