You tap the formwork with a hammer. It effortlessly detaches from the concrete, revealing your work. You inspect the surface and edges – and find no imperfections. No flaws, no irregularities. Everything is smooth. Excellent, this is exactly why you love your job.

Contents of the training

Concrete has always been one of the most important building materials in the construction industry. This is no surprise, as concrete possesses an outstanding characteristic: as a kind of liquid stone, it is extremely stable and can be molded into almost any shape. You will learn how to produce concrete elements in all possible shapes and create unique buildings with us during your apprenticeship as a Reinforced Concrete Specialist.

Every concrete element begins with the formwork. It defines the shape of the future element and must be constructed with great care. Dimensional accuracy, precise alignment, watertightness, and stability are crucial here. Depending on the concrete element required, you will work with pre-fabricated formwork elements or custom-made wooden formwork from our formwork hall. Afterwards, you proceed with reinforcement. This means you insert the reinforcing steel into the formwork. This makes the future concrete element stable and capable of withstanding heavy loads. The construction plan will guide you on how to build the formwork and reinforcement.
Finally, the concrete flows into the formwork via crane bucket or concrete pump. For some elements, you will also mix the concrete directly on the construction site. In school, you will first learn everything about the properties and mixing ratios of the required concrete. Then, it’s just a matter of compacting, allowing it to cure, and stripping the formwork.
You will see if you have done everything correctly when stripping the formwork. Any cracks or voids must then be repaired. This is also part of your responsibilities, as are setting up a construction site, incorporating insulation materials, sorting materials, or assembling prefabricated elements.

Duration and procedure

The apprenticeship to become a Reinforced Concrete Specialist typically lasts 3 years. After the first 24 months, an intermediate examination takes place, or you complete the apprenticeship with the examination to become a Skilled Construction Worker. In the third year of training, specialization in concrete and reinforced concrete construction takes place and concludes with your final examination.

In addition to your work in the company, you will spend approximately half of your training period in vocational school and the inter-company training center. Here you will acquire all the theoretical fundamentals that a proficient Reinforced Concrete Specialist must know.