Germany's vocational pathway lets you earn a salary while you train. Here's how it works.
ProgramsBy Jonas · Apr 11, 2026 · 6 min read
Not every adventure starts in a lecture hall. The Ausbildung is Germany's paid vocational-training route — and it's a brilliant, underrated way to live and work abroad.
How it works
You sign a contract with a training company
You split your week between the company and a vocational school
You earn a salary the whole time
You graduate with a recognised qualification and, very often, a job offer
What can you train in?
Almost everything: IT, healthcare and nursing, hospitality, logistics, mechatronics, business administration and many trades. Germany has a real shortage of skilled workers, so demand is high and so is the chance of being kept on.
📌Most Ausbildung places expect German at roughly B1–B2. We help you reach the level and find a company that sponsors international trainees.
Who it suits
If you learn best by doing, want to earn from day one, and like the idea of a clear path into a stable job, this route is hard to beat — no tuition, real experience, and a salary.
“I'm getting paid to learn and my company already wants to keep me on.”— Marek, Ausbildung in Hamburg
If you'd rather build real-world skills (and a paycheck) than rack up tuition, this might be your trail — and we'll walk it with you.
