Career change as a wood turner

Career change paths

• Course leader for wood carving and weaving

  Also: Lecturer for arts and crafts

  Start right away

  At adult education centers (Volkshochschulen), education centers, museums or leisure facilities you give courses for adults, children or groups and prepare material and tools.

  What you bring:

  You are skilled in a rare craft technique and can pass it on patiently.

  How to get there:

  Adult education centers, open-air museums and education centers usually commission arts and crafts people directly on a freelance basis, often in the evenings and on weekends. Basic courses for course leaders are offered, for example, by the adult education center associations (Volkshochschulverbände).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people

  €5,254gross per monthMedian salary

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• CNC programmer, wood

  Also: CAM programmer in the furniture industry

  With on-the-job trainingPromotion

  As a CNC programmer you create programs for milling, drilling and edge processing from design data, optimize processes and help with faults.

  What you bring:

  You know CNC machining centers, tools, clamping devices and wood-based materials from practice at the machine.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training in the company (Einarbeitung), usually after some time at CNC machines, plus training on the programming software with the machine manufacturer or software provider, lasting a few days to weeks. Courses in CNC technology at chambers of crafts and training providers make the start easier. Funding with an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein) is possible if the Federal Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit) or the Jobcenter approves it.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €4,675gross per monthMedian salary

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• CAD designer in furniture and interior finishing

  Also: Detail designer

  With on-the-job training

  In design you draw furniture, interior finishing and building elements on the computer, create production drawings and parts lists and pass data on to CNC production.

  What you bring:

  You know how furniture parts are made, drilled and assembled and which designs prove themselves in production.

  How to get there:

  CAD courses for furniture design at training providers or software providers usually take a few weeks to months. Funding with an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein) is possible if the Federal Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit) or the Jobcenter approves it. For independent design, companies often expect the technician qualification or a lot of experience in work planning.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €3,821gross per monthMedian salary

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• Kitchen fitter

  Also: Interior finishing fitter

  With on-the-job training

  As a fitter you install kitchens, built-in furniture, doors or interior finishing at customers' premises, adapt parts on site and hand over the finished installation.

  What you bring:

  You know furniture parts, fittings and wood-based materials exactly and work cleanly and to size.

  How to get there:

  Furniture stores, kitchen studios and installation companies usually give wood mechanics a few weeks of on-the-job training (Einarbeitung), and a driving license class B is almost always required. For electrical connections you need an additional qualification, for example as an electrically qualified person for defined tasks (Elektrofachkraft für festgelegte Tätigkeiten). Depending on the company, water connections are handled by internally trained fitters or plumbing businesses. The work is physically demanding and involves a lot of driving.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €3,249gross per monthMedian salary

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• Application technician for woodworking machines

  Also: Field technical advisor, fittings

  With on-the-job training

  At the manufacturer or dealer you demonstrate machines and tools, train operators at customers' premises, help with faults or advise joineries and furniture makers on products.

  What you bring:

  You know woodworking machines, tools and fittings from daily production and know where things get stuck in the business.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training from the manufacturer or dealer (Einarbeitung) with product training, usually for a few weeks to months. A wood trade, several years of practice, a driving license class B and willingness to travel are usually expected, and at machine manufacturers often also English. You can start in technical inside sales or customer service and later move to field sales.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people

  €5,550gross per monthMedian salary

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• Caretaker

  Also: Property caretaker

  With on-the-job training

  As a caretaker at schools, housing companies or hospitals you keep buildings in good shape, check technology and safety and coordinate craft businesses.

  What you bring:

  You handle wood, tools and machines confidently and can do smaller repairs to doors, windows and furniture yourself.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training from the employer (Einarbeitung). A trade qualification is an advantage, and for heating and electrics, courses in building services or to become an electrically qualified person for defined tasks (Elektrofachkraft für festgelegte Tätigkeiten), lasting a few weeks, help. A driving license class B is usually required, and on-call duty and winter maintenance (snow clearing) can come on top.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically demanding

  €3,260gross per monthMedian salary

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• Visual merchandiser

  Also: Window dresser

  With on-the-job training

  As a window dresser or visual merchandiser you design shop windows, sales areas and trade fair stands for retail and brands.

  What you bring:

  You have an eye for shapes, materials and effect and can implement ideas with your hands.

  How to get there:

  Retailers and agencies give craftspeople with a gift for design and work samples on-the-job training (Einarbeitung); courses in visual merchandising take a few weeks. A recognized qualification comes from vocational training (Ausbildung) as a visual marketing designer (Gestalter/Gestalterin für visuelles Marketing).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically demandingLittle customer contact

  €3,117gross per monthMedian salary

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• Employee in theater sculpture

  Also: Set builder at the theater

  With on-the-job training

  In the workshops of theaters, opera houses and film productions you build sets, props and sculptures according to the designs of the stage designers.

  What you bring:

  You can carve, shape, weave and improvise with different materials.

