Career change as an early childhood educator

Career change paths

• Specialist advisor for daycare centers

  Also: Quality officer at a Kita provider

  With on-the-job training

  As a specialist advisor, you support several daycare centers of a provider or youth welfare office, advise center heads and teams, and help with quality development and concepts.

  What you bring:

  You know program concepts, education plans and everyday life in a daycare center in many situations.

  How to get there:

  Providers and youth welfare offices look for experienced professionals, often with leadership experience. Depending on the position, a degree in social or childhood education is required, and some providers also take early childhood educators with further training. You get on-the-job training from the provider.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically light

  €4,457gross per monthMedian salary

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• Childminder (Kindertagespflegeperson)

  Also: Childminder (Tagesmutter or Tagesvater)

  With on-the-job training

  In childminding (Kindertagespflege), you independently look after a small group of at most five children at a time in your own or rented rooms and set procedures and times yourself.

  What you bring:

  You can look after and support children and work well with parents.

  How to get there:

  You need a care permit from the youth welfare office. As an early childhood educator (Erzieher), you are usually considered professionally suitable, but a shortened qualification course may still be required. The youth welfare office sets the ongoing payment unless state law provides otherwise.*Regulated by law (Social Code, Book VIII (SGB VIII) § 43).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €3,340gross per monthMedian salary

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• Course leader in family education

  Also: Trainer for the qualification of childminders

  With on-the-job training

  In family education centers, adult education centers or at training providers, you lead parent and parent-child courses or train future childminders.

  What you bring:

  You know child development, parenting questions and the concerns of parents from many conversations.

  How to get there:

  Training providers use experienced early childhood educators as course leaders, often part-time on a freelance basis. Further training in adult education lasting a few weeks helps. You can also apply for permanent positions.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €5,254gross per monthMedian salary

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• Clerk in financial youth welfare services

  Also: Clerk for the allocation of daycare places

  With on-the-job training

  At the youth welfare office, you process applications for daycare places, fee waivers or support and advise parents, with regular office hours.

  What you bring:

  You know daycare laws, childcare services and families in difficult situations from practice.

  How to get there:

  Some municipalities also fill such positions with professionals from childcare and train them on the job in administrative law. A part-time administrative course may be required; its duration depends on the training institute.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office

  €3,964gross per monthMedian salary

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• Field specialist advisor for daycare equipment

  Also: Customer advisor for educational play and learning materials

  With on-the-job training

  For manufacturers and dealers, you advise daycare centers, schools and providers on furnishings and materials and prepare quotes.

  What you bring:

  You know from daily group life which furniture, play and learning materials prove their worth in a daycare center.

  How to get there:

  Manufacturers and specialist dealers give early childhood educators product training over a few weeks. A driving license class B and willingness to travel are expected.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €4,456gross per monthMedian salary

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• Team leader of a residential group in youth welfare

  Also: Division head for educational support services (Hilfen zur Erziehung)

  With on-the-job training

  As team leader of a residential group or division head in youth welfare, you lead educational professionals, plan shifts and work closely with the youth welfare office.

  What you bring:

  You know educational work, work with parents and crises and have often already guided teams.

  How to get there:

  Independent providers often fill team leader positions with experienced early childhood educators; for division head positions a degree in social work or management training is usually required. Shift and weekend work can be part of the job.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €5,771gross per monthMedian salary

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• Daycare center head (Kita-Leitung)

  Also: Deputy daycare center head

  With further trainingPromotion

  As Kita head, you lead the team, plan staff and occupancy, work with the provider and the youth welfare office, and develop the educational concept.

  What you bring:

  You know everyday life in a daycare center, parent conversations and teamwork from your own experience.

  How to get there:

  Providers often fill management positions with experienced early childhood educators (Erzieher). Depending on the state, part-time further training for Kita management is expected or required; the duration depends on the provider.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsLots of contact with people

  €5,771gross per monthMedian salary

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• Special needs educator (Heilpädagoge)

  Also: Group leader in a workshop for people with disabilities

  With further training

  As a special needs educator (Heilpädagoge), you support children and adults with disabilities in early intervention, residential homes or workshops; as a group leader in a workshop, you accompany employees at work.

  What you bring:

  You recognize when a child needs special support and can accompany development in a targeted way.

  How to get there:

  Further training to become a state-recognized special needs educator (staatlich anerkannter Heilpädagoge) at a technical school (Fachschule) comprises at least 1,800 lessons under the framework agreement of the Standing Conference of Education Ministers (KMK), full-time or alongside work. It requires your training as an early childhood educator (Erzieher) and work experience, and it is eligible for Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). As a group leader in a workshop, under the Workshop Ordinance (WVO § 9(3)) you need knowledge of the respective work area and an additional qualification in special education, which you can complete after you start.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Lots of contact with people

  €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.