Career change as a master building cleaner

Career change paths

• Application adviser for cleaning and hygiene

  Also: Field sales representative for cleaning technology

  With on-the-job training

  At the manufacturer or wholesaler you advise facilities and building service providers, present cleaning and hygiene concepts, and train the staff on site.

  What you bring:

  You know cleaning agents, dosing systems, machines and hygiene requirements from work in hotels, clinics or homes.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at the manufacturer or wholesaler, usually a few weeks of product training. A class B driving license and willingness to travel are expected. Look for a permanent position: as a self-employed commercial agent you usually work on commission only and bear the risk yourself.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €4,456gross per monthMedian salary

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• Head of laundry services

  Also: Operations manager of a laundry

  With on-the-job trainingPromotion

  In the management of a large laundry or textile service you plan staff and production, steer routes and quality, and look after major customers.

  What you bring:

  You know laundry cycles, textile care, hygiene requirements, and what hotels, clinics and homes expect from clean laundry.

  How to get there:

  The management of laundry services in clinics, homes or hotel groups is often taken over by experienced housekeeping managers, who get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in machines, washing processes and hygiene certification. For the operations management of a commercial large laundry, the way in usually leads through shift or production management, and depending on the business, a master qualification in the textile cleaning trade or in home economics, or a technician qualification, is then expected.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift work

  €4,062gross per monthMedian salary

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• Hygiene adviser for institutional catering

  Also: Auditor for food hygiene

  With on-the-job training

  As a hygiene adviser or auditor you check kitchens, canteens and facilities, create hygiene concepts based on the HACCP principle, train staff, and prepare businesses for official inspections.

  What you bring:

  You implement hygiene plans and self-checks, know cleaning, disinfection and food hygiene, and instruct employees.

  How to get there:

  Courses in hygiene management and auditing at chambers, associations and testing organizations usually take a few days to a few weeks. After that you get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at a consulting company, caterer or association. A master or technical college qualification in home economics or the food sector and experience in commercial kitchens are usually expected. Business travel is common.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLittle customer contact

  €4,905gross per monthMedian salary

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• Kitchen manager in institutional catering

  With on-the-job training

  As kitchen manager in homes, clinics, canteens or schools you plan menus and staff, order goods, and ensure compliance with hygiene regulations.

  What you bring:

  If you are also responsible for catering in a care or educational facility, you know menu planning, diets, hygiene rules and cost of goods.

  How to get there:

  Homes and communal kitchens often fill kitchen management positions with cooks, but also with master craftspeople in home economics or experienced housekeeping managers. On-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in kitchen technology and production processes usually takes a few weeks to a few months. Experience in commercial kitchens clearly improves your chances.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically demandingLittle customer contact

  €3,913gross per monthMedian salary

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• Buyer for hotel and clinic supplies

  Also: Purchasing clerk

  With on-the-job training

  In the purchasing department of a hotel group, a clinic network or a building service provider you negotiate with suppliers, put framework agreements out to tender, and monitor deliveries.

  What you bring:

  You order cleaning agents, laundry and consumables, compare quotes, and know which quality holds up in everyday use.

  How to get there:

  You switch to purchasing with on-the-job training (Einarbeitung), usually lasting a few weeks to a few months. A commercial qualification is often expected. Later, you can take part-time further training in purchasing at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €4,200gross per monthMedian salary

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• Glass cleaner

  Also: Window cleaner

  With on-the-job training

  In glass cleaning, windows, glass facades and work on ladders or aerial work platforms come on top.

  What you bring:

  You work thoroughly, know cleaning agents and equipment and are used to physical work.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at a building cleaning company with glass cleaning, usually lasting a few weeks, with instruction on ladders, aerial work platforms and fall protection.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically demanding
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• Sterile supply worker

  Also: Sterile processing assistant

  With on-the-job training

  The reprocessing of surgical instruments requires the same care.

  What you bring:

  You work exactly according to hygiene and cleaning plans and know why cleanliness in the hospital is so important.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in the reprocessing department of a hospital. You usually also take a Fachkunde course for sterile processing assistance (Fachkundelehrgang für Sterilgutassistenz), with a few weeks of instruction plus practice, which is often eligible for funding with an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workLittle customer contact

  €3,342gross per monthMedian salary

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• Nursing assistant

  Also: Qualified nursing assistant (Pflegefachassistent)

  With on-the-job training

  In nursing assistance, you support people directly with personal hygiene, eating and moving.

  What you bring:

  You are used to hygiene rules, physical work and fixed routines and often already work in clinics or care homes.

  How to get there:

  You can start as a nursing assistant after a basic nursing course (Pflegebasiskurs) of a few weeks. For a qualification, you can do vocational training (Ausbildung) as a nursing assistant (Pflegefachassistentin/Pflegefachassistent). From 2027 this training is uniform nationwide and takes 18 months full-time, with training pay. With work experience in nursing, it can be shortened.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €3,296gross per monthMedian salary

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• Caretaker

  Also: Property care worker

  With on-the-job training

  In caretaker work, small repairs, inspection rounds, winter maintenance and outdoor areas come on top.

