Betriebswirt/Betriebswirtin (Fachschule) für Produktionswirtschaft/Bachelor Professional in Wirtschaft

The advanced training takes place at technical colleges (Fachschule) and other educational institutions. Learning locations include classrooms and computer rooms.

Occupation type: Advanced training occupation: Bachelor Professional. Type of advanced training: Advanced training at technical colleges (Fachschule) (regulated by state law). Duration of advanced training: 2-4 years (full-time/part-time). Tasks and activities: Business administrators for production economics plan and organize the manufacturing of products. They assess production efficiency using productivity key figures. They plan production according to specified concepts and calculate material requirements with flexible production planning and control systems. Additionally, they determine storage and inventory management as cost-efficiently as possible. They conduct work and performance evaluations and plan personnel deployment. Furthermore, they take on tasks in quality management and calculate prices based on service specifications, cost analyses, and empirical values. Work areas and locations: Business administrators for production economics are employed in the production sector.

Full-time: 2 years. Part-time: 3-4 years.

Distribution of hours (example): Mandatory area: Interdisciplinary learning area: Vocational and work pedagogy: 40 teaching hours. German/Communication: 120 teaching hours. Foreign language: 240 teaching hours. Social studies: 80 teaching hours. Business management: 120 teaching hours. Subject-specific learning area: Business administration: 80 teaching hours. Accounting: 200 teaching hours. Law: 200 teaching hours. Informatics: 160 teaching hours. Economics: 160 teaching hours. Business mathematics/Statistics: 200 teaching hours. Sales economics: 80 teaching hours. Foreign trade: 80 teaching hours. Controlling: 80 teaching hours. Logistics/Transport: 80 teaching hours. Organization/Technology: 80 teaching hours. Human resources management: 80 teaching hours. Production economics: 320 teaching hours. Project work: 160 teaching hours. Tax law: 120 teaching hours. Total mandatory area: 2,680 teaching hours. Elective area: Preparation.

Advanced training at state technical colleges (Fachschule) is generally free for students. Private technical colleges, however, usually charge course fees, and sometimes admission and examination fees. Additional costs may arise, for example, for work materials, travel to the training institution, or external accommodation. Funding opportunities: Business administration advanced training can be financially supported according to the Advanced Training Promotion Act (Aufstiegsfortbildungsförderungsgesetz). Further information: Aufstiegs-BAföG - Advancement with funding. Support for particularly talented young specialists: Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung (SBB) - Advanced training scholarship.

Learning areas: Subject-specific, e.g.: Business administration, accounting, law, informatics, economics, business mathematics/statistics, production economics, tax law. Interdisciplinary, e.g.: German/Communication, foreign language, social studies. Additional knowledge: Schools may provide additional knowledge that enables the acquisition of instructor qualification (Ausbildereignung) or university of applied sciences entrance qualification (Fachhochschulreife).

In-depth knowledge in the following areas is a good prerequisite for successfully passing the advanced training examination: In Business/Law, knowledge in areas such as accounting, controlling, and taxes is beneficial. In Mathematics, being able to calculate cost and performance accounts is important.

The advanced training consists of theoretical and practical lessons. Depending on the education provider, one should be prepared for the following conditions: For full-time instruction, there are full-day classes on at least four weekdays. For part-time instruction, it is usually a career-accompanying advanced training on weekends or in the evenings. The learning format typically involves in-person events, meaning classroom instruction at the educational institution, which may not be in your place of residence.

Participation in advanced training is not remunerated.

The following advanced training alternatives are available for the profession of Business Administrator (Fachschule) for Production Management: In the field of Accounting and Controlling, options include Business Administrator (Fachschule) for General Business Administration/Bachelor Professional in Wirtschaft, Certified Industrial Business Administrator, Practical Business Administrator, and Certified Technical Business Administrator (Advanced Training). The commonality among these is taking on specialist and leadership tasks in the commercial-business management of a company.

In 2020, the Vocational Training Act (BBiG) and the Crafts Code (HWO) were amended. This included the introduction of advanced training qualifications such as 'Certified Professional Specialist', 'Bachelor Professional', and 'Master Professional' to emphasize the equivalence of vocational and academic education. The use of these professional titles depends on the enactment of corresponding new advanced training regulations.

The school and technical college (Fachschule) regulations of the federal states (Bundesland) govern the duration, as well as possibilities for shortening and extending the training. Participants with a degree in another specialization within the field of economics or in a second focus area of a specialization can shorten the advanced training. Participants may be able to make up for missing professional experience partly during the advanced training, which may extend its duration.

This advanced training is legally regulated only in the specified Bundesländer (federal states). In these states, it leads to the following qualification titles: North Rhine-Westphalia: State-certified Business Administrator (Staatlich geprüfter Betriebswirt/Staatlich geprüfte Betriebswirtin) - Specializing in Production Management (Bachelor Professional in Wirtschaft). Thuringia: State-certified Business Administrator (Staatlich geprüfter Betriebswirt/Staatlich geprüfte Betriebswirtin) - Specializing in Business Administration with a focus on Production Management.

The State-certified Business Administrator for Production Management (Staatlich geprüfter Betriebswirt bzw. staatlich geprüfte Betriebswirtin für Produktionswirtschaft) is a vocational advanced training. It is regulated by state law and takes place at Fachschulen (technical colleges). It lasts 2 years full-time, or 3-4 years part-time.

After completing their advanced training, Business Administrators for Production Management can find suitable employment in production companies across almost all economic sectors. To maintain, update, and expand their expertise, they can pursue adaptive advanced training (Anpassungsweiterbildung). The topics range from process management to controlling. To advance professionally, further advanced training (Aufstiegsweiterbildung) specifically designed for graduates of advanced training, building on existing qualifications, can expand and complement their competency profile. It is a logical step to take the Business Administrator examination under the Berufsbildungsgesetz (Vocational Training Act). With their advanced training qualification, Business Administrators can also gain access to a Studium (university degree program) even without a general higher education entrance qualification, for example, to earn a Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering. There is also the possibility of becoming self-employed (Sich selbstständig machen).

School and Fachschule (technical college) regulations: This advanced training is regulated by state law in the following Bundesländer (federal states): North Rhine-Westphalia: Ordinance on Training and Examinations in Vocational College Courses (Ausbildungs- und Prüfungsordnung Berufskolleg - APO-BK) from 26.05.1999, last amended by Article 3 of the Ordinance from 29.01.2026. Thuringia: Thuringian Fachschule Ordinance for the Technical, Economic, Design, and Medical Pedagogy fields (ThürFSO-TWGM) from 29.01.2016, last amended by Article 2 of the Ordinance from 21.03.2017. There are no state-specific regulations in the following Bundesländer: Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein.

Fachschulen (technical colleges) generally require a qualification from a relevant recognized Ausbildung (vocational training) and professional experience. The minimum educational requirement is a secondary school leaving certificate (mittlerer Bildungsabschluss).