In engineering and manufacturing, Germany has long been an economic powerhouse. More recently, it has also emerged as a hub for data-driven innovation. The country’s booming business landscape and growing tech ecosystem have converged to create an unprecedented demand for data analysts. To illustrate, in June 2023 alone, there were almost 5,000 open positions for data analysts just in Berlin.
Fortunately, for those interested in pursuing a tech career, many data analyst courses in Germany are feeding the supply of these sought-after skills. Better yet, if you’re a German resident and are currently unemployed, free access to these data analyst courses in Germany might be possible using the “Bildungsgutschein” (or training voucher).
In this article, I’ll explore various data analyst courses in Germany and how to get started on your career change journey without paying a penny. Start today, and you could be part of Germany’s burgeoning data community far sooner than you realize.
Table of contents:
- Germany and data: A match made in heaven?
- Data analyst courses in Germany: University or bootcamp?
- How to take a bootcamp for free
- 8 of the best data analyst courses in Germany
- How to find out if data analyst courses might be for you
- Wrap-up
1. Germany and data: A match made in heaven?
During the 20th century, Germany primarily secured its economic reputation through manufacturing and precision engineering. These industrial strengths were a key driver of Germany’s growth over the last century.
As we march into the second quarter of the 21st century, Germany continues to innovate. This time, however, less through high–performance vehicles, cutting-edge aircraft, and specialized materials, but by embracing digitalization and the data-driven economy.
Recent statistics from the European Data Market Study 2021–2023 paint a compelling picture. The study found that the value of the European Union’s data market reached a massive €72,963 million in 2022—a growth of 12.6% from 2021. And Germany is the clear leader here, accounting for the largest share at €20,351 million.
The German State hasn’t overlooked this surge in data-driven activity. Shoring up its early successes, Germany has recently adopted a National Data Strategy, aimed at improving data access, quality, trust, and usage across the public sector, economy, and civil society. This indicates Germany’s commitment to this growing industry, solidifying its position and, in turn, creating jobs for those who want to thrive in data analytics.
2. Data analyst courses in Germany: University or bootcamp?
When exploring data analyst courses in Germany, career changers have several options to choose from. Two popular ones include the formal education route (such as studying at university) and enrolling in a data analyst bootcamp.
Let’s explore the pros and cons of each.
University programs
University data analyst courses in Germany offer comprehensive, in-depth curriculums covering the theoretical aspects of the field. They usually last two to four years and result in an academic qualification such as a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
The German “Ausbildung” model—a well-respected apprenticeship route—is another formal approach some people take. This is more hands-on and results in a vocational qualification.
Pros of university data analytics programs
- University programs (and vocational apprenticeship routes) offer comprehensive, in-depth curriculums covering both theoretical and practical data analytics
- The university route results in a respected qualification, e.g. bachelor’s or master’s
- Academic study routes offer research opportunities and access to the latest findings and emerging techniques/technologies
- A degree provides long-term networking opportunities with professors, fellow students, and employers—potentially easing the transition into the labor market
Cons of university data analytics programs
- Formal academic and vocational training routes typically last between two and four years, which is a big time commitment
- University has much higher associated costs compared to bootcamps
- The academic route often has a more rigid curriculum with less flexibility about what you learn
Data analyst bootcamps
One fast-track alternative to the academic route is the data analyst bootcamp. Bootcamps provide intensive, hands-on training, equipping you with job-ready skills in a shorter timeframe (typically weeks or months rather than years) than a formal degree.
Pros of data analytics bootcamps
- They offer intensive, hands-on training focused on job-ready skills
- They have a shorter duration, usually weeks or months
- While they come with a price tag, it is more affordable than four years of a university program
- Most credible bootcamps offer flexible scheduling, including full-time or part-time options, so you can fit learning in around your existing responsibilities
- A high-quality bootcamp will provide strong career support and international networking opportunities
- You’ll often have access to one-to-one mentoring
- If you’re unemployed, or soon to be, you might be eligible to take a bootcamp for free using your “Bildungsgutschein” (training voucher)
Cons of data analytics bootcamps
- Because they are focused on essential skills, bootcamps may cover a narrower scope compared to university data analyst courses in Germany
- They don’t offer academic credentials (although good courses offer employer-recognized certifications)
- Intense learning objectives require a high level of self-discipline
- Not every data analyst course in Germany is created equal—you’ll have to assess numerous bootcamps to find one that meets your needs
- Course quality varies—a cheaper price tag might seem tempting up front, but could mean the course content is less rigorous
3. How to take a bootcamp for free
Let’s presume you want to opt for the bootcamp route rather than an academic one.
