International Sauna Academy 
 


ISQS - Occupational Profiles

Which Sauna Qualification Do I Need?
Professional sauna facilities involve many different tasks and responsibilities.
Some employees supervise sauna areas and provide basic information to guests. Others conduct professional Aufguss sessions, monitor thermal exposure, respond to incidents or assume broader responsibility for sauna operations. Supervisors and managers may additionally be responsible for staff, safety, quality and operational procedures.
These activities do not require the same level of professional qualification.
The ISQS Occupational Profiles connect professional responsibilities with the appropriate qualification level within the International Sauna Qualification System (ISQS).
The fundamental principle is:
The required qualification should reflect the professional responsibilities of the individual.

Qualification Follows Responsibility
Job titles alone do not reliably describe professional responsibility.
A person described as a sauna attendant may perform only basic supervisory duties in one facility but conduct Aufguss sessions and assume substantial guest responsibility in another.
Likewise, the title Sauna Master may refer to very different professional roles in different countries, organisations or training systems.
The ISQS therefore does not assign qualifications solely according to job titles.
Instead, the appropriate qualification is determined by:

  • professional tasks
  • required knowledge
  • practical activities
  • level of independent decision-making
  • safety responsibilities
  • responsibility for guests
  • operational responsibility
  • leadership responsibilities

The occupational profile describes these requirements and connects them with the appropriate ISQS qualification level.


Foundation & Safety
Basic Sauna Supervision and Guest Information
Typical Responsibilities
This occupational profile applies where a person requires fundamental knowledge of sauna bathing but does not perform specialised professional procedures.


Typical responsibilities may include:

  • supervising a sauna area
  • providing basic information to guests
  • understanding the sauna bathing procedure
  • recognising basic safety concerns
  • understanding heat and cooling procedures
  • recognising obvious signs of excessive thermal strain
  • responding appropriately within the defined area of responsibility

Typical Professional Environments
This may apply to staff working in:

  • hotels
  • fitness clubs
  • wellness facilities
  • spas
  • leisure facilities
  • smaller sauna operations

Appropriate Qualification
ISQS Level 1 – Foundation & Safety
Level 1 establishes the fundamental knowledge required to understand the health-oriented sauna bath, basic thermoregulation and essential safety principles.
It does not, by itself, demonstrate competence to conduct professional Sauna Aufguss.
Professional Aufguss
Performing Sauna Aufguss Safely and Professionally
Conducting an Aufguss involves direct responsibility for the thermal conditions experienced by sauna guests.
Professional Aufguss therefore requires specialised knowledge and practical competence beyond basic sauna supervision.


Typical Responsibilities
This occupational profile may include:

  • preparing Sauna Aufguss
  • applying water to the sauna heater
  • understanding evaporation and water vapour
  • controlling water application
  • understanding changes in humidity
  • managing air movement
  • using appropriate fanning techniques
  • selecting and using appropriate Aufguss agents
  • using essential oils responsibly
  • observing guests
  • recognising excessive thermal strain
  • adapting or terminating an Aufguss where necessary
  • responding appropriately to incidents


Appropriate Qualification
ISQS Level 2 – Professional Skills
Level 2 builds upon Level 1 and provides specialised competence for professional Sauna Aufguss.
The objective is not simply to perform an impressive or intensive Aufguss.
The objective is to conduct an Aufguss that is controlled, reproducible, professionally justified and appropriate for the guests present.
Professional Sauna Staff
Independent Professional Practice
Professional sauna staff may be responsible for considerably more than individual Aufguss sessions.
They may need to assess operational situations, recognise risks, respond to incidents and make independent decisions within their area of responsibility.


Typical Responsibilities
This occupational profile may include:
-

  • professional supervision of sauna operations
  • independent guest care
  • professional Sauna Aufguss
  • assessment of thermal conditions
  • recognition of relevant risks
  • occupational safety
  • incident prevention
  • emergency response
  • first aid
  • hygiene-related responsibilities
  • professional use of fragrances and essential oils
  • evaluation of practical situations
  • professional communication
  • independent decision-making within the defined area of responsibility

Appropriate Qualification
ISQS Level 3 – Professional Qualification
Level 3 integrates individual areas of sauna knowledge into comprehensive professional competence.
The objective is the ability to assess professional situations and act appropriately, rather than merely follow individual procedures.
Sauna Supervisor and Sauna Manager
Advanced Professional Responsibility and Leadership
Supervisors and managers may carry responsibility not only for their own professional activities but also for the organisation and quality of sauna operations.
Their decisions may affect guests, employees, operational procedures and safety.
This requires broader competence than the ability to perform individual sauna activities.


