Career change as a tailor

Career change paths

• Pattern maker

  Also: CAD pattern grader

  With on-the-job trainingPromotion

  In the clothing industry you turn designs into patterns, grade them into all sizes and create marker layouts for production, mostly on a computer.

  What you bring:

  You construct and alter patterns, know fit and proportions, and can see at a fitting where a pattern needs correcting.

  How to get there:

  Courses on pattern CAD systems, run by training providers or software vendors, usually take a few weeks. After that you get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at the company. Jobs are mainly at fashion companies and manufacturers of work and protective clothing. With some years of experience, you can lead a pattern department.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €2,730gross per monthMedian salary

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• Wardrobe assistant in film and television

  Also: Dresser at a theater

  With on-the-job training

  In the wardrobe department of a film, television or theater production, you look after costumes on set or backstage, dress the performers and make sure everything matches from scene to scene.

  What you bring:

  You can quickly adjust, alter and repair costumes and know how clothes fit different bodies.

  How to get there:

  Production companies and theaters actively look for tailors. Entry often starts with temporary work on productions and on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in the team. In film, contracts are usually project-based and fixed-term, and working days are long. Theaters offer permanent jobs with evening and weekend duty.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workPhysically demanding

  €3,700gross per monthMedian salary

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• Made-to-measure clothing consultant

  Also: Menswear sales consultant

  With on-the-job training

  In a fashion store you advise customers on suits, women's suits and made-to-measure clothing, take measurements, pin alterations and assist at fittings.

  What you bring:

  You take precise measurements, spot fit problems immediately and can explain fabrics and workmanship with expertise.

  How to get there:

  Fashion stores with made-to-measure clothing or their own alteration tailoring prefer to hire tailors. They give them a few weeks of on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in sales and the cash register system. In retail you usually work on Saturdays too.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Lots of contact with people

  €2,700gross per monthMedian salary

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• Visual merchandiser in fashion retail

  Also: Window dresser

  With on-the-job training

  As a visual merchandiser, you design the windows and sales floors of fashion stores, dress mannequins and carry out the brands' campaigns in the stores.

  What you bring:

  You have a sure feel for fabrics, colors, cuts and proportions and know how clothing looks best.

  How to get there:

  Fashion chains and department stores give career changers with a good sense for fashion on-the-job training (Einarbeitung), often first in a branch with training sessions from head office. Travel between branches can be part of the job. A recognized qualification comes from vocational training (Ausbildung) as a designer for visual marketing (Gestalter/in für visuelles Marketing), 3 years.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically demandingLittle customer contact

  €3,117gross per monthMedian salary

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• Textile buyer

  Also: Buyer for fabrics and trimmings

  With on-the-job training

  In the purchasing department of a clothing or workwear manufacturer, you select suppliers, order fabrics and trimmings, check samples and negotiate quantities and deadlines.

  What you bring:

  You recognize fabric quality, workmanship defects and suitable trimmings at a glance and know how they behave in processing.

  How to get there:

  Entry often works as a purchasing assistant, with a few months of on-the-job training (Einarbeitung). You can build commercial knowledge through courses at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), or later through the upgrading course for certified senior specialist in purchasing (Geprüfte/r Fachwirt/in für Einkauf). English is usually expected because suppliers are also based abroad.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €4,200gross per monthMedian salary

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• Textile product inspector

  Also: Garment quality inspector

  With on-the-job training

  In quality control you check samples and deliveries against specifications, re-measure, document errors and give feedback to production or suppliers.

  What you bring:

  You immediately recognize sewing errors, wrong measurements and fabric defects and know what a cleanly made piece should look like.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in the quality control department of a manufacturer, retailer or testing service provider, usually lasting a few weeks. A qualification comes from vocational training (Ausbildung) as a textile product tester (Produktprüfer/in Textil), 2 years. After at least 3 years of relevant work experience, you can also get it through the external exam (Externenprüfung), and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) decides whether your work counts.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsPhysically lightLittle customer contact

  €3,012gross per monthMedian salary

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• Sewing machine operator in upholstery and decoration

  Also: Sewing machine operator in vehicle upholstery

  With on-the-job training

  In upholstery shops, interior furnishing businesses or at suppliers to the car industry, you sew covers for seats and upholstered furniture, curtains or leather parts and work closely with upholsterers.

  What you bring:

  You sew confidently on industrial sewing machines, including thick fabrics and long seams.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at the company, usually lasting a few weeks. Leather and heavy fabrics take some practice. A qualification comes from vocational training (Ausbildung) as an upholstery and decoration sewer (Polster- und Dekorationsnäher), 2 years. After at least 3 years of relevant work experience, you can also get it through the external exam (Externenprüfung).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsLittle customer contact

  €2,735gross per monthMedian salary

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• Nursing assistant

  Also: Nursing assistant in elderly care

  With on-the-job training

  As a nursing assistant, you support qualified nurses with personal hygiene, eating and moving around, and you are there for people who need help in daily life.

