Plumber CV: Example and Template
This is what a convincing CV for plumbers in Switzerland looks like - with technical terms, standards and figures that building services companies expect.
Currently 55 open Plumber positions in Switzerland, across 1 cantons, 5 of them from the last 7 days. Pemsa Svizzera advertises the most.
CV example — two-page template
This template is editable straight away — or upload your existing CV and it is carried into this layout automatically.
Check your CV against real Swiss job adverts
The check compares your CV with what Swiss adverts actually ask for — structure, language level, missing evidence.
Check my CVWhich qualifications and permits belong on a plumber's CV?
First state your title exactly as awarded - Plumber EFZ, Building Services Practitioner EBA, Head Plumbing Foreman with Federal Professional Certificate, or Master Plumber with Federal Diploma - followed by the permits you are actually authorised to use.
Swiss employers first check your CV to see which level you hold. Therefore state the qualification in full: 'Plumber EFZ, vocational school and training company, year'. If you have earned the Head Plumbing Foreman title with Federal Professional Certificate or the Federal Diploma as Master Plumber, this belongs in the header next to your name, because it is associated with costing, site management and apprentice training.
If you obtained your qualification abroad, add the status of recognition by the SBFI and the comparison to the EFZ. Phrase it factually, for example 'Diploma Idraulico (IT), SBFI recognition procedure submitted 04/2024'. This avoids follow-up questions and shows that you know the Swiss system.
Permits and courses are a selection criterion for plumbing companies: SVGW G1 permit for gas installations, drinking water hygiene courses SVGW W3/E3, welding certifications for PE and PP, brazing and press training from system suppliers, as well as Suva courses for shaft and height work. List these with the year and mark which are still valid.
How do I describe my work experience as a plumber convincingly?
Three to four bullet points per role with figures: running metres, fixture groups, number of apartments, contract volume in CHF, and your role within the team.
Start each position with a context sentence about the company and the type of construction site, so the HR manager can identify whether you come from new-build construction, renovation of occupied properties, or service work. These three worlds differ greatly, and companies specifically look for one of them.
Follow with measurable points instead of task lists. Don't write 'installation of plumbing pipes', but rather 'riser zone renovation in 38 occupied apartments with a maximum of one day of water interruption per apartment' or 'plumbing volume CHF 1.4 million, leadership of 6 plumbers, handover 2 weeks ahead of schedule'. Also name the systems you master: Optipress, Mapress, Mepla, Geberit Duofix, PE wastewater with butt welding.
Also demonstrate quality and documentation, because that is exactly where costs arise. Mention pressure and leak-tightness tests, flushing and handover protocols, quantity surveys according to NPK, fire protection sealing according to VKF, and coordination with electrical, heating and site management. If you have reduced complaints or rework, give the figures before and after.
How long should the CV be, does it need a photo, and what is Swiss-specific?
Two pages; a friendly portrait photo is still common in the construction and building services sector, and details such as driving licence, work permit and availability belong clearly visible on page one.
Keep the CV to a maximum of two pages and present the last ten years in detail; earlier positions are sufficient as single lines. Use the word CV consistently, a clearly legible font, and month/year for all periods so that no gaps appear. Explain any employment gaps in one line, for example further training, military service or family time.
A photo is not mandatory, but it is common in the trades and builds trust: a neutral portrait in work or everyday clothing is sufficient. In the header, add your place of residence, citizenship or permit (B, C, G), driving licence category B or BE, any forklift licence, on-call availability, and your possible start date - these are the points that will be asked about in the first interview anyway.
Tailor the CV to the region and the company: language skills with level (German, understanding of Swiss German dialect, Italian, French) are crucial on construction sites, as is familiarity with SVGW, SIA and suissetec requirements. If you need to state your salary expectations, stay within a realistic range for the role, for example CHF 85'000 as a Head Plumbing Foreman, and put it in the cover letter, not the CV.
Where Plumber are hired in Switzerland
How the 55 open positions are spread across the cantons.
Figures as a table
| Canton | postings |
|---|---|
| Tessin | 29 |
Which languages the postings require
Of 40 postings that state a language — in brackets, those requiring professional level.
Figures as a table
| Language | postings |
|---|---|
| Italian | 40 (40) |
| German | 6 (0) |
Who hires Plumber in Switzerland
Employers with the most open positions. Staffing agencies are excluded.
Figures as a table
| Employer | postings |
|---|---|
| Pemsa Svizzera | 55 |
Full-time or part-time?
How the positions are advertised.
Figures as a table
| Workload | postings |
|---|---|
| Vollzeit / plein temps | 54 |
| Teilzeit / partiel | 1 |
The CV in full
To read through and reuse.