The good news, if you’re living in Germany, you may be eligible for the German “Bildungsgutschein”. This educational voucher, issued by the German Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit), permits you to enroll in training for free, so long as you meet the eligibility criteria.
What are these eligibility criteria?
First, you are registered in Germany and can prove this with a German “Anmeldebescheinigung” (or registration certificate).
Second, you are unemployed or at risk of unemployment (again, with evidence to prove this.)
Third, you can dedicate time to training (the exact amount will vary depending on your preferred course, but most offer full- or part-time options).
Many data analyst courses in Germany are eligible for the Bildungsgutschein. The most sensible first step, then, is to check your chosen provider’s website for mentions of the Bildungsgutschein. You shouldn’t have to look too far—eligible providers will want to advertise this!
Next, you’ll need to book an appointment with your local Agentur für Arbeit, which will assign you an advisor.
Finally, prepare for your appointment! You’ll have to outline to your advisor why you’d like to take this route. Hopefully, they will then approve your application to participate in your chosen data analyst course in Germany.
This covers the process in a nutshell. There’s a bit more to it, obviously, but you can get all the details by reading how to become a data analyst with your Bildungsgutschein.
3. 8 of the best data analyst courses in Germany
Now you know how to potentially take a data analyst course in Germany for free, let’s explore 8 of the best data analyst bootcamps to get you started. First up…
CareeFoundry—Data Analytics Program
CareerFoundry’s bootcamp at a glance:
- Study format: Online
- Price: €8,900
- Duration: 6 months (30-40 hours per week) or 10 months (15-20 hours per week)
- Eligible for Bildungsgutschein: Yes
CareerFoundry’s Data Analytics Program is an online bootcamp providing all the skills you need to start your data analytics career. It covers the entire data lifecycle, including data preparation, analysis, visualization, and presentation skills.
Key features include flexible study options, instruction from experienced data professionals, and personalized mentoring. The program also offers career coaching and a job guarantee—CareerFoundry will refund your tuition if you don’t find a job within six months.
If you want a structured, project-based, hands-on curriculum, CareerFoundry’s program is a great option and has an excellent score on Course Report. You’ll even complete the program with a portfolio of work to assist you in your job hunt!
Ironhack—Data Analytics Bootcamp
Ironhack’s bootcamp at a glance:
- Study format: On-campus/ remote
- Price: €8,000
- Duration: 9 weeks full-time or 24 weeks part-time
- Eligible for Bildungsgutschein: Yes
Ironhack’s Data Analytics Bootcamp is an intensive, 9-week data analytics course in Germany that covers data skills like Git, Python, and MySQL, to name a few.
You’ll not just learn the basics; you’ll future-proof your skills by learning about artificial intelligence and large language models such as ChatGPT, and their implications for the profession.
Whether you opt for the online bootcamp or prefer to study on-campus in Berlin, you’ll have to complete 60 hours of pre-work before starting to ensure that you have the requisite programming and statistics skills to thrive. But it’s worthwhile—once you’ve graduated, you’ll be capable of retrieving, cleaning, and analyzing data and effectively communicating business insights.
Le Wagon—Data Analytics Course in Germany
Le Wagon’s bootcamp at a glance:
- Study format: Online or in-person
- Price: €7,400 to €8,500 depending on study format
- Duration: 2 months (40 hours a week) to 7 months (15 hours a week)
- Eligible for Bildungsgutschein: Yes
Le Wagon’s data analytics course covers everything from data collection to visualization. And while it covers the technical requirements of the role, it also looks at the business skills you’ll need, such as teamwork and how to identify and measure key performance indicators.