  What you bring:

  You work skillfully with your hands, are careful and keep to clean routines even at a high pace.

  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 January 1, 2027 this training is uniform nationwide and usually takes 18 months full-time, with training pay.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €3,296gross per monthMedian salary

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• Sterile processing assistant

  Also: Sterile supply department worker

  With on-the-job training

  In the sterile supply department of a hospital, you clean and inspect surgical instruments, assemble instrument trays from a packing list, and pack and sterilize them.

  What you bring:

  You work with focus and great care, with a steady hand, on tasks that keep coming back.

  How to get there:

  Hospitals and service providers hire career changers and send them to the course Fachkunde I (specialist knowledge, level I), which follows the guidelines of the professional society for sterile supply. It usually takes a few weeks part-time alongside work. Shift work is usual. With Fachkunde II, you can later lead shifts or areas.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workLittle customer contact

  €4,035gross per monthMedian salary

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• Packaging line operator

  Also: Food or pharmaceutical packaging worker

  With on-the-job training

  In food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical companies, you operate filling, labeling and packaging lines, reload material, fix minor faults and check packs and batches.

  What you bring:

  You are used to working on piecework or at a set pace at industrial machines, checking the quality of your work as you go, and doing shift work.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at the line, usually lasting a few weeks, plus hygiene training and, in pharmaceutical companies, training in Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). Shift work is usual. A qualification comes from vocational training (Ausbildung) as a machine and plant operator (Maschinen- und Anlagenführer), 2 years. After 3 years of work experience, you can also get it through the external exam (Externenprüfung), and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) decides whether your work counts.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workLittle customer contact

  €2,982gross per monthMedian salary

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• State-certified garment technician

  Also: Garment product developer

  With further trainingPromotion

  As a garment technician in industry, you develop designs up to series production, set the sewing specifications, check fit and quality, and coordinate with suppliers.

  What you bring:

  You know pattern making, fit, fabrics and sewing, from the first fitting to the finished garment.

  How to get there:

  Study garment technology (Bekleidungstechnik) at a technical college (Fachschule für Technik). It takes 2 years full-time, and some schools also offer it part-time alongside work. It is eligible for Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). You usually need a vocational qualification and at least one year of practical experience, and each federal state sets the exact rules. Good English is important because production is mostly abroad.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contact

  €4,746gross per monthMedian salary

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• Trainer for made-to-measure tailors

  Also: Trainer at a vocational training center

  With further trainingPromotion

  As a trainer (Ausbilder), you guide apprentices or people in retraining (Umschulung) in workshops and training centers up to their exam.

  What you bring:

  You are skilled in taking measurements, pattern making, cutting and sewing, and you can explain each step.

  How to get there:

  Made-to-measure tailoring is a craft with no admission requirements (zulassungsfrei). With a journeyman certificate (Gesellenbrief) and suitable work experience, you have the professional qualifications you need. You also need trainer aptitude (Ausbildereignung), which you prove in an exam at the chamber. Preparation courses are optional. The master craftsperson exam (Meisterprüfung) includes trainer aptitude and improves your chances. Vocational training centers (Berufsbildungswerke) often require an additional special-education qualification for working with people with disabilities.*Regulated by law (Crafts Code (HwO) § 22b, Trainer Aptitude Ordinance (AEVO)).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLittle customer contact

  €5,075gross per monthMedian salary

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• Registered nurse

  With vocational training

  In nursing you care for sick and elderly people, plan their care, carry out measures prescribed by doctors and work in a team with doctors and therapists.

  What you bring:

  You work carefully with your hands, respond patiently to customers and stay calm under time pressure.

  How to get there:

  Vocational training (Ausbildung) as a registered nurse (Pflegefachfrau/Pflegefachmann) takes 3 years full-time or up to 5 years part-time, with training pay. You need an intermediate school-leaving certificate (mittlerer Schulabschluss), or a lower secondary certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) plus a completed vocational qualification of at least two years, which you bring as a tailor.*Regulated by law (Nursing Professions Act (PflBG) §§ 1, 6, 11).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €4,421gross per monthMedian salary

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• Line supervisor in garment production

  Also: Certified industrial foreman (Industriemeister) in the textile industry

  With further trainingPromotion

  As a line supervisor or industrial foreman (Meister), you assign tasks to the sewing staff, plan orders, clarify technical questions and ensure quality and delivery dates.

  What you bring:

  You know all the work steps in the sewing room, the machines, standard times and typical quality problems.

  How to get there:

  This usually happens internally: after some years at the company, you move up through lead hand (Vorarbeit) and line supervisor duties. The qualification is the upgrading course (Fortbildung) to become a certified industrial foreman in the field of textile industry (Geprüfte/r Industriemeister/in Fachrichtung Textilwirtschaft), eligible for Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). You are admitted directly to the first part of the exam with a qualification in a textile occupation, after one year of practice with another qualification, or after 4 years of work experience without a qualification. You are admitted to the second part in each case after another year.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsLittle customer contact

  €4,719gross 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.