Ausbildungsbetriebe und Auszubildende beraten und unterstützen

The chambers support the administration of vocational training preparation, vocational training and retraining by providing guidance to all parties concerned.

Training employers, retraining institutions and providers of pre-vocational training schemes as well as trainees, retrainees and those undergoing pre-vocational training preparation – all receive advice and support from the relevant competent authorities.

You can contact the authority responsible for your training regarding topics such as conflicts between trainees and businesses, issues concerning schemes to prepare trainees or opportunities for periods spent abroad. Depending on the profession and region this may be, for example, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) or an alternative chamber.

As a company, retraining organisation or vocational training preparation provider, you provide advisors with all the necessary information and documents and also grant them access to training establishments.

If you want to spend part of your vocational education and training abroad, the chamber will advise you on this. If you wish to be abroad for longer than eight weeks, your training employer and the chamber will coordinate to draw up a special training plan.

• Sometimes, depending on the type of advice involved, contact your local authority for more details

• None

As a rule, no fees apply for the advisory services.

If you have any questions or queries regarding training, retraining or vocational training preparation schemes, you should contact the advisor at the relevant authority directly.

• The advisor will then make an appointment to meet you for an initial discussion.
• Usually you will then have a more detailed meeting with the advisor as soon as possible on site at your training location.
• If the advisor decides that further discussions, site visits, documentation or supporting documents are necessary, another appointment will be arranged with you soon after.
• Alternatively, the advisor can also arrange for you both to remain in contact by telephone, email or in writing.

Once both you and your advisor agree that all outstanding issues have been clarified, the procedure is complete.

• As a rule, the procedure takes between three and 30 days.
• The procedure timeframe will however be extended accordingly if, in order to clarify any issues, the advisor needs to visit you again at your place of training, or requires further documentation or supporting documents from either your training employer, the retraining provider or the vocational training preparation provider.

• As specified by the competent authority

Further information is available from the competent authority via its website or from its training advisory service.

The procedure can only be carried out in German.  

• Appeal 
• Detailed information on how you lodge an appeal can be found in the notification regarding your application.
• Administrative court action

• The competent authorities support and monitor the administration of vocational training preparation programmes/measures, vocational training and retraining by providing guidance to all parties concerned
• The authorities also assist with periods spent abroad by trainees
• Depending on region and profession, the relevant competent authorities are, for example, Chambers of Commerce and Industry, IHK), Chambers of Skilled Trades and Crafts (, HWK),  Chambers of Agriculture (, LWK) or other such chambers

• Forms: Dependent on the type of advice; not required for registration
• Online procedures possible: No 
• Written form requirement as per German Civil Code Art.126: No
• Appearance in person required: Possibly, depending on the type of advice involved