HR specialist training: experiences and assessments by Rolf Schmalz - Head of Training at WBA - on requirements, specializations, careers and development opportunities

Rolf Schmalz

What have you done professionally so far and who are you?

My name is Rolf Schmalz and I live in Winterthur. I run my own school Art of Formation - Weiterbildung WBA - and offer adult education in the field of business administration. I myself have attended various training and further education courses in the field of business administration and have worked in various sectors. I have always enjoyed working as a lecturer in adult education to pass on my knowledge.

To whom would you recommend the HR specialist apprenticeship?

I would recommend training as an HR specialist to three categories of people:

• Working in the HR department of an SME
• Working at the RAV
• Working in a recruitment agency

For all these areas, training as an HR specialist is an important foundation stone for their professional activities.

What are the requirements for this federal certificate in human resources?

The mandatory edupool.ch certificate course in human resources management is required to acquire the basic knowledge before training as an HR specialist with a federal certificate can begin. Four years of professional experience are also required after the EFZ - two of which must be in HR.

What type of person should you be as an HR specialist?

HR specialists are people who are bombarded with problems from all employees all day long. So it's also a tough job as an HR specialist. This is because many problems come together that always have to be solved immediately. You have to be aware of this. This requires a high degree of flexibility and mental resilience. HR specialists need a broad shoulder. In other words, they are people who appreciate it when you make allowances for them.

What are the classic careers and positions that benefit from an HR specialist qualification?

When you talk about careers with an HR specialist, there are three possibilities:

• HR employee who carries out personnel work in the SME
• Team or department manager in the RAV for support in the area of work integration
• Team or department manager of a recruitment agency

What is the most common specialization in the HR specialist vocational examination?

There are the following three specializations in HR specialist training:

• Operational Human Resource Management
• Public recruitment and consulting
• Private recruitment and staff leasing

The greatest interest in the first version is for the classic HR specialist who deals with personnel matters in an SME. This includes recruiting and separating employees, advising employees and line managers. Assessment, development and remuneration are also important aspects of the job - as are project management and infrastructure management.

Are there alternatives to the HR specialists course?

There are not really any alternatives to training as an HR specialist. The only option would be to study at a university of applied sciences or university. However, such an HR degree course is very subject-specific and not very practice-oriented.

What career opportunities do people with an HR specialist qualification have?

The classic follow-up training to the HR specialist is the higher specialist examination to become an HR manager with a federal diploma. This is particularly suitable for people who work in larger companies and manage several hundred employees.

Overview "HR Specialist"