Career change as a restaurant chain manager (Systemgastronomie)

Career change paths

• Fresh food counter salesperson

  Also: Specialist salesperson in the food trades

  With on-the-job training

  At the service counter of a supermarket, in a bakery or a butcher's shop you advise customers, portion and present goods and watch freshness and cooling.

  What you bring:

  You handle food, hygiene rules and the till confidently and stay friendly when there are many customers.

  How to get there:

  You start with a few weeks of on-the-job training (Einarbeitung), often with internal courses for meat and cheese counters. A qualification comes from vocational training (Ausbildung) as a sales assistant (Verkäufer), which takes 2 years, or as a specialist salesperson in the food trades (Fachverkäufer im Lebensmittelhandwerk), which takes 3 years. You can also earn either one through the external exam (Externenprüfung) after several years of work experience.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €3,000gross per monthMedian salary

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• Food production worker

  Also: Machine and plant operator, food technology

  With on-the-job training

  In the food industry you operate and monitor machinery, for example in large bakeries, dairies or at makers of ready meals, check products and document quality.

  What you bring:

  You follow hygiene rules and recipes exactly, know the cold chain and shelf life and work quickly in a team.

  How to get there:

  You start as a production worker with a few weeks of on-the-job training (Einarbeitung), and shift work is usual. Later, a qualification comes from vocational training (Ausbildung) as a food technology specialist (Fachkraft für Lebensmitteltechnik), which takes 3 years, or as a machine and plant operator (Maschinen- und Anlagenführer), which takes 2 years. You can also do it as retraining (Umschulung) or take the external exam (Externenprüfung) after several years of work experience.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workPhysically demandingLittle customer contact

  €2,982gross per monthMedian salary

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• Nursing assistant

  Also: Nursing aide in elderly care

  With on-the-job training

  As a nursing assistant you support older or sick people with washing, dressing and eating and work closely with the nursing professionals.

  What you bring:

  You are used to physical work, stay friendly in hectic situations and follow hygiene rules.

  How to get there:

  You start as a nursing aide after a basic nursing course (Pflegebasiskurs) of a few weeks. A qualification comes from training as a nursing specialist assistant (Pflegefachassistenz). From 2027 it will be the same across Germany and usually takes 18 months full-time, with training pay. You can later have it credited toward the training as a registered nurse (Pflegefachfrau/Pflegefachmann).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €3,296gross per monthMedian salary

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• Hotel manager

  Also: Hotel director

  With on-the-job trainingPromotion

  In a hotel, you gradually take on further areas such as banquets, reception and housekeeping and can move up to hotel management.

  What you bring:

  You lead a team, calculate food and staff costs, and know guest service, hygiene and events from everyday restaurant work.

  How to get there:

  Hotels often fill management positions with experienced restaurateurs, usually through intermediate steps such as heading food and beverage or banquets. Further training at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), such as certified senior specialist in hospitality (Fachwirt im Gastgewerbe), is helpful but not required.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsPhysically lightLots of contact with people
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• Banquet manager

  Also: Event manager

  With on-the-job training

  As a banquet or event manager, you plan events from the first inquiry to the final invoice, in hotels, conference venues or at event agencies.

  What you bring:

  You organize celebrations, conference meals and events and keep staff, kitchen and guests in view at the same time.

  How to get there:

  Hotels, conference venues and caterers hire experienced restaurant managers directly and train them on their booking systems. Depending on the employer, you will still work evenings and weekends, though at agencies and conference venues the hours are often more predictable.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsLots of contact with people

  €3,497gross per monthMedian salary

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• Head of housekeeping in a senior care facility

  Also: Head of catering in a hospital

  With on-the-job training

  In senior care facilities, hospitals or conference venues, you lead catering, cleaning and laundry, usually with fixed day shifts.

  What you bring:

  You know purchasing, menu planning, hygiene and staff deployment from the restaurant business.

