Vocational training in Germany, or the Ausbildung for the same name, is a vocational, scientific, and often practical study. Its duration is usually between three and three and a half years.
Vocational training departments
Vocational training in Germany is divided into two parts:
- The practical section: here the study takes place in the workplace, and this is the practical aspect of it.
- The theoretical section is in a private or public school.
Students from within the European Union and from outside the European Union are allowed to apply for vocational training in Germany. This means that if you are reading this interesting article, you can also register.
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What is the Ausbildung in Germany?
The word Ospeldung means vocational training in Germany, and it is a unified school model that prepares students, young men and women, for the profession. Depending on the training specialty you choose, vocational training in Germany usually takes from two to three and a half years.
Many people start vocational training directly after high school, industrial or technical school, or any other type of school that qualifies for a training contract in Germany.
There are two terms that you should know in German as follows:
- Ausbildungsberufe apprenticeship
- Ausbildung Dualen
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Is vocational training the same as the institute?
No, the institute system in the Arab countries, which lasts only two years, is not the same as vocational training in Germany, because the institute’s certificate is usually not recognized in all countries, while the Osbildung certificate is recognized all over the world.
The second aspect of the difference is that Ospeldung is not only a theoretical teaching, but also the practical part, which constitutes more than 60% of its academic content.
Every person in vocational training in Germany undergoes two parts:
- The theoretical section is within an accredited school.
- The practical section takes place within a practical environment (in an institution, company, or office usually contracted with the school itself).
Some examples of normal vocational training are all medical professions, including nurses, teachers, speech therapists, physical therapists, machine operators, computer science technical assistants, and others.
The theoretical section of vocational training
School training can be completed in many German vocational schools contracted with different companies, and here the student must complete the theoretical part of the vocational training there, and the duration of theoretical study in school during training varies depending on the profession as well as the school system itself.
At the end of theoretical education, which usually constitutes about 40-50% of the total vocational education in Germany, there is an examination, as is usual, and this examination is what determines the student’s success and passing of this section.
You should know that there are some specializations that require you to prove that you have high school grades with high grades in order to be able to register for vocational training in Germany. Such as prosthodontics, media, etc.
The practical section of vocational training
The practical department can be within an institution, company, center, hospital and other centers in which there is a practical application of the profession, and here the student will be required to be fully present during the working period, which is usually 7-8 hours per day.
Here the student begins the first stage, which is the stage of learning, looking, and performing only. At the beginning of practical training, he is not permitted to work. After a certain period of time has passed, he may receive some practical jobs during the period of work within the profession he is performing.
Thus, practical training continues throughout the vocational training period, in addition to the continuation of the first (theoretical) section by rotation.
Did you know: Usually 4 months are attended in the practical section, compared to one or two months directly in school to attend the theoretical section. There are some specializations in which the working hours are 6 months in the first year for the theoretical section only, and the rest is for the practical section.
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What is Ausbildung Dualen?
In Germany, dual vocational training was established in which trainees learn practical things in the company responsible for the student, and in which the student also learns the theoretical part in a vocational school or at a university. Here, the vocational school system will not be similar to the first system that we talked about.
What distinguishes dual training is that the salary is sometimes lower than it is in regular vocational training in Germany, in addition to the fact that its system is very difficult in terms of compressing working and studying hours together.
Note: Some companies that will be responsible for you during dual training in Germany require that you commit to an employment contract after graduation for a specific period of time, so read the terms of the contract that you will sign well.
Examples of dual vocational training programs:
- Informatics
- the press
- media
- Programming
- Electron engineering
At the end of the dual training, the student will obtain a certificate equivalent to a university degree, and he can work with it throughout Germany.
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What are the differences between different types of training?
Industrial vocational training of the first type is often more practical than school training. So that trainees in daily professional life directly gain a lot of purely practical experience.
As for dual training, it is similar to the university study system with some practical experience and application in the field of work for the profession you will choose.
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Advantages of vocational training in Germany
The Ospeldung in Germany has some advantages compared to classical regular university studies. You can study and earn money at the same time, and you do not need proof of funds when applying for a visa, compared to applying for a university study visa, which must have 10000 euros in your bank account.
Other advantages of vocational training in Germany:
- Learning and practicing at the same time so that the program covers practical and theoretical parts, which helps trainees understand the specialty and the profession more broadly and helps in their professional growth.
- Financial independence means that students do not have to depend on their parents or another funder to cover their living expenses or education, as they earn enough to support themselves.
- Career opportunities directly after completing vocational training in Germany.
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When does the Ausbildung start in Germany?
Vocational training in Germany generally begins twice a year (September 1 - April 1 of each year), but in particular companies set start dates for their own Ausbildung.
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Can the training period be shortened?
