The problem of getting an apprentice

At the suggestion of the kulmbach district crafts association and the chamber of handicrafts for upper franconia, uwe krautz was awarded the title of "deserving trainer" by the bavarian ministry of economics has been honored. During the presentation ceremony, the head of the kulmbach district craftsmen’s association, reinhard bauer, said that uwe krautz, as manager and operations manager of the lauterbach butcher’s store in kulmbach, had made an extraordinary commitment to training over a period of almost 20 years.

"Over 100 young people have undergone excellent and successful training since the company was founded. If we are talking about an award for uwe krautz, then it is also an award for the lauterbach butcher’s shop", said bauer. Krautz is also the long-standing head of the butchers’ guild in kulmbach, is a member of the journeymen’s examination committee for butchers and the committee for apprentice disputes, and is also responsible for auditing the accounts of the kulmbach district craftsmen’s association.

If someone has been successfully training young people for 20 years, then he must also have a certain dexterity. Uwe krautz: "yes, we did. In the past you could also make a choice if someone was suitable for the job. Today it is much more difficult. Yes, it is even very difficult to get apprentices at all. We do it in our company in such a way that we first invite the young man or woman for a week’s trial to see whether he or she can do the job. There is no point in signing an apprenticeship contract, and then it turns out that one of them can’t cope with the job. That is good for both sides."

Uwe krautz originally learned a completely different profession, as he worked as a graduate engineer in the paper industry. At the age of 29, the cottbus native decided to take up the butcher’s trade: "it wasn’t easy for me, but my wife came from the business. She also has another profession, she works at the school of interpreting as a translator for english and french language."
Krautz has also had good experiences over the years: "for example, we had a young butcher who we sent to master school right after his apprenticeship. This is our top man today."