what is a craftsperson?
As a craftsperson, you handle a variety of tasks in your daily work. You're needed everywhere, whether in manufacturing plants, public buildings, or private homes. Your activities are quite diverse. You might be constructing buildings, installing electrical wiring, repairing cars, or operating machinery. In your job, you ensure everything runs smoothly. To do this, you rely on your expertise and tools. Even the trades are increasingly dependent on technical aids. Depending on your specialisation, you might use a tablet, app, software, or even a drone. Nonetheless, it’s important that, as a labourer, you’re willing to roll up your sleeves. Find out more about the profession of a craftsperson and discover attractive job opportunities.
craftsperson jobsworking as a craftsperson.
Your skill and unwavering determination to get things done define you as a craftsperson. Whatever needs installing, repairing, or operating, you just get on with it. Thanks to your expertise, everything runs smoothly. Still unsure about what to expect as a craftsperson? Keep reading, and you'll find out more.
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your area of responsibility
Your tasks as a craftsperson depend on your area of specialisation. The most well-known trades and their responsibilities are:
- Electrician: Your main task is to control electricity through electrical circuits. In this profession, you are already highly digitalised as a craftsperson. You specialise in exciting areas such as nanoelectronics with tiny circuits. As an electrician, you are well prepared for the future. After all, you also ensure that businesses and private homes are smart.
- Electrician: You are an electrician where electricity flows. This includes installing electrical appliances, laying cables, and mounting switchgear. If you specialise as a network electrician, you feed electrical power into communication networks.
- Maurer: Buildings are your world as a bricklayer. You raise them up and keep them in good condition. You don’t rely solely on traditional tools; digital technology supports you in your work. Nevertheless, you primarily trust your hands. Concrete work, laying bricks, and rendering are your daily bread. Neither adverse weather conditions nor lofty heights deter you.
- Polymechanic: Programming and operating machines are your responsibilities as a polymechanic. No manufacturing operation can do without you. You’re involved in the development of components, tools, and entire systems. Once everything is perfectly set up, you start the machines running.
- Carpenter: As a carpenter, you're the artist among tradespeople. Under your hands, furniture, staircases, and decorative elements come to life. It's fascinating what you can create from a piece of wood or other materials. As a carpenter, you have various options to specialise in. For example, in ski manufacturing, it all revolves around two planks that mean the world to you.
- Service technician: When machines and equipment are involved, there's no getting around you as the service technician. You're the one who sets them up, maintains, and repairs them. Companies and private individuals rely on you to keep everything running smoothly.
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who are your colleagues?
Machines, software, and tools are part of your team. Whether you're on a construction site, in manufacturing, or working in service engineering, you collaborate with colleagues. As a lone wolf, you’re at a disadvantage in the trades. If a machine breaks down overnight in a hospital, an immediate solution is required. You can't do everything on your own, so you work in shifts with your colleagues. For larger projects, you support as an project assistant or team leader. Who your colleagues are mainly depends on your area of specialisation. For example, as a craftsperson on construction sites, you work with roofers, architects, and civil engineers. In manufacturing plants, you work closely with machine operators and service technicians.
types of craftsmen.
As a craftsperson, you have many options to specialise. You choose what suits you best based on your preferences and strengths. Below, you'll find a selection:
- plant and equipment manufacturer
- automation technician
- automobile mechatronics technician
- electrician
- facade builder
- cold system technician
- design engineer
- painter
- road builder
wages as a craftsperson.
Your training and specialisation have a significant impact on your salary as a craftsperson. Once you have completed a recognised technical basic qualification (EFZ), you will earn more than an unskilled worker. Additionally, extra benefits such as shift allowances, night pay, or on-call duties also come into play. As a service technician, you often receive a company car and commissions for securing sales. In some trades, collective employment agreements (GAV) set a minimum wage. Larger companies tend to pay higher wages for complex tasks compared to simpler jobs. Therefore, your starting salary as a craftsperson can vary widely. Expect between 54,700 CHF and 79,900 CHF annually. This translates to roughly 4,200 CHF to 6,100 CHF per month.
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how much do I earn as a craftsperson in a permanent position?
As a craftsperson, your gross salary typically ranges between 63,000 CHF and 115,000 CHF. Per month, this amounts to between 5,200 CHF and 9,600 CHF. Some companies also pay you a 13th month’s salary. Numerous additional benefits can boost your basic pay. Large companies may attract you with shorter working hours and longer holidays. The career advancement opportunities should not be underestimated either. If you progress into middle management through further training, you can earn around 20 per cent more. Your increasing work experience also guarantees a higher salary. In Zurich or Basel, companies tend to pay higher wages than in Bern or Graubünden. When comparing job offers, pay attention to the overall package, not just the basic salary.
