Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB)

Designation of occupation

Animal caretaker
in the field of apiculture
Recognised by ordinance of 17 May 2005 (BGBl. I p. 1426)

Duration of traineeship

3 years.
The venues for training are company and part-time vocational school (Berufsschule).

Field of activity

Animal caretakers in the field of apiculture work in farming operations, in particular on beekeeping farms, in associations and institutions, in agricultural training institutes, in specialist beekeeping trade operations, in honey and wax processing operations, in queen breeding and pollination operations, and for market traders.

Occupational skills

Animal caretakers in the field of apiculture

• produce and market honey, wax and other bee products, observing trade-specific regulations and quality standards 

• breed queens and keep and market queens

• assist in reproducing and rearing animal stocks

• feed animals in the correct manner and determine the productive capacity of the animals

• feed and keep animals using farm-specific systems and methods; clean, disinfect and maintain animal accommodation 

• conduct preventive health measures and care for sick animals following veterinary instructions and hygiene specifications

• assess bee populations before overwintering begins, or at the end of overwintering, and systematically conduct the necessary measures

• assess swarming behaviour and apply methods to prevent swarming

• develop and maintain young populations

• conduct bee migrations and pollination measures

• conduct their work independently according to work contracts or plans, both alone and in a team, observing basic business management and legal principles, as well as consumer protection and animal protectionplan and document their work, specify working steps, take measures to protect safety and health at work, check and evaluate their work results and conduct quality assurance measures

• use communication and information technologies within the enterprise and when dealing with customers

• use machines, devices and operating materials, make use of operating facilities, and maintain machines, devices and operating facilities and service them.

Last modified on: December 12, 2006