Those who complete an apprenticeship gain valuable professional experience at an early stage, are involved in real work processes and learn to take on responsibility. Companies, in turn, benefit from the fact that they train junior staff according to their standards and thus gain employees who fit perfectly into the team, both professionally and personally.
EuroSkills 2025: Austria's talents impress internationally
The strength of this model was demonstrated at EuroSkills 2025 in Herning, Denmark. The Austrian team won a total of twelve medals - six gold, three silver and three bronze - as well as numerous awards for top performance.
Gold went to:
- Jonas Danninger (refrigeration and air conditioning technology)
- Leonie Tieber (automotive engineering)
- Sara Sinhuber (Tiling)
- Elena Mathis (Hotel Reception)
- Johannes Gstrein (plumbing and heating technology)
- Lukas Ritzberger & Lukas Miedler (concrete construction, team)
Silver was awarded to:
- Martin Riegler (plant electrics)
- Markus Manser (floor laying)
- Theresa Fink & Miriam Haider (fashion technology, team)
Bronze winners were:
- Tarik Begeta & Stefan Tomp (IT network and system administration, team)
- Katharina Höller (Painting)
- Daniel Schinagl (Welding)
More than medals: A signal for the future
Leonie Tieber, the first woman ever to become European champion in automotive engineering, attracted a lot of attention. But whether painting, floristry, welding or IT - the diversity of the award-winning disciplines impressively demonstrates how broad the dual training system is.
The successes in Denmark are not just shiny trophies for the display case. They are a strong sign that an apprenticeship in Austria opens doors for young people, creates prospects - and can even take them to the international winners' podium. We think that's #schongenial.
