auszubilden

Auszubilden is a German verb meaning to train someone in a trade, craft, or professional skill. It describes the action of guiding a learner toward competence in a specific occupation. The infinitive Auszubilden is a separable-prefix verb; in the present tense the prefix is separated, as in Ich bilde ihn aus (I train him). The past participle is ausgebildet (trained). Related noun forms are Ausbildung (the training process), der/die Auszubildende (the apprentice), and der/die Ausbilder/in (the trainer).

In practice, ausbilden is central to vocational education in German-speaking regions. The Ausbildung typically combines on-the-job training with classroom instruction, often under a formal Ausbildungsvertrag (training contract). The trainer (Ausbilder) is responsible for mentoring the apprentice (Auszubildender/Auszubildende). Many countries regulate this system; in Germany the process is embedded in the broader Berufsbildung, with laws and standards that govern duration, rights, and obligations. Durations usually range from about two to three and a half years, and the program generally concludes with a final assessment or examination.

Variations exist across German-speaking countries. In Austria and Switzerland, similar concepts apply but use local terminology: Lehre (apprenticeship) and Lehrling in Austria, with comparable on-the-job and school-based components. In all cases, the goal of ausbilden is to produce skilled workers who can perform defined tasks independently and contribute to the economy.

Overall, ausbilden denotes the active role of training and developing competence in individuals within structured vocational frameworks.