  How to get there:

  Providers hire managers from the restaurant business and train them on the job in housekeeping and hygiene regulations. You can gain a formal housekeeping qualification through further training at state technical schools (Fachschulen); the name and entry requirements differ from state to state.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hours

  €3,996gross per monthMedian salary

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• Field sales representative for restaurant customers

  Also: Regional sales manager at a brewery

  With on-the-job training

  In field sales for a brewery, a beverage wholesaler or a catering wholesaler, you look after restaurants in your region, advise on the product range and promotions, and negotiate supply contracts.

  What you bring:

  You know how restaurateurs calculate, what sells on the menu and which suppliers are reliable.

  How to get there:

  Breweries and wholesalers hire restaurateurs with industry experience and train them over a few weeks in products and sales. A driving license class B is expected. You mostly work during the day, with a lot of driving and sales targets.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people

  €4,456gross per monthMedian salary

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• Supermarket manager

  Also: Branch manager

  With on-the-job training

  As a store or branch manager in food retail, you are responsible for sales, the team and stock maintenance of a store.

  What you bring:

  You lead staff in shifts, manage goods, tills and key figures, and stay friendly to customers even under pressure.

  How to get there:

  Retail chains also hire managers from the restaurant business and train them on the job in a branch; the length depends on the company. Working hours are more regular than in hospitality, but Saturday work remains usual.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workLots of contact with people

  €4,604gross per monthMedian salary

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• Head of customer service

  Also: Customer service team leader

  With on-the-job training

  In the customer service department of a company, you lead a service team, plan assignments and make sure customers are satisfied on the phone or on site.

  What you bring:

  You handle complaints with confidence, lead teams in shift operations and know what makes good service.

  How to get there:

  Companies with large customer service operations hire managers from the restaurant business and train them over a few weeks in products and systems. You mostly work in an office, and depending on the industry, you may have late or weekend shifts.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically lightLots of contact with people

  €7,515gross per monthMedian salary

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• Recruitment consultant for hospitality

  Also: Staffing dispatcher

  With on-the-job training

  At a recruitment consultancy or temporary staffing agency, you find specialists for hotels and restaurants, conduct job interviews and look after clients.

  What you bring:

  You know the occupations, working hours and bottlenecks in the restaurant business, and you quickly see who fits into a team.

  How to get there:

  Staffing service providers train industry experts over a few weeks, and courses in labor law help. The work is sales-oriented, often with targets.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office

  €4,167gross per monthMedian salary

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• Receptionist

  Also: Hotel front desk employee

  With on-the-job training

  At the reception you need exactly this at check-in, check-out and on the phone.

  What you bring:

  You deal with guests in a friendly way every day, even when it gets hectic, take requests and complaints, and settle bills at the cash desk.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at the reception and in the hotel software, usually lasting a few weeks. English skills are almost always expected.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €3,034gross per monthMedian salary

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• Bartender

  Also: Barista

  With on-the-job training

  At the bar or in the coffee bar you mix cocktails, prepare coffee specialties, and are responsible for drink quality and order at the counter.

  What you bring:

  You know drinks, the cash register system and guest contact, and you keep track of things during rush periods.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in the business, often supplemented by bar or barista courses from private providers lasting a few days to a few weeks. Evening and night work are common at the bar, while in the café early and day shifts are more usual.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €2,857gross per monthMedian salary

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• Cook

  Also: Kitchen specialist

  With retrainingPromotion

  In training you learn how to cook fresh meat, fish and vegetables, make sauces, calculate costs and plan menus for a restaurant, canteen or hotel.

  What you bring:

  You work fast, cleanly and to specifications, and you know hygiene rules, allergen labeling and how a kitchen runs at rush hours.

  How to get there:

  Vocational training (Ausbildung) as a cook (Koch/Köchin) takes 3 years. As a kitchen specialist (Fachkraft Küche) it takes 2 years, and you can build the cook training on top of it. Both come with training pay. After 4.5 years of kitchen work experience, you can also take the exam at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) to become a cook without training (§ 45 para. 2 BBiG); the IHK decides whether your experience is recognized. The Federal Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit) or the Jobcenter can fund retraining (Umschulung) if the requirements are met.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLittle customer contact

  €3,058gross per monthMedian salary

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• Warehouse operative

  Also: Warehouse logistics specialist

  With retraining

  In warehouse logistics you receive goods, put them into storage, pick orders and prepare shipping, usually with a scanner and forklift.

