Bodywork & vehicle manufacturing mechanic

Caravanning has been highly popular in Germany for many years now. Over the past two years alone, more than 200,000 new caravans and motor caravans were sold in Germany. Inventories of these vehicles are also at a record high. Owing to the rapid growth of the caravanning industry in recent years, the need for skilled labour has increased concomitantly – particularly in light of the current shortage of qualified workers at both caravan/motor caravan factories and caravan/motor caravan workshops. This need for, and the attendant shortage of, skilled labor is also attributable to the fact that many baby boomers will be retiring in the near future.

The Caravaning Industrie Verband (CIVD) has met this challenge via a recently created specialized career path known as “caravan and motor caravan technology“, which is tailored to the specific needs and requirements of the caravanning industry. For example, unlike in the auto industry, producing, repairing and maintenance of caravans and motor caravans also requires technical know-how concerning bathrooms (plumbing, fixtures and so on) and liquefied natural gas (LNG). What’s more, building the living quarters of caravans and motor caravans involves the use of materials such as wood and fiberglass, with which ordinary car mechanics tend to be unfamiliar.

The training program for bodywork and vehicle manufacturing mechanic, which lasts three and a half years, encompasses a wide range of topic areas. Learners begin by delving into the basics of auto mechanics and auto technology. The third year of training centers around the field of caravan and motor caravan technology, which focuses exclusively on the specialized knowledge needed to work on caravans and motor caravans. Graduates of the program have excellent job prospects. Given their broad, but also detailed, knowledge and know-how regarding all aspects of caravanning, these graduates can seek positions in a broad spectrum of fields. The program is set to get underway in August of 2023, and in some companies, applications can be submitted beginning in the fall of 2022.

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