  What you bring:

  You know buildings, house rules and cleaning plans and quickly notice when something is broken or missing.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at a caretaker service, property management or facility company. Manual skill is important, and courses in building services of a few weeks make entry easier.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically demanding

  €3,260gross per monthMedian salary

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• Care support worker

  Also: Everyday companion

  With on-the-job training

  As a care support worker, you accompany residents in daily life, read aloud, play, go for walks and organize group activities.

  What you bring:

  If you clean in care homes or clinics, you know the routines and hygiene rules and are friendly with older people.

  How to get there:

  The qualification follows the care support worker guidelines for § 53b SGB XI: about 160 hours of instruction plus internships, which together usually take 2 to 4 months. It is often eligible for funding with an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein). After that you need a short further training every year. You are deployed mainly in nursing homes.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workLots of contact with people

  €3,296gross per monthMedian salary

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• Rooms division manager

  Also: Hotel manager

  With further trainingPromotion

  As rooms division manager you are responsible for the front desk and housekeeping together, and in smaller hotels also for the whole hotel operation.

  What you bring:

  If you lead housekeeping in a hotel, you know room standards, staff planning, budgets and how closely you have to coordinate with the reception.

  How to get there:

  This is usually an internal promotion in larger hotels, often after some time at the front desk to get to know that area. As a qualification, the further training course for certified senior specialist in hospitality (Fachwirt im Gastgewerbe) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) or the technical college for the hotel and restaurant trade (state-certified business administrator, two years full-time) fit. Both can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). You usually need a vocational qualification and work experience in hospitality.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically lightLots of contact with people
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• Head of building services

  Also: Head of economic and supply services, Head of facility management

  With further trainingPromotion

  As head of building or supply services you are responsible for several areas such as cleaning, laundry, catering and building technology, manage budgets, and put services out to tender.

  What you bring:

  You plan staff and cleaning processes, check quality, order material and work with service providers.

  How to get there:

  You usually get there after several years in property or housekeeping management and with part-time further training. Good options are, for example, the technical college for nutrition and supply management (state-certified business administrator, two years full-time, partly also alongside a job) or courses in facility management at chambers and private providers. Recognized further trainings can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). Admission to the technical college is regulated by the state, usually requiring a vocational qualification and work experience.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically lightLittle customer contact
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• Trainer for home economics at a training provider

  Also: Practical skills teacher for home economics

  With further trainingPromotion

  As a trainer at a vocational training center (Berufsbildungswerk) or training provider you prepare apprentices and retraining students for the exam in home economics, and at vocational schools you teach the practical skills.

  What you bring:

  You guide employees, explain work steps and hygiene rules, and check the results.

  How to get there:

  To train others you need the trainer aptitude certificate (Ausbildereignung), which you prove in an exam at the responsible body. Preparation courses are optional, and the master craftsperson exam in home economics includes a corresponding part. Training providers usually expect the master qualification in home economics or a technical college qualification. For practical skills teachers at vocational schools, the states have their own rules, often with additional teacher training.*Regulated by law (Vocational Training Act (BBiG) § 30, Trainer Aptitude Ordinance (AEVO); state law for teachers at vocational schools).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLittle customer contact

  €5,075gross per monthMedian salary

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• Building cleaner

  Also: Facade cleaner

  With retrainingPromotion

  With the journeyman certificate, you also take on glass, facade and special cleaning and have a recognized qualification.

  What you bring:

  You know cleaning agents, machines, surfaces and occupational safety from practice.

  How to get there:

  You can take the journeyman exam (Gesellenprüfung) as an external candidate. If you have worked one and a half times the training period, that is 4.5 years, in building cleaning, you can be admitted to the exam without training, and preparation courses help. Otherwise there is retraining (Umschulung), usually 2 years.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically demanding

  €2,934gross per monthMedian salary

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• Security guard

  Also: Property security worker

  With further training

  In property security, inspection rounds, reception and the right behavior in case of incidents come on top.

  What you bring:

  You often work alone in buildings, also early in the morning or in the evening, and handle keys and access rules reliably.

  How to get there:

  Briefing under § 34a GewO (Unterrichtung) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) takes 40 teaching hours, plus a reliability check by the authority. For inspection rounds in publicly accessible areas, protection against shoplifters or admission to discos, you need the expertise exam (Sachkundeprüfung) at the IHK instead.*Regulated by law (Trade Regulation Code (GewO) § 34a, Security Services Ordinance (BewachV)).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workLots of contact with people

  €3,200gross per monthMedian salary

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• Warehouse specialist

  With retrainingPromotion

  In the warehouse, exactly this order and care in goods receipt, storage and picking are in demand.

  What you bring:

  You work reliably to plan, keep things in order and keep track of consumables and stock.

  How to get there:

  Retraining (Umschulung) as a warehouse specialist (Fachlagerist/in) usually takes about 16 months and is often eligible for funding with an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein). The forklift license is usually included.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workPhysically demandingLittle customer contact

  €3,235gross 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.