Würth is passionate about supporting young, skilled workers engaged in a craft or trade. For many years, Würth has been rewarding the achievements of Austria’s top apprentices who successfully compete at national and regional level in the course of their vocational training. And it goes without saying that the most talented workers should have the best tools at their disposal!

As a sponsor, every year Würth also supports all members of Team Austria who qualify to compete at EuroSkills and WorldSkills. The international skills competitions at European and world level (EuroSkills and WorldSkills) are held every two years in alternation. Anyone who qualifies in their skill or trade at the Austrian national competitions, AustrianSkills, is eligible to pit their skills in the international showdown.

Even during the preparations for EuroSkills and WorldSkills, Würth has provided the competitors with quality tools so that they can practise for the competitions under the best possible conditions. Training intensively for months on end is a considerable challenge and the competitors often fit in practice sessions at the end of their normal working day. Top-quality working materials are an additional motivation booster because skilled workers must be able to rely on their tools ‒ and the podium only has room for the best!

Enthusiasm for skills and trades

For Würth Austria’s managing director, Willi Trumler, supporting young people is a top priority: “Young people who have decided to follow a skilled profession have made a smart choice. Anyone who masters a trade will find they have excellent career prospects in the future. So, as a leading specialist in assembly and fastening materials, we think it’s very important to support Austria’s most talented young people at international competitions by supplying then with premium tools. Outstanding performance in skills and trades requires maximum precision, and this can only be achieved by using top-quality working materials.”

WorldSkills 2019 ‒ Europe’s most successful young, skilled workers are from Austria!

From 22 to 27 August, the 45th “WorldSkills International Competition 2019” world championships were held in Kazan in Russia, about 800 km east of Moscow. More than 1,400 entrants from almost 70 countries competed in around 56 competitions for the title of world champion in their skill or trade. Austria fielded its biggest team ever, with 46 competitors lining up at the start.

The four-day contest took place at the Kazan Expo International Exhibition Centre, which was built especially for WorldSkills 2019.

With its haul of medals including six golds, five silvers and a bronze, as well as 17 “Medallions for Excellence”, Team Austria achieved a sensational 7th-place ranking among the top ten nations worldwide and triumphed as the best European team out of all the participating EU countries.

Word champions in six skills or trades

• The gold medals went to painter and decorator Stefan Planitzer from Tamsweg in Salzburg, who also achieved the highest points score of all the Austrian medal winners and was therefore also named “Best of Nation”, the two concrete construction workers Alexander Krutzler from Burgenland and Mateo Grgic from Vienna, print technician Christof Babinger from Bergland in Lower Austria, florist Julia Leitgeb from Ebersdorf in Styria, mechanical engineering technician Stefan Erös from Höchst in Vorarlberg, and two further Vorarlberg residents Lukas Wolf from Lustenau and Manuel Franz from Lustenau and Meiningen, who were victorious in the Future Skill Industry 4.0 category.

 

• The silver medallists were graphic designer Martin Straif from Kössen in Tyrol, hotel receptionist Oliver Lang from Vienna, bricklayer Marc Berndorfer from Feldbach in Styria, metalworker Johannes Kalss from Altaussee in Styria and stonemason Sebastian Wienerroither from Frankenburg in Upper Austria.

 

• And Julian Fink, a young joiner from Feldback in Styria, took home the bronze medal.

Würth quality for outstanding performance

Just as it does every year, Würth providedTeam Austria with professional equipment and materials to ensure the best possible training conditions in the run-up to the contest. After all, when the competition is that strong you need to stay one step ahead in order to taste victory in the biggest international arena of them all. It was a pleasure to watch the young bricklayer Marc Berndorfer and stonemason Sebastian Wienerroither in action as they prepared for the big event.

Make or break

Marc Berndorfer set out to test his bricklaying skills against competitors from more than 30 other countries in Kazan. For his training regime he had chosen a high-quality laser measuring device, which Helmut Reitstätter from Würth had handed over to him in person at the BAUAkademie Oberösterreich vocational training institution. Marc had already competed at EuroSkills 2018 in Budapest where, following his mantra of “make or break”, he scooped a fantastic silver medal. He was able to put his skills to the test once again in Kazan, once again taking home the silver.

Stonemasonry ‒ a trade with a long history

Becoming a world champion was also the declared goal of Sebastian Wienerroither. He inherited his enthusiasm for stonemasonry from his father, and recalls: “Even when I was a young child, my dad let me help him with his work every now and them.” One thing he loves about his trade is the variety. As a stonemason, he is always facing new challenges. In addition to manual dexterity, stonemasons also need a great deal of creativity. A knowledge of statics, design and drawing, as well as spatial visualisation skills, are also essential attributes.

At WorldSkills 2019, Sebastian was only allowed to work with manual tools and he demonstrated strong nerves – with a silver medal as his reward.

 

WorldSkills 2019 was another great success for Team Austria. All competitors were superb ambassadors for their professions, their training companies and their home country. Many congratulations!

Photos: ©WKÖ/SkillsAustria/Laresser