Blum apprentices achieve top results at International Vocational Training Competition 2007

Four young Blum employees pit their skills against the world’s best in Japan. They brought home gold, silver and a diploma with performances they can truly be proud of.

Hoechst / Austria

Four young Blum employees took part in the 39th International Vocational Training Competition in Shizuoka, Japan. They had previously won the Austrian Championships to qualify for the Vocational Olympics which are held every other year. This year’s competitors added two more medals to the 20 that have already been won by apprentices trained by fittings manufacturer Blum in Hoechst, Austria. Plant electrician Markus Baumgärtner won a gold medal and CNC lathe operator Martin Hämmerle a silver medal. Poly-mechanic Patrick Hofer was presented with a diploma, and Florian Fischer (model-maker), the youngest of the apprentices, also ranked among the best.

This year’s International Vocational Training Competition clearly showed that the performances of top competitors are getting closer and closer, and that the host country Japan had given its representatives excellent preparation for the Vocational Olympics. Frequently, merely thousandths of a millimetre separated the medallists from the non-medallists. Consequently, it is extremely important that competitors are prepared optimally for the event and given the support they need during the competition. Special thanks therefore go to all the assistants, some of whom worked behind the scenes, for their exemplary support