You’ll learn how to collect, extract, and transform data, apply KPIs to dashboards, and about the analytics tools used by top companies.
To get the most from the bootcamp, you’ll complete 40 hours of preparation work covering SQL, Python, and Google Sheets. All of Le Wagon’s bootcamps (they offer several) are certified and recognized by the German government as an advanced training program, meaning they are eligible for the Bildungsgutschein.
Neue Fische—Data Analytics Bootcamp
Neue Fische’s bootcamp at a glance:
- Study format: Remote online or live in Hamburg, Munich, or Frankfurt
- Price: Starting from €9,500
- Duration: 12 weeks (Monday-Friday, 9 to 6)
- Eligible for Bildungsgutschein: Yes
Neue Fische’s bootcamp is a 12-week course offered in numerous locations around Germany or live online. You’ll learn about descriptive statistics, Python coding in an IDE (Integrated Development Environment), and of course, the all-important exploratory data analysis, which covers many of the essential data analytics techniques you’ll use in your future career.
You’ll also get to grips with the basics of databases, using tools like DBeaver (a database administration tool) to connect to a PostgreSQL relational database, and how to structure an SQL query. Finally, you’ll learn the essentials of sourcing data and visualizing your insights using Tableau.
The course culminates in a digital capstone project incorporating all the skills you’ve learned. The entire bootcamp includes 540 hours of instruction, practical assignments, and 1-on-1 feedback sessions.
Spiced Academy—Data Analytics Bootcamp
Spiced Academy’s bootcamp at a glance:
- Study format: On-site in Berlin or remote online
- Price: €9,800
- Duration: 12 weeks full-time
- Eligible for Bildungsgutschein: Yes
The Spiced Academy Data Analytics Bootcamp is a 12-week full-time program located in Berlin or live online. The bootcamp is aimed at beginners and covers various topics, including Python programming from scratch, data analysis using Python libraries (like Pandas and NumPy), mastering SQL, and data visualization using tools including Tableau and Dash.
Spiced Academy supports their students with prep material before the bootcamp kicks off, followed by one-on-one professional coaching and assistance with job placement once you get started. They offer flexible financing options, including the Bildungsgutschein.
WBS Coding School—Data Science Bootcamp
WBS Coding School’s bootcamp at a glance:
- Study format: Hybrid (Berlin and online) or 100% online
- Price: €9,900 (online) or €10,500 (hybrid)
- Duration: 15 weeks, full-time
- Eligible for Bildungsgutschein: Yes
WBS Coding School’s data science bootcamp is a 15-week full-time program, offering two options: 13 weeks online and 2 weeks on-campus (in Berlin) or 15 weeks online (with instructor-led training taking place live).
Like any good bootcamp, it’s designed for beginners without coding or math skills and covers the basics of Python, data analysis, machine learning, and SQL. However, this bootcamp focuses heavily on applying these in business settings. Taking a data science angle, you’ll dive deep into various Python libraries for data analysis but also machine learning topics like generative AI and how to train and fine-tune supervised and unsupervised machine learning models.
The course culminates in a two-week, real-world capstone project where you’ll work in teams. Overall, this is a good option for those hoping to pursue data science in business.
Constructor Academy—Data Science Bootcamp
Constructor Academy’s bootcamp at a glance:
- Study format: On-site in Munich or Bremen, or remote online
- Price: €9,800
- Duration: 12 weeks full-time
- Eligible for Bildungsgutschein: Yes
Constructor Academy’s Data Science Bootcamp, available in Munich, Bremen, or live online, is an intensive data analyst course in Germany with a data science focus. While the course’s early modules cover the same requisite fundamentals (such as Python, statistics, data visualization, and so on), the lion’s share of the curriculum focuses on advanced data science topics.
You’ll dedicate two weeks to machine learning and three to deep learning, natural language processing, and machine learning engineering. As far as possible, the course is extremely hands-on, meaning you’ll learn by doing, applying tools such as Keras (a neural network interface) and Docker (a platform used to develop and run ML apps) and learning techniques such as LIME and SHAP (which both help us understand how machine learning models make their predictions).
