Mona Neubaur (2nd from left) in conversation with Hans-Joachim Hering (left), Berthold Schröder (3rd from left), Jochen Renfordt (2nd from right), and moderator Gisela Steinhauer (right). (Photo: © WHKT / RG)

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Master's Day: Craftsmanship thrives even in difficult times

September 19, 2022

At the eleventh Masters Day NRW, around 30 master craftsmen from across NRW received their grant notifications for the master craftsman start-up bonus.

This article is part of the special feature GründerNavi – for founders and young companies

The eleventh NRW Master Craftsmen's Day once again focused on master craftsmen from across North Rhine-Westphalia who are taking the plunge into self-employment with the support of the Master Craftsman Start-Up Bonus . Around 30 master craftsmen received their certificates for the bonus from the Minister of Economic Affairs, Mona Neubaur (Green Party), the President of the West German Association of Chambers of Skilled Crafts (WHKT), Berthold Schröder , and the Chairman of the State Agency for Trade Promotion of North Rhine-Westphalian Skilled Crafts , Hans-Joachim Hering.

"North Rhine-Westphalia needs a strong skilled trades sector . Only with your help can we succeed in the energy and climate transition. That's why we support young craftspeople with the master craftsman start-up bonus, helping them to realize their ideas and concepts and encouraging them to take the step into self-employment ," said Neubaur.

Maintain craftsmanship know-how

"Those who take the step into self-employment not only create valuable jobs and apprenticeships , but also make a crucial contribution to preserving skilled craftsmanship ," said Schröder. "We hope that other young craftspeople will follow suit and seize the opportunity to start their own business or take over an existing one. Only if enough businesses are founded or acquired can the skilled trades continue to act as an economic stabilizer and fulfill their vital role in the energy and climate transition."

Furthermore, at the Master Craftsmen's Day , the NRW Guarantee Bank's Craftsmanship Award was presented to three craft businesses that have demonstrated exceptional commitment in the areas of digitalization, promoting young talent, and innovation . First place and a nomination for the nationwide Craftsmanship Award went to Fass-Schmiede GmbH & Co. KG from Iserlohn, second place to Temperaturwerk GmbH from Bergisch Gladbach, and third place to Bäckerei Becker from Velen.