Germany needs innovative engineers

Germany is the global leader in numerous high-tech fields. Thanks to a constant stream of innovations, German companies are hugely successful on the world's export markets. Sophisticated technology combined with quality manufacturing ensure that German cars, machinery, and electrical and electronic equipment remain in big demand. Behind this achievement are thousands and thousands of engineers who work in design, development, and production. They all have a major share in the "Made in Germany" success story.

The fields in biggest demand

There are vacancies in many technology-driven companies in Germany. There is a need for new recruits in all sectors, but most particularly in the fields of mechanical, automotive, and electrical engineering. Job prospects are also good in the field of building engineering. Against a background of increasing digitisation in Germany new fields of activity are emerging in information technology und telecommunications which require engineering knowledge combined with an understanding of how digital technology works.

Career prospects

For engineers in Germany, there are opportunities to climb to the very top of the career ladder - all the way to the very highest level of management. In German industry, many board members and managing directors of manufacturing companies started their working life as engineers. Such shining prospects are also reflected in salary levels. Job starters with a degree from a university of applied science in, for example, electrical or building engineering can expect to earn, on average, between €36,000 and €45,000 a year. Incomes rise with each year of service, reaching levels of around €50,000 to €64,000 after 10 years. For university graduates, average earnings in some fields can rise to over €70,000 a year.

Foreign vocational qualifications

If you want to hold the job title “engineer” or “consulting engineer” in Germany, it will be necessary to have your foreign qualification verified to determine its equivalence to the German qualification.