Career change as a sports and fitness business clerk

Career change paths

• Field sales representative for fitness and training equipment

  Also: Specialist sales adviser for studio equipment

  With on-the-job training

  In field sales for an equipment manufacturer or retailer you advise studios, hotels, clubs and rehabilitation facilities, plan the equipment and prepare quotes.

  What you bring:

  You know equipment, training concepts and how studios operate from your own experience, and you can convince people of an offer.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at the manufacturer or retailer with product and sales training, usually lasting a few weeks to a few months. You are expected to have a class B driving license and be willing to travel. Experience in selling memberships helps, and an additional commercial qualification improves your chances. Sales targets are usually part of the job.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people

  €4,456gross per monthMedian salary

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• Coach education lecturer

  Also: Fitness academy lecturer

  With on-the-job trainingPromotion

  As a lecturer at fitness academies, federations or studio chains you train prospective trainers, lead practical seminars and conduct exams.

  What you bring:

  You have mastered training theory, exercise technique and course leadership, and you can demonstrate and explain content clearly.

  How to get there:

  You usually get there after several years of practice and with higher coaching licenses, often starting on the side on a fee basis. If you supervise apprentices in the studio, you also need to pass the trainer aptitude exam (Ausbildereignungsprüfung) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) under the Vocational Training Act. The preparation course takes a few weeks.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hours

  €5,075gross per monthMedian salary

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• Accounts payable accountant

  Also: Accounts receivable accountant, Invoicing clerk

  With on-the-job training

  In accounting, exactly this part of your work becomes the main focus.

  What you bring:

  You are confident with invoices, receipts and office software, and you know the processes in the company.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in accounting, often supplemented by a financial accounting course that includes accounting software. The course usually takes a few weeks to a few months.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €4,010gross per monthMedian salary

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• Payroll accountant

  Also: Payroll clerk

  With on-the-job training

  In payroll accounting, this accuracy and discretion are the core of the work.

  What you bring:

  You handle confidential data carefully, work to deadlines and use office software confidently.

  How to get there:

  Take a payroll course at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) or a training provider. It usually takes a few months. You also get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in the payroll software.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €4,010gross per monthMedian salary

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• HR clerk

  With on-the-job training

  In the HR department, you also deal with employment contracts, vacation, sick notes and applications.

  What you bring:

  You manage files, prepare letters from templates and handle data confidentially.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in the HR department, often supplemented by an HR administration course lasting a few months.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €4,513gross per monthMedian salary

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• Executive assistant to the managing director

  Also: Management assistant

  With on-the-job trainingPromotion

  As an assistant to the management you also take on projects, minutes and the preparation of meetings.

  What you bring:

  You organize appointments, mail, filing and communication reliably and know what has to stay confidential.

  How to get there:

  You get there with a few years of office experience, via an internal application or a change of employer. Alongside your job, the further training course for certified senior specialist for office and project organization (Fachwirt für Büro- und Projektorganisation) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) helps. It usually takes one to two years and can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €3,810gross per monthMedian salary

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• Doctor's secretary

  Also: Medical secretary, Ward secretary

  With on-the-job training

  In the secretariat of a clinic or practice, you also deal with medical terms, doctors' letters and billing.

  What you bring:

  You write letters, organize appointments and files, and stay friendly on the phone.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in the clinic or practice. A course on medical terminology and billing, usually lasting a few weeks to a few months, makes entry easier.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office

  €3,270gross per monthMedian salary

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• Citizens' office clerk

  Also: Vehicle registration office clerk

  With on-the-job training

  In the citizens' office or the registration office you process applications for ID cards, registrations or vehicles.

  What you bring:

  You are confident with forms, data and regulations, and you explain processes to customers in a friendly and clear way.

  How to get there:

  Some municipalities hire office staff for the citizens' office or the registration office and give them on-the-job training (Einarbeitung). Often, however, administrative training is expected, or administrative course I (Verwaltungslehrgang I) is required after hiring. What exactly applies is stated in the job ad.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office

  €3,822gross per monthMedian salary

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• Purchasing clerk

  Also: Purchasing planner

  With on-the-job training

  In purchasing you also compare prices, negotiate terms and keep an eye on delivery dates.

  What you bring:

  You collect quotes, write orders, check invoices and keep in contact with suppliers.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in purchasing, often starting as a clerk. Later, you can take part-time further training in purchasing and logistics at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €4,200gross per monthMedian salary

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• Property manager

  Also: Clerk in property management

  With on-the-job training

  In property management, you also deal with tenant questions, utility bill statements and orders to craftspeople.

  What you bring:

  You write letters to customers, manage files and payments, and keep deadlines in view.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in a property management firm, often starting as an assistant. If you work directly on managing apartments, you must take legally required further training: 20 hours in three years. Later you can take the exam for certified property manager at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) or the further training course for certified senior real estate specialist (Immobilienfachwirt). If you become a self-employed property manager, you need a permit under § 34c GewO.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office

  €3,940gross per monthMedian salary

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• Staffing coordinator

  Also: Temporary staffing consultant

  With on-the-job training

  In staffing coordination you plan employee assignments at client companies, conduct job interviews and stay in contact with both sides.

  What you bring:

  You make many phone calls, organize appointments and keep data clean.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at a temporary staffing or personnel services provider, usually lasting a few weeks to a few months.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office

  €4,046gross per monthMedian salary

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• Law firm secretary

  Also: Paralegal (Rechtsanwaltsfachangestellte)

  With on-the-job training

  In law firms and notary offices, you also handle written submissions, deadline monitoring, client contact and law firm software.

  What you bring:

  You write letters confidently, keep files and appointments, and work precisely with deadlines.

  How to get there:

  Law firms also hire office staff as secretaries and give them on-the-job training (Einarbeitung). You pick up knowledge of the respective field of law in everyday work. You can earn a recognized qualification through retraining (Umschulung) as paralegal (Rechtsanwaltsfachangestellte), which usually takes about two years and can often be funded through an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office

  €3,421gross per monthMedian salary

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• Clerk at a health insurance fund

  Also: Customer adviser in social insurance

  With on-the-job training

  At health insurance funds, pension insurance or accident insurance providers you check applications for benefits, process contributions and advise insured people.

  What you bring:

  You process applications, maintain data, keep deadlines and patiently explain to customers what is missing.

  How to get there:

  Some health insurance funds and insurance providers hire office staff with commercial training and train them in-house, often with courses over several months. Others, however, expect vocational training (Ausbildung) as social insurance specialist (Sozialversicherungsfachangestellte) or offer it themselves. The job ad states what applies.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office

  €3,964gross per monthMedian salary

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• Event manager

  Also: Venue manager

  With on-the-job training

  As an event manager, you plan conferences, company events or cultural events, obtain quotes and coordinate service providers through to teardown.

  What you bring:

  You have organized courses, competitions, performances or celebrations and know how staff, technology, safety and audience work together.

  How to get there:

  Agencies, event venues and companies train career changers with event experience. Courses on event law and safety concepts usually take a few days. Expect evening and weekend work around the events.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsLots of contact with people

  €4,165gross per monthMedian salary

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• Managing director of a sports association

  Also: Managing director of a cultural association

  With on-the-job training

  In an association or large club, you run the head office, support the volunteer board, look after members and represent the association to politicians and funders.

  What you bring:

  You know club structures, volunteering, funding applications and the running of sports or cultural facilities.

  How to get there:

  Associations and large clubs look for full-time managing directors with experience in sports or cultural management and train them on the job in statutes, committee work and funding law. State sports confederations (Landessportbünde) and education centers offer courses in club and association management.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office

  €6,815gross per monthMedian salary

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• Policy advisor for sports and leisure

  Also: Policy advisor for culture

  With on-the-job training

  In a sports or cultural office, a ministry or a foundation, you develop funding programs, process applications and plan programs for the city or region.

  What you bring:

  You know the needs of clubs, cultural workers and visitors and how funding and the operation of facilities work in practice.

  How to get there:

  Municipalities and states train career changers with practical experience on the job in budget and funding law. For policy advisor positions, a university degree is usually expected. For a permanent career in the public service, an administrative course may be required.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office

  €6,457gross per monthMedian salary

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• Fundraiser

  Also: Sponsorship manager

  With on-the-job training

  In fundraising or sponsoring, you win donations, sponsorship partners and supporters for cultural institutions, sports clubs or nonprofit organizations and maintain these relationships.

  What you bring:

  You know sponsors, supporters and partners from running your facility and can win others over for a project.

  How to get there:

  Nonprofit organizations and cultural venues train career changers with contacts and sales skills on the job, and part-time fundraising courses take a few months. Positions exist mainly at larger institutions and organizations.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €5,318gross per monthMedian salary

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• Program planner in the cultural sector

  Also: Talent agent

  With on-the-job training

  As a program planner or agent, you put together programs for venues and festivals, negotiate performances and organize tours.

  What you bring:

  You know artists, agencies and venues, and you know which programs work with the audience.

  How to get there:

  Cultural venues, festivals and agencies hire people with industry contacts and train them on the job in contracts, the artists' social insurance levy (Künstlersozialabgabe) and procedures. As a self-employed agent, you need a steady roster of artists.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically lightLots of contact with people

  €4,165gross per monthMedian salary

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• Head of facility management

  Also: Site manager in building management

  With on-the-job training

  In the facility management of a company or municipality, you steer maintenance, cleaning, security and energy use across several buildings.

  What you bring:

  You have operated halls, pools, facilities or venues and know technology, maintenance, safety and service providers.

  How to get there:

  Facility management firms and municipalities hire managers from the operation of leisure and sports facilities and train them on the job in contracts and building technology. Further training in facility management at chambers or training providers improves your chances for larger properties.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contact
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• Lecturer in sports and leisure management

  Also: Teacher in further and continuing education

  With on-the-job training

  At training providers, academies and associations, you teach courses on sports, leisure or cultural management and support participants through to the exam.

  What you bring:

  You can explain from your own experience how to run, plan and market a sports, leisure or cultural facility.

