Continuing education 2024: information, online courses, funding, lateral entry.

In fast-paced labor markets, further training is not just a bonus, but sometimes even a necessity. The world of work is constantly changing, and new technologies and trends require us to adapt. With in-depth online training, you can not only expand your knowledge, but also boost your career and break new ground. 

 "Continuing education" covers all forms of learning that go beyond basic school and vocational training. 

So the goal is always this, Expand or deepen your professional knowledge and skills. Either to get ahead in your job, or to open up the prospects of a new career start or lateral entry. A wide range of offers, opportunities and paths are available to you. To help you keep track, we have summarized the most important information on the subject of further training and the possibilities for financial support here. 

Further education, retraining or training: you can continue your education on these topics 

Further training is similar to the career choice itself: If you make the right decisions here, you can secure a piece of your future and benefit from the job market situation. But before you plunge into online courses and training, you should be aware of this, which goal you are pursuing exactly. Keeping an overview of the opportunities and offers is not that easy. Be aware of where your professional home is and where it should be. 

You can find further education and certified training courses in almost all Areas: 

• in the technology and IT sector, 
• in telecommunications and financial services, 
• on environmental issues and sustainability, 
• in the skilled trades, 
• in social professions and  
• to activities in the education and healthcare sectors. 

Of course, this selection cannot be exhaustive. There is also plenty of further training on programs, programming, languages and soft skills. 

Our tip: Further training in the IT sector is particularly promising! In all federal states and regions, these are also particularly popular with the Education voucher This means you don't pay a cent for your further training. 

Professional training or private course - you should pay attention to this when choosing further training 

In Germany, continuing education can be classified as private if it is not offered by state institutions or recognized educational institutions. As a rule, the aim of continuing education is to achieve an officially recognized qualification. This can be a diploma or another state-recognized certificate. 

The prerequisite for this is usually certification of the training provider and the course in accordance with AZAV, the Accreditation and Approval Ordinance for Employment Promotion. If - as is the case with StackFuel - this condition is met, the further training can be funded, for example, with the education voucher or according to the Qualification Opportunity Act be promoted. 

Are you unsure whether you meet the requirements for an online course, a grant or the desired lateral entry? Use our Consultationtogether we will find out what your options are. 

What to do as a career changer - training or further education? 

There is no general answer to this question. Many factors determine whether an apprenticeship or further education is the perfect path for you. While the framework conditions such as costs, duration and learning location can vary enormously, it also depends entirely on your life circumstances: 

• Is the desired job even a skilled occupation? 
• Which industry would you like to move into?  
• What has your professional career been like so far? 
• How unfamiliar is your lateral entry and what suitable previous experience do you have? 
• How much time can you invest in your training or further education? 
• Is your lateral entry eligible for funding? 
• Do you have children to look after during training or further education? 
• How mobile are you? 

Comprehensive training is therefore not a must and depends first and foremost on your professional goals. Many professions such as Data Scientist or Data Analyst are not training professions in the traditional sense - however, certified further training will give you a better and more in-depth qualification than "jumping in at the deep end" without any previous knowledge. 

In the IT industry or in marketing, for example, lateral entry is common, in other areas less so. However, further training can also require an immense amount of time - so you should also consider beforehand whether you can invest this time at all. Depending on the model, the training offered can be full-time or part-time and is flexible in different ways. We at StackFuel enable our participants to manage their time as freely as possible through a mix of on-demand learning content, programming exercises and mentoring. 

Professional training at StackFuel: get your career off to a flying start with data skills 

Current figures from Bitkom show the tense situation High demand for specialists in the IT sector. The demand for data and AI experts in particular will continue to grow enormously in 2024. More and more data needs to be stored, analyzed and brought together. StackFuel is one of the leading providers in Germany for digital training programs in these areas. Our offer ranges from the introduction to Data Science to qualify as Business Intelligence Analyst to offers on the topic of the future Artificial intelligence. 

Our training courses are specially designed to qualify employees, managers and experts - regardless of whether they already have experience in working with data or are new to programming. Because "IT already offers ideal conditions for lateral entry", including for this Assessment the experts from Bitkom e.V. 

It's worth it: Your benefits of further training 

Benjamin Franklin is said to have once said: "An investment in knowledge still pays the best interest." 

We can only agree with this without reservation. By "investment" we don't just mean financial costs, but also the time you invest in research and the training itself. And by "interest" you can also mean Job stability, increasing satisfaction, broadening personal horizons and new career opportunities understand. 

Further training therefore brings you many advantages: 

• Better opportunities in your current job or when looking for a job 
• More knowledge often means more responsibility and salary 
• Better self-confidence through qualification 
• You learn more about what interests you 
• You will be more in demand on the job market and have more negotiating leverage in job interviews 
• Improve your future prospects in a changing job market 
• You become more creative through new impressions, contacts with your fellow students and more knowledge 

Funding for your further education: Benefit from these programs and save up to 100 % of the costs 

Convince yourself or your employer with the right funding program for your certified further training. There is a large selection and something suitable for almost everyone! 

Most funding programs are run by the employment agency or job center and are the same throughout Germany. The following are particularly well known: 

• Education voucherCovers the costs of further training, mobility and meals for people without a job or looking for a job 
• Qualification Opportunity ActCovers the costs of further training and wages for employers 
• Aufstiegs-BAföG & Advancement scholarshipPromotion of a master craftsman's degree or a first degree, building on previous professional experience 

However, there are also other specific support programs for people in a wide variety of life situations. Some of the federal states also offer their own funding for further education. It's not easy to keep track of everything. The employment agency, the job center or, of course, further education providers themselves can advise you, such as here at StackFuel. 

What does further training really cost? 

