Provided you do not already have several further education qualifications in which you have already passed the module qualifications required for the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE), it is essential that you attend a school and complete the individual modules. If you already have module qualifications that are identical to the requirements for the modules, you can apply for a certificate of equivalence and do not have to attend and complete this module. However, as this is a very individual clarification, please contact the relevant vocational school or training center directly.

The diploma thesis, the case study and the oral examination to become a master tinsmith with a federal diploma do not necessarily have to be in German. You also have the option of taking them in French or Italian. However, you should make a note of this in advance when registering for the final examination.

For the diploma thesis to become a master tinsmith with a federal diploma, you will work independently and at home on a task set by the QA committee. You have up to four weeks to turn this into a thesis, which normally takes 15 to 20 hours to complete. You can find the details of the thesis in the examination regulations and the guidelines, which you can order directly from the schools.

After continuing education, further training as a master tinsmith with a federal diploma, you will be ideally prepared for self-employment and have the know-how to run a company. During your training, you will learn everything you need to know about business management, administration, customer care and customer acquisition. You will deal with the tasks of public relations and successful marketing, employee scheduling and material planning and ordering. You will also be familiar with occupational safety and the applicable standards and regulations, cost estimates, budget planning and post-calculations, accounting, finance, insurance and taxation. Negotiations and personnel management also fall within your area of responsibility as a master tinsmith. All these skills and your experience as a tinsmith foreman are sufficient for you to take the step towards self-employment as a master tinsmith and take over or set up your own tinsmith business.