Career change as an occupational therapist
With your experience you can switch to 8 jobs in Germany: 6 with on-the-job training and 2 with training or a course.
In the job search you can sort by what matters to you, save jobs and see where they lead.
Career change paths
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Head of a therapy department
Also: Owner of an occupational therapy practice
With on-the-job trainingPromotion
As head of a therapy department or in your own practice, you lead a team, plan appointments and are responsible for billing and quality.
- What you bring:
- You know therapy planning, prescriptions and cooperation with doctors from many treatments.
- How to get there:
- Management positions in clinics and rehabilitation centers go to experienced therapists. For your own practice, you need accreditation by the health insurance funds, which comes with requirements for the premises and professional qualifications. Courses on practice management and billing take a few days.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€5,115gross per monthMedian salary
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Specialist advisor for rehabilitation technology and aids
Also: Medical device consultant
With on-the-job training
At medical supply stores and manufacturers, you advise patients, clinics and care facilities, adjust aids and train users.
- What you bring:
- You know which aids really help people in everyday life and can assess needs and fitting professionally.
- How to get there:
- Manufacturers and medical supply stores give therapists product training over a few weeks. With your training and this product training, you meet the expertise (Sachkenntnis) that the law requires for medical device consultants (Medizinprodukteberater). A driving license class B is expected.*Regulated by law (Medical Devices Law Implementation Act (MPDG) § 83).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people€5,550gross per monthMedian salary
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Ergonomics consultant
Also: Workplace health management consultant
With on-the-job training
As an ergonomics or health consultant, you analyze workplaces in companies, suggest improvements and lead health programs.
- What you bring:
- You know posture, movement and strain and know how to adapt workplaces to people.
- How to get there:
- Consultancies, health insurance funds and larger companies train therapists on the job. Courses in workplace ergonomics or workplace health management take a few days to a few weeks.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people -
Rehabilitation manager at an employers' liability insurance association (Berufsgenossenschaft)
Also: Case manager at a health insurance fund
With on-the-job training
As a rehabilitation or case manager, you plan treatment, aids and the return to work for insured people after an accident or serious illness.
- What you bring:
- You know the course of diseases, therapies and aids and can assess what a person needs to return to everyday life.
- How to get there:
- Accident insurance bodies and health insurance funds hire professionals from therapy and nursing and train them in social law, often over several months alongside work. You work in an office and in conversations with insured people.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office€5,226gross per monthMedian salary
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Head of the social services department of a senior care facility
Also: Head of care and daily activities
With on-the-job training
In nursing homes and senior care facilities, you lead the social services department (Sozialer Dienst) and the team of care assistants and plan activities for the residents.
- What you bring:
- You plan activation, exercise and activities that help older people keep their independence.
- How to get there:
- Providers also appoint occupational therapists to lead the social services department. Courses in gerontopsychiatry or management tasks take a few days to a few weeks. The work is physically lighter than in nursing.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Physically lightLots of contact with people€5,771gross per monthMedian salary
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Job coach for people with disabilities
Also: Specialist advisor for participation in working life
With on-the-job training
As a job coach, you support people with disabilities or after illness at their workplace and advise businesses.
- What you bring:
- You know limitations, aids and work processes and can assess which work suits a person.
- How to get there:
- Integration specialist services (Integrationsfachdienste), training providers and rehabilitation facilities hire therapists. Further training as a job coach takes a few weeks to a few months alongside work.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€4,457gross per monthMedian salary
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Teacher at a vocational school for occupational therapy
Also: Lecturer for therapy professions
With further training
At vocational schools and universities, you teach future therapists and support them in practical placements.
- What you bring:
- You master treatment methods, assessment and therapy planning from practice and can teach them clearly.
- How to get there:
- Schools usually require work experience and an additional teaching qualification or a suitable bachelor's or master's degree, which you can earn alongside work. The state sets the requirements. As a guest lecturer, you can also teach without them.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contact€5,140gross per monthMedian salary
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Group leader in a workshop for people with disabilities
Also: Specialist in the accompanying service of a workshop
With further training
In workshops for people with disabilities, you lead a work group or support employees in the accompanying service (Begleitender Dienst), usually at fixed times of the day.
- What you bring:
- You can assess abilities, adapt work steps and help people with disabilities toward more independence.
- How to get there:
- Workshops also hire occupational therapists. For group leadership, the Workshops Ordinance (Werkstättenverordnung) requires an additional qualification in special education, which you can complete alongside work after you are hired; how long it takes depends on the provider. In the accompanying service, your training is often enough.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hours€4,350gross per monthMedian salary
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.
Frequently asked questions
Which jobs can I do as an occupational therapist without vocational training or retraining?
Without a new qualification, often with on-the-job training: Head of a therapy department, Specialist advisor for rehabilitation technology and aids, Ergonomics consultant, Rehabilitation manager at an employers' liability insurance association (Berufsgenossenschaft), Head of the social services department of a senior care facility and Job coach for people with disabilities.
Which retraining or further training suits me as an occupational therapist?
With vocational training, retraining, further training or a course: Teacher at a vocational school for occupational therapy and Group leader in a workshop for people with disabilities.
What promotion options do I have as an occupational therapist?
Promotions include, for example: Head of a therapy department.
Which of these jobs pay the most?
According to official statistics, the highest median full-time salaries are: Head of the social services department of a senior care facility (€5,771 gross per month), Specialist advisor for rehabilitation technology and aids (€5,550 gross per month) and Rehabilitation manager at an employers' liability insurance association (Berufsgenossenschaft) (€5,226 gross per month). Half of employees earn more, half earn less; when you start it is often lower. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), April 2025. No guarantee of accuracy.
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