Do you work in the construction industry, have several years of work experience and want to move up the ladder? Then perhaps further training to become a foreman is the right choice for you.

In this position, you will be an indispensable link between the site employees and the site management. You will be in charge of a section of the site or even an entire site and will coordinate the deployment of the various employees.

As a foreman, you are a manager with great responsibility and the right to give instructions. Your tasks include assigning employees to different areas, supervising the construction work and ensuring that it is carried out professionally and in strict compliance with the relevant specifications. In all your tasks, you keep an eye on legal and commercial factors.

This professional field is divided into two parts: civil engineering and structural engineering. For this reason, further training is also provided explicitly for each sub-field. As a civil engineering foreman, you will find employment in prefabricated house construction companies, in the construction of chimneys and fireplaces and in various companies in the construction sector, for example in civil engineering or renovation companies.

If you have completed further training to become a civil engineering foreman, you can aim for a job with a civil engineering and foundation construction company or with the municipal building department.

Salary as a foreman

After passing the examination to become a foreman, you can expect a starting salary of about 2,900 to 3,100 euros. Increasing work experience usually has a positive effect on your salary, so your income will increase steadily over time. The average monthly salary for a certified foreman in Germany is about EUR 3 550 gross.

If a collective agreement applies, the amount of the monthly gross income is clearly regulated. In this area, a gross income of about 4,400 to 4,800 euros per month is quite realistic.

The income figures given here are only guidelines and should serve as a guide. Your actual income may vary considerably, as various factors such as your state, work experience, size of the company and your position come into play.

For example, your gross monthly income in a large company may even be significantly higher than the figures above.

Foreman training (building and civil engineering)

Foreman training is a supplementary training measure that is based on comprehensive professional training in the construction sector and/or several years of professional experience. Depending on the field of activity, further training focuses on structural engineering or civil engineering. Regardless of the area of specialisation, the duration of the training is generally 410 hours and is divided into the following sub-areas (exemplary presentation):

• Construction engineering = 120 hours
• Construction Operations = 120 hours
• Personnel management and employee leadership = 80 hours
• Professional qualifications and work pedagogy (Ordinance on the suitability of trainers / AEVO) = 90 hours

Depending on the provider, the distribution of hours and the duration of the training may vary. There are also courses with a duration of 600 hours or more. Full-time and part-time courses can be found, for example, at many training centres, professional associations, chambers of trade and industry and commerce. It is also possible to continue the training through distance learning.

The course content includes, for example, topics such as site preparation, coordination and monitoring of work processes, environmental and health protection, occupational safety and employee management. The range may vary somewhat depending on the provider and the specialisation (building construction/civil engineering).