Your first week at Berufsschule brings organisational questions as well as new subjects: which room, which platform, what materials and whom should you notify? A simple system is more useful than trying to remember everything. The aim is not to know everything on day one, but to find the information you need and ask about uncertainties in time.
This guide is for trainees organising school and company life within a dual Ausbildung. Timetables, attendance procedures and assignment rules vary between schools. The plan below does not replace local instructions; the official rules supplied by your school and company take priority.
School and company are two parts of the same training
BIBB’s information on company-based training explains cooperation between learning locations in the dual system. Do not treat practical work and theory lessons as unrelated obligations. Concepts learned at school can help you understand processes at your company.
During the first week, establish where you need to be on each day or training block. Do not assume that an old online timetable or another group’s experience applies to you. Obtain information for your own class, programme and starting period.
Save contact details for both sides. Who handles school administration, subject questions and coordination at the company? Rather than sending every question to one person, identify the right contact for each issue.
Information to collect on day one
Record your timetable, room, group name, learning platform and required materials. Store your password securely, not in a shared note or public group. If you cannot access the platform, report the problem before an assignment is due.
Clarify which materials the school or company provides and which you must obtain yourself. Avoid major purchases before seeing the list. If a computer or book is required, ask whether a particular model or edition is essential.
| Information | Where to record it | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Timetable | Calendar | Are the group and date correct? |
| Assignment | Task list | Are the deadline and submission channel specified? |
| Contacts | Private contact list | Who is responsible for each issue? |
| Materials | Purchase or collection list | Is it actually required? |
| Rules | Separate note | Are absence and lateness procedures clear? |
The table is meant to reduce search time, not multiply information. Recording the same task in three places and updating only one creates confusion. Choose one list as your main reference.
When you do not understand every word in class
First distinguish the topic, the task and the expected result. What is the teacher explaining, what are you expected to do and when is it due? Mark important terms rather than losing track of the lesson over every unfamiliar word.
“Könnten Sie bitte erklären, was wir genau abgeben sollen?” clarifies exactly what must be submitted. “Wo finde ich die Unterlagen?” asks where to find the materials. Practise these phrases until you understand them; do not agree on guesswork to instructions you have not understood.
After class, write a short summary of one topic. A new term, a simple explanation and an example are enough. Translating the whole text does not itself demonstrate understanding. Then try explaining it in your own words.
Record assignments in four fields
For every task, record what, when, where and in what format. Is it a text, table or presentation? Individual work or group work? Should it be uploaded to the platform or brought to class?
For group work, clarify your part and who will submit the combined result. Do not leave it at “someone will send it”. It also helps to agree an internal deadline for completing each part.
Open and check your completed work before submitting it. Are the filename, required pages and format correct? Is there an upload confirmation? A draft saved on the platform may not count as a submitted assignment.
Illustrative example: the deadline is clear, the format is not
Imagine a trainee understands that an assignment is due on Friday but brings a paper copy instead of an electronic file. This is an illustrative example, not a real student’s story. The problem is not lack of subject knowledge, but an unclarified part of the submission instructions.
Next time, the trainee records the task in four fields and asks immediately if the format is unclear. For the current situation, they explain what happened to the teacher and ask about acceptance or correction procedures. They do not assume the deadline is automatically extended.
This simple example shows that success in class is not just about vocabulary size. Recording organisational instructions accurately is also an important skill.
Stay in contact with your company
If the school timetable or an important date changes, notify the relevant person at your company through the agreed procedure. Do not assume the school forwards every message automatically. Agree in advance who should pass on each type of information.
Keep short notes on topics learned and practical tasks for your training record. Ask the company what form the official Ausbildungsnachweis should take. Your personal notes may not automatically replace the required official record.
Ask your trainer for a workplace example of a concept learned at school. However, do not experiment independently with equipment you have not yet been trained to use. Theoretical understanding is separate from authorisation and safety instruction.
A quick end-of-week review
At the end of the week, review next week’s timetable, outstanding tasks and unclear topics. Assign a next step to each: ask the teacher, obtain material or practise. Prioritise instead of trying to reread everything in one evening.
Include rest and commuting time in your calendar. A plan containing only class and work hours may leave no realistic time for assignments. Set aside a small, regular review period you can actually maintain.
For context on the overall system, the Ausbildung guide provides further information. Get the specific arrangements for your first week from your own school and company. Another trainee’s timetable is not your official instruction.
Frequently asked questions
Should I write down everything if I do not understand the lesson?
Try to capture the topic, key terms and assignment. Copying a lot without understanding may not help later. Ask the teacher about important uncertainties, then rewrite them in simple terms.
Are materials from a classmate enough?
They can help, but check the official assignment and deadline. They may belong to another group or be an old version. The school’s relevant official channel takes priority.
If I am late, should I only tell the company?
Learn the notification procedures at your school and company. Ask in advance whom to tell, when and through which channel. Do not assume one side will always notify the other.
Should I buy all the books before the first week?
First check the exact list and who supplies the materials. Buying an unnecessary edition or unsuitable materials can create avoidable costs. Clarify any unclear item before purchasing it.
