Career change as a social worker
With your experience you can switch to 8 jobs in Germany: 6 with on-the-job training and 2 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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Case manager at the Jobcenter
Also: Rehabilitation counselor at the Federal Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit)
With on-the-job training
As a case manager or rehabilitation counselor, you plan steps toward work and training with job seekers or people with disabilities.
- What you bring:
- You know social law, support planning and people in difficult situations.
- How to get there:
- Jobcenters and employment agencies hire social workers and train them internally in labor market law and software. You work in an office with fixed hours and no shift work (Schichtdienst).*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office€5,226gross per monthMedian salary
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Head of a youth welfare facility
Also: Head of a social service
With on-the-job trainingPromotion
As head of a facility or service, you lead the team, negotiate service rates and are responsible for quality and budget.
- What you bring:
- You know support planning, teamwork and cooperation with the youth welfare office (Jugendamt) and funding bodies.
- How to get there:
- Providers usually fill management positions with experienced social workers, often after a period as team lead. Further training in social management is helpful, but not mandatory.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Physically light€5,771gross per monthMedian salary
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Teacher at a vocational college for social education (Fachschule für Sozialpädagogik)
Also: Instructor in early childhood educator (Erzieher) training
With on-the-job training
At vocational colleges for social education or disability support work (Heilerziehungspflege), you train future early childhood educators (Erzieher) and disability support workers (Heilerziehungspfleger).
- What you bring:
- You can teach social education methods, law and practice from your own experience.
- How to get there:
- Private vocational colleges often hire social workers with practical experience directly, and state schools hire according to the rules of the respective federal state. Part-time or freelance teaching is a common way in.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically light€5,140gross per monthMedian salary
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Professional legal guardian (Berufsbetreuer)
Also: Legal guardian at a guardianship association (Betreuungsverein)
With on-the-job training
As a legal guardian, you handle dealings with authorities, finances and health matters for the people in your care, either employed at a guardianship association (Betreuungsverein) or self-employed.
- What you bring:
- You know social law, authorities and people with mental illness or disabilities.
- How to get there:
- Professional guardians must register with the guardianship authority (Betreuungsbehörde). With a completed degree in social work or social pedagogy, the required expertise counts as proven. You also need personal suitability, reliability and professional liability insurance, and guardianship associations (Betreuungsvereine) also employ social workers.*Regulated by law (Guardianship Organization Act (BtOG) §§ 23, 24; Guardian Registration Ordinance (BtRegV) § 7 (6)).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€4,457gross per monthMedian salary
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Social planner in a municipality
Also: Social policy officer at a welfare association
With on-the-job training
In municipalities or welfare associations (Wohlfahrtsverbände), you plan social services, evaluate data and prepare statements and funding applications.
- What you bring:
- You know from practice where support is lacking and how local services work.
- How to get there:
- Municipalities and associations train experienced social workers in planning, statistics and committee work. Basic knowledge of data analysis is helpful.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office€4,615gross per monthMedian salary
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Head of a daycare center (Kita)
Also: Head of a family center
With on-the-job training
As head of a daycare center (Kita), you lead the team, plan staffing and enrollment and work with parents and the provider.
- What you bring:
- You know child protection, work with parents and cooperation with the youth welfare office (Jugendamt).
- How to get there:
- Providers also hire social workers and social pedagogues (Sozialpädagogen) as daycare center heads, and each federal state sets its own requirements for the role. Whether management training is required depends on the state and the provider.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsLots of contact with people€5,771gross per monthMedian salary
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Supervisor
Also: Coach
With further training
As a supervisor or coach, you support teams and individuals in social facilities, clinics or companies.
- What you bring:
- You know conversation techniques, case reflection and the strains of helping professions.
- How to get there:
- Training in supervision according to the standards of the professional associations takes several years alongside work, while the length of coaching training depends on the provider. Neither is required by law. You can start on the side before you make a living from it.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsPhysically light€4,155gross per monthMedian salary
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Mediator
Also: Family mediator
With further training
As a mediator, you help families, neighbors or teams find a solution themselves.
- What you bring:
- You can mediate in conflicts, listen and work with people in separation or dispute.
- How to get there:
- The length of mediation training depends on the provider. You may only use the title certified mediator (zertifizierter Mediator) after a course of at least 130 hours of in-person instruction and five supervised mediations. You can combine mediation with counseling in a facility.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€7,208gross 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 social worker without vocational training or retraining?
Without a new qualification, often with on-the-job training: Case manager at the Jobcenter, Head of a youth welfare facility, Teacher at a vocational college for social education (Fachschule für Sozialpädagogik), Professional legal guardian (Berufsbetreuer), Social planner in a municipality and Head of a daycare center (Kita).
Which retraining or further training suits me as a social worker?
With vocational training, retraining, further training or a course: Supervisor and Mediator.
What promotion options do I have as a social worker?
Promotions include, for example: Head of a youth welfare facility.
Which of these jobs pay the most?
According to official statistics, the highest median full-time salaries are: Mediator (€7,208 gross per month), Head of a youth welfare facility (€5,771 gross per month) and Head of a daycare center (Kita) (€5,771 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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