A working life is long, and very few people want to do the same thing throughout their lives. Fortunately, there are a wide range of further and vocational training opportunities for chemists, chemical technicians, laboratory technicians and CTAs alike. Without claiming to be exhaustive, here you will find an overview of the opportunities and funding options.

As the time and financial commitment involved in vocational training is often considerable, anyone wishing to undertake vocational training should first consider exactly what they want to achieve through it and whether they can and want to devote the necessary time alongside their job.

Master of Business Administration

The MBA is a postgraduate university course designed to impart business administration knowledge and prepare students for management responsibilities. As a rule, a completed university course is a prerequisite for studying for an MBA. An MBA can be completed either part-time or full-time. Prospective students should research the many different programmes thoroughly in advance and consider whether an MBA will genuinely advance their planned Career.

Patent Law

Scientific and legal knowledge are equally important in the patent field. The multi-year training to become a patent attorney is regulated by law and includes, among other things, working in a patent law firm, studying at the University of Hagen and training at the Patent Office and the Federal Patent Court. It concludes with an examination.

www.vpp-patent.de
www.vpp-patent.de/ausbildung/downloads-service/
www.gdch.de/berufsbilder, p. 56

quality assurance / Quality Management

Ensuring the quality of products and processes is a core task of a chemical company. The German Society for Quality (DGQ), the Saarland University of Applied Sciences and Technology and other providers offer a wide range of modular training courses, programmes and certificate or work-based university courses in the areas of quality management and quality assurance. The GDCh also offers additional training in quality assurance through its specialist programme "Certified Quality Expert GxP".

www.gdch.de/fachprogramme
www.dgq.de/weiterbildung-Themen
www.htwsaar.de

Clinical Chemistry

Clinical chemistry deals with the analysis of physiological processes in the body. Chemists can undertake vocational training to become a clinical chemist through the German United Society for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (DGKI). The training lasts five years. At least four of these years must be completed in a clinical chemistry laboratory serving patient care.

www.dgkl.de

toxicology

Scientists with completed training can acquire qualifications in the field of toxicology in various ways. The Society for Toxicology (GT), Leipzig University and SafeSciMET all offer various certificates or university courses for vocational training as a toxicologist. Bachelor’s graduates may also consider a Master’s degree in toxicology, which is offered at various German universities.

www.toxikologie.de/weiterbildung.html
www.safescimet.eu

Ecotoxicology

Ecotoxicology deals with the effects of substances on the environment. The GDCh Division of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology and SETAC-GLB jointly offer the postgraduate university course in specialist ecotoxicology, leading to the qualification "Specialist Ecotoxicologist (GDCh/SETAC-GLB)".

www.fachoekotoxikologie.de

Business Chemistry

Understanding business administration interrelationships is particularly advantageous for chemists working in industry. In addition to various continuing professional development courses, some universities offer university courses in business chemistry. The GDCh also offers vocational training to become a business chemist.

www.gdch.de/fachprogramme

Chemical Engineering Technician (state-certified technician; specialisation in chemical engineering)

This vocational training is offered at technical colleges and lasts two years, or four years if completed alongside employment. In addition to chemical engineering, there are also other specialisations, such as production engineering. The usual prerequisite for this vocational training is completed training as a laboratory technician, chemical process operator or CTA. The training concludes with a state examination.

www.vdc-cta.de/chemietechniker.html
www.techniker-forum.de/technikerschulen

Laboratory Technician (Chamber of Industry and Commerce)

Vocational training to become a laboratory technician is offered in some regions of Germany and is generally conducted by the local Chamber of Industry and Commerce in cooperation with a local company. This vocational training is primarily of interest to employees of the participating companies, as it qualifies them for tasks specifically within these companies.

Industrial Master Craftsman in Chemistry

Industrial master craftsmen in chemistry work not only in the chemical industry but also in all manufacturing sectors. There, they work in production and are involved in training younger colleagues. The vocational training is provided both by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and by training providers, and in some cases by the companies themselves. The examination is always taken before the Chamber of Industry and Commerce. The vocational training can be completed full-time or alongside employment.

www.berufenet.arbeitsagentur.de (job title "Industrial Master Craftsman in Chemistry")

Search engine for training providers: www.meisterschulen-info.de

Information on the occupational profile: http://www.industriemeister.info/chemie

Entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences or general higher education entrance qualification

At some chemistry schools, students obtain the entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences or the general higher education entrance qualification at the same time as their CTA training. Sometimes it is also offered as a one-year additional course afterwards.
For those who have not taken advantage of this option, it is also possible to obtain the entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences alongside further training after completing the training course.
With the entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences or the general higher education entrance qualification, it is possible to study at a university of applied sciences or university. Information on studying at universities of applied sciences (HAW) can be found on the website "Studying chemistry".

