By the time they take their final examination, not by the time they start their training as a maintenance specialist, apprentices must have at least 2 years of professional experience as a janitor and 3 years of general professional experience.

The following continuing education, further training is suitable for a specialist in operational maintenance Federal VET Diploma (specializing in housekeeping):

• Federal Professional Examination:
  • Janitor with Federal Diploma of Higher Education
  • Maintenance Specialist with Federal Diploma of Higher Education
• Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE)
  • qualified janitor
  • qualified head of facility management and maintenance
• University of Applied Sciences
  Degree courses in related subject areas, e.g. Bachelor of Science (UAS) in Facility Management. Different admission requirements apply depending on the University of Applied Sciences.

The following continuing education, further training courses are suitable for a Federal VET Diploma in plant maintenance (specializing in plant services):

• Federal Professional Examination:
  Road maintenance foreman with Federal Diploma of Higher Education
• College of Higher Education
  Training courses in related subject areas, e.g. certified technician CHE construction management
• University of Applied Sciences
  Degree courses in related subject areas, e.g. Bachelor of Science (UAS) in Civil Engineering. Different admission requirements apply depending on the University of Applied Sciences.

One of the criteria for admission to the specialist in operational maintenance apprenticeship is a good command of written and spoken German at level B1 or higher.

You will mainly attend vocational school in the evenings and on Saturday mornings. This gives you enough time to continue your professional activity.

As soon as you have obtained the Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (EF) in accordance with Art. 32 BBV after completing your training as a specialist in operational maintenance, it makes no difference whether you obtained this qualification as a young person or as an adult in a catch-up course. The requirements are identical, but require previous professional experience.

The specialist in operational maintenance training lasts 2 years as catch-up training with a Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (VET Diploma) until the qualification procedure (final apprenticeship examination - LAP). Lessons take place alongside work. Some lessons take place in the evenings and at weekends to avoid loss of earnings.

The Federal VET Diploma in Operational Maintenance comprises a total of 1088 lessons, which are divided into 360 lessons of general education and 128 lessons of practical instruction. The remaining lessons provide theoretical knowledge on topics such as work organization, occupational safety, health protection, environmental protection, green maintenance work, waste management, cleaning work, repairs, structural maintenance and inspection and maintenance work.