Career change as a nursing assistant
With your experience you can switch to 9 jobs in Germany: 1 with on-the-job training and 8 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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Sterile processing assistant
Also: Sterile services technician
With on-the-job training
In reprocessing you clean, check, pack and sterilize surgical instruments according to fixed rules.
- What you bring:
- You work carefully according to hygiene plans and know why disinfection and clean processes matter in a hospital.
- How to get there:
- You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in the reprocessing unit for medical devices (Aufbereitungseinheit für Medizinprodukte, AEMP) and take a Fachkunde I course alongside work, usually over a few weeks. The work involves no direct patient care.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Shift workLittle customer contact€4,035gross per monthMedian salary
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Registered nurse
Also: Nursing professional
With vocational trainingPromotion
As a registered nurse you also take on medical treatment care, give medication, plan the care and bear responsibility for it.
- What you bring:
- You know basic care, mobilization, observing residents and patients and working in a nursing team.
- How to get there:
- Vocational training (Ausbildung) as a registered nurse (Pflegefachfrau/Pflegefachmann) takes 3 years, or at most 5 years part-time. A completed nursing aide or nursing assistant training of at least one year under the nationwide minimum requirements can be credited for one third of the training on request. With a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss), it is also your entry requirement.*Regulated by law (Nursing Professions Act (PflBG)).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people€4,421gross per monthMedian salary
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Emergency medical technician
Also: Paramedic
With further training
In emergency services and patient transport, you also provide emergency care and work as a team on the vehicle.
- What you bring:
- You can measure vital signs, position and transfer people and stay calm with sick or confused people.
- How to get there:
- Emergency medical technician (Rettungssanitäter): a course under state law, usually 520 hours, which is about 3 months full-time. Paramedic (Notfallsanitäter): vocational training of 3 years. For driving ambulances, a driving license class C1 is often required.*Regulated by law (Paramedic Act (NotSanG); for emergency medical technicians, the emergency services acts 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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Medical assistant (MFA)
With retraining
In the doctor's practice, you also draw blood, assist with examinations and handle scheduling and billing.
- What you bring:
- You know basic medical terms and hygiene rules, and you know how to deal with patients from your work in nursing.
- How to get there:
- Vocational training (Ausbildung) takes 3 years and can often be shortened with previous experience. Alternatively, you can retrain (Umschulung), which usually takes about 2 years and can often be funded with an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein).*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people€3,270gross per monthMedian salary
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Surgical technical assistant (OTA)
Also: Anesthesia technical assistant (ATA)
With vocational training
Surgical and anesthesia technical assistants prepare operations and anesthesia, pass instruments and look after patients in the operating area.
- What you bring:
- You know hospital routines, hygiene and the care of patients before and after procedures.
- How to get there:
- Training takes 3 years at school and hospital. Access is with an intermediate school-leaving certificate (mittlerer Schulabschluss) or with a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) plus a completed nursing aide or nursing assistant training of at least one year. Previous training can be credited on request.*Regulated by law (ATA-OTA Act (ATA-OTA-G)).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Shift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people€4,666gross per monthMedian salary
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Disability support worker
With further trainingPromotion
Disability support workers (Heilerziehungspfleger) work with people with disabilities in residential groups, schools and workshops, combining care with educational work.
- What you bring:
- You bring experience in basic care, mobilization and support in daily life.
- How to get there:
- Training at a vocational college (Fachschule) under state law usually takes 3 years, and depending on the state and college it is also offered integrated with practice or alongside work. Each federal state sets the access requirements, usually an intermediate school-leaving certificate (mittlerer Schulabschluss) plus vocational training or relevant work experience.*Regulated by law (State law: state recognition under the vocational college regulations of the federal states).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people€4,461gross per monthMedian salary
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Masseur and medical bath therapist
With further training
Masseurs treat patients with massages, heat and water treatments, for example in practices, clinics and rehab facilities.
- What you bring:
- You have experience with body contact, positioning and mobilization and notice when patients are not well.
- How to get there:
- You train at a state-recognized school: a 2-year course ending with a state exam, followed by 6 months of practical work. A lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) is enough for access.*Regulated by law (Masseurs and Physiotherapists Act (MPhG)).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Physically demandingLots of contact with people€3,435gross per monthMedian salary
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Occupational therapist
With further training
Occupational therapists train these skills in a targeted way, for example after a stroke or with dementia or mental illness.
- What you bring:
- You support people with everyday activities such as eating, dressing and walking and know their limitations well.
- How to get there:
- Training at a vocational school (Berufsfachschule) takes 3 years. Access is with an intermediate school-leaving certificate (mittlerer Schulabschluss) or with a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) plus at least two years of vocational training.*Regulated by law (Occupational Therapists Act (ErgThG)).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsLots of contact with people€4,001gross per monthMedian salary
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Physiotherapist
With vocational training
As a physiotherapist you treat patients with targeted exercises and manual techniques, for example after operations, accidents or strokes.
- What you bring:
- You know mobilization, positioning and transfers and see every day how movement makes patients more independent again.
- How to get there:
- Training at a state-recognized school takes 3 years. Access is with an intermediate school-leaving certificate (mittlerer Schulabschluss) or with a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) plus at least two years of vocational training, so a lower secondary school certificate alone is not enough.*Regulated by law (Masseurs and Physiotherapists Act (MPhG) §§ 9, 10).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsPhysically demandingLots of contact with people€3,435gross 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 nursing assistant without vocational training or retraining?
Without a new qualification, often with on-the-job training: Sterile processing assistant.
Which retraining or further training suits me as a nursing assistant?
With vocational training, retraining, further training or a course: Registered nurse, Emergency medical technician, Medical assistant (MFA), Surgical technical assistant (OTA), Disability support worker, Masseur and medical bath therapist, Occupational therapist and Physiotherapist.
What promotion options do I have as a nursing assistant?
Promotions include, for example: Registered nurse and Disability support worker.
Which of these jobs pay the most?
According to official statistics, the highest median full-time salaries are: Surgical technical assistant (OTA) (€4,666 gross per month), Disability support worker (€4,461 gross per month) and Registered nurse (€4,421 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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