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An offer from the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training

Information portal of the German government
for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications

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© Robert Funke / BIBB - Anerkennung in Deutschland

Skills analy­sis

Spe­cif­ic doc­u­ments are nec­es­sary for the recog­ni­tion of for­eign pro­fes­sion­al qual­i­fi­ca­tions. If these are miss­ing or in­com­plete, then a skills analy­sis can be use­ful.

What is a skills analysis?

The skills analysis is a procedure for determining vocational skills. It can be used in the procedure for the Recognition of foreign Professional qualifications. This applies to all dual Training occupations, Master craftsperson occupations and advanced training occupations. The skills analysis is a possible procedure under section 14 of the federal government’s Professional Qualifications Assessment Act and under the relevant federal state legislation.

When is a skills analysis possible and useful?

Those applying for recognition must provide evidence of their professional qualification. Specific documents, such as the degree certificate or employment references, are necessary. If these documents are missing or incomplete, a skills analysis may be taken in certain circumstances. This is useful, for example, if the applicants had to leave their documents behind or lost the documents when fleeing their country. The competent authority decides whether a skills analysis is possible. If this is the case, the competent authority advises the applicants on all issues relating to the procedure.

With the help of the skills analysis applicants are able to provide practical evidence of their vocational skills. A skills analysis is therefore practical evidence of the qualification and is not an examination. This evidence can be provided, for example, in the following way:

  • Professional discussion
  • Work sample
  • Trial work in a company
© NetQA
Video
Video, 03:41

Tutorial video skills analysis

The tutorial video from 2020 explains what counsellors need to know about the skills analysis process and where they can receive support.

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The tutorial video explains what counsellors need to know about the skills analysis process and where they can receive support. The prototyping transfer project referred to in the video is the predecessor of the Skills Analysis Network project.

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© Alexandr Bognat / Adobe Stock; BIBB
Hands holding the cover of the brochure

BIBB, 2022

What can I expect in the skills analysis (QA)?

If not all documents can be submitted for recognition, QA may be an option. The brochure illustrates the process. For competent authorities to pass on to applicants.

Show brochure
© Klaus Josef Sturm / BIBB
Video
Video, 02:42

Success Story – Ahmad Khazaal

Ahmad Khazaal, a motor vehicle mechatronics technician, came from Lebanon to Germany in 2015. With a skills analysis he was able to receive recognition as a motor vehicle mechatronics technician.

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My vocational recognition is confirmation of what I'm able to do and opens up opportunities for me. 
My name is Ahmed Khazaal and I’m a motor vehicle mechatronics technician.

In Lebanon, I trained and worked as a motor vehicle mechatronics technician.
Luckily, when I came to Germany in 2015, I was able to start work straight away with my uncle in the garage

In Germany, you can work as a motor vehicle mechatronics technician. 
The occupation is not regulated. But then you can't go anywhere else in terms of your career.

I definitely want to progress and complete my master craftsman qualification to maybe later run my own garage. 

Recognition of the occupation is a requirement for admission to the master craftsman examination.

My wife and I found out the information on the internet and from the Koblenz Chamber of Crafts and Trades.

Mr Khazaal submitted his papers to us from Lebanon. However, these didn't clearly describe his qualifications.

Following my qualification, I worked for 4 years in Lebanon and 3 years in Germany.

We therefore suggested a skills analysis.  

That was great. I was able to show everything I was capable of. I was a bit nervous but that went away very quickly.
 
To start with, I sat down with Mr Khazaal for a preliminary discussion in order to get to know him. 

It helps if the people assessing me know me a bit and I know them.
 
In the practical element, he passed the mechanical task with flying colours. This also required systems expertise.

My task was to change a cambelt. I had done that many times before.  

We also considered a task on a brake. And he then had to find an electronic fault. 

Luckily I was also familiar with this from work. I slowly became more relaxed.

We then conducted a professional discussion in order to check theoretical knowledge. He did it very well. 
However, it was evident that he still had some catching up to do in the high voltage area.

I then gained this knowledge in the refresher training. I'm now fully recognised and have received the notice saying that my training is fully equivalent to the training in Germany.

And we look forward to seeing Mr Khazaal again on the further examination preparation course. 

It's time to get started on the master craftsman examination. I want to further improve my German for this.
My tip Get the information, think positive and really go for it!

Start your own success story and talk about it.

Recognition in Germany.

More success stories and information at www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de.
 

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© Alexandr Bognat / Adobe Stock; BIBB
Hands hold a publication
pdf, 469 KB
BIBB, 2021

Fre­quent­ly asked ques­tions about the skills analy­sis

In cer­tain cas­es, recog­ni­tion is pos­si­ble with a skills analy­sis. The ap­pli­cants’ brochure pro­vides an­swers to fre­quent­ly asked ques­tions.

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What does the skills analysis process involve?

The competent authority engages experts for respective occupation. These experts conduct a skills analysis and assess the vocational skills of the applicants. The skills analysis is conducted in German. Language resources such as dictionaries or interpreters can be used. Having participated successfully in a skills analysis, the competent authority certifies full or partial recognition.

Costs and financial support

There are costs involved in a skills analysis. These include, for example, materials, room, workshops as well as the costs for the experts tasked with conducting the skills analysis. The following financial support options are available to applicants:

Counselling and support

Do you work in a competent authority or counselling centre and have questions about the skills analysis? If so, please contact the project partners of the Skills Analysis Network. The pool of expertise and knowledge offers work materials for the implementation of a skills analysis.

The Skills Analysis Network (NetQA) supported the nationwide networking of competent authorities and the mutual sharing of experiences from 2019 to 2022. The aim of the joint project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), with partners from the chambers of crafts and trades (HWK) and from the chambers of industry and commerce (IHK) was to have a quality-assured and efficient process for the skills analysis. NetQA was based on two predecessor projects: The skills analysis instrument was developed using the Prototyping Project based at the WHKT from 2011 to 2014. The skills analysis was established in the recognition procedure with the Prototyping Transfer project coordinated by the BIBB from 2015 to 2018.

Project partners

Niederrheinische Industrie- und Handelskammer Duisburg-Wesel-Kleve zu Duisburg
Judith Hemeier
Tel.: + 49 203 2821-289
hemeier@niederrhein.ihk.de

Westdeutscher Handwerkskammertag (WHKT)
Remedios Lansch-Grote
Tel.: + 49 211 3007-712
remedios.lansch-grote@whkt.de

Zentralstelle für die Weiterbildung im Handwerk (ZWH)
Stefanie Gloede
Tel: + 49 211 302009-14
sgloede@zwh.de

Handwerkskammer Koblenz
Stefan Gustav
Tel.: + 49 2641 9148-114
stefan.gustav@hwk-koblenz.de

saaris - saarland.innovation&standort GmbH
Barbara Brem
Tel.: + 49 681 9520-445
Barbara.Brem@saar-is.de

Industrie- und Handelskammer für München und Oberbayern
Marian Isabel Ebel
Tel.: + 49 89 5116-1323
marian.ebel@muenchen.ihk.de

HWK Frankfurt (Oder)
Dr. Natallia Malinouskaya-Franke
Tel.: + 49 335 5619–131
natallia.malinouskaya-franke@hwk-ff.de

Contact

Do you have questions about the skills analysis? We will answer your questions.

E-Mail: qualifikationsanalyse@bibb.de