  What you bring:

  You receive deliveries, check quantities and shelf life and pay attention to the cold chain and order in the warehouse.

  How to get there:

  Vocational training (Ausbildung) as a warehouse operative (Fachlagerist) takes 2 years, and as a warehouse logistics specialist (Fachkraft für Lagerlogistik) 3 years. Both are also available as retraining (Umschulung), which the Federal Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit) or the Jobcenter can fund. Warehouses also hire without a qualification and train you on the job; you can get the forklift license in a course of a few days.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workPhysically demandingLittle customer contact

  €3,235gross per monthMedian salary

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• Security guard

  Also: Property security officer

  With further training

  In a security service you check access, do rounds in buildings or secure events and respond properly to disturbances.

  What you bring:

  You stay calm even when it is busy and guests are difficult, keep to fixed procedures and work reliably on late and weekend shifts.

  How to get there:

  You take a briefing course (Unterrichtung) under § 34a GewO at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), 40 teaching hours, and the authorities carry out a reliability check. For patrols in publicly accessible areas, protection against shoplifters or door control at nightclubs, you need the expertise exam (Sachkundeprüfung) at the IHK instead. Later, you can train as a protection and security specialist (Fachkraft für Schutz und Sicherheit).*Regulated by law (Trade Regulation Act (GewO) § 34a, Security Services Ordinance (BewachV)).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €3,200gross per monthMedian salary

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• Trainer in the hospitality industry

  Also: Lecturer for hospitality at a training provider

  With further training

  In inter-company training centers, hotel schools or at training providers, you teach service and hospitality and prepare people for exams.

  What you bring:

  You know service, beverage knowledge and restaurant procedures and have instructed apprentices in your business.

  How to get there:

  To train apprentices, you need trainer aptitude under the AEVO (Ausbildereignung), which you prove with an exam at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK). Preparation courses are optional, and their length depends on the provider. For lecturer positions at technical schools, further training such as master craftsperson (Meister) or certified senior specialist (Fachwirt) is often expected.*Regulated by law (Vocational Training Act (BBiG) § 30 and Trainer Aptitude Ordinance (AEVO)).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLittle customer contact

  €5,075gross per monthMedian salary

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• Flight attendant

  With training or an exam

  What is new are mainly the safety and emergency tasks, for which you are trained.

  What you bring:

  Service under time pressure in a tight space, friendly dealings with guests and selling food and drinks are part of everyday life on board.

  How to get there:

  You do basic training at an airline, usually lasting a few weeks, with an exam for the cabin crew attestation (Flugbegleiterbescheinigung). You also need an aviation medical examination and good English.*Regulated by law (Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, Annex V (Part-CC)).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €3,307gross per monthMedian salary

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• Train conductor

  Also: Customer service employee in local transport

  With training or an exam

  On the train, you also handle ticket checks, announcements and tasks at departure.

  What you bring:

  You are used to working on your feet and on the move, answering questions in a friendly way, and staying calm even with difficult guests.

  How to get there:

  You qualify at the railway company, which usually takes a few weeks to a few months, with an exam and a medical fitness examination. Shift work (Schichtdienst) and weekend duty are part of the job.*Regulated by law (Railway Construction and Operating Regulations (EBO) §§ 47, 48).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workLots of contact with people

  €3,568gross per monthMedian salary

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• Office management clerk (Kaufmann für Büromanagement)

  With retraining

  In the office you use these organizational skills for orders, appointments and invoices, usually at fixed times of the day.

  What you bring:

  You take orders, settle bills, keep many things in view at the same time and stay friendly in customer contact.

  How to get there:

  You can do retraining (Umschulung) as office management clerk (Kaufmann für Büromanagement), which usually takes two years and can often be funded through an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office

  €3,810gross 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.