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in which industry do I earn the most as a craftsperson?
Many factors influence your salary. Generally, you earn excellent wages in the pharmaceutical and metal industries. However, your additional benefits tend to be lower in these sectors. Shift work, free shift meals, and discounts in shops are common perks in the food industry. The more complex your tasks, the more companies are willing to pay you. For example, your salary in nanoelectronics and medical technology is higher than in retail. As a specialist, you earn more than a generalist. Global corporations with international assignments tend to pay better than small planning firms. However, in smaller companies, you often have greater responsibility than in larger organisations. Ultimately, you should decide what suits you best.
vocational training and further education as a craftsperson.
Typically, as a craftsperson, you complete a technical basic education. Your apprenticeship concludes after three to four years with the Swiss Federal Certificate of Competence (EFZ). You have a solid foundation if you train as an electrician, production mechanic, carpenter, or bricklayer. If you lack the perseverance, you can work in the construction industry as a construction operative EBA after two years. With several years of work experience, you have the opportunity to further qualify or specialise. Professional associations and universities of applied sciences offer a wide range of courses. Technologies are constantly evolving, so it’s essential for you as a craftsperson to keep your skills and knowledge up to date.
positions as a craftsperson.
Tradespeople are in demand wherever technical understanding and hands-on skills are needed. Ultimately, your specialised field determines where you work. This is how you can find attractive jobs in manufacturing companies, the ICT sector, construction, and environmental technology. Carpenters mainly work in furniture companies. As an electronics technician, you are versatile, whether in energy technology, IT, or mechanical engineering. Wherever you want to work, you can find top employers through Randstad. Are you looking for an interesting position? You’ll find such opportunities on this page.
jobs for career changers as tradespeople.
You can find a position in the trades even as an unskilled worker. However, having a basic technical qualification (EFZ) will improve your chances and your salary. You can acquire any missing knowledge through further training. As a career changer with several years of work experience, you have good prospects. Some companies offer internal training on their machinery and then assign you to specific tasks. The most important thing is that you are eager to learn and want to develop your skills.
career opportunities as a craftsperson.
With a technical foundation of EFZ, all doors are open to you as a craftsperson. Even if you haven't completed an apprenticeship yet, there are plenty of further training opportunities available. Take a look at the offerings from professional associations, vocational colleges, and universities of applied sciences. Depending on your area of expertise, you can develop your skills further and specialise, for example, as a manufacturing specialist or a craftsperson in heritage conservation. Your professional qualification forms the basis for your career as a project or team leader. By undertaking further training in business management and leadership skills, you lay the groundwork for a managerial career. If you’re driven by ambition in your work, part-time university studies are a good option. You can acquire in-depth knowledge in electronics or systems engineering. With a diploma as a certified technician or a Bachelor of Science, you can climb the career ladder. Want to develop further as a craftsperson? Check out our tests and tips.
competencies as a craftsperson.
As a craftsperson, you mainly need technical understanding and a good sense of touch. However, that's not enough on its own to succeed in your profession. What makes you a sought-after employee are your technical skills and personal qualities such as:
- Skill: With skilled hands, you identify and resolve faults. You assemble components with confidence and handle tools adeptly. In the construction industry, you quickly lay bricks one after the other. From wood, you craft furniture with craftspersonship. In short, you are a skilled craftsperson who handles tools and materials with ease.
- Carefulness: As a labourer and skilled craftsperson, you work diligently, even under time pressure. You adhere to all safety regulations and hygiene standards. This helps prevent damage and injuries. In certain specialised fields, failing to work precisely can have serious consequences. For example, it can lead to crooked walls, wobbly furniture, or faulty electrical wiring.
- Flexibility: Machines are idle or the construction site is behind schedule. In such cases, you need to be flexible. You might have to give up your evening and work longer hours. Sometimes, you’re even working overnight or at the weekend. Employers and clients can rely on you in times of need.
- Resilience: Working in crafts also means being physically fit. You’re often on the move, working standing up and kneeling down. This requires well-trained muscles and sturdy tendons. In some trades, you’re exposed to wind and weather. Your hardy nature ensures that you enjoy your work.
- Friendliness and communication: As a craftsperson, you work closely with a variety of colleagues. Your outgoing and approachable nature is a real advantage here. Customers also appreciate your open attitude. You’re helpful, provide advice, and explain things clearly without using complicated technical jargon.
