If you are unemployed in Germany, you have probably heard of the Agentur für Arbeit– also known as the Job Center. You may also have caught wind of something called a Bildungsgutschein—or a training voucher.

But what exactly is this training voucher? How can you get one and, more importantly, why should you?

In short, a Bildungsgutschein This allows you to take a course for free at a certified educational institution. It’s the key to learning new skills and finding a well-paying job. It could not only be your ticket out of unemployment, but also your ticket to a truly exciting new career.

In this guide we will tell you everything you need to know about applying for one Bildungsgutschein and work your way into a new profession. We answer all your most burning questions, including:

1. What is a Bildungsgutschein?
2. Who is eligible for a Bildungsgutschein?
3. How do I get a Bildungsgutschein?
4. What can I study with my Bildungsgutschein?
5. How can a Bildungsgutschein help me get a job?
6. Studying with a Bildungsgutschein: what now?

By the end of this post you will know exactly how to find the nearest one Agentur für Arbeit and applying for one Bildungsgutschein. So let’s get started.

1. What is a Bildungsgutschein?

As already mentioned, Bildungsgutschein is the German word for an education or training voucher. Published by the Agentur für Arbeit (also known as the German Jobcenter), this voucher entitles you to learn new skills for free. Once you have a Bildungsgutscheinthe Jobcenter will cover the costs of the course you choose – and no, you do not have to pay them back once you start working.

The purpose of one Bildungsgutschein is to equip job seekers with valuable, in-demand skills that will help them find a job. It is important to note that while studying with a Bildungsgutscheinare you still entitled to your unemployment benefit?

2. Who is eligible for a Bildungsgutschein?

To obtain a training voucher from the German Jobcenter, you must meet certain criteria. You may qualify for one Bildungsgutschein if you belong to one of the following categories:

• You currently have a job, but are at risk of unemployment
• You are currently unemployed and want to re-enter the labor market
• If you do not have a relevant professional qualification, you will need further training or retraining

Your local Job Center will ultimately decide whether you qualify for one Bildungsgutschein. Before you can seek advice from the Jobcenter, you must be resident in Germany and have completed the official registration process (Notification in German).

Once you’ve checked both boxes, you’re ready to start the application process! Now let’s look at that in more detail.

3. How do you apply for a Bildungsgutschein?

So you are unemployed or soon to be unemployed, living in Germany and in possession of your Reporting notification (proof that you have completed the official registration process). You can now see if you qualify for one Bildungsgutschein.

Make an appointment with your local Agentur für Arbeit

First of all, you need to make an appointment with your local Agentur für Arbeit. If you haven’t contacted the Jobcenter before, you can easily find your local center by searching online, for example “Agentur für Arbeit Berlin” or “Agentur für Arbeit near me”. After you have made an appointment, you will be assigned an advisor. They act as your designated contact person for all further arrangements.

How to prepare for your appointment at the Agentur für Arbeit

Once you have your appointment, you should show your advisor at the Jobcenter how you can benefit from a training voucher. So it is important to be prepared.

It helps if you already have a specific course in mind that you would like to take Agentur für Arbeit subsidize. This way you can explain the benefits of the course in detail and make good arguments as to why you should receive a training voucher.

The course you choose must have a professional identification number (Berufskennzahl in German, or BKZ) and a bar number (Maßnahmennummer). You can request these figures from the educational institution that provides the course. We explore what types of programs you can take with you Bildungsgutschein a little later.

Whatever course you have in mind, it helps if you can demonstrate a certain continuity between your professional background and the course you are going to follow. If there is no obvious connection, you can focus on the benefits of the program itself and how it will improve your career prospects. Highlight the types of opportunities you will have access to once you complete the program, and explain why you want to enter this field. You can prepare with job postings and statistics to demonstrate that there is sufficient demand for the skills you hope to learn using your skills Bildungsgutschein.

What should you bring to your Jobcenter appointment?

