Top class young talent in the skilled trades honoured

In Dresden, 21 talented young craftswomen and craftsmen have been awarded a vocational education and training scholarship for outstanding talent.

The future of the skilled trades depends on these young people. The potential candidates for this award are the best young craftswomen and craftsmen of each year, who bring the skilled trades up to speed or keep them going in their capacity as beacons of their trade. They have not only completed their apprenticeship with outstanding results, but have also successfully competed in their respective trade in young craftsmen's practical performance competitions at a chamber, federal state and in part also at national level.

The young craftswomen and craftsmen from the chamber's district are awarded acceptance into the federal government's funding programme "Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung" (Vocational Training Programme for the Highly Talented).

Their certificate entitles them to draw from an advanced training scholarship totalling 6,000 euros in value over a period of three years. This scholarship helps to finance extra-occupational education programmes such as preparation courses towards the master craftsman qualification, advanced training programmes to attain the qualification of business economist in the skilled trades, language courses including language study travel, computer courses and special occupational advanced training courses of relevance to the job.

"Advanced training helps the young people to gain competitive advantages in the employment market", says Chamber President Dr Jörg Dittrich. At the same time he lauded the work of the businesses providing vocational training: "The commitment of the master craftsmen and trainers is evidence of entrepreneurial foresight, because qualified professionals are at the heart of every business."