Niko Schleicher is pleased after successfully completing his task under time pressure at the WorldSkills competition. (Photo: © WorldSkills Germany e. V.)
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2 October 2026
Successful in the chamber district: Niko Schleicher, a tile layer from Illingen, won an Excellence Medal at the WorldSkills 2026 in Shanghai.
As a member of the German national construction team, 22-year-old Niko Schleicher from Illingen represented the German tiling trade at the WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai from September 22nd to 27th . There, he competed against the international elite of his trade. Preparation for this major competition was intensive: this year alone, Niko spent around 20 weeks traveling with the national team for training and competitions. During this time, his work in the family business had to take a significant back seat.
At WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, a total of around 1.400 top professionals from more than 70 countries and regions competed against each other in 31 disciplines. Team Germany brought home a total of 22 awards – including two gold, one silver, and three bronze medals, as well as 15 Excellence Medals. One of these went to Illingen in Saarland! And the focus is already on the future: From September 22nd to 26th, 2027, Germany and Luxembourg will jointly host the European Skills Championships – EuroSkills – in Düsseldorf. Niko also aims to qualify for this.
Congratulations from the Chamber of Skilled Crafts : "Congratulations, Niko Schleicher, on this outstanding achievement! Your success impressively demonstrates how much skill, passion and commitment is involved in Saarland's skilled trades!"
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Further news from the district of the Saarland Chamber of Crafts
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