Starting an Ausbildung checklist

Before signing the contract

• Read the whole Ausbildungsvertrag and ask about anything you do not understand before signing.
• Check the training occupation, start date and total duration of the training.
• Check the training allowance (Ausbildungsvergütung) for each training year.A statutory minimum training allowance applies to many contracts; collective agreements can set higher amounts.
• Check the weekly working hours and how vocational school time is counted.
• Check the probation period (Probezeit) and what notice applies during and after it.
• Check the number of holiday days per year.
• Note which chamber is responsible for your occupation — usually IHK or HWK.The chamber registers your contract, organises exams and advises both sides if there is a conflict.
• If you are under 18, check the rules of the Jugendarbeitsschutzgesetz that apply to you.

Before the first day

• Register with a health insurance provider (Krankenkasse) and give the details to your employer.
• Open a German bank account for your training allowance.
• Have your tax ID (Steuer-ID) ready — your employer needs it for payroll.
• Provide your social security number (Sozialversicherungsnummer), or ask your Krankenkasse how to obtain it.It is issued in connection with pension insurance and stays with you for life.
• Make sure your address registration (Anmeldung) is done and up to date.
• Ask HR for the full list of documents they need before day one.
• Ask which vocational school you are assigned to and when your first school day is.

Berufsschule — the vocational school

The Berufsschule teaches the theory that belongs to your occupation. Attendance is part of your training, not optional extra study.

• Clarify your schedule: some occupations have fixed school days per week, others block weeks.
• Ask what you need to bring: enrolment documents, materials, and sometimes proof of your contract.
• Understand the split of responsibility: the company trains you in practice, the school in theory, and both report on your progress.
• Keep your report book or training record up to date if your occupation requires one.
• Tell both school and employer immediately if you are ill on a school day.

First weeks

• Read your first payslip and check gross pay, deductions and net pay.Ask your employer or Krankenkasse if a deduction is unclear.
• Check that health, care, pension and unemployment insurance are registered for you.
• Note your rights and duties: working hours, breaks, holiday, punctuality and reporting sickness.
• Use the probation period to check that the occupation really suits you.
• Know who to contact if there are problems: your trainer, the works council if there is one, your chamber, or the employment agency.
• Check whether you are entitled to financial support such as vocational training assistance.