Germany's top skilled workers impress at European vocational skills championship

The evening belonged to Europe's top skilled workers. At the European championship award ceremony – EuroSkills Graz 2021 in Austria  the sought-after medals were awarded in 38 official disciplines and 10 presentation disciplines in front of around 3,000 audience members.

Germany lined up for this unique event with 29 skilled workers in 24 disciplines from industry, the craft trades and from the service sector. Following three incredibly intense days of competition which took place at the very highest technical level and which also tested the soft skills of the approximately 400 European competitors to their limits, the German team achieved four golds overall, four silvers and four bronze medals as well as six medallions of excellence for outstanding achievements. There was also a special second place in a discipline in which only gold was awarded.

"The result is another great step forward and we are improving from event to event. This is evidence of the team spirit and also the great development taking place," explains a delighted Hubert Romer, Managing Director and official delegate of WorldSkills Germany, commenting on the outstanding achievements of the German national vocational skills team. "If you look at all the results as a whole from countries with dual vocational education and training, then dual training comes top in Europe." And referring to the organisers of the European Championship, Romar adds: “A huge thank you must go to Austria! You were the perfect host country."

"22 of our 29 German participants are bringing home a medal. They are impressively demonstrating that patience, perseverance and professionalism have ultimately more than paid off," says Dr. Hendrik Voß, technical delegate of WorldSkills Germany for EuroSkills, summing up the performance of Team Germany. "Despite the pandemic, the team in Graz delivered high level performances. This is due not least to the Austrian organisers who put in place outstanding conditions for the competition in Graz itself."

Team Germany's really pleasing success is also largely thanks to the national trainers in the individual disciplines. National trainer André Schnabel had every confidence in his protégé Simon Dorndorf throughout the competition. "I am really proud of Simon. We trained hard for 10 weeks, at all times with the clear target of achieving gold. We made it happen and virtually moved mountains here in Austria." Following a couple of slips on the second day of competition, Simon Dorndorf, a plant mechanic for sanitary, heating and air conditioning systems, had given up hope of victory and was totally surprised by the gold medal: "I have no idea how I made it onto the stage," he says about the moment when the medal was awarded. "It was simply indescribable, utter madness."

The German national vocational skills team participated at EuroSkills Graz in cooperation with WorldSkills Germany, the German Central Association of Skilled Trades and professional associations and business partners. Participation is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. In addition, CWS is the presenter partner of WorldSkills Germany and also the official partner and supplier to the German national vocational skills team for EuroSkills in Graz.