The idea came from Switzerland. At the initiative of the Swiss Printing and Media Association (VSD), in partnership with Heidelberg, an international competition for young print technicians was held in November at the Wiesloch-Walldorf site in Germany, which includes the manufacturer's Print Media Center showroom.
Over two days, candidates from Germany, Switzerland, France and Japan competed in practical tests.
On a Speedmaster CX 75 offset press, a Speedmaster CX 104 and a Versafire digital press, participants had to produce printed products with the highest standards of quality, efficiency and speed. The test also included finishing operations, in conditions close to those of a standard production workshop.
At the end of the competition, Lukas Briggen, representing Switzerland, took first place, ahead of Noah Blaumoser (from Germany) and Ayato Ueoka (from Japan).
The winner, Lukas Briggen, praised the quality of the facilities and the educational value of the event: "It was great! The Home of Print, with its impressive facilities, is an ideal venue for a competition like this. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot too." he said, quoted by Heidelberg.
Nick Trabold, Head of Print Media Center and Service at Heidelberg, emphasizes the importance of these initiatives: "With this competition, Heidelberg is showing how important it is for us to support young talent in our industry, especially in view of the current recruitment difficulties faced by many companies. We also want to send out a message: printing is both a relevant and exciting profession, join the industry!"
The visibility stakes for young printers are all the higher, given that printing trades have not been represented in the WorldSkills International competition since 2023. The competition initiated by Heidelberg and the Swiss federation thus fills a gap by offering young professionals a new forum for technical expression on an international scale.
The next edition of this new world championship is scheduled for 2027, again in Wiesloch-Walldorf. In the meantime, Heidelberg plans to organize a German national championship for media technicians from autumn 2026. The age limit for participation is 25, and interested candidates are invited to make themselves known to the group.
