Interested in improving your language skills or learning something totally new? Hamburg's education centres offer hundreds of courses that could be of interest. There's everything from individual classes to education over a longer period of time. The Volkshochschule (VHS) is one of the most popular schools for adult education in Germany. Type in the topic you’re looking for (in German) and find the right course for you. The Chamber of Commerce also offers several seminars and courses: www.hkbis.de (German only)
Bildungsurlaub: Educational Holiday
If you're employed, you're entitled to ten extra paid days off every two years (or five days per year) to update your knowledge. This is called 'Bildungsurlaub' (lit. 'education holiday'). Find more information about rules and regulations here (in German). Please note: your employer is not obliged to pay for the course, but it doesn't hurt to ask.
Funding options
For people with low income or those who recently started a new business, several funding options are available.
If you'd like to gain better qualifications in your profession or if you're interested in doing another apprenticeship, Meister-BAföG could be the right funding option for you, so check out more information here (German only). It's recommendable to arrange a counselling interview with the Chamber of Crafts or the Employment Agency (Arbeitsagentur) in advance.
