FORUM Berufsbildung

We are FORUM Berufsbildung, and for over 35 years, we have been a cornerstone of the educational landscape in Berlin. Our journey began in 1985 with a simple yet powerful idea born from a chance encounter. Our founder, Dr. Helmut Riethmüller, then a dedicated owner of an organic food store and a passionate advocate in the organic scene, was inspired to share his knowledge. This led to the creation of our very first course for the natural food sector, developed in collaboration with the Berlin employment agencies. The demand was immense, as the burgeoning industry was in desperate need of qualified professionals. What started as a small-scale training initiative quickly blossomed into a comprehensive educational institution offering retraining programs and, due to nationwide interest, distance learning courses.

Today, we are proud to be a non-profit association dedicated to value-oriented action, where the individual is always at the heart of our work. With around 100 permanent employees and a network of 300 freelance lecturers, we support approximately 1,900 participants each year on their educational journey. Our students, ranging in age from 16 to 66, come to us to learn a new profession or to enhance their career prospects. We offer a diverse range of educational formats, including training, retraining, further education, and distance learning courses across 14 different industries. Our main campus, centrally located at Checkpoint Charlie, spans about 6,000 square meters with 45 seminar and specialist rooms. We believe in providing practical, application-oriented content, delivered by highly qualified lecturers who bring their real-world professional experience into the classroom. This commitment to quality is reflected in our exceptionally high success rate, empowering our graduates to successfully embark on new career paths or take the next step up the career ladder.