Typical Responsibilities
Depending on the facility, responsibilities may include:

  • professional supervision of sauna operations
  • organisation of operational procedures
  • staff coordination
  • quality assurance
  • risk management
  • occupational safety
  • development of professional procedures
  • evaluation of sauna climate and operational conditions
  • management of incidents
  • professional decision-making
  • training and supervision of staff within operational responsibilities
  • communication with management and other departments
  • systematic improvement of sauna quality


Appropriate Qualification
ISQS Level 4 – Sauna Master
The Sauna Master qualification represents the advanced professional and leadership level within the regular ISQS qualification pathway.
It integrates scientific knowledge, professional practice, safety, organisation, quality management and leadership.
Sauna Instructor
Education, Instruction and Competence Assessment
Teaching professional sauna practice requires additional competence.
Professional expertise alone does not automatically qualify a person to teach, supervise practical learning or assess the competence of others.
The instructor profile therefore combines advanced professional competence with educational responsibility.


Typical Responsibilities
This occupational profile may include:

  • professional sauna education
  • theoretical instruction
  • practical instruction
  • supervision of practical learning
  • training of sauna staff
  • assessment of learning outcomes
  • competence assessment
  • examination activities
  • professional feedback
  • maintaining educational quality


Appropriate Qualification
ISQS Level 5 – Sauna Instructor
Level 5 represents the educational and instructor level within the ISQS framework.
Detailed requirements for instructor qualification are defined separately within the corresponding ISQS Qualification Standard.





One Workplace – Different Qualification Requirements
A single sauna facility may require several different qualification levels.
For example, a larger sauna operation may employ staff responsible for basic supervision, employees who conduct Aufguss, qualified professional sauna staff and a person responsible for professional leadership.
These individuals work within the same facility but perform different tasks.
They therefore do not necessarily require the same qualification.
This allows organisations to develop qualification structures that correspond to actual responsibilities rather than requiring every employee to complete the highest available qualification.
Not everyone working in a sauna needs to become a Sauna Master. Everyone should, however, have the qualification appropriate to their responsibilities.


Job Titles Are Not Occupational Profiles
Job titles vary considerably between countries, organisations and individual facilities.
Terms such as:
Sauna Attendant
Sauna Host
Aufguss Master
Sauna Specialist
Sauna Expert
Sauna Master
may describe very different responsibilities.
The ISQS therefore distinguishes between a job title and an occupational profile.
A job title describes what a position is called.
An occupational profile describes:
what the person actually does, what competence is required and what responsibility the person carries.
This distinction makes professional qualification more transparent across different organisations and countries.


More Responsibility Requires Broader Competence
Progression through the ISQS reflects increasing professional responsibility.
At the foundational level, the focus is on understanding and basic safety.
At the specialised level, the focus expands to the professional performance of defined activities such as Aufguss.
At the professional qualification level, individuals are expected to assess situations and act independently.
At the Sauna Master level, responsibility extends to organisation, leadership, quality and complex professional decision-making.
At the instructor level, responsibility additionally includes the education and assessment of others.
The qualification level therefore follows the scope of professional responsibility.


Occupational Profiles and Qualification Standards
The Occupational Profiles describe the professional responsibilities associated with different areas of sauna work.
The ISQS Qualification Standards define the knowledge, skills and competences required to meet those responsibilities.
This creates a direct relationship:
Occupational Responsibility → Required Competence → Qualification Standard → ISQS Level
The qualification is therefore not selected because of a prestigious title.
It is selected because it provides the competence required for the professional role.


Occupational Profiles and External Qualifications
Professionals who already hold an external sauna qualification do not necessarily need to begin the ISQS pathway at Level 1.
Existing qualifications and documented prior learning may be assessed against the competence requirements of the relevant occupational profile.
The Recognition of External Qualifications procedure and the ISQS Recognition Matrix provide the framework for this assessment.
Recognition is based on documented equivalence of competence rather than similarity of course titles.


Which Qualification Do I Need?
The appropriate qualification can be identified by asking a series of practical questions:
Do I only need fundamental sauna knowledge and safety awareness?
→ Level 1 – Foundation & Safety
Do I conduct professional Sauna Aufguss?
→ Level 2 – Professional Skills
Do I work independently as a professional sauna specialist and assess operational situations?
→ Level 3 – Professional Qualification
Am I responsible for supervision, organisation, quality or professional leadership?
→ Level 4 – Sauna Master
Do I educate, instruct or assess other sauna professionals?
→ Level 5 – Sauna Instructor
Where several responsibilities apply, the qualification should reflect the highest relevant level of professional responsibility.


Qualification Based on Competence and Responsibility
The ISQS Occupational Profiles provide the connection between professional work and professional education.
They make it possible to determine which qualification is appropriate without relying solely on job titles, facility types or marketing terminology.
The principle is straightforward:
The occupational profile defines the responsibility.
The Qualification Standard defines the required competence.
The ISQS Level defines the qualification.


Find Your Qualification Pathway
Qualification Levels – Explore the structure of ISQS professional qualifications.
Qualification Standards – See the competence requirements behind each qualification.
Admission Requirements – Identify the requirements for entering each qualification level.
Recognition of External Qualifications – Learn how existing qualifications can be recognised.


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