Ausbildung profession · Metal and mechanical engineering
Industriemechaniker Ausbildung in Germany: industrial mechanic
Without industrial mechanics (Industriemechaniker), factories stop. You build, maintain and repair machines and production lines, from small parts you make yourself to complex hydraulic systems.
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HRB 746028
German companyregistered at Ulm District Court
- German name
- Industriemechaniker
- Duration
- 3.5 years
- Field
- Metal and mechanical engineering
- Where you work
- Production plants in almost every industry
- Training pay
- 1,266 euros a month on average in industry (2025)
- Language
- German, usually B1 for the visa
What you do every day
- Making and machining metal parts, for example on lathes and milling machines
- Assembling and installing machines and plants
- Servicing machines and finding the causes of faults
- Working with hydraulic and pneumatic systems
- Reading technical drawings and machine documentation
Pay during the Ausbildung
In industrial companies covered by a collective agreement (Tarifvertrag), the average training pay in 2025 was 1,266 euros gross a month across all training years, according to the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB). The exact amount depends on the company, the region and the year of training. The legal minimum for an Ausbildung starting in 2026 is 724 euros a month in the first year.
These are gross figures. Social insurance contributions are deducted, and living costs in Germany are high. Our salary guide shows what is left after rent, food and insurance. For the visa, your training pay should be at least 1,048 euros gross a month (2026), otherwise you have to show extra funds.
Working hours and shifts
This depends on the company: in plant maintenance, shift work is common and usually paid with allowances. In other companies you work during the day.
Career after the Ausbildung
Industrial mechanic is one of the most sought-after technical professions in Germany. Common next steps are Industriemeister Metall or a state-certified Techniker in mechanical engineering. With experience, an engineering degree is possible too.
After the Ausbildung you can stay in Germany as a skilled worker. In many industrial professions, skilled workers earn more than twice the training pay. Read after the Ausbildung for the residence rules.
This profession suits you if …
- You like maths and physics
- You enjoy repairing things
- You are precise and patient
It may not suit you if …
- You do not like getting your hands dirty
- Maths is the subject you avoid most
Questions about this Ausbildung
The Ausbildung as industrial mechanic (Industriemechaniker) takes 3.5 years. It is a dual training: most of the week you work in the company, the rest you spend at a vocational school. With very good results, the training can sometimes be shortened.
According to BIBB, the average in industry and trade was 1,266 euros gross a month in 2025 in companies with a collective agreement, averaged across all training years. Pay rises every year of the training. The legal minimum in the first year is 724 euros a month for a start in 2026.
Yes. From outside the EU you need a training contract with a German company, German at level B1 and a visa for vocational training. Because few German school-leavers know this profession, companies are often open to applicants from abroad. Vocational school and the final exam are in German.
Interested in this profession?
Acaluna places apprentices from Indonesia in this profession with German companies that commission us. If you live in Indonesia, have finished 12 years of school and hold a German B1 certificate, check in one minute whether you can apply.
Pay: Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), collectively agreed training pay 2025. Profession details: Federal Employment Agency (BERUFENET). Status: September 2026. Which professions we offer each year depends on the needs of the companies that commission us. Also available in Bahasa Indonesia.
More guides
How to apply from abroad
Where to find places, the German CV and cover letter, and the interview.
Is there an age limit?
What the law says, and why companies still often choose younger applicants.
Costs and scams
What you really pay, what you should never pay and how to check an offer.
Life in Germany as an apprentice
Small towns, winter, halal food, Ramadan on shift and homesickness.
After the Ausbildung
Staying on, the job search permit, permanent residence and salary.
How to choose a recruitment agency
What agencies may charge, the warning signs and the questions to ask.
Is an Ausbildung in Germany realistic for you?
Seven questions, one minute, an honest answer: what you already have, what is still missing and whether we can place you. We are also preparing a step-by-step online course for applicants from every country.