Reinforced-concrete builder (Beton- und Stahlbetonbauer)
A key shell-construction trade that pours the foundations of buildings and civil-engineering works.
The profession
The reinforced-concrete builder, also known as a formworker, builds reinforced-concrete structures: formwork, reinforcement and concreting for buildings, bridges and civil-engineering works. They work with precision, from formwork to pouring.
Salary
In a SOKA-BAU tariff apprenticeship, pay is about 1,080 € (year 1), 1,300 € (year 2) and 1,550 € (year 3) per month (source: SOKA-BAU, 2025). The entry salary after the diploma is around 2,690 to 2,780 €/month, and the average with experience about 3,306 € (source: aubi-plus, meingehalt.net, 2025). In construction, pay follows a binding sector minimum wage (Mindestlohn Bau, skilled level about 17.34 €/h in 2026, above the general minimum), and the SOKA-BAU holiday fund grants 30 paid holiday days, a real selling point.
Duration and path
Training lasts 3 years in the dual system, split between the company and the vocational school (Berufsschule), and ends with the chamber exam.
Employers hiring
Employers are shell-construction and civil-engineering firms (Rohbau, Ingenieurbau), companies building structures such as bridges and tunnels, and large contractors.
Prospects
Prospects are strong: it is a key shell-construction trade within a construction sector under pressure.
Career progression
You can specialise in formwork, progress to team leader, then Polier, and earn a Meister qualification.
Language level
The vocational school, the exam and the building site all take place in German. B2 is the standard employers expect, and that is the level we aim for.
Recognition and access
For an Ausbildung, no diploma recognition is required: you train directly in Germany and the 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.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the work physical and precise?
- Yes, it is both physical and precise: formwork and reinforcement require rigour and exact measurements.
- Which sectors are hiring?
- Building, structural works (bridges, tunnels) and civil engineering are hiring reinforced-concrete builders.
Indicative gross ranges from public German sources (Federal Employment Agency, Entgeltatlas, Gehalt.de, StepStone, the construction tariff Bau-Hauptgewerbe / SOKA-BAU). In construction, pay often follows the collective agreement and the sector minimum wage, and varies by region, employer and experience. Recognition and visa rules change: always check your case with the competent German authorities.