Geprüfter Betriebswirt/Geprüfte Betriebswirtin nach der Handwerksordnung

Preparation courses for the examination take place, for example, at educational institutions of the Chambers of Crafts (Handwerkskammern). For in-person events, learning locations are classrooms. For digital learning formats (e.g., virtual classroom), learning locations are at home, or potentially classrooms during in-person phases. For combined learning formats (e.g., blended learning), learning locations are classrooms for in-person events and at home for online learning units.

This is a continuing education qualification following a nationally standardized regulation. Participation in preparation courses is not required. The duration of the continuing education varies depending on the educational offer, class time (full-time/part-time), and learning format. Business administrators according to the Crafts Code (Handwerksordnung) take on technical and commercial specialist and management tasks in a craft business or lead a business. Using business key figures, they evaluate the economic situation of the business and develop strategies to secure competitiveness and liquidity. In human resources, they plan personnel development and deployment and organize in-company training and further education. They manage projects from offer creation to post-calculation and evaluation, advise customers, and accept orders and complaints. In marketing and sales, they conduct sales negotiations, for example.

The duration varies depending on the educational offer, class time (full-time/part-time), and learning format.

Example distribution of hours: Corporate Strategy: Evaluating economic and social framework conditions: 70 hours. Evaluating legal framework conditions: 120 hours. Planning corporate strategy: 50 hours. Total: 240 hours. Corporate Management: Shaping corporate management and organization: 80 hours. Designing accounting in the company and securing financing and liquidity: 100 hours. Implementing marketing concept and customer management: 60 hours. Optimizing value creation: 70 hours. Total: 310 hours. Personnel Management: Planning and recruiting personnel: 50 hours. Leading and developing personnel: 70 hours. Total: 120 hours. Innovation Management: Innovation management: 30 hours. Total: 30 hours. Overall total: 700 hours.

Course fees are incurred for attending preparation courses, and examination fees for the examination itself. Additional costs may arise, for example, for work materials, travel to the continuing education institution, or external accommodation. Funding opportunities: Preparation courses for the continuing education examination can be financially supported according to the Upgrading Training Assistance Act (Aufstiegsfortbildungsförderungsgesetz). Further information: Aufstiegs-BAföG - Advancement with Funding. Support for particularly gifted young professionals: Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung (SBB) - Continuing Education Scholarship.

Corporate strategy: Evaluating economic, social, and legal framework conditions, planning corporate strategy. Corporate management: Shaping corporate management and organization, designing accounting in the company and securing financing and liquidity, implementing marketing concept and customer management, optimizing value creation. Personnel management: Planning, recruiting, leading, and developing personnel.

In-depth knowledge in the following areas is a good prerequisite for successfully passing this advanced training examination: Economics/Law (e.g., to assess the profitability of investments) and Mathematics (e.g., to calculate wages and salaries).

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, lessons are full-day on at least four weekdays. For part-time instruction, it is usually career-accompanying training on weekends or evenings. In face-to-face events, lessons take place in a classroom setting at the educational institution. In digital learning forms (e.g., virtual classroom), learning is exclusively via electronic learning platforms and systems (primarily from home in a classroom setting). In combined learning forms (e.g., blended learning), there are face-to-face events in a classroom setting at the educational institution and self-directed learning via electronic learning platforms and systems from home.

For advanced training abroad, there are options such as in Switzerland. The Swiss advanced training database, wab - Die Weiterbildungsdatenbank der Schweiz, can be searched (e.g., with the keyword 'Betriebswirtschafter/in' - business administrator). The Europass offers the possibility to document learning periods completed abroad. Further information on the Europass is available.

Participation in advanced training is not remunerated.

The following advanced training alternatives are available for the profession of Business Administrator (Geprüfter Betriebswirt/Geprüfte Betriebswirtin) according to the Handwerksordnung (Crafts and Trades Code): In the field of Management and Corporate Leadership, options include Business Administrator (Fachschule) for general business administration/Bachelor Professional in Economics, International Master (Internationaler Meister/Internationale Meisterin), and Certified Technical Business Administrator (Geprüfter Technischer Betriebswirt/Geprüfte Technische Betriebswirtin). Their commonality is taking on commercial-business management specialist and leadership tasks in controlling a business. In the field of Office and Secretarial work, options include Certified Specialist for Commercial Business Management according to the Handwerksordnung, Certified Commercial Specialist according to the Handwerksordnung - Bachelor Professional for Commercial Management according to the Handwerksordnung, and Certified Technical Specialist. Their commonality is leading craft businesses and employees.

In 2020, the Vocational Training Act (BBiG) and the Crafts and Trades Code (HWO) were amended. This included the introduction of advanced training qualifications such as 'Geprüfte/r Berufsspezialist/in' (Certified Vocational 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 qualification titles obtained at the end of this training are: Certified Business Administrator (Geprüfter Betriebswirt nach der Handwerksordnung) or Certified Business Administrator (Geprüfte Betriebswirtin nach der Handwerksordnung) according to the Crafts Code.

Becoming a Business Administrator (Betriebswirt) or Business Administrator (Betriebswirtin) is a professional advanced training. The examination is uniformly regulated nationwide in Germany. It is not mandatory to attend a course to be admitted to the examination.

After completing this advanced training, certified business administrators according to the Crafts Code can work in larger craft businesses in various sectors. To keep your knowledge current and to expand it, you can take adaptive advanced training courses on various topics, ranging from finance and accounting to business administration. With this advanced training diploma, certified business administrators according to the Crafts Code can gain access to university studies (Studium) even without a general higher education entrance qualification (schulische Hochschulzugangsberechtigung) and, for example, obtain a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration (Betriebswirtschaftslehre) or Business Administration (grundständig). It is also possible to become self-employed, for example, by establishing your own manufacturing, service, or trading business in your sector.

Legal regulations for the examination: Regulation on the examination for the recognized advanced training qualification Certified Business Administrator (Geprüfter Betriebswirt nach der Handwerksordnung) and Certified Business Administrator (Geprüfte Betriebswirtin nach der Handwerksordnung) dated 13.03.2011 (BGBl. I S. 511), last amended by Article 5 of the Regulation dated 09.12.2019 (BGBl. I S. 2153). Nationwide uniform framework curriculum "Certified Business Administrator/Certified Business Administrator according to the Crafts Code", November 2011 (itb-Institut für Technik der Betriebsführung im Deutschen Handwerksinstitut e.V.). Further legal regulation: Law on the Regulation of Crafts (Handwerksordnung) in the version of the announcement dated 24.09.1998 (BGBl. I S. 3074; 2006 I S. 2095), last amended by Article 2 of the Law dated 03.04.2025 (BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 106).

The prerequisite for admission to this advanced training examination is usually one of the following: a master craftsman's examination (Meisterprüfung) in a craft profession, or a final examination as a certified commercial specialist (Geprüfte/r Kaufmännische/r Fachwirt/in) according to the Crafts Code, or a final examination in another recognized advanced training profession, e.g., as an industrial master (Industriemeister/in) or specialist (Fachwirt/in), and corresponding professional experience, or a final examination with other relevant qualifications and corresponding professional experience, or a degree from a state or state-recognized university (Hochschule) and relevant professional experience.