„It was a very demanding weekend, with not much sleep,
so I'm glad that the job is done and everything is finished.“
– Finn-Rouven Suchau from Schleswig-Holstein,
German carpentry champion
Young people show off their
construction skills at German Craft Skills
From 9 to 11 November 2024, the 73rd German Craft Skills took place at the KOMZET BAU training centre in Bühl in southwestern Germany. More than 60 young tradespeople travelled to the competition from all 16 of the country's federal states. They competed against each other in concrete and reinforced concrete construction, screed laying, tile laying, paving, mosaic laying, bricklaying, road building, plastering, carpentry and heat, cold and sound insulation. Meanwhile, in Bad Zwischenahn in the northwest of Germany, well builders competed to be the German champion. Each had already won the regional championship in their home state.
On Saturday morning, once the competition officially began, there was a buzz of activity combined with intense concentration. You could sense that the young talents had come to the national championships with one aim: to produce their very best work. The competition lasted from one to three days depending on the trade, with different tasks, the various areas being split between the various halls in the training centre.
The national competition, which is organised by the German Construction Confederation (ZDB), not only showcases some outstanding skills but is also intended to turn the spotlight on young skilled professionals in Germany. Encouraging the next generation in building trades is an important endeavour, given that the construction industry stands in particular need of talented, qualified individuals. The national championships are designed to show young people the possibilities of skilled manual trades and of course how exciting these careers can be.
From bricklaying to carpentry, no matter the trade, it's clear to see that the young competitors are not just working mechanically through the tasks but tackling them with passion. This is why bricklaying world champion Pierre Holze and Yannic Schlachter, who holds the European title and was runner-up in the world title for tile laying, are also here in Bühl. Because they also love what they do and want to continue to show that even after winning their titles.
On Monday 11 November, after three days of competition and around 1000 visitors, the event finally drew to a close. The last tiles were laid, joints were cleaned and the last stones were put in place. The participants completed their work and it was time now to wait for the final assessment. In the evening came the award ceremony, which was held at the Bürgerhaus in Bühl.
My1stabila campaign
This year we again visited seven training centres and Chambers of Crafts and Trades across Germany. The main aim of these visits was to encourage young talent in the trade industry. As well as sharing our knowledge through a training session, there was plenty of fun to be had with the R-Type Challenge and throughout the visit we produced lots of content to appeal to potential young tradespeople on social media.
