Young car fans in Salzburg

Young car fans in Salzburg

At the end of April, the “Customized” trade fair took place in the Salzburg exhibition center. The two-day event primarily attracted young car fans. “This event gave us the opportunity, with the support of our apprentices in the field of automotive technology, to provide information about the latest product developments and to show the professional opportunities and possibilities in the automotive technology professions, from the apprenticeship in automotive technology to bodywork or painters,” emphasized Wolfgang Hiegelsperger, state guild manager for vehicle technology at the Salzburg Chamber of Commerce. The event was supported by the “Schrauberblog” with its influencers well-known in the automotive scene.

“Especially in times of a shortage of skilled workers, it is particularly important to address young people in the channels they are familiar with and use,” says Hiegelsperger. From his point of view, personally experiencing the activities and “getting involved” are important in order to convey to young people the diverse sides of careers in the field of automotive technology. "It was particularly exciting to use our apprentices to explain our activities to interested visitors at the trade fair and show new product developments. A highlight was certainly the tire changing machine, where those interested could show off their skills under competitive conditions," says Bernhard Graggaber, apprentice trainer and co-initiator of the participation. With an annual sales volume of around nine billion euros, the automotive industry is one of the strongest economic sectors in the state of Salzburg. 1,711 motor vehicle businesses (965 motor vehicle dealers, 746 motor vehicle workshops) employ almost 6,800 people and train around 630 apprentices.