Materials for the new inter-company training courses for painters and varnishers

At the turn of the year 2026/2027, the training centers for the painting and varnishing trade will have to adapt to new content for the inter-company training courses. The Federal Association intends to support their instructors.

The new training regulations for the "Painter and Varnisher" profession came into effect on August 1, 2021. In addition to the three existing specializations – " Design and Maintenance ," " Church Painting and Monument Preservation, " and " Building and Corrosion Protection " – the new specializations " Energy Efficiency and Design Technology " and " Interior Finishing Technology and Surface Design " were created, explains the Heinz Piest Institute for Craft Technology (HPI) in a press release. As part of this process, the HPI, together with the Federal Guild Association of the German Painting and Varnishing Trade, also revised the training plans for the inter-company apprentice training.

"Until now, the familiar training courses could still be conducted. From January 1, 2027, only inter-company training courses that comply with the new regulations must be taught," clarifies the Federal Association for Paint, Design, and Building Protection.

These inter-company training courses are valid until December 31, 2026: 

• MB1/04, MB2/04, MB3/04, MB4/04, MB5/04 (for all five FRs) as well as
• MGI1/04, MGI2/04 and MGI5/04 (FR Interior Construction Technology and Surface Design; FR Energy Efficiency and Design Technology)
• MBK1/04, MBK2/04, MBK3/04 (FR Building and Corrosion Protection)
• MGI1/04, MGI2/04, MGI3/04 and MGI4/04 (FR Design and Maintenance)
• MKD1/04, MKD2/04 and MKD3/04 (FR Church Painting and Monument Preservation). 

This is what the structure of the inter-company training courses for the first to third year of apprenticeship for painters and varnishers will look like from January 1, 2027:

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• G-ML/24, ML1/24, ML2/24, ML3/24, ML4/24 (all specializations)
• MLGI1/24, MLGI2/24, MLGI3/24, MLGI4/24, MLGI5/24 (FR Design and Maintenance)
• MLEG1/24, MLEG2/24 (FR Energy Efficiency and Design Technology)
• MLAO1/24, MLAO2/24, MLAO3/24 (FR Construction Technology and Surface Design)
• MLKD1/24, MLKD2/24, MLKD3/24 (FR Church Painting and Monument Preservation)
• MLBK1/24, MLBK2/24 (FR Building and Corrosion Protection)

Materials and conferences

To facilitate the implementation of the new regulations for instructors in training centers and to ensure a uniform standard in inter-company training, the Federal Association has initially implemented exemplary measures. Materials Developed for the newly structured, two-week basic training course G-ML/24. The course folders contain documents for the training staff and training materials for the trainees. 
"We are publishing a book for the further inter-company training courses of the first and second year of training," explains Peter Blase, Head of Education at the Federal Association for Paint, Design, and Building ProtectionBoth will likely be available from the beginning of October via the Website They can be ordered. "We are currently working on the documents for the third year of apprenticeship, i.e., the individual specializations."

Also in October, a regional conference is planned in Berlin, where the national association intends to present the new inter-company training (ÜLU) documents to its guild members from northern Germany. A similar event is planned for southern Germany at a later date.

Source: German Association for Paint, Design and Building Protection/own research

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