Career change as a painter and decorator
With your experience you can switch to 10 jobs in Germany: 5 with on-the-job training and 5 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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Industrial painter
Also: Corrosion protection worker
With on-the-job training
In industry or in corrosion protection you coat components, steel structures or machines to exact specifications, often with spray systems and testing devices.
- What you bring:
- You know substrate preparation, paints, spray technique and coating thickness from the trade.
- How to get there:
- You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at the industrial company or at a corrosion protection firm. Courses in corrosion protection usually take a few days to weeks. Shift work and work with breathing apparatus are usual in this field.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsPhysically demandingLittle customer contact€3,736gross per monthMedian salary
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Field sales representative, paints and varnishes
Also: Application technician at a paint manufacturer
With on-the-job training
At the manufacturer or wholesaler you advise painting businesses and architects, demonstrate products on the site and help with complaints.
- What you bring:
- You know from practice which paints, plasters and insulation systems work on which substrate and where damage occurs.
- How to get there:
- You get on-the-job training from the manufacturer or wholesaler (Einarbeitung), usually a few weeks to months of product training. A journeyman certificate and driving license class B are generally expected, and for application technology often also the master qualification. Look for permanent employment: as a self-employed sales agent you usually work only on commission and bear the risk yourself.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people€5,550gross per monthMedian salary
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Scenic painter
Also: Set painter
With on-the-job training
In theater, film or trade fair workshops you paint sets and stage designs, imitate wood, stone or marble and work closely with the stage designer.
- What you bring:
- You are skilled in color, filling and design techniques and work cleanly even on large surfaces.
- How to get there:
- Theaters and set outfitters hire painters with a journeyman certificate and a flair for design and give them on-the-job training (Einarbeitung); a portfolio of your own work helps with the application. There is a qualification of your own as a stage painter and sculptor (Bühnenmaler/Bühnenmalerin und -plastiker/-plastikerin).*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Physically demandingLittle customer contact€3,700gross per monthMedian salary
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Caretaker
Also: In-house craftsperson
With on-the-job training
As a caretaker or in-house craftsperson at housing companies, hospitals or municipalities you keep buildings in good shape and also take care of technology, grounds and winter maintenance (snow clearing).
- What you bring:
- You can renovate, fill, paint and fix small damage to walls, doors and floors.
- How to get there:
- You get on-the-job training from the employer (Einarbeitung). The journeyman certificate is an advantage, and for technical tasks, building services courses of a few weeks help. Working hours are usually more predictable than on the construction site, and on-call duty can come on top.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Physically demanding€3,260gross per monthMedian salary
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Drywall installer
Also: Plasterer
With on-the-job training
In drywall you build stud walls, suspended ceilings and cladding from plasterboard; as a plasterer you plaster and insulate interiors and facades.
- What you bring:
- You know filling techniques, substrates, plasters and working on walls and ceilings from the painting trade.
- How to get there:
- Finishing and plastering companies also give painters on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in drywall, usually for a few weeks to months. A qualification of your own comes from vocational training (Ausbildung) as a plasterer (Stuckateur/Stuckateurin) or drywall installer (Trockenbaumonteur/Trockenbaumonteurin), which can be shortened on request if you have a journeyman certificate as a painter.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically demandingLittle customer contact€3,176gross per monthMedian salary
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Master painter and varnisher
Also: Construction manager in the painting trade
With further trainingPromotion
As a master craftsperson (Meister) or site manager you take measurements, calculate offers, plan the assignments of the crews and check execution.
- What you bring:
- You know substrates, coatings, thermal insulation and construction site routines from your own work.
- How to get there:
- The master craftsperson exam (Meisterprüfung) in the painter and varnisher trade takes about one year full-time and 2 to 3 years alongside work, and it can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). You are admitted with the journeyman certificate (Gesellenbrief). For your own business you need the master qualification or an equivalent entitlement, because the trade requires a license.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hours -
State-certified construction technician
Also: Building energy consultant
With further trainingPromotion
As a construction technician or energy consultant you assess buildings, plan renovations, prepare tenders and supervise execution.
- What you bring:
- You know facades, insulation, moisture damage and the course of a renovation from practice.
- How to get there:
- The vocational college for construction technology (Fachschule für Bautechnik) takes 2 years full-time or about 4 years alongside work and can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). Access is usually with a journeyman certificate and at least one year of work experience; the federal state sets the exact rules. With a master or technician qualification, further training to become a building energy consultant is also possible.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hours€5,500gross per monthMedian salary
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Instructor in the painting trade
Also: Instructor at an inter-company training facility
With further trainingPromotion
As an instructor you work with trainees in the business or in courses of the chamber and prepare them for the journeyman exam.
- What you bring:
- You are skilled in substrate preparation, coating and design in practice and can demonstrate techniques well.
- How to get there:
- The master craftsperson exam (Meisterprüfung) in the painter and varnisher trade also includes trainer aptitude (Ausbildereignung). It takes about one year full-time and longer alongside work, and it can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). You can take the exam with the journeyman certificate, but for instructor jobs companies and training centers usually expect several years of work experience.*Regulated by law (Crafts Code (HwO) § 22b).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLittle customer contact€4,462gross per monthMedian salary
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Expert in the painting trade
Also: Expert for building damage
With further trainingPromotion
As an expert you assess damage and defects and write expert reports for courts, insurers or clients.
- What you bring:
- You recognize the causes of cracks, flaking, moisture and mold and know the rules for professional work.
- How to get there:
- This usually follows the master craftsperson exam and several years of work experience. Chambers of crafts and training providers offer courses for experts alongside work. Public appointment and swearing in by the Chamber of Crafts only follows after a check of your special expertise.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hours -
Hazardous materials remediation worker
Also: Asbestos remediation worker
With further training
In hazardous materials remediation you remove fillers, plasters, adhesives or floor coverings containing asbestos and other pollutants under strict safety rules, often with breathing apparatus and in sealed-off areas.
- What you bring:
- You know old paint, fillers and coatings in existing buildings and work carefully with protective equipment.
- How to get there:
- Under the Hazardous Substances Ordinance, work with asbestos requires a specialist qualification (Fachkunde), and the supervisor on site needs an expertise certificate (Sachkunde) from an officially recognized course with an exam. The certificate is renewed every 6 years through further training, and the courses usually take a few days. Remediation firms also hire painters. Occupational health checks and fitness for breathing apparatus are part of it.*Regulated by law (Hazardous Substances Ordinance (GefStoffV) § 11a and Annex I number 3).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsPhysically demandingLittle customer contact€3,703gross 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 a painter and decorator without vocational training or retraining?
Without a new qualification, often with on-the-job training: Industrial painter, Field sales representative, paints and varnishes, Scenic painter, Caretaker and Drywall installer.
Which retraining or further training suits me as a painter and decorator?
With vocational training, retraining, further training or a course: Master painter and varnisher, State-certified construction technician, Instructor in the painting trade, Expert in the painting trade and Hazardous materials remediation worker.
What promotion options do I have as a painter and decorator?
Promotions include, for example: Master painter and varnisher, State-certified construction technician, Instructor in the painting trade and Expert in the painting trade.
Which of these jobs pay the most?
According to official statistics, the highest median full-time salaries are: Field sales representative, paints and varnishes (€5,550 gross per month), State-certified construction technician (€5,500 gross per month) and Instructor in the painting trade (€4,462 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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