Be aware, though, that due to the complexity of the topics, you’ll have to pass a short technical interview—although you’ll receive all the materials you need to pass and have several days to prepare.
Code Academy Berlin—Advanced Data Analyst and Machine Learning
Code Academy Berlin’s bootcamp at a glance:
- Study format: On-campus in Berlin
- Price: €7,600
- Duration: 3 to 5 months
- Eligible for Bildungsgutschein: Yes
Code Academy Berlin’s Advanced Data Analyst and Machine Learning bootcamp is a 5-month data analyst course in Germany that expands on their 3-month data analyst and 4-month advanced data analyst bootcamp.
After learning the basics of Pandas and NumPy, you’ll master data visualization using various tools, including Tableau, Matplotlib, and Seaborn. The course follows a learning methodology specifically tailored to the fast-paced IT industry. If you take the 5-month course, you can choose between a data science or data engineering path.
Based on your decision, you’ll learn the foundations of deep learning and natural language processing (data analytics) or web development and data pipelines (data engineering), making this one of the more customizable courses on our list.
4. How to find out if data analyst courses might be for you
Before diving into a data analytics course in Germany, it’s essential to assess whether data analytics is right for you. Ask yourself the following:
Are you naturally curious about data and do you enjoy working with information?
Successful data analysts are curious about the world and how to quantify it. If you naturally spot quirks or patterns that others overlook, data analytics might be for you. Since data analysts have to back up their insights with numbers, you’ll probably have an innate interest in math, too, but if you’re not Einstein, it’s not a dealbreaker. You can learn to love numbers!
Are you comfortable with technology and interested in learning programming languages such as Python?
It’s inescapable that data analysis relies on specialized software, tools, and programming languages. If you’re a complete technophobe, it might not be for you. But you don’t necessarily have to be a tech whizz, either. At first, many tools used in data analytics might seem mystifying, but they’re a lot easier to grasp than you might expect. So long as you’re enthusiastic about learning and ready to adapt to new technologies, that’s usually enough to get started.
Do you have analytical and problem-solving skills?
At a high level, data analytics is about taking complex problems, breaking them down, and figuring out solutions. If you’re a logical thinker with excellent attention to detail, that’s a good sign that data analytics might be for you. In general, if you’re curious, ask questions, and like gathering evidence to inform decisions, you’ve got the right mindset to succeed.
Do you have a flair for communication?
Data analysts don’t just analyze stuff—they also have to communicate their findings. If you like the challenge of explaining complex topics clearly and compellingly, this trait will serve you well. Strong written and verbal communication skills are also beneficial, as are presentation skills—but you can learn these if they aren’t your natural strength!
Are you creative?
Often, people mistakenly think that data analytics is purely technical and logical. However, creativity is a highly valued skill in this field. The best data analysts blend analytical rigor with lateral thinking, finding new ways to solve problems. Creativity is also essential for storytelling, a much bigger part of data analytics than you might realize when communicating your findings.
You’ll notice that most of these questions don’t focus solely on technical skills. That’s because if your attitude and interests fit the bill, you’ve got the most important aspects covered. Learning the technical skills—although requiring effort and dedication—becomes more of a formality in that case.
Data analytics attracts people from a wide variety of backgrounds. This means the field is open to individuals like you, even if your previous experience doesn’t directly align with data analytics. The key is demonstrating the right mindset and passion for a new challenge.
5. Wrap-up
There we have it! A detailed explanation of data analyst courses in Germany and how you can take them for free.
Your next step should be to explore the various data analyst courses so you can find one that meets your objectives, location, budget, and career goals. For instance, are you interested in pure data analytics, or might you want to pursue a data science route, getting involved with the development and deployment of AI?
Data analyst courses in Germany cover various career paths, so don’t rush in. If in doubt, it never hurts to start with a course focusing on the foundational data analytics skills that any data professional will need. You can always specialize later on.
Finally, if you’re resident in Germany, and are unemployed, you may be eligible for a “Bildungsgutschein” that covers the cost of a data analytics bootcamp. This is an excellent opportunity to learn the skills you need at no extra financial cost.
To get a taste of what a career in data analytics might involve, try this free, Data Analytics Short Course, or check out the following guides: