Is it an office or a field job?

It is essentially an office job, focused on transport coordination and customer relations.

Yes, English is a real asset because much of the transport work is international.

Freight forwarding agent (Kaufmann für Spedition und Logistikdienstleistung)

A commercial logistics role at the heart of organising transport and managing customer relationships.

The profession

The freight forwarding agent organises the transport of goods, books carriers, prepares transport and customs documents and advises customers.

Salary

During the apprenticeship, about 1,150 € (year 1), 1,213 € (year 2) and 1,281 € (year 3) per month. On entry, about 2,500 to 2,950 €/month; with experience, an average of around 3,662 €/month that can rise toward 4,600 €, with Hamburg the best-paid region (about 4,101 €); portal figures should be treated with caution (source: aubi-plus, meingehalt.net, 2025). This pay follows a sector agreement, above the statutory minimum wage (13.90 €/h in 2026).

Duration and path

The commercial training lasts 3 years, alternating between the company and the vocational school, and ends with the chamber of commerce (IHK) exam.

Employers hiring

DB Schenker, Kühne und Nagel, DACHSER, Hellmann, DHL Global Forwarding, Rhenus, Fiege.

Prospects

Prospects are strong and steady in commercial logistics.

Career progression

You can move up to dispatcher (Disponent), Fachwirt, team leader or operations manager.

Language level

The role is commercial and customer-facing: B2 is essential, and English is a real plus. The vocational school, the exam and the work take place in German, the level we aim for.

Recognition and access

For an Ausbildung, no diploma recognition is required: you train directly in Germany and the qualification is recognised throughout the country. 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 qualified, 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 until you are settled in.

Apply

Frequently asked questions

Is it an office or a field job?: It is essentially an office job, focused on transport coordination and customer relations.
Is English useful?: Yes, English is a real asset because much of the transport work is international.

Indicative gross ranges from public German sources (Federal Employment Agency, Entgeltatlas, Gehalt.de, StepStone, IHK). In logistics and transport, pay follows the collective agreement and the sector minimum wage, and varies by region, employer and experience. Recognition, visa and driving-licence rules change: always check your case with the competent German authorities.