The 14 green professions
The 14 green professions in Germany offer young people varied and diverse opportunities with good prospects for the future.
The BMEL is especially committed to initial and advanced vocational training and has issued ordinances on vocational training in the 14 current professions in the agricultural sector on the basis of the Vocational Training Act. Ordinances also regulate the advanced training examination, for master craftsmen and qualified agricultural technicians in particular, the suitability of training premises and the professional competence of instructors in the agricultural sector.
Overview of the 14 green professions (in alphabetical order)
Distiller
A delicate touch, a sense of tradition and state-of-the-art technologies are the distinguishing characteristics of the distiller’s profession. Distillers employ a range of different processing steps to produce high-quality spirits from potatoes, fruit or cereals. Distillers also need to add other ingredients, such as yeast, sugar or water, in just the right quantities and to preserve or refine traditional recipes. Distillers use state-of-the-art technology to help produce superior spirits.
Agricultural services specialist
One of the main features of the profession of agricultural services specialist is working in the fresh air with state-of-the-art technologies. Agricultural services specialists are always sought after in agricultural holdings: for sowing, planting, fertilising and harvesting. These plant production experts, who work as service providers or on plant production farms, have special skills in the handling of agricultural equipment. Maintaining and servicing the equipment is also part of their tasks.
Fish farmer
Crustaceans, fish and shellfish are part of the day-to-day business of fish farmers. Fish farmers are experts on the fragile ecosystems of rivers, lakes and coastal waters. They are in demand for breeding, catching and cutting fish, and from refrigeration to the marketing of the fish products. Fish farmers are accustomed to life on the water, enjoy working in nature, are physically fit and have good business skills.
Forest manager
Pines, spruces, oaks, birches, great spotted woodpeckers or foxes – the forest provides an impressive workplace for forest managers. Forest managers preserve, protect and tend forests. They regenerate forests, fell trees, control pests or tend to young trees in tree nurseries. They work with weed whackers or chain-saws and are experts on wood.
Gardener
Many gardeners have turned their hobby, i.e. nature and the environment, into a career. It is one of the most varied green professions because gardeners have the possibility of specialising in any of seven fields. These include, for example, the fields of horticulture and landscape gardening, arboriculture, vegetable growing and ornamental horticulture. Gardeners have a great many tasks: harvesting fruit and vegetables, grafting trees and plants, marketing ornamental plants or laying out and tending public parks and private gardens.
Home economist
Many agricultural holdings often need all hands on the fields or in the stalls. Sometimes, for example during the harvest, some household chores may be left undone. This is where home economists come into play. They manage the household, do the shopping, prepare the meals, do the cleaning and help children or elderly people in everyday life. However, these experts increasingly also reflect the diversification of agricultural holdings, which means that they also work in the direct marketing of agricultural products or provide support in the field of agri-tourism.
Farmer
Farmers are not only to be found in stalls or on the fields. The office is also part of their workplace. They keep farm animals, cultivate the soil and produce food with the assistance of cutting-edge technology. Their profession includes using ecologically sound and resource-conserving farming techniques, adopting welfare-oriented animal husbandry methods, ensuring high food and product quality and marketing their own products. Farmers have a pronounced sense of responsibility, business acumen and a keen interest in plants and animals. Time and again, the passing on of agricultural holdings to the next generation plays an important role, as well as the support of young farmers, e.g. through direct payments under the CAP.
Plant technologist
Plant technologists are involved in a variety of different plant-breeding activities. They organise, carry out and document tests and field studies. They cultivate, tend and harvest plants and support plant breeders in the development of new varieties. The technologists work in laboratories to examine plants for their chemical content or specific genetic factors. Plant technologists work primarily in the field of plant breeding or in agricultural research enterprises. This may include government institutes and agencies as well as privately-owned companies.
Dairy technologist
Dairy technologists are experts in how milk can be made into cheese, curd or yoghurt. They process milk into various dairy products while ensuring a smooth production workflow and high quality. They plan and monitor the different operational steps and are highly knowledgeable about hygiene requirements, food law and environmental protection.
Dairy laboratory technician
Milk, cheese, curd and yoghurt are some of the most important foods. Dairy laboratory technicians ensure the quality of these products. They take samples and analyse dairy products in various areas, determining their pH value, fat content and protein content. They inspect the processing of dairy products and make sure that the various provisions concerning food safety and quality are complied with.
Equine manager
The responsible profession of equine manager requires a great deal of patience, love of animals, dedication and physical fitness, for, in addition to training and tending to the horses, equine managers are also responsible for riding out with the animals or working in the stables, both during the week and at weekends. An important part of their work is also dealing with and assisting amateur riders and horse keepers. Equine managers can specialise in a total of five fields: horse keeping, horse breeding, horse-riding training, horse racing and specialised riding.
District hunter
District hunters protect game and forests, spend a lot of time outdoors and go hunting. They shape the habitat of wild game, respect the principles of nature conservation and inform the public about hunting and nature. District hunters have a wide range of tasks. Not only do they provide expert assessments of bagged game and market the game; they also give due consideration to ecological factors to ensure sustainable nature conservation.
Livestock farmer
The top priorities of livestock farmers are the health and well-being of livestock, such as cattle, pigs, sheep, chickens or bees. Livestock farmers keep, breed and tend to the animals, thus ensuring the quality of animal products like honey, milk, meat, wool or eggs. Livestock farmers also monitor the livestock population and market the agricultural products. They also play an important role in nature and landscape conservation, particularly if they are involved in sheep farming and bee-keeping.
Vintner
Vintners typically possess a fine sense of taste and smell. They supervise the process of winemaking from start to finish, from tending the vines and harvesting the grapes to producing the finished wine. Nowadays, the vintner’s tasks also include the presentation and marketing of the wine and viticultural products. Based on traditional knowledge and state-of-the-art technologies, this profession combines tradition and innovation.
