Berufsförderungsdienst Bundeswehr - What you need to know

The Vocational Promotion Service of the German Armed Forces (BFD for short) accompanies soldiers from the beginning of their military service to their integration into the civilian job market after their service ends. The main task of the BFD is to identify potential and promote individual interests. In addition, members of the Bundeswehr are advised on their employment and further training opportunities.

Berufsförderungsdienst der Bundeswehr: General information

The Bundeswehr's career support service is more broadly based than many people realize. At the moment (as of 02/2018), around 900 employees are advising soldiers who are leaving the Bundeswehr. These are qualified specialists who work at locations throughout Germany. Some advisors from the Bundeswehr Vocational Training Service are also deployed abroad. The BFD acts in its own interests: Those responsible are keen to keep members of the armed forces in the Bundeswehr and offer them employment and development opportunities that they cannot find in the civilian job market. The most important topics that are dealt with during counseling by the Bundeswehr BFD include the necessary qualifications, various aspects of career choice and financial security after the end of service. The legal basis for the extensive range of services and support offered by the BFD is the Soldiers' Pension Act (SVG). Depending on their legal entitlement, sponsored soldiers can choose from up to 2,200 internal further education and training courses. These include vocational and degree courses as well as computer and language courses, internships and career orientation seminars. The Jobs Service of the Bundeswehr Vocational Training Service operates its own job exchange, which supports soldiers in their search for a suitable training, work or internship position.

The Bundeswehr is more popular than ever with school leavers

One of the central tasks of the Bundeswehr's Vocational Training Service is to make it easier for members of the armed forces with a high school diploma or technical college entrance qualification to enter the civilian job market. As an employer, the Bundeswehr is more in demand than ever: according to a recent Article by Deutsche Welle 42.7 percent of Bundeswehr applicants currently have at least a technical college entrance qualification. However, the proportion of secondary school leavers in the troops is declining: according to the latest figures, 35.6 percent of applicants last year had a secondary school leaving certificate - 3.4 percent less than in the previous year. The proportion of applicants with a secondary general school certificate fell from 23.9% to 20.3% within a year.

These figures clearly show how attractive the Bundeswehr is for school leavers with a general or subject-specific university entrance qualification. However, they also show that in the future, the Bundeswehr Vocational Training Service will have to focus more on the career aspirations of retiring soldiers with a (technical) baccalaureate. Distance learning courses that can be completed while working already play an important role in advising soldiers today. In contrast to students at face-to-face universities, distance learning students can access practically all content online and only have to appear in person for examinations. Possible degrees include a Bachelor in Business Administration or an MBA in General Management.

Of the 125,000 applicants the Bundeswehr receives each year, 16% have completed vocational training. Soldiers who return to their profession after their service have the opportunity to give their career a boost with a distance learning course. The decisive factor for many prospective students is that a distance learning course can be easily reconciled with domestic and family responsibilities. For example, those who Studium mit Kind and is looking for an alternative to a normal on-campus course of study, distance learning is a way of realizing his or her career plans.