Geprüfter Berufsspezialist für IT-Beratung/Geprüfte Berufsspezialistin für IT-Beratung

Preparatory courses for the examination take place at the respective educational institution. For digital learning formats (e.g., virtual classroom), learning locations are at home or, if necessary, training rooms for in-person phases.

Occupation type: Advanced training occupation (Berufsspezialist/in). Type of advanced training: Advanced training examination according to nationwide standardized regulations. Participation in preparatory courses is not required. Duration of advanced training: 1 year (part-time). Tasks and activities: IT consulting specialists advise customers and help them build, develop, and secure their IT infrastructure. They analyze business processes, company requirements, the market, and feasibility. Subsequently, they select suitable IT solutions, paying attention to technical aspects, sustainability, economic efficiency, and data security. Afterwards, they prepare offers, service descriptions, and contracts. In the implementation phase, they support project management in planning and execution and assist customers with questions. They also train users and familiarize them with new technical solutions. Areas and places of work: Businesses.

Part-time: 1 year.

Distribution of hours (example): Learning and working methodology: 10 teaching hours. Consulting and support in the implementation of individual IT customer solutions: 400 teaching hours. Designing customer management, acquiring, advising, and supporting customers: 100 teaching hours. Conducting stakeholder management: 50 teaching hours. Conducting offer and contract management: 90 teaching hours. Advising and supporting in ongoing operations: 70 teaching hours. Organizational and legal requirements: 40 teaching hours. Project support and coordination: 50 teaching hours. Total teaching hours: 410 teaching hours.

Course fees are incurred for attending preparatory courses, and examination fees for the examination itself. Additional costs may arise, for example, for work materials, travel to the training institution, or external accommodation. Funding opportunities: Preparatory courses for the advanced training examination can be financially supported according to the Aufstiegsfortbildungsförderungsgesetz (Advanced Training Promotion Act). Further information: Aufstiegs-BAföG - Advancement with funding. Funding for particularly talented young professionals: Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung (SBB) - Weiterbildungsstipendium (Advanced Training Scholarship).

Consulting and support in the implementation of individual IT customer solutions. Designing customer management, acquiring, advising, and supporting customers, e.g., designing processes for building customer relationships, identifying optimization potential of customer management. Conducting stakeholder management, e.g., identifying and analyzing interest groups, designing target group-specific communication strategies. Conducting offer and contract management, e.g., analyzing business processes and customer needs, developing and presenting customer-specific offers. Advising and supporting in ongoing operations, e.g., recognizing optimization potential in operational processes, planning, organizing, and conducting target group-specific training. Organizational and legal requirements, e.g., determining requirements for data security concepts, participating in the development of data security concepts. Project support and coordination, e.g., supporting project management by taking over and implementing tasks.

In-depth knowledge in the following areas is a good prerequisite for successfully passing this advanced training examination: Informatics (e.g., to advise on IT solutions or design technical training courses), German/English (e.g., to develop communication strategies and present offers), Business/Law (e.g., to draft contracts or create data security concepts).

This advanced training consists of theoretical and practical instruction. Depending on the education provider, one should be prepared for the following conditions: Instruction time is typically part-time advanced training on weekends or in the evenings. The learning format is usually digital learning forms (e.g., virtual classroom), meaning exclusive learning via electronic learning platforms and systems (predominantly from home in a class setting).

For advanced training abroad, the following options are available, for example: In Austria, advanced training offers can be found via AMS - Arbeitsmarktservice Österreich - Weiterbildungsdatenbank and WIFI Österreich (e.g., with the search term 'IT Business Consultant'). In Switzerland, wab - Die Weiterbildungsdatenbank der Schweiz (e.g., with the search term 'IT Business Consultant' or 'Business- und IT-Consulting') offers advanced training. The Europass provides the opportunity to document learning stays completed abroad. Further information on the Europass is available.

Participation in preparatory courses is not remunerated.

The following advanced training alternatives are available for the profession of IT Consulting Specialist: In the area of IT Coordination: Business Administrator (Fachschule) for Information Processing / Bachelor Professional in Business, or State-Certified Business Informatics Specialist / Bachelor Professional in Business. Commonality: coordinating IT processes. In the area of Information and Communication Technology: Certified Specialist for Data Analysis, Certified Specialist for Information Security, or Certified Specialist for System Integration and Networking. Commonality: analyzing and protecting business processes and data. In the area of Hardware and Software Development: Certified Specialist for Software Development or Bachelor Professional in Business.

In 2002, IT advanced training was reorganized: The nationwide 'Ordinance on Professional Advanced Training in the Field of Information and Telecommunication Technology' (IT-Fortbildungsverordnung) established 3 career levels (Specialists, Operative Professionals, Strategic Professionals). Examination regulations for 4 Operative and 2 Strategic Professionals were set. The qualification of IT Consultant (Certified IT Business Consultant) was established at the second level of the IT advanced training system (Operative Professionals), and 29 specialist profiles were defined. In 2010, the IT-Fortbildungsverordnung was amended: Admission requirements for Operative Professionals were changed (shorter professional experience). Specialist profiles were included in the ordinance, and the number of specialist profiles was reduced from 29 to 14. In 2020, the Vocational Training Act (BBiG) and the Crafts Code (HWO) were revised: among other things, the advanced training qualifications 'Geprüfte/r Berufsspezialist/in' (Certified Professional Specialist), 'Bachelor Professional,' and 'Master Professional' were introduced.

Certified IT Consulting Specialist (Geprüfter Berufsspezialist für IT-Beratung/Geprüfte Berufsspezialistin für IT-Beratung)

The Certified IT Consulting Specialist is a professional advanced training. The examination is uniformly regulated nationwide in Germany. It is not required to attend a course to be admitted to the examination.

After completing their advanced training, Certified IT Consulting Specialists primarily work in the IT industry. They can also be employed in companies across various economic sectors or in public administration. They can keep their expertise current, update it, and expand it through adaptive advanced training. The range of topics extends from IT application consulting and support to data protection law. Building on existing qualifications, advanced training for career advancement (Aufstiegsweiterbildung) can broaden and supplement one's competence profile. It is a logical step to take an examination as a Bachelor Professional in IT. With their advanced training qualification, Certified IT Consulting Specialists can also gain access to university studies, even without a general higher education entrance qualification, and pursue a Bachelor's degree, for example.

For the examination: Ordinance on the examination for the recognized advanced training qualification with the designation Certified IT Consulting Specialist (IT-Beratung-Fortbildungsprüfungsverordnung - ITBFPrV), promulgated as Article 3 of the Ordinance of 24.09.2024 (BGBl. I 2024 Nr. 296). Further information: Certified IT Consulting Specialist - Framework plan with learning objectives, 2024 (German Chamber of Industry and Commerce - DIHK).

The prerequisite for admission to the advanced training examination is usually: the final or journeyman's examination in a recognized apprenticeship (Ausbildung) in the field of information and communication technology; or a qualification in another recognized apprenticeship and at least 1 year of relevant professional experience; or at least 60 credit points in a university degree program (Studium) and at least 2 years of professional experience; or at least 4 years of professional experience with significant relevance to tasks in the field of IT consulting.