An electrician, a bank clerk, a nurse and a hotel receptionist in Germany usually have the same kind of qualification: an Ausbildung. It's a two- to three-and-a-half-year training, usually split between a company and a vocational school, and the dual version is paid from the first month.
Close to half of young Germans go this way instead of to university, and few see it as second best. Many company heads started as an Azubi, a trainee. Here are the words, and how the system works.
How the Dual System Works
| Part | What happens |
|---|---|
im Betrieb | three or four days a week in the company, learning the job in practice |
in der Berufsschule | one or two days a week at vocational school, or a few weeks at a time in blocks |
die Prüfungen | an intermediate exam halfway or, in many jobs, a final exam in two parts; held by the responsible chamber, usually the IHK or the Handwerkskammer |
die Dauer | usually three years; two to three and a half depending on the job |
die Vergütung | monthly pay that rises each year; for a first year starting in 2026 the legal minimum is 724 euros, though collective agreements can differ |
der Abschluss | a qualification recognised across Germany |
Why it works: the company chooses its trainees, trains them its own way, and often keeps them afterwards. For the trainee, it means pay, real work from day one, and a good chance of a job at the end.
The Words
vocational training
die Ausbildung
trainee
der Auszubildende / der Azubi
training company
der Ausbildungsbetrieb
training place
der Ausbildungsplatz
vocational school
die Berufsschule
trainer
der Ausbilder
training pay
die Ausbildungsvergütung
training contract
der Ausbildungsvertrag
year of training
das Ausbildungsjahr
intermediate exam
die Zwischenprüfung
final exam
die Abschlussprüfung
chamber of industry and commerce
die IHK
chamber of crafts
die Handwerkskammer
journeyman's certificate
der Gesellenbrief
master craftsman
der Meister
Practice these words
die Ausbildung
Azubi: short for Auszubildende, "person to be trained". It's used for men and women alike, and it's what everyone says. The older word Lehrling still turns up in crafts.
IHK or Handwerkskammer? Commercial and industrial jobs are examined by the IHK. Health jobs are different: medical assistants take their exam at the Ärztekammer, and nurses take a state exam. Crafts like baker, electrician or hairdresser belong to the Handwerkskammer. After the exam in a craft, you get a Gesellenbrief, and later you can train further to become a Meister.
Dual or at a School
| Type | How it works | Examples |
|---|---|---|
duale Ausbildung | company and Berufsschule, paid | electrician, bank clerk, cook, IT specialist |
schulische Ausbildung | full-time at a vocational school, with work placements | physiotherapist, some assistant jobs in health and design |
Watch out: a schulische Ausbildung is often unpaid, and some schools, especially private ones, charge fees. It depends on the federal state, so check before you apply.
Popular Ausbildung Jobs
office management clerk
Kaufmann für Büromanagement
retail salesperson
Kaufmann im Einzelhandel
IT specialist
Fachinformatiker
electronics technician
Elektroniker
car mechatronics technician
Kfz-Mechatroniker
industrial mechanic
Industriemechaniker
nurse
Pflegefachmann / Pflegefachfrau
medical assistant
Medizinischer Fachangestellter
cook
Koch
hotel specialist
Hotelfachmann
Practice these words
Kaufmann für Büromanagement
Every job title has a female form, and job ads show both: Kauffrau für Büromanagement, Fachinformatikerin, Medizinische Fachangestellte.
Talking About Your Training
I'm training to be an electronics technician.
Ich mache eine Ausbildung zum Elektroniker.
I'm training to be an office management clerk.
Ich mache eine Ausbildung zur Kauffrau für Büromanagement.
I'm in my second year.
Ich bin im zweiten Ausbildungsjahr.
I have vocational school on Tuesdays.
Dienstags habe ich Berufsschule.
I'm looking for a training place.
Ich suche einen Ausbildungsplatz.
Will I be kept on after the training?
Werde ich nach der Ausbildung übernommen?
I passed my final exam.
Ich habe die Abschlussprüfung bestanden.
Practice these words
Ich mache eine Ausbildung zum Elektroniker.
Zum or zur? It's eine Ausbildung zum Koch for a man and zur Köchin for a woman. Zum goes with masculine job titles, zur with feminine ones.
Starting an Ausbildung as an Adult
There's no upper age limit. People start an Ausbildung at 30 or 45, often after moving to Germany or changing careers, and companies in short-staffed trades welcome them.
Part time is possible. A Teilzeitausbildung takes longer, and since 2020 anyone can agree one with the company. It suits people with children or caring duties.
German matters. Most companies expect around B1 or B2, because the Berufsschule is taught in German and the exams are written in it.
Your old qualification may count. If you trained or studied abroad, you can apply to have it recognised, the Anerkennung. The official portal Anerkennung in Deutschland shows which office is responsible for your job. A recognised qualification can replace an Ausbildung, and relevant earlier training can also shorten one.