Training or continuing education to become a childcare worker also opens up opportunities to work in other areas of child and youth services, such as in after-school programs, recreational facilities, or residential care facilities.

This training and continuing education offers excellent career prospects. The continued expansion of early childhood education for children under three, the legal right to a full-day care spot, and demographic trends will ensure that there continues to be a consistently high demand for staff. And: Unlike in many other industries, new technologies cannot replace social professions.

This professional field therefore has a bright future, and we need dedicated and motivated professionals to provide our children with the best possible conditions in the area of early childhood education and care!

Funding for training and continuing education to become a childcare worker can be provided through the AFBG (Upward Mobility Promotion Act), or—for those undergoing retraining—through education vouchers from the Employment Agency, since all technical schools for social services at municipally operated vocational colleges are certified under the AZAV and are eligible for funding as retraining centers.

In the case of early childhood educator training or continuing education, there is also the option to have university-level competencies recognized on a flat-rate basis under the “ReziprAn” decree, thereby shortening the training period. Recognition is granted upon application to the school administration. Further information on the “ReziprAn” decree

State-certified early childhood educators are employed as professionals in North Rhine-Westphalian child care centers across all types of groups, working with children of all ages up to school age. They are authorized to lead groups and, after gaining sufficient professional experience, can even assume the role of director of a facility. In addition, thanks to their generalist training and continuing education, they can also work as specialists in other areas of child and youth welfare.

1. Prerequisites

Admission to the early childhood education training program at technical colleges for social work specializing in social pedagogy in North Rhine-Westphalia depends on your individual professional and educational background. The admission requirement is at least a secondary school diploma (Fachoberschulreife) along with a relevant vocational qualification, such as that of a child care worker or social services assistant. 

If you already hold a diploma from a higher vocational school for social services or a technical high school for social services—i.e., a Fachabitur with a subject-specific internship—no additional vocational training is required.

If you have a qualification for university admission or a non-relevant vocational training, you must provide proof of experience in this field, e.g., in the form of a 240-hour internship at a social-pedagogical institution.

The higher school supervisory authority may, on a temporary basis until the 2030/31 school year, grant exceptions to the admission requirements in individual cases for applicants in the social pedagogy program upon request in borderline cases. The prerequisite is

• a first school-leaving certificate, successfully completed relevant vocational training, and proof of at least three years of relevant full-time professional experience, or
• a first school-leaving certificate, successfully completed vocational training in a non-relevant field, and proof of five years of full-time professional experience in a relevant field. 

In addition, a statement from the administration of the technical college is required, providing an assessment of the applicant’s professional suitability for the program. The Fachhochschulreife cannot be earned.

Furthermore, training to become an early childhood educator can also be completed at a vocational high school. The admission requirement for vocational high schools is the intermediate school leaving certificate (Fachoberschulreife) with eligibility to attend the upper secondary level of a gymnasium. High school students who wish to transfer to the introductory phase (11th grade) of a vocational high school at the end of their final year of lower secondary school must have the eligibility to attend the upper secondary level of a high school.

Professional suitability must also be demonstrated by submitting an extended certificate of good conduct.

2. Forms of Training and Continuing Education

2.1. Consecutive training at a technical college for social services, specializing in social pedagogy

In North Rhine-Westphalia, you generally have the option to complete early childhood education training and continuing education at technical colleges for social services specializing in social pedagogy. 

The training program generally lasts three years. Of these, two years are devoted to theoretical coursework at the technical college, including a 16-week internship, and culminate in the technical college exam (theoretical exam); followed by a one-year professional internship, which concludes with a colloquium (practical exam) and, if successfully completed, with state certification. Upon graduation, you can also earn the qualification for admission to a university of applied sciences.

The vocational internship can be shortened by half a year if the student can demonstrate at least three years of work experience in social-educational institutions and if their performance during the theoretical training phase and on the technical college exam was at least satisfactory.

Here you will find a list of technical schools that offer this program.

Note: Institutions that accept vocational trainees and have open positions can be easily found using the filter function on our job portal. However, this only becomes relevant in the third year of training.

Further Information

Depending on your personal background, the following financial support options may be available for consecutive training or continuing education:

2.2. Practice-Oriented Continuing Education at the Technical College for Social Services, Department of Social Pedagogy

In addition, North Rhine-Westphalia offers the opportunity to complete practice-oriented continuing education at the Technical College for Social Services, Department of Social Pedagogy. In this program, theoretical and practical training periods are structured so that the required minimum of 2,400 hours of theoretical training is not completed until the third year, but starting in the first year, students are already assigned to a childcare center or another social pedagogy institution, where they are generally paid. The technical college examination and the colloquium take place simultaneously at the end of the third year; here, too, successful completion of the exam leads to state recognition. This degree also qualifies students for the Fachhochschulreife (university of applied sciences entrance qualification).

In addition to a spot at a technical college, an employment contract with a facility is required at the start of the training program. As a result, compensation for interns is regulated by collective bargaining agreements, ensuring that students receive pay from the very beginning.

Here you will find a list of vocational schools that offer this program.

Available spots at institutions that accept trainees for the early childhood educator program in a practice-integrated format can be easily found using the filter function on our job portal.

Further information

Depending on your personal background, the following financial support options may be available for practice-oriented training or continuing education:

2.3. General University Entrance Qualification and Vocational Qualification (Dual Qualification) at a Vocational High School

The term “dual qualification” means that, in addition to the General University Entrance Qualification (Abitur), you also earn a vocational qualification under state law as a state-certified early childhood educator. 

Following three years of theoretical training at school, including a total of 14 weeks of internships at various social-educational institutions, the central high school graduation exam takes place. After a one-year vocational internship involving project work and a final colloquium, the vocational training to become a “state-recognized early childhood educator” can be completed.

Here you will find a list of school locations that offer the dual qualification.

Further information

Depending on your personal circumstances, the following financial support options may be available for the dual qualification at a vocational high school:

2.4. External Examination

In addition to the option of completing training or continuing education to become a childcare worker at a technical school or in the upper secondary level of a vocational college, North Rhine-Westphalia also offers the option of taking a so-called “external examination.” These examinations are administered by the district governments. After successfully passing the external examination, candidates must complete a one-year professional internship; under certain conditions, this period may be shortened. The vocational internship can be shortened by half a year if the candidate can demonstrate at least three years of work experience in social-educational institutions and if at least satisfactory performance was achieved during the theoretical training phase and on the technical college exam.

Detailed information can be found in the information sheet on the external examination issued by the Düsseldorf District Government.

Information Sheet on the External Examination

Further information can be found on the website of the Ministry of Schools and Education, which is responsible for early childhood educator training in North Rhine-Westphalia, and at the links listed below:

For more information, please visit the website of the Ministry of Schools and Education, which is responsible for early childhood educator training in North Rhine-Westphalia, and see the links below: