Further training in IT: Fachwirt, technician and IT specialist

In short: After training there are advancement qualifications such as certified IT specialist, Fachwirt or technician, which can be placed on a par with a bachelor’s degree, plus university study and certificates.

In more detail: Training is a starting point. The German system offers many paths upward, often with funding (Aufstiegs-BAföG). Which paths fit depends on profession, interest and life situation. This is general information and not legal advice; figures and rules change and depend on industry, collective agreement and individual case. For questions the chamber’s training advisers, works council, youth representation, union or advice centres help.

In Depth

Advancement qualifications (IHK)

• Certified IT specialist / professional: in the IT further-training system (operative and strategic professionals): specialists (for example software developer, IT security coordinator, data scientist) and the professional level (for example certified computer scientist (IHK), business informatics specialist).
• Certified Fachwirt (for example IT Fachwirt in some regions, business Fachwirt): commercial-organisational.
• State-certified technician (computer science): technical college, 2 years full-time or 4 years part-time.
• Master craftsperson (in crafts, electrics). Qualifications often carry the title Bachelor Professional and are placed on a par with the bachelor at German Qualifications Framework (DQR) level 6 (equivalent, not identical).

University and other paths

• Study with vocational training: many universities credit achievements; university access even without Abitur for master craftspeople/Fachwirte, partly for journeymen with work experience (state law).
• Dual study and part-time study (distance university, distance study such as IU, FernUni Hagen).
• Certificates: CCNA, AWS/Azure/Google Cloud, CISSP/CISM (security), ITIL, Scrum, Kubernetes (CKA), Linux (LPIC, RHCSA).
• Specialisation in the company, mentoring, open-source contributions, conferences.

Financing

Aufstiegs-BAföG (grant and low-interest loan for course and exam fees, possibly maintenance), education voucher/training time of the employment agency, Qualification Opportunities Act (funding by employer/agency), further-training scholarship, educational leave (depending on federal state), tax deductibility of further-training costs, employer subsidies (with retention periods: check repayment clauses).

How to decide?

1. What do you want to do? (deepen technology, leadership, consulting, security, data)
2. Market overview: read job adverts, ask colleagues.
3. Advice: IHK further-training advice, employment agency, career counselling.
4. Plan time and costs realistically; learning alongside work needs discipline.
5. A small start (online course, certificate) helps to test whether it fits. Learning is a process: even without a title projects and experience count.

See also: IT specialist professions, Certificate and completion, Dual training, BAB and BAföG