Career change as a driver

Career change paths

• Dispatcher in freight transport

  Also: Route planner

  With on-the-job training

  In dispatching, you use this knowledge to plan orders, vehicles and drivers.

  What you bring:

  You know routes, driving and rest times, load securing and the typical problems on the road from your own experience.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in the dispatching department of a freight forwarder or transport company, usually lasting a few months. A dispatcher course at a training provider makes entry easier.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically lightIn an office

  €4,414gross per monthMedian salary

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• Mobile crane operator

  Also: Truck-mounted crane driver

  With on-the-job training

  Mobile cranes are heavy vehicles that you drive to the construction site yourself, and you already have the driving license CE. On top of that come precise maneuvering and working to fixed safety rules, as you know from loading and securing.

  How to get there:

  A crane operator course at a training provider usually takes a few weeks. After that comes on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at a crane rental company or construction company.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Little customer contactLots of time outdoors

  €4,153gross per monthMedian salary

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• Construction machine operator

  Also: Excavator operator, Wheel loader operator

  With on-the-job training

  On an excavator or wheel loader, you need the same feel for dimensions, weight and safety.

  What you bring:

  You can maneuver heavy vehicles precisely and know construction sites, for example as a dump truck or concrete mixer driver.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at a construction or earthworks company, often with a construction machine course of a few weeks. If you want a qualification, you can do retraining (Umschulung) as a construction equipment operator (Baugeräteführer).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Little customer contactLots of time outdoors

  €4,089gross per monthMedian salary

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• Traffic manager in road freight transport

  Also: Fleet manager

  With further trainingPromotion

  With experience in dispatching and the certificate of professional competence, you can take on responsibility for a fleet.

  What you bring:

  You know the business from the road: vehicles, drivers, inspections and legal duties.

  How to get there:

  You usually first spend some years in dispatching. As the traffic manager at a freight forwarder, you need the professional competence exam for road haulage (Fachkundeprüfung für den Güterkraftverkehr) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK). Preparation courses usually take a few weeks and are also available part-time alongside work. For managing the fleet in a company's own transport, the exam is not required but helps with applications.*Regulated by law (Road Haulage Act (GüKG) § 3, Occupational Access Ordinance for Road Haulage (GBZugV) §§ 4, 5, Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009 Art. 4 and 8).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically lightIn an office

  €6,265gross per monthMedian salary

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• Driving instructor

  Also: Truck driving instructor

  With vocational trainingPromotion

  You drive heavy vehicles safely, know traffic rules and vehicle technology from everyday work and already have the driving license CE. For the truck classes in driving school, exactly this practice counts.

  How to get there:

  Training takes place at a driving instructor training center. It lasts at least 12 months for class BE, with a practical part at a training driving school, and at least 2 additional months for class CE. The requirement is a completed vocational training or equivalent prior education.*Regulated by law (Driving Instructor Act (FahrlG)).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €3,977gross per monthMedian salary

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• Train driver

  Also: Locomotive driver

  With further training

  These are the basics in the driver's cab of a locomotive.

  What you bring:

  You are used to driving alone for long stretches with full focus, following regulations exactly and working in shifts.

  How to get there:

  You qualify as a train driver (Triebfahrzeugführer) with a railway company or training provider, usually in about one year, and it is often eligible for funding with an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein). A medical and a psychological fitness examination are also required.*Regulated by law (Train Driver License Ordinance (TfV)).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically lightLittle customer contact

  €4,322gross per monthMedian salary

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• Bus driver in scheduled service

  Also: Coach driver

  With further training

  In scheduled service, you drive fixed routes in the region instead of changing tours.

  What you bring:

  You have experience with large vehicles and driving and rest times and already hold the professional driver qualification.

  How to get there:

  You need a driving license class D and the basic qualification (Grundqualifikation) for passenger transport. Because you already have the qualification for freight transport, you only take the parts for buses. In the accelerated variant, that is 35 teaching units. Transport companies often train people themselves.*Regulated by law (Driving License Ordinance (FeV), Professional Driver Qualification Act (BKrFQG), Professional Driver Qualification Ordinance (BKrFQV) § 3).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €3,585gross per monthMedian salary

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• Warehouse logistics specialist

  Also: Warehouse clerk

  With retraining

  In the warehouse, you work with the same processes, only without tours.

  What you bring:

  You know loading and unloading, load securing, delivery documents and often the forklift too.

  How to get there:

  Retraining (Umschulung) as a warehouse logistics specialist (Fachkraft für Lagerlogistik) usually takes 2 years and is often eligible for funding with an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workPhysically demandingLittle customer contact

  €3,235gross per monthMedian salary

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• Automotive mechatronics technician for commercial vehicle technology

  With retraining

  In the workshop, you learn to find and fix these faults yourself.

  What you bring:

  You know truck technology from everyday work, do departure checks and notice when something is wrong with brakes, tires or engine.

  How to get there:

  Retraining (Umschulung) as an automotive mechatronics technician with a focus on commercial vehicle technology (Nutzfahrzeugtechnik) usually takes a good 2 years and is often eligible for funding with an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically demandingLittle customer contact

  €3,527gross per monthMedian salary

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• Freight forwarding and logistics services clerk

  Also: Forwarding clerk

  With retraining

  At the freight forwarder, you plan transports, calculate quotes, organize cargo space and take care of customs and shipping documents.

  What you bring:

  You know freight documents, driving and rest times, cargo space and the problems on the road from your own experience.

  How to get there:

  Retraining (Umschulung) as a clerk for freight forwarding and logistics services (Kaufmann/Kauffrau für Spedition und Logistikdienstleistung) usually takes 2 years and is often eligible for funding with an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein). Regular vocational training (Ausbildung) takes 3 years. The qualification also opens jobs in dispatching, customs handling and customer service.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsPhysically lightIn an office

  €3,917gross per monthMedian salary

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• Emergency medical technician

  Also: Paramedic

  With further training

  In the ambulance service and in qualified patient transport, medical care and teamwork on the vehicle come on top.

  What you bring:

  Especially from patient transport or driving services, you know how to deal with sick and elderly people, and you drive safely even under time pressure.

  How to get there:

  Emergency medical technician (Rettungssanitäter/in): a course under state law, usually 520 hours, about 3 months full-time. Paramedic (Notfallsanitäter/in): training of 3 years with training pay. You need an intermediate school-leaving certificate (mittlerer Schulabschluss), or a lower secondary certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) and at least two years of vocational training. For the ambulance, a driving license C1 is often required.*Regulated by law (Paramedic Act (NotSanG) § 8; emergency medical technicians under the ambulance service laws of the federal states).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €4,175gross per monthMedian salary

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• Train attendant

  Also: Customer service employee in regional transport

  With training or an exam

  On the train, you check tickets, inform passengers about delays and help travelers.

  What you bring:

  You deal with passengers every day, give information and stay friendly and firm even in difficult situations.

  How to get there:

  You qualify with the railway company, usually in a few weeks to a few months, with an exam and a medical fitness examination. Shift and weekend work 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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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.