The cutting edge for households, hotels and restaurants and industry

There are times when sharpness and precision are simply a necessity. Knives and scissors used at home or in the catering and food industries and the drills, milling tools and saw blades deployed in engineering and metal construction must be perfectly and precisely honed in order to fulfil their intended purposes. In future, the manufacture of such articles will be governed by a modernised three and a half-year training leading to qualification as a precision tool mechanic. Working on behalf of the Federal Government and acting in conjunction with the federal ministries responsible, the social partners and experts from the field of company practice, the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) has updated the existing training in the occupation of cutting tool mechanic and introduced this new title. The new regulations enter into force on 1 August 2018.

The tasks of precision tool mechanics are to produce, maintain and sharpen cutting and milling tools. The modernised training occupation has accordingly been divided into the two specialisms of “milling tools” and “cutting tools”. These new specialisms incorporate various tool types and company alignments, thus enabling specific training to take place.

The updating of previous training in the occupation of cutting tool mechanic had become necessary both in terms of structure and content in order to accord proper consideration to technical, economic and organisational changes in occupational practice and to developments within the sector. Crucial aspects which have been influential in driving this modernisation included new requirements created as a result of amended processing technologies, modern machine systems and new materials. The previous traditional structure consisting of an intermediate and journeyman examination will be replaced by an extended final journeyman examination.

In 2016, a total of 200 trainees were undergoing training in the occupation of cutting tool mechanic, and 69 new training contracts were concluded in 2017. The employment prospects for trainees are very good. Following the journeyman examination, it is possible to pursue continuing training leading to subsequent qualification as a master cutting tool mechanic or state-certified technician in relevant specialisms.

The updated training regulations and the aligned skeleton curriculum, which has been developed by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) for the school-based section of the dual vocational education and training, replaces the existing regulations from 1989 as of 1 August 2018.

Point of contact: Axel Kaufmann; email: kaufmann@bibb.de

Specimen copy requested if printed.