- Thirst for knowledge: In your trade as a craftsperson, you never stop learning. Standards change, technologies evolve. You genuinely enjoy keeping your knowledge up to date. Curious as you are, you’re always on the lookout for new solutions. They make your work easier. Plus, they provide added value for businesses and customers alike.
benefits of working as a craftsperson with randstad.
There are many good reasons to work as a craftsperson at Randstad:
✓ exciting jobs with well-known companies
✓ a reliable point of contact whenever you need one; personalised advice matters
✓ attractive employment conditions and good social benefits
✓ further education courses and personal development opportunities
✓ clear information in the myRandstad app
✓ do you have a fixed-term contract? Often, there’s the opportunity to secure a permanent position afterwards. Many well-known companies also recruit their staff directly through Randstad.
your training budget as a craftsperson with randstad.
If you work as a craftsperson for Randstad, you have access to further training courses. As part of TempTraining programme from swissstaffing, you can attend training sessions. You will later get the course fees reimbursed, provided you pass the course exam. Your Randstad advisor is there to support you if you have any questions. This way, you can acquire additional language skills or job-specific knowledge — all during your working hours as a craftsperson.
application tips for tradespeople at randstad.
Have you found your dream job as a craftsperson? It's not just qualifications and certificates that determine the success of your applications. Careful, error-free, and personalised documents will definitely help you in your job search. Here are a few useful tips to optimise your chances.
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find a craftsperson position
Search through Randstad job vacancies. If you can't find a position that’s exactly right for you, you’re still welcome to get in touch with us personally, without any obligation, or to create a Randstad profile.
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applying as a craftsperson
The job advert continues: apply online, give us a call, or send us an email.
Make sure your documents are complete:
✓ CV with photograph
✓ work references & diplomasYou don't have a CV yet, or only an outdated version? Create a new layout using a Free Online Template.
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preparing for a job interview as a craftsperson
A good preparation will help you stay calm during the conversation as a craftsperson.
Here you’ll find tips for your job interview.
frequently asked questions.
Here you will find frequently asked questions about working as a craftsperson.
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what does a craftsperson do?
As a craftsperson, your main job is to ensure everything runs smoothly. Depending on your specialisation, you might be building structures, operating machinery, or installing electrical wiring. Alongside your practical skills, you also make good use of digital tools. And you’re really keen to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in. Find out more about what to expect as a craftsperson here.
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how much do I earn as a craftsperson?
Your gross salary as a craftsperson depends on your area of expertise and your training. As a labourer, you earn less than with a basic technical qualification (EFZ). However, you can typically expect between CHF 63,000 and CHF 115,000 annually. That works out to roughly CHF 5,200 to CHF 9,600 per month. Additional payments such as shift or night allowances will boost your base salary. Read more about your gross earnings as a craftsperson on this page.
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is being a craftsperson a good profession?
As a craftsperson, you don’t need to worry about your future. You’ll find a job everywhere that’s also enjoyable. In this profession, you’ll have a variety of tasks and countless opportunities to specialise. Variety is guaranteed in your line of work. Attractive wages and excellent career prospects make the role particularly appealing. Are you looking for a secure job with outstanding future prospects? Then read on quickly to find out what awaits you as a craftsperson.
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is it difficult for a craftsperson?
A craftsperson is a physically demanding and responsible profession. It’s down to you to ensure that machines run smoothly and buildings are constructed properly. Technical challenges await, and it’s your job to find solutions. Thanks to your enthusiasm for all things technical and your eagerness to learn, you’ll overcome every task. Find out more about the profession of a craftsperson on this page.
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do you need experience to become a craftsperson?
To get started as a craftsperson, you need technical understanding and a willingness to develop your skills. A basic technical qualification (EFZ) and work experience will improve your chances. Companies are willing to pay you a higher salary if you can demonstrate relevant experience. As a career changer with prior work experience, you also have good prospects. Read here to find out which skills you need as a craftsperson.
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what requirements do I need to meet to become a craftsperson?
Typically, you apply as a craftsperson with a completed apprenticeship in a technical profession. This gives you excellent prospects in the job market. However, as a career changer with relevant work experience, you are also in demand. If you have a strong determination to get stuck in and to continue your training, you’ll have the best chances in a job interview. Discover our current vacancies for tradespeople here.
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how do I apply for a vacant position as a craftsperson?
Your application for a craftsperson role is straightforward: at Randstad, you create a profile and browse our job board for available positions nearby. Have you found a suitable vacancy? Then send us your cover letter along with your CV and certificates. Need some help with your application? Feel free to take a look at our application tips for guidance.
