Career change as a motorcycle and bicycle mechanic

Career change paths

• Field sales representative for a bicycle manufacturer

  Also: Dealer account manager in bicycle wholesale

  With on-the-job training

  In field sales for a manufacturer or wholesaler you look after bicycle dealers, present new products, train workshops and take orders.

  What you bring:

  You know bicycles, e-bikes, components and the problems in workshops first-hand.

  How to get there:

  Manufacturers and wholesalers give experienced mechanics product courses over a few weeks as on-the-job training (Einarbeitung). A driving license class B and willingness to travel are expected. Look for permanent employment, because as a self-employed sales agent you usually work largely on commission.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people

  €4,456gross per monthMedian salary

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• Rehab technician at a medical supply store

  Also: Service technician for wheelchairs

  With on-the-job training

  At a medical supply store or rehab specialist dealer you adapt wheelchairs, electric mobility scooters and walking aids, service and repair them and advise people with limitations.

  What you bring:

  You know frames, brakes, wheels and e-drives and can adjust them precisely.

  How to get there:

  Medical supply stores usually give bicycle mechanics a few weeks to months of on-the-job training (Einarbeitung), plus manufacturer courses. The work depends less on the season than in bicycle retail.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €2,953gross per monthMedian salary

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• Expert for bicycle and e-bike damage

  Also: Claims adjuster for bicycle insurance

  With on-the-job training

  As an expert or claims adjuster you assess damage for insurers, leasing providers or courts and write comprehensible expert reports.

  What you bring:

  You recognize crash damage, wear, assembly errors and material breaks on bicycles and e-bikes.

  How to get there:

  Training providers and associations offer courses to become a bicycle expert that take a few days to weeks. A master title or a lot of workshop experience is usually expected. Permanent jobs exist at insurers and leasing companies, and you can also work as an expert on the side.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hours

  €5,261gross per monthMedian salary

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• Fleet coordinator for company and rental bikes

  Also: Dispatcher in bicycle service

  With on-the-job training

  At company bike providers, rental bike systems or cargo bike fleets you plan maintenance tours, coordinate workshops and technicians and look after customers.

  What you bring:

  You know what maintenance bikes need and how to plan repairs efficiently.

  How to get there:

  Providers usually give bicycle mechanics with organizational talent a few weeks of on-the-job training (Einarbeitung), and confident PC skills are expected.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically light

  €3,917gross per monthMedian salary

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• Service advisor at a car dealership

  Also: Car salesperson

  With on-the-job training

  At service reception or in sales you take orders, advise on repairs and vehicles and keep in contact until handover.

  What you bring:

  You can explain technology clearly to customers, assess repairs and know what is feasible in the workshop.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training at the car dealership (Einarbeitung), often as an internal move from the workshop. Chambers, associations and manufacturers offer courses to become a service advisor or car salesperson, usually lasting a few weeks to months and often alongside work.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically lightLots of contact with people

  €4,200gross per monthMedian salary

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• Agricultural and construction machinery mechatronics technician

  Also: Service technician for construction machinery

  With on-the-job training

  With agricultural and construction machinery the systems are bigger, hydraulics plays a bigger role and you are often out at the customer's.

  What you bring:

  You know engines, hydraulics, electrics and diagnostics on vehicles and work confidently with tools and testers.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training at the specialist company (Einarbeitung), plus manufacturer courses on hydraulics and machine controls; companies also hire automotive mechatronics technicians for this. A qualification of your own comes from a shortened vocational training as an agricultural and construction machinery mechatronics technician (Land- und Baumaschinenmechatroniker/Land- und Baumaschinenmechatronikerin).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically demanding

  €3,584gross per monthMedian salary

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• Aircraft mechanic

  Also: Mechanic in aircraft maintenance

  With on-the-job training

  In aircraft maintenance even stricter rules apply: every work step is checked and certified.

  What you bring:

  You work exactly to manufacturer specifications, know hydraulics, electrics and diagnostics and document your work carefully.

  How to get there:

  Maintenance companies hire automotive mechatronics technicians and give them several months of training on aircraft technology. English for technical documents and a reliability check for airport access are required. If you later want to release work yourself, you need a license under EU law for aviation personnel (Part-66), which requires modules and years of practice.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workPhysically demandingLittle customer contact

  €5,464gross per monthMedian salary

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• Test mechanic

  Also: Mechanic in vehicle testing, Test driver

  With on-the-job training

  In testing at manufacturers and suppliers you install prototypes and measuring technology, test vehicles on test benches or on the track and document anomalies.

