Germany: Technical and Vocational

Technical and Vocational

Overview

Information on key aspects of a country’s education system, including governance, instructional language, and other structural features defined by national or regional regulations.

Ministry Responsible

Chambers of Crafts (HwK, Handwerkskammern), Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK, Industrie- und Handelskammern), State-level ministries of education

Language of Instruction

German

Duration

2 to 4 years

Qualifications, Curriculum, Grading

Not all awards or study patterns are included.

No.	Qualification (English)	Certificate of Completion of Vocational Education	State-examined Vocational Title	Examination Certificate (Chamber of Crafts)	Examination Certificate (Chamber of Industry and Commerce)
1	Qualification (German)	Abschlusszeugnis der Berufsschule	Staatlich geprüfte Berufsbezeichnung	Prüfungszeugnis – Handwerkskammer	Prüfungszeugnis – Industrie und Handelskammer – IHK
2	Awarding Body	Vocational school	State Ministry	Chambers of Crafts (HwK, Handwerkskammern)	Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK, Industrie- und Handelskammern)
3	Admission Requirements
4	Length of Program	2 to 4 years	3 to 4 years	3 to 4 years	3 to 4 years
5	Streams	Over 300 vocational specializations	Over 300 vocational specializations	Over 300 vocational specializations	Over 300 vocational specializations
6	Graduation Requirements	Final examination	Final examination	Final examination	Final examination
7	Post-graduation Pathways	Access to: Further vocational education	Access to: Further vocational education	Access to: Further vocational education	Access to: Further vocational education

Institutions

Types and number of officially recognized institutions providing secondary education.

No.	Institution Type	Number of Institutions	Qualifications Offered	Ministry Reponsible
1	Vocational schools (public)	6,169 (2022)	Certificate of Completion of Vocational Education (Abschlusszeugnis der Berufsschule) State-examined Vocational Title (Staatlich geprüfte Berufsbezeichnung) Examination Certificate (Chamber of Crafts) (Prüfungszeugnis – Handwerkskammer) Examination Certificate (Chamber of Industry and Commerce) (Prüfungszeugnis – Industrie und Handelskammer – IHK)	State ministries of education
2	Vocational schools (private)	2,099 (2022)	Certificate of Completion of Vocational Education (Abschlusszeugnis der Berufsschule) State-examined Vocational Title (Staatlich geprüfte Berufsbezeichnung) Examination Certificate (Chamber of Crafts) (Prüfungszeugnis – Handwerkskammer) Examination Certificate (Chamber of Industry and Commerce) (Prüfungszeugnis – Industrie und Handelskammer – IHK)	State ministries of education

Source: Bildung in Deutschland, DIPF | Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education

Enrollment

Enrollment Share

Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in vocational programs.

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics