The best apprentice in the Technical Product Designer apprenticeship programme for the 2025 graduating class of the Lower Rhine Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK Niederrhein) this year is Niklas Schatschneider from Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences.
‘Best Trainee in the Technical Product Designer apprenticeship programme for the 2025 cohort at the Lower Rhine Chamber of Industry and Commerce’ – this is the title Niklas Schatschneider, a former trainee at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, has recently been awarded. In August 2022, he began his apprenticeship as a technical product designer, specialising in machinery and plant design, at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences. His apprenticeship went smoothly and, at his own request, he was able to shorten it by half a year. This year, three years later, he was presented with his special award at the Lower Rhine Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s awards ceremony. “I am, of course, very proud to have been recognised as the best by the Lower Rhine Chamber of Industry and Commerce,” said Niklas Schatschneider.
The final mark consists of two parts: the mark for the written examination and the completion of an examination project, which the apprentices at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences develop, document and submit to the Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Niklas Schatschneider chose the topic ‘Cutting device’, as suggested by the IHK, as his examination project, which ultimately earned him this year’s top mark. “We are very proud of Niklas for having completed his apprenticeship so brilliantly. With this achievement, he is a role model for many young people – particularly for our future talent at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences,” emphasises trainer Angelika Michel.
Niklas Schatschneider completed his apprenticeship with great enthusiasm and dedication: “I particularly remember the two-week ERASMUS work placement abroad in Vilnius whilst I was at vocational college. At university, I appreciated the variety of projects I was able to work on. Each project was unique and presented new challenges, so there was never a dull moment.” After completing his apprenticeship, he moved to Aachen, where he has started a BSc degree in Mechanical Engineering. “I really enjoyed the technical training and would like to deepen and expand on the knowledge I’ve already gained,” says Schatschneider.
Training young people is a top priority at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences. For almost eight years now, the profession of technical product designer has been taught at the Kleve campus. “Training skilled workers has always been very important to us. Technical product designers act as a vital link within the faculty between the project idea and production readiness,” says Angelika Michel. The importance of vocational training is particularly evident in times of a skills shortage. “High-quality training is very important to us, so I am delighted when our young professionals complete their training so successfully. For our training team at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, this is both a source of validation and motivation to continue driving forward our collaboration with the trainees with great commitment,” says Katrin Bongertmann, Head of Training at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences.
Anyone interested in finding out more about apprenticeship places at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences can do so here: www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/de/jobs/ausbildungsplaetze