  What you bring:

  You can take vehicles apart, convert them and find faults with diagnostic devices.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training with the manufacturer, supplier or development service provider (Einarbeitung). The journeyman certificate as an automotive mechatronics technician is usually required. For test drives there are additional driver trainings in the company.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workPhysically demandingLittle customer contact

  €3,527gross per monthMedian salary

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• Master two-wheeler mechanic

  Also: Branch manager in bicycle retail

  With further trainingPromotion

  As a master craftsperson (Meister) or branch manager you lead the workshop and team, plan purchasing and range and train new staff.

  What you bring:

  You know the workshop, sales and customers in the bicycle store and keep the overview even in the busy season.

  How to get there:

  The master craftsperson exam (Meisterprüfung) in the two-wheeler mechanic trade at the Chamber of Crafts takes usually a few months to a year full-time and longer alongside work, and it can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). For your own business you generally need the master qualification or an equivalent entitlement; the Chamber of Crafts advises on this.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people

  €2,917gross per monthMedian salary

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• Instructor for two-wheeler mechatronics technicians

  Also: Instructor in a bicycle workshop at a training provider

  With further trainingPromotion

  As an instructor you work in businesses or at training providers that train young people and job seekers in bicycle workshops and prepare them for exams.

  What you bring:

  You are skilled in repair and assembly and can explain and demonstrate techniques well.

  How to get there:

  In the two-wheeler mechanic trade, which requires a license, you generally need the master craftsperson exam (Meisterprüfung) to train apprentices, and it includes trainer aptitude (Ausbildereignung); the exam under AEVO alone is not enough there. Jobs exist mainly at training companies and at training providers with bicycle workshops.*Regulated by law (Crafts Code (HwO) § 22b, Vocational Training Act (BBiG) § 30 and Trainer Aptitude Ordinance (AEVO)).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLittle customer contact

  €4,462gross per monthMedian salary

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• State-certified technician in mechanical engineering

  Also: Development technician at a bicycle manufacturer

  With further trainingPromotion

  As a technician you work at manufacturers or suppliers in development, testing or quality assurance of bikes, components and e-drives.

  What you bring:

  You know bicycle technology, materials and typical weak points from many repairs.

  How to get there:

  You take further training at a vocational college (Fachschule) to become a state-certified technician (staatlich geprüfter Techniker), for example in mechanical engineering. It takes 2 years full-time or usually 4 years alongside work, and it can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). You are admitted with a vocational qualification and usually one year of work experience.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsLittle customer contact

  €5,261gross per monthMedian salary

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• Master motor vehicle technician

  Also: Workshop manager, Service manager at a car dealership

  With further trainingPromotion

  As a workshop manager you plan jobs and staff, take on difficult cases yourself and train new staff.

  What you bring:

  You know diagnosis, repair and workshop routines from daily work and know what customers expect.

  How to get there:

  The master craftsperson exam (Meisterprüfung) in the motor vehicle technician 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 workshop or as responsible business manager you need the master qualification or an equivalent entitlement, because the motor vehicle trade requires a license.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  €4,431gross per monthMedian salary

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• Fire officer at a professional fire department

  With further training

  In the fire service you also handle firefighting, technical assistance and emergency medical service, and your vehicle knowledge is in demand, for example as a pump operator (Maschinist).

  What you bring:

  You have a technical qualification, know vehicles, engines and tools and work physically and in a team.

  How to get there:

  Training at a professional fire department as a civil servant usually takes 1.5 to 2 years, depending on the federal state, and often includes the emergency medical technician course. The requirement is usually a completed trade or technical vocational qualification, plus a sports test, medical fitness and maximum age limits, which differ by state and city.*Regulated by law (Career and training ordinances of the federal states for the technical fire service).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demanding

  €4,118gross per monthMedian salary

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• Driving instructor

  With further training

  As a driving instructor you teach learner drivers safe driving in theory and practice.

  What you bring:

  You know vehicle technology, assistance systems and typical operating mistakes from the workshop and can explain technology clearly.

  How to get there:

  Training at a driving instructor training center takes at least 12 months for class BE, with a practice part at a training driving school. Requirements include a minimum age of 21, a driving license class B held for at least three years and a completed vocational qualification, which you show with the journeyman certificate. Funding with an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein) is possible if the Federal Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit) or the Jobcenter approves it.*Regulated by law (Driving Instructors Act (FahrlG) § 2).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €3,977gross per monthMedian salary

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• Vehicle fleet manager

  Also: Fleet manager

  With further trainingPromotion

  As a fleet manager at a transport company, haulage firm or municipality you plan the purchase, maintenance and use of the vehicles, manage workshops and service providers and keep an eye on costs and regulations.

  What you bring:

  You know maintenance, inspection deadlines, damage and repair effort of vehicles from the workshop.

  How to get there:

  This usually follows the master craftsperson exam in the motor vehicle technician trade, or a technician qualification plus a few years of experience, often by managing a company's own workshop. Courses in fleet management at chambers and associations take a few days to weeks. Business knowledge is important for these jobs.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €6,004gross 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.