There are different ways to shorten the scheduled duration of training.
- If you have an intermediate level of education, you can shorten your training period by up to six months. With a general qualification to enter higher education or a qualification to enter a technical college (here we mean only high school, i.e. a twelfth grade certificate), and it can be shortened by up to twelve months.
- You and your training company must submit an application to the responsible union at an early stage (for example, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce or the Chamber of Crafts).
- If you have completed the intermediate exam and obtained a certain grade (usually for those who show excellence in their marks and grades), you can apply for early admission to the final exam. Here you can also submit the application yourself, but the vocational school and training company must agree.
- If you studied at university in a specific specialty, and want to do vocational training in Germany, for the same field, you can also, by submitting a statement of grades and the university subjects you studied, submit a request to shorten the duration of vocational training to a maximum of 12 months out of the total number of full years of training.
Example: Ahmed is a young man who studied electrical engineering at university, and wants to travel to Germany to obtain a vocational training certificate. He will write to a specific company in Germany to obtain the contract. After the first year, this company can submit a request for Ahmed to the Chamber of the Syndicate of Engineers or Craftsmen to shorten the vocational training period based on his grades at the university and his grades in the intermediate examination for vocational training.
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Conditions for registration in Osbildung, Germany
You will need a general school qualification to be able to apply. In any case, all of the following are required and none of the conditions can be met:
- Regarding age, legally there is no specific age, but the matter is up to the company. There are companies that require people under 30 years old, and there are companies that require people under 25 years old. These are just examples and numbers.
- Anyone who wants to apply for a language visa cannot apply at the same time for a vocational training visa.
- Language proficiency must be proven before applying for vocational training at or above the B1 language level.
- You must adhere to the contract, as you cannot terminate the vocational training contract before its expiry.
- You are allowed to work with a salary not exceeding 450 euros if the vocational training is unpaid.
- A general secondary school certificate, scientific, literary, vocational, or industrial, recognized exclusively in Germany.
- If the specialty you want to apply for, you need an academic certificate or intermediate institute for two years, or certificates of experience in the specialty you want to apply for for one year.
- A vocational qualification certificate, which includes a qualification diploma, industrial secondary school, technical or commercial secondary school, or other qualifications whose holder has studied for at least twelve full years.
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How to get an Osbildung contract in Germany
You must first search for whether the Osbildung specialty, as we said, is practical or theoretical. If the Osbildung is theoretical, you must search for schools that provide this type of vocational training. There are many German websites that provide a quick and thorough search.
If the Ausbildung is practical, you must look for an institution that provides vocational training opportunities for foreigners, for example, that will receive you and talk to them about their conditions as if you are working for them in the future.
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What is regulated by the training contract?
A written training contract is concluded before training begins within the company. It contains some minimum information:
- Objective and structure of professional training with a precise training plan
- Start and duration of training
- Training measures outside the training center
- Duration of normal daily working hours, probation period and vacations
- Payments and amount of training allowance
- Conditions under which the contract can be terminated
- Refer to collective agreements and conventions that apply to your contract
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Who signs the training contract?
Sign the contract by yourself and a representative of your training company. If you are not yet 18 years old, your legal guardian must also sign, usually your mother or father.
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How long does the trial period last?
The apprenticeship begins with a probationary period. During the probationary period, you can check whether you have chosen the right profession. The training company also asks itself whether you are a good fit. The probation period lasts a minimum of one month and a maximum of four months. During the trial period, you can terminate the contract without giving reasons. A training company can do the same. Termination must be made in writing.
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What about holidays?
All trainees have the right to leave. The Labor Code specifies the minimum number of vacation days. Different provisions apply to minor trainees than to adult trainees. The exact number of vacation days is specified in the training contract.
Read also: Are you looking for an easy Osbildung in Germany?
Areas of the Ausbildung in Germany
Specialties of vocational training in Germany
Students can study all fields of Ausbildung in Germany, which exceed 355 academic specializations, the most famous of which are:
Nursing, rehabilitation, rehabilitation of the elderly, mechanics, electrical technology, secretarial, hotel, pharmacy..
Each field in the Osbildung in Germany differs from the other in content and method of study and practical and theoretical education. For example, rehabilitation is a practical and theoretical section, but within a school and not in the workplace, while nursing is only six months theoretical and three years practical in the workplace, and so on..
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The best Osbildung specialty in Germany
In general, the wage ranges from 820 euros to 1300 euros per month.
- Air traffic controller
- Management and business
- Bank functions
- Sales Officer
- physical
- chemistry
- Engineering dedications
- Legal analyst/researcher
- Railway worker F
- Specializing in information technology
- General maintenance work
- Construction worker
- Home builder
- Mechatronics specialty
Read also: Best Paid Ausbildung Programs in Germany
Ospeldung visa conditions
Applicants coming from countries outside the European Union must submit to the requirements for an Osbildung visa (vocational training visa) in Germany, by applying for a practical training visa or a D visa for a period exceeding three months or nine months.