  How to get there:

  Training providers and association academies mostly use practitioners as freelance lecturers. A trainer course or a course in teaching methods lasting a few weeks helps. It fits well as a second source of income alongside a part-time or management position.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €5,166gross per monthMedian salary

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• State-certified sports and gymnastics teacher

  With further trainingPromotion

  As a state-certified sports and gymnastics teacher you teach at clubs, rehabilitation and prevention facilities or all-day schools and plan exercise programs for all age groups.

  What you bring:

  You lead training and courses, correct movements and adapt to very different people.

  How to get there:

  You train at a vocational school for sports and gymnastics (Berufsfachschule für Sport und Gymnastik), which takes two to three years full-time depending on the state. Private schools charge tuition fees. You usually need an intermediate school-leaving certificate (mittlerer Schulabschluss) and a sports aptitude test. Under certain conditions, funding through BAföG is possible. If you later train in physiotherapy, you can have six months of this training credited.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursPhysically demandingLots of contact with people
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• Physiotherapist

  With retraining

  As a physiotherapist you treat people on a doctor's prescription after injuries, operations or for chronic complaints, using physical therapy exercises, manual techniques and targeted training.

  What you bring:

  You know anatomy, training theory and movement patterns, and you work every day with people who want to improve their strength and flexibility.

  How to get there:

  You train at a state-recognized school for three years full-time and finish with a state exam. You need an intermediate school-leaving certificate (mittlerer Schulabschluss), or a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) plus at least two years of vocational training. Whether tuition fees apply depends on the state and school. Funding as retraining (Umschulung) is possible in individual cases.*Regulated by law (Masseurs and Physiotherapists Act (MPhG) §§ 1, 9, 10).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €3,435gross per monthMedian salary

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• Masseur and medical bath attendant

  With further training

  As a masseur and medical bath attendant you treat patients with massages, lymphatic drainage, and heat, cold and water treatments in practices, rehabilitation clinics and spa businesses.

  What you bring:

  You know muscles, posture and strain from training, and you deal with customers confidently and kindly.

  How to get there:

  You take a course at a state-recognized school for two years, followed by six months of practical work, so two and a half years in total. A lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) is already enough to get in. If you later switch to physiotherapy, you can have the three-year training there shortened to 18 months on request.*Regulated by law (Masseurs and Physiotherapists Act (MPhG) §§ 1, 4, 5).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically demandingLots of contact with people

  €3,435gross per monthMedian salary

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• Dietitian (Diätassistent)

  With further training

  As a dietitian you plan diets for clinics and care homes and advise people with diabetes, allergies or other nutrition-related illnesses, also on a doctor's prescription.

  What you bring:

  Besides training, you often advise members on nutrition and weight, and you know how hard it is to change habits.

  How to get there:

  You train at a state-recognized school for three years and finish with a state exam. You need an intermediate school-leaving certificate (mittlerer Schulabschluss), or a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) plus at least two years of vocational training. Nutrition counseling that health insurance funds subsidize generally requires such a recognized qualification, and a private certificate as nutrition adviser is not enough.*Regulated by law (Dietitian Act (DiätAssG) §§ 1, 4, 5).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically lightLots of contact with people

  €3,702gross per monthMedian salary

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• Police officer (Polizeimeister)

  Also: Police officer in the mid-level civil service

  With a degree

  In the police enforcement service you work on patrol and in operations, take reports of crimes and accidents, secure events and help people in emergencies.

  What you bring:

  You are physically fit, confident, and able to guide and motivate people, even when it gets strenuous.

  How to get there:

  You train in the mid-level police enforcement service with pay, for two and a half years at the Federal Police. Some states, such as Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg or Saxony, also offer this way in, while others, such as North Rhine-Westphalia or Lower Saxony, only hire through a dual university degree. The age limits are strict: for the Federal Police mid-level service you must be younger than 28. You are usually expected to have an intermediate school-leaving certificate (mittlerer Schulabschluss), or a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) with vocational training, and you must pass a sports test, an aptitude test and a medical examination. Shift work (Schichtdienst) and weekend duty are part of the job.*Regulated by law (Federal Police Career Ordinance (BPolLV) §§ 5, 6; career law of the states).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €3,669gross per monthMedian salary

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• Financial accountant

  Also: Balance sheet accountant

  With further trainingPromotion

  You already bring care with figures and deadlines from your office work.

  What you bring:

  With a commercial foundation and experience in accounting, you can prepare monthly and annual closings and take over tax topics.

  How to get there:

  First gain experience in accounting, then take the further training course for certified balance sheet accountant (Bilanzbuchhalter) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK). It usually takes about two years alongside a job and can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). You are admitted to the exam with completed three-year commercial vocational training (Ausbildung). Without it you need at least five years of work experience, mainly in finance and accounting.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €4,010gross per monthMedian salary

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• IT support specialist

  Also: IT specialist for system integration

  With retraining

  In IT support you help colleagues with software, devices and access.

  What you bring:

  You work with office software every day, know the typical problems users have, and explain patiently.

  How to get there:

  You can do retraining (Umschulung) as IT specialist for system integration (Fachinformatiker für Systemintegration), which usually takes two years and can often be funded through an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €4,400gross 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.