On the occasion of Craftsmanship Day this coming Saturday, Jörg Dittrich, President of the ZDH, spoke out on behalf of his industry while warning political leaders against cuts to education. Dittrich addressed the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland,” asserting that there is no such thing as good or bad education; he emphasized that academic and vocational training are equally valuable. However, he noted that societal perception often fails to reflect this reality. Consequently, he found it incomprehensible that discussions about cutting funding for vocational training were resurfacing. He criticized the idea, stating, “Given the Pisa results, the decreasing number of training contracts in industry, and the expectation that skilled trades will have to absorb some of that decline, it is simply not logical.”
The ZDH president explained that the long-standing educational dogma had been that prosperity and professional success were achievable only through arriving at an Abitur qualification followed by higher education. He stated to the RND that this entrenched belief is now fundamentally flawed. Yet, statistics offer a different view. For instance, Dittrich, who is also a master roof craftsman and business owner, mentioned that in Saxony, the compensation for master craftsmen was compared to that of people with bachelor’s degrees, and there was essentially no significant difference between the two.
Regarding the growing interest among young people in his industry, Dittrich attributed it partly to modern life. He explained, “In an increasingly digital and depersonalized world, people are searching for something they can touch, feel, and see.” He also highlighted the social aspect of the work. “It’s always about human interaction. These immediate connections are a huge asset of the craft. I believe that this community aspect will appeal to even more people in the future.”