In addition to a well-thought-out case for your desired program, there are a number of things you should bring with you to your Job Center appointment. In terms of documents, make sure you have a current copy of your CV at hand, together with the above-mentioned proof of registration in Germany (Reporting notification) and proof of identity, such as your passport or identity card.

There is no guarantee that the Agentur für Arbeit the advisors speak English, so if you do not speak German, it is best to bring a German-speaking person to your appointment.

So, to recap, here’s yours Agentur für Arbeit / Bildungsgutschein appointment checklist:

• Personal ID (passport, ID card)
• Certificate of registration in Germany (Reporting notification)
• Up-to-date CV
• Information about the program you wish to pursue, including vacancies and employment statistics
• The professional identification number (Berufskennzahl) and measure number (Maßnahmennummer) for the program you selected
• Possibly a German speaker/translator

The Agentur für Arbeit is not legally obliged to provide you with one Bildungsgutschein; it is decided on a case by case basis. However, their mission is to get you back into the job market, so if you come into your appointment well prepared, the odds are very much in your favor.

Remark: Depending on the restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it may not be possible to attend an in-person appointment. In that case, your local Jobcenter advisors will inform you how to proceed.

4. Which programs are available with a Bildungsgutschein?

Now you know what a Bildungsgutschein is and how you can apply for one. Let’s see what types of programs are available.

Kursnet is an online database of all courses that can be taken via a Bildungsgutschein– and there are around 400,000 courses to choose from! You can quickly search for relevant courses via the search box on the homepage as follows:

• In the Such a concept field, enter a search term, such as ‘UX design’ or ‘German’.
• Check the box next to Nur Angebote mit Bildungsgutschein to display all relevant courses that can be subsidized with a training voucher.
• If you want to include online courses, make sure to check the box next to E-Learning becomes transparent is also checked.
• Click Start like this.

You can find everything from German language courses to marketing, office management, accounting and much more. Your Bildungsgutschein can also be used to learn advanced technical skills. If you want to train for a high-paying job in a fast-growing industry, consider using your voucher to train yourself and land a job in technology.

5. How does a Bildungsgutschein help you get a job?

So how will one Bildungsgutschein and will your chosen course help you find a job?

The idea behind the training voucher is to enable job seekers to learn new skills; skills that will improve their employment prospects and help them re-enter the labor market. It is therefore important to choose a path that interests you and is likely to offer good opportunities.

Perhaps you have been out of work for a while and would like to resume your previous career. In this case you can use your Bildungsgutschein to update your skills.

If you are looking for a complete career change, then your… Bildungsgutschein can help with that too. There is an ever-growing demand for designers, especially in the technology field, so learning these skills will certainly make you more employable.

Here at CareerFoundry we work with the Agentur für Arbeit to make our UX design, UI design, full-stack web development, data analytics, digital marketing and product management programs available to Bildungsgutscheinholders.

You’ll receive one-on-one mentorship from an industry expert, work on practical tasks and projects that will benefit your portfolio, and receive tailored job coaching from our in-house career specialists; basically everything you need to create a new career path!

6. Studying with a Bildungsgutschein: what now?

Once you have received your training voucher from the Jobcenter, you must take it (or send it) to the educational institution running your chosen program. Once they have completed the relevant information, you will need to bring the completed information with you Bildungsgutschein back to your advisor on the Agentur für Arbeit. Then you’re ready to go!

So there you have it: everything you need to know about applying for one Bildungsgutschein and pave your way to a new career. If you would like to learn more about pursuing Jobcenter subsidized programs at CareerFoundry, please contact our Bildungsgutschein program advisors here.

Would you like to delve into UX or UI design, web development, data analytics, digital marketing or product management before making a decision? Try our free short courses:

Do you need some inspiration for a career change? Read how Jesús, a CareerFoundry graduate, got his career back on track after studying UX design with him Bildungsgutschein.