![The gold medal winners: the Festo apprentices Timo Oßwald (second from left) and Daniel Schmid (second from right) with their trainer Sybille Bohland (far left) as well as Michael Linn, Chief Expert (center), and their trainer Felix Alt ( right). Happy winners, Chief Expert and trainers](https://pressstorageadmin.blob.core.windows.net/prod/styles/content_header/storage-api-public/field/title32picture/53173812111_7a316d728b_o.jpg?sv=2017-11-09&sr=b&se=2025-09-01T03:37:17Z&sp=r&sig=kB1Qv36Eqf0TJTPUzdxz2gPpQhLku1M5fnxXZSAQtxk%3D&itok=Etp-1BV1)
Simply top in Europe
In Europe, Germany's mechatronics experts are simply top: at the European Skills Championship EuroSkills Gdańsk 2023 in Poland last September, Daniel Schmid and Timo Oßwald, both apprentices at Festo, won the gold medal in the skill mechatronics. They thus completed the extremely successful record of the German national team, which came second behind Switzerland in the 'Best of Nations' ranking in 42 trades.
At EuroSkills Gdansk 2023, 600 young professionals under the age of 25 from 32 countries took part in competitions and demonstrations in 42 different trades. Under the motto "United by Skills. We can change the world," participants represented their countries as the best trainees in each.
Mechatronics competition
Daniel Schmid and Timo Oßwald are mechatronics apprentices at Festo and are currently in their fourth year of training. They came second in the national German Championship 2021 in Mechatronics. This is how they made their way to EuroSkills Gdańsk 2023.
The task in the mechatronics competition was to build a faultlessly functioning automated production system. Festo Didactic provided the Modular Production System, or MPS for short, for the competition. In addition to cylinders and valves, sensors, grippers, an electric axis with stepper motor and PLC were also used.
An individual order is placed via an HMI touch display: Color, number of pieces and number of contents of five containers. The HMI display shows technical data, such as the number of parts still to be filled or energy consumption. By pressing the start button, the first containers are taken from the stacking magazine. They pass through quality control, are filled with contents, receive a lid and are packed in a cardboard box. Then they are transported to their removal position.
WorldSkills Europe
The biennial EuroSkills, organized by WorldSkills Europe together with 32 member countries, brings together hundreds of young professionals from all over Europe. They take the opportunity to be among the best in Europe in their respective professions. WorldSkills is a movement to promote vocational training. In Europe, it is supported by various European ministries, funds and organizations.
Festo has been an official partner of WorldSkills Europe since 2008 and sponsors the skill Mechatronics, among others. In 2022, Festo was awarded Premium Sponsor by WorldSkills Europe. "Industrial companies need skilled workers. As a global player, Festo has been promoting vocational training for young people in technical professions for decades," emphasizes Dr. Oliver Niese, Member of the Management Board of Festo Didactic. Industrial companies benefit immediately from the thorough and targeted vocational education and training of these young specialists. They can immediately apply their specialized knowledge and skills to their new position and thus help to strengthen the industry.
Festo is a global player and an independent family-owned company with headquarters in Esslingen am Neckar, Germany. Festo has set standards in industrial automation technology and technical education ever since its establishment, thereby making a contribution to sustainable development of the environment, the economy and society. The company supplies pneumatic and electrical automation technology to 300,000 customers of factory and process automation in over 35 industries. Digitalization, AI and the LifeTech sector with medical technology and laboratory automation are becoming increasingly important. The products and services are available in 176 countries. With about 20,600 employees in over 250 branch offices in around 60 countries worldwide, Festo achieved a turnover of around €3.65 billion in 2023. Each year around 7% of this turnover is invested in research and development. In this learning company, 1.5 % of turnover is invested in basic and further training. Festo Didactic SE is a leading provider of technical education and training and offers its customers worldwide comprehensive digital and physical learning solutions in the industrial environment.