Technical Business Administrator

Anyone who has already successfully completed vocational training to become an industrial master craftsman and gained professional experience can undertake further vocational training to become a technical business administrator and thus take on management responsibilities. The focus of the vocational training is on business administration. The training and examination are not regulated uniformly nationwide and are offered by technical colleges, Chambers of Industry and Commerce and educational institutions. The technical business administrator is often also referred to as "Master Professional (CCI)" (not to be confused with a master's degree from a higher education institution).

www.berufenet.arbeitsagentur.de (job title "Technical Business Administrator")
www.betriebswirt.info/Weiterbildung

Further information on vocational training in chemistry: www.berufskompass-chemie.de

Dual university courses

Training-integrated dual university course: Alongside the IHK vocational qualification, a higher education degree is obtained at the same time.
Practice-integrated dual university course: The course includes longer practical phases in a company, without a vocational qualification being obtained. In each case, the prerequisite is the entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences or the general higher education entrance qualification.

A dual university course can also be started after completing company-based or school-based training. A distinction is made here between a work-integrated and a part-time dual university course.

www.gdch.de/Studium
www.studieren-ohne-abitur.de
www.elementare-vielfalt.de/duales-studium.html
www.hochschulkompass.de/studium/suche/dual-studieren.html
www.hochschulkompass.de/studium/suche/berufsbegleitend-studieren.html
www.ausbildungplus.de
www.duales-studium.de
www.wegweiser-duales-studium.de

Although vocational training is worthwhile, it is expensive. However, grants are available for many vocational training courses. It is therefore advisable to find out about funding opportunities in advance:

State support

Aufstiegsstipendium for experienced professionals

The Aufstiegsstipendium is a federal study grant aimed at skilled workers with vocational training and at least two years of professional experience. Applications can be submitted before starting a degree course and until the end of the second semester.

Aufstiegs-Bafög

Chemical laboratory technicians, CTAs and chemical technicians who would like to undertake vocational training can also receive support from Aufstiegs-Bafög to help finance it. Aufstiegs-Bafög is available for advanced vocational training, for example to become a chemical engineering technician.

Education voucher

With the education voucher, the Federal Employment Agency supports the vocational training of unemployed people, employees and people returning to work. The voucher is issued if the responsible employment agency considers vocational training necessary.

Vocational training scholarship

The scholarship programme is aimed at young employees, self-employed people and first-year students with completed vocational training who have worked for at least 19 hours a week for at least two years since completing their vocational training. The scholarship is available for job-related vocational training. However, broader qualifications such as language or software courses are also supported. Part-time degree courses are also eligible for funding.

Support from the federal states

Many federal states have special funding programmes for vocational training. Anyone wishing to receive financial support from a federal state must live or work there.

Support from your employer

Since not only employees but often employers also benefit from vocational training, many employers support such plans individually or by approving educational leave. It is therefore worth asking your employer, for example, to cover some or all of the costs or to provide financing. Employees wishing to undertake vocational training can also be supported in other ways, for example through flexible working hours or time off work during examination periods.

But beware: Your employer is not always enthusiastic about the planned vocational training, as it takes the employee time and energy that are then missing from everyday work. Explain to your boss what motivates you to undertake this training and how their company can also benefit from it.

In the majority of federal states (www.iwwb.de/links/bildungsurlaub), employees are entitled to up to five days of educational leave, during which the employer must release them from work while continuing to pay them. The employee must bear the costs of the course itself. A prerequisite for educational leave is that it involves vocational or political vocational training.

Money from the tax office

Anyone worried about the high costs because they are paying for vocational training themselves should always submit a tax return. If professional interests are the main focus, tax can be saved on many courses, including training courses as well as study and language trips. Travel expenses are also recognised. Employees can secure the tax advantage by entering the education costs in Annex N of their tax return. For self-employed people, vocational training constitutes business expenses; different rules apply here.

Further information on the financing options presented here is available in a special feature by Stiftung Warentest.