Warehouse Logistics Ausbildung Guide
Short answer: Warehouse logistics Ausbildung (Fachkraft für Lagerlogistik) is a three-year dual training in which you receive, store, pick, pack and ship goods, and plan and organise these processes. The training regulation names no required school certificate, so employers decide. A two-year version, Fachlagerist/-in, covers the operational tasks only. Pay is not fixed in the regulation.
This guide explains what the training involves, how it differs from the two-year Fachlagerist training, how the exams work, who can apply and where to find the official information. Visa and entry rules are outside the scope of this site.
Warehouse logistics Ausbildung at a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| German name | Fachkraft für Lagerlogistik |
| Type | Dual training: company and vocational school (Berufsschule) |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Related two-year training | Fachlagerist/-in, which can be continued into the third year of Fachkraft für Lagerlogistik |
| School certificate | None named in the training regulation. Employers decide |
| Intermediate exam | In the middle of the second year |
| Final exam | At the end of the training, in four areas |
| Training pay | Not set in the training regulation. See the pay section below |
What warehouse logistics specialists do
According to the IHK Bremen and IHK Ostwestfalen occupational profiles, Fachkräfte für Lagerlogistik work in logistics centres and in industrial, trading and forwarding companies. Their tasks cover everything in the warehouse, from goods receipt through storage to dispatch:
- Receiving goods and checking the delivery against the accompanying documents.
- Unpacking, sorting and storing goods according to the warehouse rules.
- Checking stock and carrying out inventories.
- Picking and packing goods for shipment, and combining them into load units.
- Labelling and securing shipments, drawing up loading lists and loading plans, and loading vehicles.
- Preparing shipping documents and helping to create delivery tour plans.
- Planning, organising and monitoring the use of work and handling equipment, and working in a team with customer focus.
Fachkraft für Lagerlogistik or Fachlagerist?
Both trainings are set out in the same regulation. Fachlagerist/-in lasts two years and covers the operational tasks in the warehouse. Fachkraft für Lagerlogistik lasts three years and adds planning, organisation and process-related qualifications, according to the IHK profiles. The regulation says a Fachlagerist training can be continued under its rules for the third year of the Fachkraft training, so the first two years overlap closely.
How the training works
You sign a training contract (Ausbildungsvertrag) with a company and attend a vocational school. The training lasts three years. The regulation lists what the company must teach you, including:
- Safety and health at work, and environmental protection.
- Using company information systems and workplace software, and using technical terms in foreign languages.
- Handling goods according to their properties, including dangerous goods, customs goods and perishable goods, with attention to labels and symbols.
- Receiving, storing, picking, packing and shipping goods.
- Quality-assuring measures, stock control and calculating warehouse key figures.
You must also keep a training record (Berichtsheft), and the regulation says your employer has to give you the chance to write it during working time and review it regularly.
The exams
| Exam | When | Form | Share of the result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intermediate exam | Middle of the second year | A practical task of up to 90 minutes, such as unloading and checking a delivery or storing goods by type, plus written tasks of up to 90 minutes | Shows your progress, no pass or fail |
| Final exam: practical work tasks | End of the training | Two tasks from different fields in up to 5 hours in total, with a technical discussion of up to 15 minutes | 50% (25% per task) |
| Final exam: processes of warehouse logistics | End of the training | Written, up to 180 minutes | 25% |
| Final exam: efficient, quality-assuring goods handling | End of the training | Written, up to 90 minutes | 15% |
| Final exam: economics and social studies | End of the training | Written, up to 60 minutes | 10% |
To pass, you need at least “sufficient” (ausreichend) overall, in the practical tasks, in the weighted average of the written areas and in at least two written areas. An “insufficient” (ungenügend) grade in a written area or in one of the two practical tasks means the exam is failed. If up to two written areas are rated “deficient” (mangelhaft) and the others are at least sufficient, you or the exam committee can add an oral exam of about 15 minutes in one of them. For admission, repeating and preparation, see our guide to Ausbildung exams.
Who can apply
The training regulation names no required school certificate, so each employer sets its own requirements. Read the posting carefully, including any notes on physical work. Expect to work and study in German, and see our guide to the German level for Ausbildung. The regulation also lists using technical terms in foreign languages as part of the training.
Training pay
The training regulation does not set pay, so it depends on the employer and the training year. Do not rely on a figure from a random website. See our Ausbildung salary guide for the legal minimum and how to compare offers, and check the employer’s posting.
How to apply
- Search for “Fachkraft für Lagerlogistik” and “Fachlagerist” on the official boards. Our guide on where to find Ausbildung openings lists them.
- Check whether the posting is for the two-year or the three-year training, and note the start date and the location.
- Send a tailored application: a cover letter, a CV and copies of your certificates.
- Prepare for the interview by learning about the company and its logistics work.
Is it right for you?
- You like organised, practical work with goods, equipment and documents.
- You can work accurately, because deliveries and records must match.
- You can follow safety rules, including for dangerous goods.
- You can work in a team and with customers.
- You are ready to study in German, including technical terms.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up the two trainings. Fachlagerist is two years and Fachkraft für Lagerlogistik is three.
- Thinking it is only lifting and carrying. The training includes planning, documents and software.
- Relying on a pay figure from a random website. Check the employer’s offer.
- Ignoring the written exams. They count for half of the final result.
- Underestimating the German vocabulary for goods, documents and safety rules.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Fachkraft für Lagerlogistik training?
Three years, according to the training regulation. The Fachlagerist training lasts two years.
Can I continue from Fachlagerist to Fachkraft für Lagerlogistik?
Yes. The regulation says a Fachlagerist training can be continued under its rules for the third year of the Fachkraft training.
Do I need a particular school certificate?
The regulation names none. Employers set their own requirements, so check each posting.
What does the final exam include?
Practical work tasks, which count for half of the result, and three written areas: processes of warehouse logistics, efficient and quality-assuring goods handling, and economics and social studies.
Does the training include dangerous goods?
Yes. The regulation says trainees learn to handle goods by their properties, including dangerous goods, customs goods and perishable goods, with attention to labels and symbols.
Sources
- Gesetze im Internet: Training regulation for Fachlagerist/-in and Fachkraft für Lagerlogistik, in German
- IHK Bremen: Fachkraft für Lagerlogistik, in German
- IHK Ostwestfalen: Fachkraft für Lagerlogistik, in German
Last updated: 21 October 2026. Training rules, requirements and pay change, so check the official pages above and the employer’s posting before you apply.