ROUTE
Dual training: place, contract, pay
Company plus vocational school, paid from month one. What the contract must contain, what is void in it, and which assistance you can claim.
β Checked: 02/08/2026
Dual vocational training combines paid work in a company under contract with lessons at a vocational school. Unlike university study it pays from the first month, and trainees are a party to a contract rather than students. For newcomers it is often the shortest legal route into an occupation, and non-EU nationals have a dedicated residence permit for company-based training.
COSTS AND DEADLINES
Deadlines you cannot miss
- The probationary period must be at least one month and at most fourThe training contract: required content and void clauseshard deadline
- Termination by the trainee after probation requires four weeks notice in writingThe exam, the end, and leaving earlyhard deadline
Amounts follow official fees as of each stepβs verification date. Your city may charge a different rate β check the step itself.
βΊ More about this route
The training contract is regulated more tightly than an ordinary employment contract. The law requires it in text form at the latest before training begins and lists the minimum content. Common clauses are void regardless of signature: contractual penalties, charges for the training itself, restrictions on working in the trade afterwards, and limits on damages claims.
This five-step route covers the whole path: what dual training is and who can enter it, what must and cannot appear in the contract, how pay, the statutory minimum and training assistance fit together, what the company owes towards vocational school, and how training ends β including the rules for leaving early.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
All possible documents for this route
- School certificates with translation
- CV
- Language certificate, if held
- Training contract
- Training plan
- Confirmation of registration
- Evidence of income and outgoings
- Application for assistance
- School timetable
- Company rota
- Notification of the exam result
- Request for extension where needed
WHERE PEOPLE MOST OFTEN LOSE MONEY AND TIME
- Starting work without a drawn-up contract. The law requires text form at the latest before training begins.
- Believing in a contractual penalty for leaving early. Such agreements are void by law.
- Working a shift before lessons that start before 9 am. That is expressly prohibited.
- Waiting for an automatic extension after failing the exam. It happens only on the trainee request.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ROUTE
Where should the search for a place begin?βΎ
With the competent chamber for the sector: it keeps the register of companies authorised to train, and its lists are more reliable than random adverts on portals.
How long does the whole path take?βΎ
Usually two to three and a half years depending on the occupation. Passing the exam early shortens it; failing extends it by a maximum of one year.
Is this for adults as well as school leavers?βΎ
Yes, the law sets no age limits. The company makes the selection, and shortening the period is often possible for adults with work experience.
What if the company breaks the rules?βΎ
Involve the competent chamber, which supervises how training is carried out. It is free, needs no lawyer, and usually works faster than anything else.