Learning German and working are closely linked: Early entry into the workforce offers the opportunity to apply German skills directly in everyday work and to further improve them alongside employment. Especially in specialized professions, this involves not only learning everyday language but also acquiring important technical terminology to ensure clear communication on the job. In the Austrian construction industry, around one-third of employees are foreign nationals: In July 2026, according to the Public Employment Service (AMS), 94,784 foreign nationals and 192,056 Austrian nationals were employed in the construction sector. Against this backdrop, the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF) and the Vienna Chamber of Commerce, Provincial Guild of Construction Trades, have jointly developed a new digital picture dictionary for tools. The digital picture dictionary for construction trades is available free of charge on the ÖIF language portal .
275 technical terms with images and audio files
The aim of this free digital learning resource is to teach German for construction trades in an intuitive and practical way and to support users in building a job-specific vocabulary. The picture dictionary includes 275 technical terms from the fields of flooring, machinery, insulation installation, drywall construction, and heating, cooling, soundproofing, and fire protection technology. For each technical term, there is a clear illustration, singular and plural forms, an AI-generated audio file for pronunciation, and a concrete example sentence. Users can then test their knowledge with a quiz.
German language courses for the occupation of employees, interested parties and vocational schools
The new resource is aimed at vocational schools as well as individuals already working in the construction industry or interested in a career in this field. The picture dictionary helps users acquire specialized vocabulary for everyday work. For example, immigrants with prior construction experience can use the resource to specifically learn the German terms for familiar tools, machines, materials, and tasks. Those who have worked in construction in their home country can supplement their existing professional knowledge with the corresponding German technical vocabulary.