Depending on whether you want to gain an additional qualification, dedicate yourself to a distance learning course lasting several years or complete several training courses in succession, this will of course have an impact on the cost of your further education. The actual costs incurred depend not only on the duration of the course and the respective educational institution. 

The costs that you will incur can therefore be very different fail: 

• Costs for the training itself
• possible examination fees
• Costs for teaching materials and equipment
• Travel expenses 
• Possible childcare costs 
• Catering costs 
• Missing wages
• Your invested time.

Funding is therefore essential in order to be able to cope with the increased financial burden and gives you the security you need to be able to focus fully on your further education. 

Further training with an education voucher from certified training providers 

With the Education voucher your training can be fully financed by the job center, employment agency or pension insurance! You can use the voucher if you are unemployed or at risk of unemployment and must redeem it within three months with a provider such as StackFuel. If you are on short-time work or could actually lose your job, you will even receive full pay. 

To prepare you for the consultation with the employment agency or job center, we have created a practical Checklist prepared for you. It helps you to prepare your application in simple steps and prepares you for the consultation. Because the chance of receiving "free" further training or retraining is better than ever! 

Promoted and fit for the future: you have the best chances with these further training courses 

"Digitalization", "sustainable development" and "data management" are important developments of the last ten years. And not without reason! More new jobs have been created in these areas and the associated sectors than anywhere else. And that doesn't just mean vacancies. Some fields of activity and job profiles simply didn't exist ten years ago. And so any personal and professional development in these areas guarantees you a head start on the job market and a more secure job in the future. No matter whether with a Data science online course or a deepened Python training. 

Which training format is best - online or face-to-face? 

The direct exchange in face-to-face training courses is probably the biggest advantage of this type of knowledge transfer. Contact with lecturers and other participants makes learning more interesting, easier and therefore more effective for some people. This may be due to the fact that less self-motivation is required and sources of distraction such as email, social media or even one's own family can be better controlled and "shielded". 

However, today's online courses and educational offerings are in no way inferior to face-to-face events in terms of support and structure. Their main advantages clearly lie in their flexibility, the wide range of courses on offer and their 24/7 availability. Participation from any location allows you a flexible learning location, saves travel time and takes the pressure off your schedule. The easy access and selection of certified further training courses on offer will quickly make you a sought-after part of the working world of tomorrow. 

How to find the right scope and the best type of further training 

A blessing and a curse at the same time: the sheer endless range of further education opportunities means it's easy to lose track. Just checking whether an offer comes from a reputable provider or is even a recognized educational institution can take time and nerves. You can find an overview of over 5 million further education courses in Germany at KURSNET. 

Note: Always make sure you are certified in accordance with AZAV - this is the simplest guarantee of quality for your further training! 

And then you need to clarify whether you have found what you are looking for in terms of content. A more personal exchange can help here: During a free consultation, we at StackFuel can look at your goals and your previous skills. In this way, we can quickly find out which further training will help you personally and professionally. The job center and the employment agency are also a helpful point of contact for initial orientation.

Even before your further training: clarify requirements and make use of advisory services 

Do you have your sights set on a specific offer? Now you should contact the provider and clarify all the details. If you've read this far, you already know that there are a variety of funding options available to help you secure financial support for your further education. 

But it is also best to clarify further details about your further training directly: 

• Do the period of the training and all the dates fit into your calendar? 
• Do you meet the requirements? 
• What else might need to be prepared at the desired learning location? 

This will also give you a first impression of the working methods and structures of your chosen training provider. 

Combining further training or retraining with your job: Our tips 

If you are in employment, our first piece of advice is to talk to your line manager about your training plans. Our experience has shown that Employers recognize the added value for their own company and try to find a solution with you. Too few companies are still aware of the benefits of the Qualification Opportunities Act for Employers and how this can secure your further education financially - if you provide information here, your chances are guaranteed to increase. 

Many federal states also offer so-called "educational leave". This means that your employer must release you from your job for a certain period of time so that you can attend further training - while continuing to pay your salary. Even if educational leave is usually not enough time for extensive further training, it can be the initial impetus for taking up a further training offer. 

By the way: 14 out of 16 federal states have regulations on educational leave. Only Bavaria and Saxony do not yet have one. 

However, if you would like to do further vocational training in a field in which you have not previously worked, this is known as retraining. It usually takes between two and two and a half years and should be well coordinated with employers and the employment agency. But don't worry: depending on the purpose of the retraining, there are also funding opportunities for this. 

Whether online or on site: Certificate of completion as documentation of your training 

It's not just a piece of paper. And it is not just documentation of your work and your success. The certificate of completion of any further training course is the key to professional advancement and a testimony to your performance and your own aspirations. This also applies to any funding providers - so despite all the euphoria, don't forget to submit it as proof to the relevant bodies. 

To ensure that everything is in place for your final certificate, you should make sure of the following: 

• What exactly will be on the certificate? 
• Have your name and date of birth been entered correctly by the training provider? 
• By when will you receive your certificate? 
• Is the certificate additionally qualified, e.g. by AZAV or trustworthy institutions such as TÜV? 
• Does the training certificate have an expiry date or is it valid indefinitely? 

Once you have your certificate in your hands, make sure you keep the original in a safe place. You can enclose copies with your application, and a scan for a digital application is also useful. 

Start your training with confidence: take advantage of our free consultation 

As you can see, properly thought out and planned, further training can change your life. You will secure better prospects on the job market, increase your negotiating leverage and learn new skills for future jobs. To ensure that nothing slips through the cracks, that you have not overlooked any funding opportunities and that no questions remain unanswered, you can contact our StackFuel consultants free of charge and without any obligation. report. We look forward to seeing you!