Building electrics, factory automation, or IT and telecoms infrastructure — the Elektroniker qualification covers all three under one training contract, splitting into a real specialisation partway through.
| Duration | 3.5 years |
| Sector pay average (2025) | €1,093–1,266/month depending on employer type |
| Shortage occupation | Likely yes — building-electrics roles scored above the shortage threshold in the 2025 analysis |
| Entry requirement | No legal minimum; employers typically expect Hauptschul- or Mittlerer Schulabschluss |
Three specialisations split off from a shared foundation: Energie- und Gebäudetechnik (building wiring, solar/PV systems, heat pumps, lighting — increasingly in demand as Germany electrifies heating), Automatisierungs- und Systemtechnik (industrial machine and process control), and Informationselektroniker (IT and telecoms infrastructure). Employers range from small Handwerksbetriebe — independent electrical contractors — to large industrial and building-services firms, and that range is reflected in the pay: Handwerk sector apprentices average around €1,093/month in 2025, while those at industrial or commercial employers average closer to €1,266.
Bauelektrik roles specifically are tracked by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit as running short of workers — a real, practical signal for how competitive placements are and how readily a completed Ausbildung here tends to convert into a longer-term skilled-worker residence status afterward.