Do you work in the workshop or on the production line?

Both: depending on the company, you work in the manufacturing workshop as well as on the production lines to be maintained.

Does the job require strength and precision?

Yes, it combines lifting loads with precise work on machines; the training prepares you for both.

Industrial mechanic (Industriemechaniker)

A solid, sought-after core industrial trade for those who like to keep machines running.

All sectors

The profession

The industrial mechanic manufactures, assembles and maintains machines and production equipment. They adjust, repair and keep plant running.

Salary

In an M+E apprenticeship, pay is around 1,270 to 1,690 €/month (statutory minimum 682/805/921/955 €). The entry salary is about 2,000 to 2,600 €/month, and the median across all experience levels about 4,060 to 4,220 €/month (quartiles 3,572 to 4,977 €, higher in Bremen around 4,442 €, lower in Saxony around 3,148 €) (source: Entgeltatlas, Federal Employment Agency, 2025). In M+E firms, the IG Metall tariff adds holiday pay, Christmas pay and shift bonuses on a 35-hour week.

Duration and path

Training lasts 3.5 years in the dual system, between the company and the vocational school, and ends with the chamber (IHK) final exam.

Employers hiring

Employers include Siemens, Bosch, Daimler Truck, MAN, thyssenkrupp, Krones, as well as the mechanical engineering Mittelstand.

Prospects

Prospects are strong: a core industrial trade with a lasting shortage in mechanical engineering.

Career progression

You can move into maintenance, earn a Techniker or Meister qualification, and take on team leadership.

Language level

The vocational school, the exam and the workshop all take place in German. Level B2 is the standard for success, and that is the level we aim for in our language training.

Recognition and access

For an Ausbildung, no diploma recognition is required: you train directly in Germany and the chamber (IHK) diploma is recognised nationwide. You need an Ausbildung contract, the expected German level and, generally, a secondary school leaving certificate.

Visa

Entry is via the vocational training visa (Ausbildung). Once you graduate, you switch to a skilled worker permit to work in Germany. We check your eligibility and prepare the application with you.

Your Karriere Fähre support

We train you in German up to the required level, find the company and the Ausbildung contract, prepare the visa application and support you all the way to your arrival.

Apply

Frequently asked questions

Do you work in the workshop or on the production line?: Both: depending on the company, you work in the manufacturing workshop as well as on the production lines to be maintained.
Does the job require strength and precision?: Yes, it combines lifting loads with precise work on machines; the training prepares you for both.

Indicative gross ranges from public German sources (Federal Employment Agency, Entgeltatlas, Gehalt.de, StepStone, IHK, IG Metall). In industry, pay is often set by the collective agreement (IG Metall) and varies by region, employer and experience. Recognition and visa rules change: always check your case with the competent German authorities.