Civilian Careers in the Bundeswehr
With more than 50 occupations, over 66,000 jobs and more than 430 training facilities throughout Germany, the Bundeswehr also has a broad range of career options for civilians. The Bundeswehr offers a wide variety of professional opportunities.
Trainees, employees and civil servants – civilian careers in the Bundeswehr
Most people think of people in uniform – military personnel – when they think of the Bundeswehr. But the military track is not the only way to build a career in the Bundeswehr. More than 81,000 of the around 265,000 Bundeswehr personnel have chosen to pursue civilian careers in the Bundeswehr. Whether as engineers, nurses, administrative specialists or firefighters – they provide essential support for military personnel at home and abroad. Many of them are also trainees and employees in cooperation projects.
Civil servants and employees subject to collective bargaining agreements work in more than 50 different technical and non-technical occupations in their civilian careers in the Bundeswehr.
BundeswehrMost of them are employed under collective bargaining agreements
The majority of the Bundeswehr’s civilian personnel are employed under collective bargaining agreements. The others are civil servants in various career categories. They all work either in technical or non-technical occupations. More than 10,000 of the civilian employees work in the field of defence technology. Employees in this area can choose from sixteen technical occupations ranging from electronics technician to technical project manager. Their work focusses on developing, testing and acquiring materiel – from ITInformationstechnik and weapon systems to personal equipment items.
Civilian careers in the Bundeswehr: almost any occupation
In the non-technical field, the Federal Defence Administration, the selection of occupations is even greater. More than 40,000 employees work in 40 occupations here. Gardeners, psychologists, office managers, painters and varnishers, qualified administrative assistants and animal keepers – there are hardly any occupations that do not exist in the Bundeswehr. The remaining 30,000 civilians are employed in the military legal system, the armed forces chaplaincy and the armed forces.
Air vehicle mechanic is one of 16 technical occupations in which the Bundeswehr also offers vocational training. The technicians ensure that aircraft and helicopters can take off and land safely and reliably.
Bundeswehr/Stephan InkCivilian careers in the Bundeswehr: from apprentices to master craftspeople
In order to complete civilian vocational training in the Bundeswehr, applicants need to have at least a lower secondary school-leaving certificate. In addition to vocational training programmes, the Bundeswehr also offers cooperative education degree programmes in fields such as computer science, public administration and defence technology. Applicants must have a subject-restricted higher education entrance qualification. Those who want to try out a professional field beforehand can also opt for an internship, either to start their careers in the Bundeswehr or as preparation for their own degree programmes.