“I’m very lucky to be able to do my apprenticeship with an employer who really looks after its apprentices,” is one of the comments our carpentry apprentices made on the evaluation form provided by the Ulm Chamber of Skilled Crafts. “Here, hard work isn’t just expected – it’s also recognised and praised,” reads another. Or: “Thanks to the excellent support, I feel confident and motivated to give my best.”
Words that go down a treat. And which earned us the ‘Top Trainer 2026 to 2028’ award from the Ulm Chamber of Crafts in January. To determine the winner, apprentices – in our case, trainee joiners – and their supervisors completed questionnaires. “This is a fantastic accolade for us. Especially as the feedback comes from both sides – the company and the apprentices,” explains Annette Wildner, who is responsible for apprentices at KNOBLAUCH.
Why are we so committed to training in the skilled trades? On the one hand, we want to develop our own pool of young talent for our production. On the other hand, however, taking responsibility is deeply rooted in our values – for young people, and for the skilled trades, without which we simply couldn’t function.
“Here, our apprentices can make a contribution to the project and take on responsibility,” says Annette, “which boosts their motivation and pays dividends.” And whilst other companies complain about a shortage of skilled workers, we always manage to fill our apprenticeship places well in advance.
It’s striking: the number of people who want to go into a trade straight after their A-levels has been rising for years. What’s more – and we’re particularly pleased about this – more and more young women are keen to become carpenters. We’re already fully booked for the new apprenticeship year. But if you’re interested in an apprenticeship in the coming years, please do get in touch!
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