  How to get there:

  Theater workshops and film sets give experienced wood craftspeople on-the-job training (Einarbeitung), often at first fixed-term or for one production. Work samples count for more than certificates there. A qualification of your own comes from vocational training as a stage painter and sculptor (Bühnenmaler/Bühnenmalerin und -plastiker/-plastikerin).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically demandingLittle customer contact

  €3,700gross per monthMedian salary

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• Museum technician

  Also: Employee in a restoration workshop

  With on-the-job training

  In museums and restoration workshops you set up exhibitions, make mounts and display cases and support restorers in the care and repair of objects.

  What you bring:

  You handle wood, wickerwork and historical techniques carefully and recognize how an object is built.

  How to get there:

  Museums and workshops give arts and crafts people on-the-job training (Einarbeitung), and jobs can be project-based or fixed-term. For more advanced restoration work, there is further training in the crafts as a certified restorer (Geprüfter Restaurator/Geprüfte Restauratorin im Handwerk), which usually requires the master craftsperson exam (Meisterprüfung) in a suitable trade, for example wood sculpting or joinery.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically demandingLittle customer contact
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• Shift supervisor in furniture manufacturing

  Also: Certified industrial foreman, wood, Master joiner

  With further trainingPromotion

  As a shift supervisor or master craftsperson (Meister) you plan jobs and staff, ensure quality and deadlines and train new staff.

  What you bring:

  You know cutting, edge processing, CNC machining and assembly in the wood industry and know where material and time are lost.

  How to get there:

  You usually move up internally through crew leader and shift leader positions. For a qualification, the options are the master craftsperson exam (Meisterprüfung) in the joinery trade or the certified industrial foreman, wood (Industriemeister Holz), which some chambers of industry and commerce (IHK) offer as regional further training. Both can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). With a qualification as a wood mechanic (Holzmechaniker/Holzmechanikerin), the Chamber of Crafts (Handwerkskammer) checks whether you are admitted directly to the master joiner exam or first have to show some years of work in the joinery trade.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workLittle customer contact

  €4,082gross per monthMedian salary

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• State-certified wood technician

  Also: Production technician in the furniture industry

  With further trainingPromotion

  As a wood technician you plan manufacturing processes, work in work planning, optimize machines and processes or calculate jobs.

  What you bring:

  You know wood-based materials, fittings, machines and manufacturing processes from your own work in production.

  How to get there:

  The vocational college for wood technology (Fachschule für Holztechnik) takes 2 years full-time or about 4 years alongside work and can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). Access is usually with a vocational qualification, for example as a wood mechanic or joiner, and at least one year of work experience; the federal state sets the exact rules. Without a vocational qualification, the states usually require considerably longer work experience.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsLittle customer contact

  €4,675gross per monthMedian salary

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• Industrial mechanic in maintenance

  Also: Maintenance technician in the wood industry

  With retraining

  In maintenance you service and repair production systems, replace assemblies and keep hydraulics, pneumatics and drives running.

  What you bring:

  You set up machines, change tools and know typical faults on saws, edge banding machines and machining centers.

  How to get there:

  A recognized qualification comes from retraining (Umschulung) as an industrial mechanic (Industriemechaniker/Industriemechanikerin), which usually takes a good 2 years. The Federal Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit) or the Jobcenter fund it mainly if you do not yet have a vocational qualification or can no longer find work in your occupation. Some companies also deploy experienced machine setters in maintenance without a new qualification and qualify them through courses in mechanics, pneumatics and hydraulics.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workPhysically demandingLittle customer contact

  €4,563gross per monthMedian salary

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• Joiner

  With retraining

  As a joiner you build furniture, interior finishing, windows or stairs and work with modern machines in the workshop and on installation.

  What you bring:

  You know types of wood, tools and surfaces and work precisely by hand.

  How to get there:

  Retraining (Umschulung) or shortened vocational training (Ausbildung) as a joiner (Tischler/Tischlerin); retraining usually takes about 2 years. With at least 4.5 years of work experience in joinery, where training in a related wood trade can count, the Chamber of Crafts (Handwerkskammer) can also admit you directly to the journeyman exam (Gesellenprüfung).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically demanding

  €3,249gross per monthMedian salary

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• Group leader in a workshop for people with disabilities

  Also: Specialist for work and vocational support

  With further training

  As a group leader in a workshop for people with disabilities you lead a work group, plan jobs and support the employees in their work.

  What you bring:

  You are skilled in woodwork and basket weaving and can divide work steps so that many people can learn them.

  How to get there:

  Workshops hire craftspeople with a vocational qualification and usually at least two years of work experience. You complete the special-needs education qualification as a certified specialist for work and vocational support (Geprüfte Fachkraft zur Arbeits- und Berufsförderung) alongside work, and the exam is held by the responsible state authority.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLittle customer contact

  €4,350gross per monthMedian salary

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Salary: median of all full-time employees in the job, gross per month excluding special payments, as of April 2025. Half earn more, half earn less. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), table 62361-0030, license dl-de/by-2-0. Assigned to the jobs by quereinsteiger.de. No guarantee of accuracy.