Ausbaufacharbeiter/Ausbaufacharbeiterin Schwerpunkt Fliesen-, Platten- und Mosaikarbeiten

Construction workers specializing in tile, slab, and mosaic work are trained in the dual system. Learning takes place at the training company (usually finishing construction companies, especially in the tiling trade) and at the vocational school (Berufsschule). Additionally, parts of the training must be completed in inter-company training centers.

Vocational training in the construction industry is being modernized. The training in the 19 recognized construction trades is being updated in terms of both content and structure. Technical progress and, in particular, increased requirements for environmental and consumer protection (e.g., regarding energy saving and CO2 emission reduction) necessitate a reorganization of the training. In both new construction and renovation projects, the demands on construction trades have changed: for example, buildings are becoming smarter, and technical systems, tools, and machines are increasingly networked. The effects of new technologies and digitalization on activities in the construction industry are considered in the new training regulations, as is the topic of sustainability. The current legal basis for all 19 construction trades is the 'Regulation on Vocational Training in the Construction Industry'.

Job type: Recognized vocational training (Ausbildung) occupation. Type of training: Dual training in industry and crafts (regulated by training regulations). Training duration: 2 years. Learning locations: Training company and vocational school (Berufsschule) (dual training). What does one do in this profession? Construction workers specializing in tile, slab, and mosaic work primarily clad walls and floors, e.g., in bathrooms, kitchens, entrances, or on terraces. They inspect the substrate, install insulation materials, produce plasters and leveling screeds, and cut tiles and slabs to fit precisely. Then, they lay all types of floor and wall tiles and mosaic coverings according to the laying plan and grout the coverings. They also erect partition walls from dry construction elements such as metal profiles and plasterboards or assemble prefabricated sanitary system components. Furthermore, they carry out necessary rework. They can work in new construction or renovation. Where does one work? Employment companies: Finishing construction companies, especially construction companies in the tiling trade.

Job title: Construction worker specializing in tile, slab, and mosaic work. What does one do in this profession? Construction workers specializing in tile, slab, and mosaic work primarily clad walls and floors, e.g., in bathrooms, kitchens, entrances, or on terraces. They inspect the substrate, install insulation materials, produce plasters and leveling screeds, and cut tiles and slabs to fit precisely. Then, they lay all types of floor and wall tiles and mosaic coverings according to the laying plan and grout the coverings. They also erect partition walls from dry construction elements such as metal profiles and plasterboards or assemble prefabricated sanitary system components. Furthermore, they carry out necessary rework. They can work in new construction or renovation. Where does one work? Construction workers specializing in tile, slab, and mosaic work find employment with finishing construction companies, especially those in the tiling trade.

2 years

The training is carried out simultaneously in the training company and at the vocational school (Berufsschule). Vocational school classes take place on specific weekdays or in block form. Excerpt from the training framework plan and the curriculum: 1st year of training: Training in the company and in inter-company courses: Order acceptance, performance recording, work plan, and process plan. Setting up, securing, and clearing construction sites. Inspecting, storing, and selecting construction and auxiliary construction materials. Reading and applying drawings, making sketches. Carrying out measurements. Processing wood and producing wooden components. Producing components from concrete and reinforced concrete. Producing building structures from stones. Installing insulation materials for thermal, cold, sound, and fire protection. Producing plasters and stucco. Producing screeds. Setting and laying tiles and slabs. Producing components in dry construction. Training in the vocational school in the learning fields: Setting up a construction site.

No costs are charged for the Ausbildung (vocational training). The training company provides the necessary training materials for the practical part of the training and pays the examination fees. Unless otherwise regulated, Auszubildende (apprentices) must bear the costs for learning materials for Berufsschule (vocational school) classes and for work clothing themselves. Additionally, costs may arise if training locations are far from the place of residence. In certain life situations, Auszubildende can receive Berufsausbildungsbeihilfe (vocational training allowance). Further information: Berufsausbildungsbeihilfe (BAB).

In the training company, Auszubildende learn, for example: what to consider when taking on an order and how to apply building regulations; how to set up and secure construction sites and how to erect scaffolding; how to select, inspect, and store building and auxiliary building materials, prefabricated parts, tools, and machines; how to divide wall and floor surfaces considering design aspects and how to sketch and apply laying plans; how to check subsurfaces for flatness, damage, slope, and moisture; how to cut, set, lay, and grout tiles and slabs; how to select and install insulation materials and how to carry out waterproofing; how to prepare plaster mortar and external thermal insulation composite systems for receiving tiles, slabs, and mosaics; how to produce coverings and claddings for vertical, horizontal, and inclined surfaces; what to consider when assembling sanitary system construction and installation parts.

One should be prepared for the following conditions and requirements: In the company: Practical work (under guidance): e.g., cutting tiles, preparing plaster mortar, grouting tiles and slabs. Environment: changing construction sites, cold, heat, and drafts in shell constructions, construction dust and noise. Clothing: protective clothing (e.g., helmet, gloves, safety shoes, hearing protection if necessary). Requirements: Manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination (e.g., when laying tiles and slabs, when creating joints). Carefulness and prudence (e.g., when taking measurements, when working on ladders and scaffolding). Spatial imagination (e.g., when creating laying plans). Good physical constitution (e.g., when lifting and carrying building materials). At the Berufsschule (vocational school): Classes one or two days per week or as block instruction.

Auszubildende can complete parts of their Ausbildung (vocational training) abroad, e.g.: In various European countries. An internship abroad as part of the additional qualification "Europaassistent/in". Duration: at least 3 weeks. Entry requirement: intermediate school leaving certificate. Further information on the additional qualification Europaassistent/in.

The Ausbildungsvergütung (training remuneration) for a dual Ausbildung (vocational training) is paid by the training company and, for companies bound by collective agreements, is based on collective bargaining agreements. Auszubildende (apprentices) must be granted appropriate remuneration. If the training takes place in a school setting (e.g., at a Berufsfachschule (vocational school) or in the 1st year of training as a Berufsgrundbildungsjahr (basic vocational training year)), no Ausbildungsvergütung is paid. Please check BERUFENET for current information.

In-depth knowledge in the following school subjects forms good prerequisites for a successful Ausbildung (vocational training): Mathematics: Future Ausbaufacharbeiter/in (building specialists) with a focus on tile, slab, and mosaic work must, for example, calculate areas and material requirements. Good knowledge of mathematics is therefore required. Workshop/Technology: Since future Ausbaufacharbeiter/in with a focus on tile, slab, and mosaic work use construction machines, equipment, and tools, skills in technical work are useful. Those with knowledge of technical drawing have an advantage when reading and preparing sketches and laying plans. Physics: Knowledge of physics is helpful for understanding building material properties.

The additional qualification "Europaassistent/in" (Europe Assistant) is for apprentices with at least a secondary school leaving certificate. It expands the initial vocational training with intercultural competencies and offers apprentices the opportunity to improve their foreign language skills. Apprentices attend additional Berufsschule (vocational school) classes, for example, in European Commercial and Economic Law, and complete a several-week internship abroad. The relevant chamber (Kammer) provides further information, e.g.: Europaassistent/in.

The following Ausbildung (vocational training) alternatives are available for the profession Ausbaufacharbeiter/in (Interior Construction Specialist) with a focus on Tile, Slab, and Mosaic Work: Interior Construction Area: Tile, Slab, and Mosaic Layer; Ausbaufacharbeiter/in with a focus on Screed Work; Screed Layer; Ausbaufacharbeiter/in with a focus on Stucco Work; Stucco Plasterer; Ausbaufacharbeiter/in with a focus on Thermal, Cold, and Sound Insulation Work; Thermal, Cold, and Sound Insulation Installer; Ausbaufacharbeiter/in with a focus on Drywall Work; Drywall Installer; Ausbaufacharbeiter/in with a focus on Carpentry Work; Carpenter; Specialist for Wood and Building Protection Work; Insulation Specialist. Commonality: Performing interior construction work or work for the protection of buildings, processing comparable materials. Structural Engineering Area: H.

