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Professional Development

With a professional development programme, you can broaden your knowledge which you acquired abroad with qualifications that are in demand on the local job market. You might even be obliged to attend a further education programme, for example, if your qualifications are not recognised, or only partially recognised in Germany. In either case, professional development can improve your career prospects. 

Further education programmes often take the form of seminars or courses. There are professional development programmes, and general further education programmes. Professional development programmes enhance or update your previous education. This allows you to keep up to date and increases your chances of advancing your career and improving your salary. General further education courses are primarily aimed at your personal development.

Professional Development Programmes

Professional development programmes broaden or enhance your current vocational training. In some jobs this is a matter of course and essential, for example, for teachers, doctors or lawyers. By doing so, your qualifications are kept up to date. In other jobs, it is less clear-cut, but no less important. Professional development improves your chances of promotion and your future prospects, since qualified workers are less likely to be unemployed.

There are different types of professional development programmes: further training, retraining, additional qualifications, in-company training, e-learning and more. Some programmes are aimed at gaining a qualification and therefore offer a recognised vocational qualification. Some are simple training steps offering a certificate. Therefore, the length of these programmes also varies greatly. They can take from one to several days, or even one to two years (usually in-company training). You should take personal advice to find out which course suits you best.

Professional development programmes are often funded by the company for which you work. If you are unemployed, the Employment Agency, Agentur für Arbeit, may provide financial support.

General Further Education Programmes

General further education programmes include language courses, media skills, health, cultural education, teamwork skills and similar “soft skills”. They serve to support your personal development and teach you social skills, and are not explicitly aimed at providing a professional qualification. However, general further education programmes may still improve your chances on the job market, as soft skills are becoming more important at work.

Normally you do not receive financial support for general further education programmes and you have to pay for these yourself.

The FrankfurtRheinMain (FRM) region is full of opportunities. Many professional development and further education programmes are available in FRM. 

Useful Contacts

We offer a range of services to new citizens in the city of Frankfurt. We focus on individual and group coaching (also in English and French), intercultural workshops, personal advice on job placements and finding your way around the city, as well as language courses and language coaching to help with your job. The GFFB also offers last minute childcare as a stop-gap until you find regular childcare, or if regular childcare has been cancelled. In addition, the GFFB offers a wide range of services to help with job orientation and qualifications on a part-time and full-time basis, and liaises with other relevant organisations.

District / Cities: City Frankfurt am Main
Mainzer Landstraße 349
60326 Frankfurt am Main

Phone: +49 (0) 69 951 097 110
E-Mail: barbot@gffb.de
Website: https://www.gffb.de/
We speak: German, English, French
Costs: Partly fee-based

District / Cities: City Frankfurt am Main
Bockenheimer Landstraße 21
60325 Frankfurt am Main

Phone: +49 (0) 69 97172 818
E-Mail: service@hwk-rhein-main.de
Website: https://www.hwk-rhein-main.de/de
We speak: German

District / Cities: City Mainz
Dagobertstraße 2
55116 Mainz

Phone: +49 (0) 6131 9992 0
E-Mail: j.schueler@hwk.de
Website: https://hwk.de/
We speak: German

District / Cities: City Wiesbaden
Bierstadter Straße 45
65189 Wiesbaden

Phone: +49 (0) 611 1360
E-Mail: info@hwk-wiesbaden.de
Website: https://www.hwk-wiesbaden.de/
We speak: German

District / Cities: City Darmstadt
Rheinstraße 89
64295 Darmstadt

Phone: +49 (0)6151 8710
E-Mail: info@darmstadt.ihk.de
Website: https://www.darmstadt.ihk.de/
We speak: German, English
Costs: Partly fee-based

The Frankfurt am Main Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) supports companies and (prospective) skilled workers. We provide advice on all aspects of vocational training and further education, and on the recognition of professional qualifications from abroad.
The Frankfurt am Main Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) offers impartial advice and support for every scenario in a company. For example, we support companies wishing to hire skilled workers (from abroad), on questions regarding labour law, among other things. We are also the right contact regarding vocational training and further education to give employees additional qualifications. In addition, we are the first point of contact for (potential) skilled workers on getting off to a good start in the world of work. We provide, for example, information on having professional qualifications from abroad recognized and advise on opportunities for vocational training and further education.

District / Cities: City Frankfurt am Main
Börsenplatz 4
60313 Frankfurt am Main

Phone: +49 (0)69 2197 0
E-Mail: info@frankfurt-main.ihk.de
Website: https://www.frankfurt-main.ihk.de/english/
We speak: German

District / Cities: District Fulda
Heinrichstraße 8
36037 Fulda

Phone: +49 (0)661 284 0
E-Mail: info@fulda.ihk.de
Website: https://www.ihk-fulda.de/
We speak: German

The Gießen-Friedberg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) represents the economic interests of the business community in the districts of Gießen, Vogelsberg and Wetterau. In addition, we support our corporate members (approximately 45,000) by carrying out legally assigned tasks as well as offering a comprehensive range of services. We see ourselves as an organization that focuses on business participation. In the future, along with our corporate members, we would like to grow stronger by: “Joining in together. Making a difference together. Winning together”. Around 1,800 volunteers already follow this motto and participate in our IHK committees. Together we can accomplish more for each individual.

