Is Czech crafts returning to the limelight?

Students competing in practical skills during the grand finale at the FOR ARCH fair. They had to complete assigned tasks using materials supplied by partner companies.

Visitors to the autumn FOR ARCH fair witnessed the 13th annual Competition for Apprentices in Construction Trades. The competition aims to encourage young apprentices in their studies and represents an interesting opportunity for students from competing schools to measure their strengths and exchange experiences. The first regional round of the new edition of the competition will kick off on November 26 in Ostrava. This time, the partner of the competition will again be Xella CZ, the manufacturer of Ytong aerated concrete.

In the situation of a catastrophic shortage of quality craftsmen in the Czech labor market, similar events like the Competition for Apprentices are helping to restore the prestige of masonry and other apprenticeship trades. “While the entire 90s in the Czech Republic were marked by an incredible construction boom, the teaching of trades did not receive similar development. Among other things, the effort of investors to minimize labor costs, often at the expense of quality, by importing cheap, unqualified labor was to blame. As a result, trades have ceased to be attractive to Czech youth, and most schools have to cope with a shortage of applicants for studies every year,” says Ivana Havlíčková, head of marketing at Xella CZ. In recent years, however, Ivana Havlíčková has noted a turn towards a more favorable situation: “From our customers' experiences, we know that the main problem with every construction is finding enough quality craftsmen. Investors are now even willing to pay extra for quality. Thus, construction trades are slowly but surely starting to receive the recognition they deserve. All activities that lead to elevating the name of Czech masons are also in our own interest.”

A look back at the last competition
The growing prestige of the Competition for Masonry Apprentices is also evidenced by the holding of the grand finale of the 13th edition at the Prague FOR ARCH fair, which is regularly among the largest construction events of the year. Besides Xella CZ, the partners of the competition included Wienerberger, brick industry and KB - BLOK system. The students shone in the best light. With great support from the spectators, they demonstrated impressive performances and showed that they have enough interest in their profession and can even be said to show enthusiasm.

A new edition full of changes
The fourteenth edition of the competition comes with several innovations. Aside from being renamed to the Craft Competition Showcase “SUSO”, the organizers have created a new logo and new websites will be launched soon. Throughout the year, performances of promising craftsmen will be monitored by the patron of the competition, who for the upcoming edition is actor Jan Antonín Duchoslav. Several changes will also appear in the awarding of participants, in the rules, and in the organization. The kickoff regional round of the 14th edition will be held on November 26 and 27, 2009, in Ostrava at the House and Apartment 2009 construction fair at the Černá louka exhibition grounds. Traditionally, the regional round pertains to the trades of masonry and carpentry.

The company Xella CZ, through its support of this competition, complements its collaboration with various types of educational institutions. Besides the partnership within the Craft Competition Showcase, Xella CZ is organizing a High School Competition, focusing on creating a house project using Ytong material. The international Xella Student Competition has gained significant acclaim among university architecture students. “Practical support for Czech education is one of the prerequisites for future prosperity, therefore Xella is trying to do its utmost in this regard,” concludes marketing leader Ivana Havlíčková.

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YTONG is primarily used for the construction of residential and family houses due to its unique thermal insulation parameters, ensuring year-round thermal and moisture comfort. The environmentally friendly and energy-efficient production, along with the minimal energy consumption of the buildings, ranks Ytong aerated concrete among the most environmentally friendly building materials available today. High precision, low weight, speed, and simple masonry technology also make it suitable for the reconstruction of all types of buildings. Ytong white aerated concrete is manufactured exclusively from high-quality natural raw materials, such as silica sand, lime, cement, and water. Therefore, it is ideal for buildings intended for long-term human habitation, including spaces with increased hygiene requirements.
The company Xella CZ prides itself on the fact that the materials it manufactures are among modern construction solutions and offer unique parameters in many respects. Whether concerning thermal technical, acoustic, or static properties or hygienic and microclimatic parameters of buildings, Ytong, Silka, or Ytong Multipor materials are among the most interesting that the construction market can offer investors. Knowledge and experience with Ytong aerated concrete should, therefore, not be missing in the professional equipment of future builders and architects.

More information about Xella and its product range can be found at www.xella.cz and www.ytong.cz.