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Vocational training in Germany (Ausbildung)

Stonemason and stone sculptor (Steinmetz/in und Steinbildhauer/in)

Steinmetz und Steinbildhauer / Steinmetzin und Steinbildhauerin

You cut, shape and install natural stone for stairs, floors, facades and memorials: a paid 3-year training in a craft business.

Check my eligibility →I already have B2

LevelBaccalaureaterequired

Duration3 years36 months

GermanB2required level

Pay during training€942 to €1,212gross / month, during the training

The occupation in 30 seconds

What a stonemason does

They advise customers on form and material, draw, saw and polish stone by machine or by hand, then transport and install it; in restoration, they repair historic work.

Design

Advise the customer, choose the stone, make sketches and digital drawings before cutting.

Cut

Saw, grind and shape blocks of natural or artificial stone, by machine or by hand.

Install and restore

Fit floors, stairs or gravestones, and repair or clean historic structures.

Is this occupation for you?Advantages and difficulties

This occupation is for you if…

you enjoy manual work and raw material taking shape
you have a sense of aesthetics and creativity
you like drawing, reading plans and setting up machines
you accept working in a workshop as well as outdoors

Less suitable if…

you struggle with noise and stone dust
you dislike working outdoors in all weathers
you want a job without manual work or precision

Advantages

Paid from the first year
A craft that is both artistic and constructional
Qualification recognised throughout Germany
Work on lasting, visible structures

Difficulties

Noise and stone dust every day
Sometimes outdoor work in all weathers
Precision needed: a cutting error is hard to put right
Weeks of training at external centres

Day to day

A typical day and the key skills

A typical daySkills and qualities

07:00

Start of shift and instructionsThe trainer presents the day's orders and reminds you of the protective equipment to wear.

07:30

Sketching and drawing the pieceGo over the customer's wishes, draw the piece and prepare the dimensions to respect.

09:00

Sawing the blockCut the slab or block of stone to size with the workshop saw.

11:00

Shaping and finishingCut the edges, grind and polish the surface, then check the result with the master.

13:30

Engraving an inscriptionTransfer a text or ornament onto the stone and engrave it carefully.

15:00

Installation or preparing transportLoad the finished elements and fix them on site, with the team, following the plan.

Technical skills

Natural stone cuttingDrawing and digital designSawing and polishingEngraving texts and ornamentsLaying slabs and facadesRestoring structures

Personal qualities

Manual skillCreativityPrecisionCautionSense of aesthetics

The training

How the Ausbildung works, year by year

In Germany you learn by working: this is the “dual system”. You are an employee of a company and a student at a vocational school (Berufsschule) at the same time.

3 to 4 days a week at the company

1–2 days school

Year 1

The basics

≈ €942gross / month

Organising your workstation
Tools, machines and safety
Cutting blocks and slabs

Year 2

Forms and surfaces

≈ €1,065gross / month

Profiles, inlays, inscriptions
Elements in mineral materials
Intermediate exam

Year 3

The specialisation

≈ €1,212gross / month

Laying floors, stairs, facades
Memorials and restoration
Final exam

Gross monthly pay during the training. Source: BIBB 2025, moyenne nationale des rémunérations tarifaires, secteur artisanat. These are averages: they vary by region, sector and collective agreement.

Exams and qualification

An intermediate exam (Zwischenprüfung) takes place at the end of the second year: making a piece in natural stone. The journeyman's exam (Gesellenprüfung) follows at the end of training, with five areas including a customer order, design and installation. You obtain the Gesellenbrief from the Chamber of Crafts (HWK).

Requirements and prospects

Applying, then moving on

What you need to apply

Education levelBaccalaureate level is required.

German levelThe required level is B2. Good technical vocabulary for the trade is a real plus.

Physical fitnessThe work takes place amid the noise and dust of workshops and outdoors (yards, building sites, cemeteries), with helmet, goggles, ear protection and safety shoes.

Documents to prepare

CV and cover letter in German
Translated baccalaureate diplomas and transcripts
German B2 level certificate

Where it can lead

Straight awayJourneyman stonemasonWork in a stone or memorial workshop, or in a restoration company.

With experienceMaster stonemasonTake the master craftsman exam for stonemasons and stone sculptors to run a business.

Longer termStudies or own businessWith university entrance qualification: a bachelor's in civil engineering; or set up your own business.

Already B2? Take action

Already have German level B2 and looking for a training contract?

Employers in the “Crafts, design and creative trades” sector are currently looking for candidates in Africa on AZUFA.

Create your candidate profile, state your German level and the “Stonemason and stone sculptor (Steinmetz/in und Steinbildhauer/in)” occupation: companies recruiting apprentices can find you, and we follow your application step by step.

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Your pathway with Campus Germany

We are by your side from day one until you arrive in Germany

Four steps to move forward, all run by our own structures.

Check my eligibility

Take the test

Online on our website, or directly at our Douala office.