District / Cities: District Gießen
Lonystr. 7
35390 Gießen

Phone: +49 (0)641 7954 0
E-Mail: zentrale@giessen-friedberg.ihk.de
Website: https://www.giessen-friedberg.ihk.de/service/english2016
We speak: German, English
Costs: Partly fee-based

The Limburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) is a self-governing economic institution. It brings together all of the business people in the region, with the exception of craftsmen. Its task is to support its registered corporate members and to safeguard the common interests of all sectors of the economy. Additionally, as a public institution, the IHK has a sovereign function and is also self-governing. Therefore, the IHK does not have any individual interests and is guaranteed to be objective. The district of the IHK Limburg includes the district Limburg-Weilburg.

District / Cities: District Limburg-Weilburg
Walderdorffstraße 7
65549 Limburg a. d. Lahn

Phone: +49 (0)6431 210130
E-Mail: m.hahn@limburg.ihk.de
Website: https://www.ihk-limburg.de
We speak: German, English
Costs: Partly fee-based

The Offenbach am Main Chamber of Industry and Commerce is part of the network of 79 Chambers of Industry and Commerce in Germany, as well as a member of the German Chambers of Commerce Abroad. It represents 40,000 corporate members in the region of Offenbach. With 70 highly qualified employees, it is the relevant contact for its corporate members on questions related to economic and business development, as well as for local and regional policies.

District / Cities: City Offenbach am Main
Frankfurter Straße 90
63067 Offenbach am Main

Phone: + 49 (0)69 8207 0
E-Mail: service@offenbach.ihk.de
Website: https://www.offenbach.ihk.de
We speak: German
Costs: Partly fee-based

Recognition of professional qualifications from abroad;
Advice and support to applicants from Rheinhessen for the IHK FOSA's (Foreign Skills Approval) equivalence assessment process for dual training schemes, as well as for further education qualifications in the fields of industry, commerce, gastronomy and services.
Welcome Centre:
Central point of contact guiding both Rheinhessen-based companies as well as skilled workers from abroad. The IHK Welcome Centre for Rheinhessen advises companies on the recruitment and integration of international skilled workers and managers, and supports skilled workers from abroad in their new job.

District / Cities: City Mainz
Schillerplatz 7
55116 Mainz

Phone: +49 (0)6131 262 1707
E-Mail: ute.lachmayer@rheinhessen.ihk24.de
Website: https://www.rheinhessen.ihk24.de/en
We speak: German, English
Costs: Free of charge

District / Cities: City Wiesbaden
Wilhelmstraße 24-26
65183 Wiesbaden

Phone: +49 (0)611 1500 0
E-Mail: info@wiesbaden.ihk.de
Website: https://www.ihk-wiesbaden.de/s/ueber-uns/die-ihk-wiesbaden/international/chamber-of-commerce-and-industry-wiesbaden
We speak: German

The Adult Education Centre in the District of Darmstadt-Dieburg would like to provide everyone with lifelong learning which is as diverse as possible, close to home and affordable. Their programme is diverse and tailored to the needs of the participants. It includes German and other language courses, vocational training, various creative and movement courses, guided tours and lectures on political and health topics, and basic education as well as courses for parents and volunteers. As part of the Hessencampus Darmstadt-Dieburg programme, they also offer free educational counselling, especially for migrants.

District / Cities: District Darmstadt-Dieburg
Albinistr. 23
64807 Dieburg

Phone: +49 (0) 6151 881 2301
E-Mail: vhs@ladadi.de
Website: https://vhs.ladadi.de/
We speak: German, English
Costs: Partly fee-based

The Volkshochschule Frankfurt am Main (Adult Education Centre Frankfurt am Main) is the largest public further education institution in Hessen. Their programme includes courses in the areas of society, culture, health, languages, work and basic education, as well as other options.
These include courses, seminars, workshops, symposia, guided tours, study tours and exhibitions. The programmes take place in its own venues as well as in schools and classrooms of other organizations. With over 130 full-time employees and more than 1,000 course instructors, the Frankfurt Adult Education Centre organizes around 5,800 events every year.

District / Cities: City Frankfurt am Main
Sonnemannstr. 13
60314 Frankfurt am Main

Phone: +49 69 212 71501
E-Mail: vhs@frankfurt.de
Website: https://vhs.frankfurt.de
We speak: German
Costs: Partly fee-based

The Adult Education Centre of the District of Gießen is a place for education and social interaction.
There you can
learn different languages,
participate in professional development,
experience culture and be creative,
actively do something for your health or
learn about social and political topics.

District / Cities: District Gießen
Kreuzweg 33
vhs-Haus Lich
35423 Lich

Phone: +49 (0)641 9390 5700
E-Mail: kvhs.giessen@lkgi.de
Website: https://www.vhs-kreis-giessen.de/
We speak: German, English, French
Costs: Partly fee-based

We are a place to go for education and culture, and also just to meet up. We offer intensive courses, weekend training courses, long-term learning groups and lectures on various topics, such as languages, society, culture, health, work and career, and basic education.
Our work is characterised by our highly professional employees. As an examination centre for the recognition of certificates, we are able to issue course participants with proof of acquired knowledge in different fields of learning. We also facilitate access to the job market through professional qualifications and special measures.

District / Cities: City Worms
Willy-Brandt-Ring 5
Neusatzschule
67547 Worms

Phone: +49 (0)62541 853 4256
E-Mail: vhs@worms.de
Website: https://www.vhs-worms.de/
We speak: German, English, Italian
Costs: Partly fee-based