You need to make an appointment with the German embassy in your country in advance online at the Osbildung Visa section and go with all the following papers:
- Osbildung visa application form
- A vocational training contract signed by the employer and fully stamped in Germany
- A passport valid for more than nine months
- Personal Photos
- German language certificate
- Work and experience certificates, if any
- Your academic certificates
- Motivation message
- biography
- Certificate of being convicted or unconvicted from your country.
- Individual registration certificate or birth certificate.
- If the training is unpaid, you must open a closed bank account worth 7900 euros in a German bank.
- If the training is paid, you must obtain a salary statement from the employer in Germany, clearly stating the amount of rent, the net period, and the dues.
To search for a vocational training opportunity in Germany, follow the following link from here To go to the direct search site.
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common questions
Is it easy to get a job in a “vocational training” program?
Yes, to some extent. There are over 500.000 open jobs each year with only about 230 applicants applying. Many jobs remain vacant every year, especially in crafts, nursing, IT and other services. So foreigners have very good chances of getting a position.
Who can do “vocational training” in Germany?
Any foreigner, regardless of age, speaks German at at least B1 level and has completed 9 or 10 years of school education.
Can my family join me for vocational training?
In general this is possible and welcomed by many employers. However, you need to consult with the German authorities (embassy, consulate) about current regulations and what concerns you.
Who are the foreigners who can do “vocational training” in Germany?
Foreigners from all countries are eligible to apply for vocational training in Germany. The typical age for an apprenticeship in Germany is 30 years, mostly between 16 and 25 years. However, one may progress even with older ages. Higher ages are often found especially in nursing training.
How long is vocational training in Germany?
Vocational training usually takes between 2 and 4 years. You can choose from short apprenticeships and longer apprenticeships in Germany. You will learn your profession 50% within the company through practical work and 50% in a private vocational school. Lessons will be held in German only – so you need German language skills at level B1 of the GER. During your internship in Europe (Germany), you will be employed by a German company with a German contract that provides the same rights and obligations as German citizens.
Does vocational training provide a job guarantee?
Through apprenticeships in Germany, foreign applicants obtain a German qualification as a skilled worker. Right now and for the foreseeable future, there is a very high demand for skilled labor in Germany as there is throughout Europe. Although there is no “guarantee” of getting a job after an apprenticeship, chances are really high that you will be able to continue working with your apprenticeship without restrictions in time. This also provides foreigners with a perspective to live in Germany legally.
How much do I earn during vocational training in Germany?
For example, in Bavaria, the monthly salary for a vocational training can range between 900 and 1300 euros. The amount of this monthly allowance depends largely on the employer, the region of work in Germany, and your CV.
Employers often provide additional support such as free tickets or financial support for your accommodation. After successfully completing your vocational training, you can expect a monthly salary of between 2400 and 3500 euros gross working in your profession.
Can I start an apprenticeship in Germany without speaking German?
No, you need a German B1 level before you can start.
What degree can I get through vocational training in Germany?
As a rule, the “Skilled Worker” certificate is awarded as an academic degree. This degree offers excellent job opportunities in Germany and around the world. The skilled worker qualification enables you to apply for a permanent residence permit in Germany, provided you meet certain other requirements.
What is the maximum age for apprenticeships in Germany?
There is no upper age limit by law. In some professions – for example nursing care – applicants over 40 are not rare. However, it should be noted that as a foreigner, you will learn at the vocational school with German students between the ages of 16 and 25.
Do I need any professional experience before starting training?
No, Germany's apprenticeship system does not require any experience when you start training. You will learn everything you need to know step by step during the training.
How can I learn German so that I can start a vocational training?
You may start learning German online or with a German teacher near you in your country. Besides, there are many opportunities compiled in our special guide on learning German for work.
What level of education do I need to start an apprenticeship in Germany?
A foreign school leaving certificate from ninth grade or above (usually middle school) is sufficient to start an apprenticeship in Germany. For technical careers, you must have good grades in mathematics as well as computer skills. In addition to the mentioned German skills, no other criteria must be met.
What German language skills do I need?
You must speak German at least at B1 level at the beginning of your training. However, you can already apply when you have an A2 order in German. For training in nursing care, you will need a B2 level in the German language.
What language certificates do I need for vocational training?
There is no requirement for certification by a chosen institution. Applicants can apply with certificates from all institutions – including local language schools abroad or teachers from abroad. However, you may need to prove your German language proficiency at interviews and during your visa application.
For more details about vocational training, please visit: German Chamber of Commerce and Industry website.