Talk to an advisor

Talk to our team

Call us, an advisor will answer.

Germany+49 (0) 7033 694 18 80 Cameroon+237 622 20 81 64

Need assistance

Prepare your German

DZK, our language centre

Our own language centre, in Douala. Elsewhere: partner centres, call us.

See the courses

Get the contract

AZUFA is always us

Our platform connects you with German companies recruiting apprentices.

From German A1 to the first day of training in Germany

A pathway in a loopEach step is run by one of our structures. You keep the same contact from start to finish.

1
Check my eligibility
Campus Germany
2
Talk to an advisor
Campus Germany
3
Learn German, from A1 to B2
DZK
Douala: DZK centre. Elsewhere: partners
4
Prepare the application file
Campus Germany
5
Find the company and sign the training contract
AZUFA
It is always us
6
Prepare the visa and paperwork
Campus Germany
7
Prepare your departure and settling in
KAGEDEV e.V.
8
First day of training in Germany
AZUFA
It is always us

See the detail of the 8 steps

1. Check my eligibility (Campus Germany)
The test is done online on our website or at our Douala office.
2. Talk to an advisor (Campus Germany)
Review your profile, your wishes and the chosen occupation.
3. Learn German, from A1 to B2 (DZK)
Courses adapted to your starting level, up to the required B2 level. In Douala at our own language centre; elsewhere, with our partner centres.
4. Prepare the application file (Campus Germany)
CV and cover letter in German, translated baccalaureate diplomas and transcripts, B2 level certificate.
5. Find the company and sign the training contract (AZUFA)
We connect you with German companies that recruit apprentices, and follow your application through to the contract.
6. Prepare the visa and paperwork (Campus Germany)
Support to gather the documents and complete the administrative steps.
7. Prepare your departure and settling in (KAGEDEV e.V.)
Travel, housing and first steps in Germany: we prepare you before you leave.
8. First day of training in Germany (AZUFA)
You arrive prepared and supported, with a team that has known you since day one.

1
Check my eligibility
The test is done online on our website or at our Douala office.
Run by Campus Germany
2
Talk to an advisor
Review your profile, your wishes and the chosen occupation.
Run by Campus Germany
3
Learn German, from A1 to B2
Courses adapted to your starting level, up to the required B2 level. In Douala at our own language centre; elsewhere, with our partner centres.
Run by DZK · Douala: DZK centre. Elsewhere: partners
4
Prepare the application file
CV and cover letter in German, translated baccalaureate diplomas and transcripts, B2 level certificate.
Run by Campus Germany
5
Find the company and sign the training contract
We connect you with German companies that recruit apprentices, and follow your application through to the contract.
Run by AZUFA · It is always us
6
Prepare the visa and paperwork
Support to gather the documents and complete the administrative steps.
Run by Campus Germany
7
Prepare your departure and settling in
Travel, housing and first steps in Germany: we prepare you before you leave.
Run by KAGEDEV e.V.
8
First day of training in Germany
You arrive prepared and supported, with a team that has known you since day one.
Run by AZUFA · It is always us

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Our structures for this occupation

AZUFAOur platform for recruiting apprentices and skilled staff from Africa: matching with German companies through to the training contract.

Deutschzentrum KAGEDEV (DZK)Our own German language centre, in Douala. Outside Douala: partner centres.

Occupation brochure

Take this sheet with you

Two documents to read offline or show your family: the 5-page brochure (occupation, training, pay, pathway) and the one-page flyer with the essentials.

Occupation brochure

Occupation brochurePDF, 5 pagesDownload the brochure

Flyer

FlyerPDF, 1 A4 pageDownload the flyer

Frequently asked questions

You may be wondering…

What German level is required?

Level B2 is required. You do not need perfect German, but you must be able to follow lessons and understand safety instructions.

How long does the training last?

36 months, i.e. 3 years.

Am I paid during the training?

Yes. You receive a monthly pay throughout the training, and it generally increases each year.

Where can I take the eligibility test?

Online on our website, or directly at our Douala office.

Where can I learn German?

In Douala, at our language centre DZK. Elsewhere, at our partner language centres: call us to find the nearest one.

What are the two specialisations?

Steinmetzarbeiten (cutting and installation work) and Steinbildhauerarbeiten (stone sculpture). They share a common base and then diverge.

Are there courses outside the company?

Yes: 14 weeks in total of supplementary training at external centres, in addition to the company and vocational school (Berufsschule).

In the same category

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Ready to find out whether this training is for you?

Take the test online or come and see us at the office. We are by your side from day one until you arrive in Germany.

Check my eligibility →Need assistance Write on WhatsApp

Germany+49 (0) 7033 694 18 80Cameroon+237 622 20 81 64

Douala office : Rond-point Maetur Bonamoussadi – Nice Cream building (4th floor), opposite the COGENI hardware store, Douala, Cameroon

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