In 1974, the regulation on vocational training in the construction industry came into force. The profession Ausbaufacharbeiter/in (Interior Construction Specialist) was recognized with seven specializations: Concrete Stone and Terrazzo Work, Screed Work, Tile, Slab, and Mosaic Work, Insulation Work, Stucco Work, Drywall Work, and Carpentry Work in the craft and industrial training sectors. In 1999, vocational training in the construction industry was reorganized. The profession Ausbaufacharbeiter/in was trained in six specializations: Screed Work, Tile, Slab, and Mosaic Work, Stucco Work, Drywall Work, Thermal, Cold, and Sound Insulation Work, and Carpentry Work. Training content was modernized, for example, the use of new building and auxiliary building materials, the use of equipment and machinery, and work in the area of renovation and repair. In 2020, the Berufsbildungsgesetz (Vocational Training Act) and the Handwerksordnung (Crafts Code) were amended: introducing a minimum Ausbildung (vocational training) remuneration, and expanding.

Ausbaufacharbeiter/in (Interior Construction Specialist) with a focus on Tile, Slab, and Mosaic Work is a recognized 2-year Ausbildung (vocational training) profession in industry and crafts.

Qualification Title: Ausbaufacharbeiter/in (Interior Construction Specialist).

Improving opportunities with additional qualifications: Prospective Ausbaufacharbeiter/innen with a focus on Tile, Slab, and Mosaic Work can gain a good starting position by acquiring additional qualifications during their Ausbildung (vocational training), for example, in European Commercial and Economic Law through the "Europaassistent/in" (Europe Assistant) qualification. Finding the right employment: After their Ausbildung, Ausbaufacharbeiter/innen with a focus on Tile, Slab, and Mosaic Work are employed by construction companies in interior finishing, particularly in the tiling trade. Securing employability: Through adaptive further training, one can keep their specialized knowledge current, up-to-date, and expand it. The range of topics extends from tile, slab, and mosaic laying to building renovation. Advancing professionally: After successfully passing the Abschluss-/Gesellenprüfung (final/journeyman's examination), Ausbaufacharbeiter/innen with a focus on Tile, Slab, and Mosaic Work can advance in their careers.

In 2024, there were 441 new apprentices in the skilled trades (Handwerk) sector. 40 percent of these had a Hauptschulabschluss (secondary school certificate) or a mittlerer Bildungsabschluss (intermediate school certificate). 12 percent possessed the Hochschulreife (higher education entrance qualification), while 5 percent could not present a Hauptschulabschluss. 7 percent of the new apprentices had completed a Berufsfachschule (vocational school) before starting their Ausbildung (vocational training). In the industry and trade sector, there were 63 new apprentices. 52 percent of these had a Hauptschulabschluss, and 33 percent had a mittlerer Bildungsabschluss. 10 percent possessed a higher education entrance qualification.

Legal regulations and recommendations for the Ausbildung (vocational training) include: The Ordinance on Vocational Training in the Construction Industry (BauWiAusbV) from June 2, 1999, last amended by Article 1 of the Ordinance from February 20, 2009. There is also a Framework Curriculum for vocational professions in the construction industry (resolution of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs from February 5, 1999).

Legally, no specific prior education is required.

After successfully passing the Abschluss-/Gesellenprüfung (final/journeyman's examination) in the profession of Ausbaufacharbeiter/in, vocational training (Ausbildung) can potentially be continued in one of the following related professions: Fliesen-, Platten- und Mosaikleger/in (Tile, Slab, and Mosaic Layer), Estrichleger/in (Screed Layer), Stuckateur/in (Plasterer/Stucco Worker), Trockenbaumonteur/in (Drywall Installer), Wärme-, Kälte- und Schallschutzisolierer/in (Thermal, Cold, and Sound Insulation Installer), Zimmerer/Zimmerin (Carpenter).