Successful PCI training events and workshops for young professionals in the tiling trade

Throughout the month of June, half-day training events and workshops were held at various locations for young professionals in the tiling trade under the motto "Check the tile - my future in the tiling trade" parallel to the PCI-Alpencup 2023. At seven locations, the young professionals were able to find out more about the three main topics of substrates, laying/bonding and grouting in practical seminars, try their hands in the workshops, exchange ideas in discussion groups, learn from each other and take part in interesting activities in the evening program. A total of around 250 participants, equipped with PCI workwear and materials, took advantage of the seven events held throughout Germany.

The PCI-Alpencup is the new format introduced in 2021 which PCI organizes every year as part of supporting young tiling professionals and in close cooperation with the European Union of National Tile Associations (EUF). Nine countries took part in the third international performance competition: Germany, Austria, Switzerland and South Tyrol, as well as Denmark, France, Norway, Sweden and the Czech Republic. A total of eighteen young craftspeople entered the race on June 29 and showed their skills on two days of competition. The winning team with Sara Sinhuber and Florian Gruber comes from Austria. In 2023, Switzerland was the venue for the first time, the event took place at the Dagmersellen vocational training center in central Switzerland near Lucerne.

Supporting young tiling professionals has a very high priority at PCI, and not only since the massively increasing shortage of skilled workers in the trade. PCI has been committed to young craftspeople for a long time and supports apprentices and master craftspeople financially and professionally. This includes, for example, the close cooperation with the training centers in the skilled trades as well as their financial and technical support, also supporting the national tilers team as well as participating as the only premium partner in a project called "Die Meistermacher" presented in the tiling magazine "Fliesen und Platten" (the so far unique and free learning offer for the preparation for the master tiler examination), the PCI master portal and the PCI-Alpencup.

"We are pleased that the PCI training events and workshops were so well received by the young craftspeople. We see that there is a great demand and that the program is also very well received," sums up Stephan Tschernek, Head of Marketing PCI Group. "Just like the PCI-Alpencup, for example, such events are not only intended to set professional accents, but also to provide a framework for networking, exchanging ideas and having fun together with PCI. The feedback from all participants was positive throughout and we are definitely planning to continue the series of these events."