You tap the formwork with a hammer. It effortlessly separates from the concrete, revealing your work. You inspect the surface and edges – and find: nothing. No flaws, no imperfections. Everything is smooth. Excellent, that’s exactly why you love your job.

Apprenticeship Content

Concrete has always been one of the most important building materials in the construction industry. No wonder, because concrete has an outstanding property: as a kind of liquid stone, it is extremely stable and can be processed into almost any shape. You will learn how to produce concrete elements in all possible shapes and create unique buildings with us: during your apprenticeship as a concrete and reinforced concrete builder (m/f/d).

Every concrete element begins with the formwork. It defines the shape the finished element will have and must be constructed very carefully. Dimensional accuracy, precise alignment, watertightness, and stability are crucial here. Depending on the concrete element required, you will work with pre-fabricated formwork elements or custom-made wooden formwork from our formwork hall. Afterwards, it’s time for reinforcement. This means you insert the reinforcing steel into the formwork. This makes the concrete element stable and able to withstand heavy loads. The construction plan will guide you on how to build the formwork and reinforcement.

Finally, the concrete flows into the formwork via a crane bucket or concrete pump. For some elements, you will also mix the concrete directly on the construction site. Beforehand, you will learn everything about the properties and mixing ratios of the required concrete in vocational school. Now, all that’s left is to compact it, let it cure, and strip the formwork.

You will see if you’ve done everything correctly when stripping the formwork. Any cracks or voids must then be repaired. This is also part of your duties, as are setting up a construction site, incorporating insulation materials, sorting materials, or assembling pre-fabricated elements.

Duration and procedure

The apprenticeship as a concrete and reinforced concrete builder (m/f/d) typically lasts 3 years. After the first 24 months, an intermediate examination takes place, or you complete the apprenticeship with the examination to become a building construction specialist (m/f/d). In the third year of apprenticeship, you specialize in concrete and reinforced concrete construction, concluding with your final examination.

In addition to your work in the company, you will spend approximately half of your apprenticeship time in vocational school and the inter-company training center. Here you will acquire all the theoretical foundations that a skilled concrete and reinforced concrete builder (m/f/d) must know