Next-generation tiling, screwing, hammering and wiring

Do-it-yourself beautiful murals: there was plenty to try out at the "skilled crafts day".

"Just have a go" was the motto at the "skilled crafts day". This was also what Thomas Janowski said to himself when he started his master craftsperson training. He usually has classes on Saturdays for his training. But on this occasion, he is using the day to set up a stand at Famila in Wechloy with his colleague Johannes Oks. Here, master craftsman Gerhard Hickl is showing the work a carpenter must be able to do.

A lot is going on in the shopping centre; there is screwing, hammering, sawing all over the place and in the "Centre of Excellence for Skin and Hair" people are having their hair cut and make-up applied. The Centre of Excellence trains hairdressers and beauticians in their academies and master schools on the Willersstrasse. "The skilled crafts are the basis for everything else in professional life," says department leader Elke Freesemann. "The master craftsperson is the pinnacle of work in the skilled crafts."

It is not clear whether Jana Hollander and Marius Barghorn will be doing their master craftsperson qualification at some point. With the aid of data goggles and under the guidance of the Centre for Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (BFE) they are "putting together" the plug on an extension cable and, at the other end, the socket. "We are allowed to keep this," says Jana proudly.

Nele Völker is having a pixie shape created on her underarm with an airbrush. And Hannah (9) shows great skill in creating a tile. A pile of small mosaic pieces are laying on the table. Carefully and with a little bit of help from dad, Ralf Sketta, she selects the right pieces and arranges them artistically. Meanwhile, master tiler Michael Müller explains all the things a tiler has to do apart from tiling.

Stefanie Hausmann performed very well in her master craftsperson examination as a beautician and today is receiving special recognition from the Minister for Economic Affairs, Olaf Lies. "You have to take everything that is offered during training," says the master craftsperson.

"A day like this is important for us," says Lies. The Chamber of Crafts and Trades and business associations in the skilled crafts have just agreed a strategy for strengthening the master craftsperson training.

Chamber President Manfred Kurmann is satisfied with the outcomes and explains that "this puts us on the right path financially to equivalence between academic and vocational education and Training". He hopes that, as a result, increasing numbers of young people will complete the master craftsperson training.