Training programmes

Bundesbank's civil servant programme for the Higher Service

Why not complete the Bundesbank’s 21-month graduate training programme, which will prepare you to take on demanding tasks as a civil servant in the Higher Service? You will acquire all-round skills that will equip you for many attractive employment opportunities in virtually all business areas at the Bank. Depending on our needs and your interests, you could, for example, work at Central Office on policy issues in the field of economics, banking operations, organisation or human resources. Alternatively, you could be involved in ongoing banking supervision or in banking operations at one of our Regional Offices.

Requirements

You can enrol for the Bundesbank’s civil servant training programme for the Higher Service if you

• hold a Diplom, (accredited) master’s or equivalent degree in economics or law (under German civil service law, neither a degree obtained from a university of applied sciences or a vocational academy nor a bachelor’s degree are sufficient),
• have a very good command of German and a good command of English,
• have clear analytical abilities,
• and are prepared to move anywhere within Germany,
• are a national of one of the European Union member states, another signatory to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or a third country whose vocational qualifications are recognised by the Federal Republic of Germany and the European Union (section 7 of the Federal Civil Servants Act).

Selection procedure

Before a decision about admitting you to the Bundesbank’s civil servant training programme is made, you will be required to complete a two-stage selection procedure at an Assessment Centre to determine whether you have the knowledge and personal skills needed for the programme and subsequent functions. The first part of the selection procedure consists of an English test and a written test which provides us with information, among other things, about your intellectual working capacity. The second part of the selection procedure includes a group activity, a written exercise, a structured interview, a presentation and an in-depth discussion to assess your knowledge of economics, business management and legal issues. This enables us to get to know you better as a person and to gain an impression of your professional abilities.

Please see our selection guideline for further details on the selection procedure.

Recruitment

You will be recruited by our Central Office in Frankfurt am Main as a “Bundesbank trainee” (Bundesbankreferendar) in the civil service with a revocable appointment. The starting dates are usually 1 March and 1 October every year. Your task areas during and after the training programme will depend on the Bank’s requirements, although your personal preferences will be taken into consideration as far as possible.

Example of pay during training (as at January 2011)

Note: Married trainees and trainees with children receive a family allowance.

Training: theory

During the theoretical part of the training programme, you will gain the specialist knowledge required to perform your future tasks independently and become a generalist in your chosen career category. Our aim is that you develop a comprehensive understanding of the economic, business management and legal issues connected with the tasks and functions of the Bundesbank. Focal points of your training will be

• Monetary policy and international monetary issues
• European Economic and Monetary Union
• General fiscal and economic policy
• Financial markets
• Organisation and activities of the Deutsche Bundesbank and the European System of Central Banks
• Balance of payments and exchange rate policy
• Payment transactions and accounting
• Banking and financial supervision
• Business and business policy of credit institutions and other financial service providers
• Personnel matters and personnel management

During your period of training, you will take part in courses lasting several weeks held at our Training Centre.

Training: practice

For the practical part of the training programme, we will assign you to interesting and important areas of work at our Central Office, Regional Offices and branches. Information-gathering periods will give you an opportunity to familiarise yourself with the core tasks of selected areas of work. Practical modules of around six weeks at a time will be dedicated to independent project work (eg writing statements, analyses and reports on current central banking issues).

Schedule for the 21 months of training

Examination

At the end of the training programme you will sit the Higher Service career development examination. You will be examined in economics and business management, with a special focus on legal and central banking issues. The examination has both a written and an oral part.

Probationary period

Once you have passed the career development examination for the Higher Service you may, if you are considered suitable, be appointed as a “candidate for the post of Bundesbank counsellor” (Bundesbankrätin/Bundesbankrat zur Anstellung) and accepted into the civil service on probation in accordance with civil service law.

Permanent civil servant

Once you have successfully completed your probationary period – which generally lasts three years – you will enter the civil service on a permanent basis provided that the other relevant conditions under civil service law are fulfilled.

Applications

The next entry date for the Bundesbank’s civil servant programme is 1 October 2012. Planned openings will be advertised in due course in the major German daily newspapers and on our Job opportunities page. Please apply online. A link to the application form is included in the respective job description.

Online applications should be accompanied by the usual documents (letter of application, copies of your school leaving certificates, degree certificates (alternatively, evidence of university education and qualifications achieved to date) and any job references or training certificates as well as – if applicable – confirmation of having completed military/community service) as file attachments.

Contacts

If you have any questions about the application deadlines or the application procedure, please contact:

• Ms Annika Bär
• + 49 69 9566 6458
• personalmanagement@bundesbank.de

If you have any questions about the structure and content of the training programme, please contact:

• Mr Volker Zürn
• +49 69 9566 5138
• Volker.Zuern@bundesbank.de

• Mr Alfons Hecht
• +49 69 9566 5133
• Alfons.Hecht@bundesbank.de

Career prospects

We offer you attractive career prospects in the Higher Service.