New developments for 7 training courses coming in August
In a significant move towards preparing workers for the future, Germany has updated the vocational training for seven key professions, effective from August 1, 2025. This update is in line with the country's broader industrial and educational strategies, aiming to prepare the workforce for the demands of a labor market shaped by technological and ecological transformation.
The key elements of this updated training include the integration of digital skills, a focus on sustainability practices, and the incorporation of modern manufacturing techniques.
Digital Skills Integration
The updated training will equip apprentices with the ability to use artificial intelligence, manage data, and leverage digital tools in their daily tasks. This move aims to keep pace with the rapid digitalization trends affecting all industries.
Focus on Sustainability Practices
Trainees will learn how to apply environmentally responsible methods and contribute to energy efficiency and circular economy principles within their trades. This reflects the growing societal and regulatory demands on ecological awareness.
Incorporation of Modern Manufacturing Techniques
The training will embrace Industry 4.0 standards, including automation, robotics, and advanced composite materials usage. This will enhance production quality and efficiency.
The seven professions targeted by this update typically relate to industrial and technical fields crucial for Germany’s economy. While the precise list of the seven professions was not explicitly detailed in available recent sources, they generally include occupations in sectors such as manufacturing, engineering, IT-related trades, and other skilled crafts central to modern industry and infrastructure development.
Profession-Specific Updates
- Office Management: The training will include handling digital media and data, data security, data protection, information gathering, and information verification.
- Photographers: The training will shift towards digital image processing, customer-oriented project work, and including social media and new image formats.
- Goldsmith and Silversmith: These professions will be covered by a joint training from August 1, 2025. Sustainability, digitalization, modern manufacturing techniques, and customer advice will be given more attention.
- Legal Administrative Specialists: The training will focus on digital work processes, office software, or project management.
- Florists: The training will emphasize service orientation, communication, digitalization, sustainability, and business-related basic competencies.
- Chimney Sweeps: The training will cover topics such as renewable energies, digital measurements, energy and resource conservation, and sustainability, as chimney sweeps increasingly become service providers.
- Gemstone Setters: Gemstone setters will focus more on customer advice, studying sustainability, digitalization, and modern techniques like 3D printing.
The modernized training is expected to boost the competitiveness of German skilled workers and ensure alignment with environmental goals and digital transformation trends projected for the coming decades. This move is part of continuous efforts led by institutions like the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), which coordinates and evaluates training reforms to align with current technological progress and labor market needs.
As of 2024, there were 22,245 new training completions in the commercial training in office management in Germany. With these updates, the country is poised to continue leading the way in vocational education and training.
Technology plays a pivotal role in the updated vocational training for seven key professions, as trainees will be equipped with digital skills such as managing data, using artificial intelligence, and leveraging digital tools in their daily tasks.
The education-and-self-development approach of this updated training incorporates modern manufacturing techniques, like Industry 4.0 standards in areas such as automation, robotics, and advanced composite materials usage, to prepare workers for the demands of a labor market shaped by technological and ecological transformation.