Luca Bernasconi
Head Plumbing Foreman with Federal Professional Certificate, Plumber EFZ
Plumber EFZ with 11 years of experience in new-build construction, renovation and emergency service, Head Plumbing Foreman with Federal Professional Certificate since 2019. I manage construction sites with contract volumes of up to CHF 1.4 million, report quantities according to NPK and ensure compliance with SVGW W3 and SIA 385/1. My strength lies in clean handovers: pressure tests, flushing protocols and legionella prevention are documented before the site management even asks.
What sets me apart
Drinking water hygiene, not just pipe laying: I size riser and distribution pipes according to SVGW W3/E1 and plan circulation and flushing stations so that hot water temperatures permanently comply with SIA 385/1 - across 3 renovations without a single positive legionella finding.
Site management backed by figures: I coordinate weekly reports, quantity surveys according to NPK (CRB) and material call-offs myself; on 14 construction sites, the deviation between calculated and billed hours was under 5 percent.
Emergency service with a high first-time fix rate: On on-call duty, I resolve 9 out of 10 call-outs on the first visit - from CCTV drain inspections to defective backflow preventers and the replacement of concealed cisterns (Geberit Duofix).
Trainees who stay: I have mentored 5 apprentice plumbers (EFZ); all passed their final exam (QV), 3 of them with a grade above 5.0 in the practical part.
Key achievements
Large housing development with 64 apartments handed over on schedule. Plumbing installation across 5 phases with 4'800 running metres of press piping and 128 fixture groups; handover 2 weeks ahead of schedule, snag list at acceptance with only 7 items.
Reduced a property's water consumption by 22 percent. Replacement of 96 fittings with flow class Z, installation of circulation control and leak detection on 3 riser zones - savings of around CHF 11'000 in water and energy costs per year.
Halved rework in service. Introduced a digital checklist for pressure testing (leak-tightness test per SVGW W3), flushing and handover protocol: complaints fell within 12 months from 34 to 15 per year.
Experience
Head Plumbing Foreman — Aquaverde Haustechnik AG, Zurich, since 03/2020
Building services company with 45 employees, focused on residential construction and renovations in the Canton of Zurich.
- Leading up to 6 plumbers and 2 apprentices on construction sites with plumbing volumes from CHF 250'000 to CHF 1.4 million
- Delivery of 64 apartments in Wallisellen: 4'800 lm of Optipress and Mepla piping, 128 fixture groups, handover 2 weeks ahead of schedule
- Quantity surveying and reporting per NPK in Sorba: hourly deviation from calculation under 5 percent across 14 properties
- Conversion of 3 hot water systems to SIA 385/1-compliant temperatures including flushing plan, 0 positive legionella findings in 4 years
Plumber EFZ, Renovation Division — Rohrwerk Meier GmbH, Winterthur, 08/2016 - 02/2020
Renovation specialist for occupied multi-family buildings, teams of 2 to 3 people.
- Riser zone renovation in 38 occupied apartments with a maximum of 1 day of water interruption per apartment
- Installation of 62 water softening and filter systems as well as replacement of 45 backflow preventers according to SVGW W3/E3
- Plastic welding (butt and electrofusion welding) on 900 lm of PE wastewater pipes, leak-tightness tests 100 percent documented
- Fire protection sealing per VKF requirements in 11 properties, all inspections passed without objections
Plumber EFZ / Service Technician — Bruggmann Sanitär & Heizung AG, Dietikon, 08/2013 - 07/2016
Regional company with service and on-call duty for around 700 properties.
- Handled around 1'100 service call-outs, 90 percent first-time fix rate with an average of 6 jobs per day
- On-call duty every 4th week: leak detection, drain cleaning and emergency repairs on drinking water and wastewater pipes
- Installation of 80 sanitary fixtures and 24 heat pump water heaters including commissioning and customer instruction
- Obtained SVGW G1 permit for gas installations and carried out 40 gas appliance connections with leak-tightness testing
Education
Federal Professional Certificate, Head Plumbing Foreman — suissetec Bildungszentrum Lostorf · 2019
Federal Certificate of Proficiency (EFZ), Plumber — Vocational School Rüti / Bruggmann Sanitär & Heizung AG · 2013
SVGW G1 permit for gas installations (2015, current) · Drinking water hygiene course SVGW W3/E3, suissetec (2021) · Plastic welding certification PE/PP, butt and electrofusion welding (2018) · Suva course on fall protection and working in shafts (2022)
Common questions
- What language should I write my CV in as a Plumber?
- 100% of the adverts are in Italian — write the CV in Italian unless the advert itself is in German.
- What language level do Plumber adverts ask for?
- Italian in 100% of adverts that state a requirement, 100% of them at professional level. "Good knowledge" will not do — give A2 to C2.
- Are Plumber roles offered full or part time?
- 98% full time, only 2% part time. If you need part time, say so early rather than leaving it open.