Does it make sense to train as a master craftsman?

Finished school, completed your training, and now what? Apart from the numerous further training courses you can do, there is also the question of the master craftsman title. But what exactly does the master craftsman title do for you and does it really make sense to do one? You can also consider the alternative of further training as a technician -

First of all: further training as a master craftsman or technician takes time and effort, and ultimately involves more responsibility - either professionally or in terms of personnel. You can also be sure of one thing: Your career in the skilled trades or industry is even more secure. In this article, you will learn all about the opportunities offered by further training as a master craftsman or technician, the advantages and disadvantages of each and how you can significantly improve your career opportunities.

Further training opportunities to become a master craftsman or technician: the differences

Whether you train to become a master craftsman or a technician, it will have a decisive impact on your career. However, we need to briefly explain the main differences beforehand: In general, further training to become a master craftsman aims to make it easier for you to set up your own business and become self-employed. As a technician, you are more of a technical expert, i.e. with more professional responsibility than personnel responsibility. We have briefly summarized some of the most important differences for you here:

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Tasks and responsibilities: The master craftsman leads teams, coordinates projects and trains apprentices - usually in the skilled trades. A technician, on the other hand, specializes in technical problem solving and process optimization, often in industry.

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Course structure: Further training to become a master craftsman is a mixture of business administration, law and technology and takes 1 to 3.5 years, with the aim of becoming self-employed - i.e. running your own business. The technician training course, on the other hand, focuses primarily on technical content with a duration of approx. 2 - 3 years and prepares students for specialized tasks in technology and development.

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Salary prospects: Both further training courses lead to higher salaries, depending on the industry and position. As a master craftsman, you will earn around €48,700 per year (source: Stepstone 2024) - however, due to the fact that many master craftsmen are self-employed, the statistics are not quite as reliable. Technicians, on the other hand, are mostly employed by industrial companies and as a technician you can expect an annual salary of around €47,000 per year (source: Stepstone 2024). Overall, a significant difference to the salary "only" after training: For example, more on the salary as an electrician here.

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Career opportunities: Master craftsman qualifications open the door to management positions and owning your own business. Leadership and organization may be a pro for some and a con for others, but it's certainly not easy: you need a certain degree of resilience, patience, emotional intelligence and administrative skills. In contrast, technicians are more likely to have career opportunities as technical experts in industrial companies and/or in project management. 

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Further training opportunities: The master craftsman is generally regarded as the top class of training and further education, but of course the typical German saying: "You never stop learning!" is always apt: Even after the master craftsman or technician training, there are a variety of courses to deepen and further specialize in the respective industries, such as further training in the field of HVAC.

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Unfortunately, we can't help you decide whether a master craftsman or technician is better for you. It is important to decide based on your personal interests and career goals! It's also not an "or decision": what's wrong with doing a technician first and then a master craftsman on top in 5 years?

That's why further training to become a master craftsman makes sense:

Further training to become a master craftsman is not only an investment in your specialist knowledge, but also in your leadership skills. As a master craftsman, you are responsible for teams and projects - whether you see this as a pro or a con is up to you. Overall, as a master craftsman you are guaranteed a better hourly wage, more independence and a higher reputation. The master craftsman qualification also entitles you to train your own apprentices and run your own business. So you can (finally) become your own boss! On the other hand, this path requires a considerable investment of time and money, and the pressure to succeed can sometimes be high. 

Only you personally can decide whether it makes sense for you to train as a master craftsman. Whether you set up your own business immediately after becoming a master craftsman or remain employed for the time being also largely determines how much office work, personnel responsibility and risk you will have to take on. Many decide to become a master craftsman simply because of better career opportunities in the future . 

You can find more information and a detailed description of how you can become a master here.

Advantages and disadvantages of technician training

Becoming a technician means specializing in a technical discipline - working as an expert in your field and, above all, finding solutions. This further training is often seen as the more practical option and can be undertaken in various industries such as electrical engineering, mechanical engineering or information technology. However, the disadvantages can be the limited management positions compared to the master craftsman, although the technician often has more flexibility in their choice of working environment. Whether you are the type for more personnel responsibility or technical expertise is something only you can decide - but of course both are possible!

Find a job as a foreman with WorkerHero 

Further training to become a master craftsman or technician can have a significant impact on your career and open doors to new professional opportunities. Even if WorkerHero does not offer further training programs, we are the ideal platform to find suitable jobs in Germany, especially for skilled workers in trade, industry and service! For example, check out job offers for construction workers, warehouse workers and production workers (blue collar jobs) as well as electricians, HVAC mechanics and all different types of technicians such as quality assurance technicians or maintenance technicians (grey collar jobs). Regardless of your language level, we offer you support and access to numerous job opportunities: Visit us on WorkerHero and take the next step in your career!