Best surface coating graduates 2023 and 2024 honored in Zwickau

In 2023, Oliver Schürer, an apprentice at Metallveredlung Kotsch GmbH Schneeberg, achieved the best qualification as a surface coater. Metallveredlung Kotsch has been a family business since 1945. Hardy Kotsch is the third generation to run the company. For the first time since the awards have been presented, the management, in this case Hardy Kotsch, accompanied a graduate to the award ceremony - a special appreciation of Schürer's achievements.

Schürer came to the profession of surface coater by chance. He was employed by another company, but did not want to stay there. A friend recommended Kotsch to him. At the interview, Kotsch immediately recognized Schürer's potential. This initial assessment proved to be correct. Today, Schürer is already deputy laboratory manager at the company and has thus taken on responsibility. He is particularly fascinated by the versatility of the job. Together with teacher Benjamin Trinks, Schürer even gave a motivating presentation on recruiting young surface coaters at the 29th Leipzig technical seminar.

Many paths lead to a successful surface coater

The best student of 2024 is Tobias Herrmann. He completed his training at the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration (IZM) in Berlin. He worked and still works in the SIIT EST department (System Integration & Interconnection Technologies; Embedding & Substrate Technologies). This area deals with the development of new manufacturing processes for organic substrates and the embedding of components in substrates.

Herrmann also came across training as a surface coater by chance. After leaving school, he completed a one-year training course to become a state-certified technical assistant and then wanted to start training as a microtechnologist - a profession that the Fraunhofer Institute does not offer, however; it recommended that he train as a surface coater instead. He then enjoyed a very special apprenticeship at the Fraunhofer. He also always enjoyed school and contributed to intensive technical discussions. Herrmann would like to continue his training as a technician later on.

Marion Regal, Chairwoman of the DGO Saxony district group, presented the awards in the presence of teachers Benjamin Trinks and Oliver Böhme as well as the third-year apprentices. Both graduates received a certificate from the DGO, a specialist book by Nasser Kanani (donated by Leuze Verlag) and a voucher for a one-year free subscription to the ZVOreport and "Galvanotechnik" (Leuze Verlag) in print and online. If you are interested, you can also become a DGO junior member up to your 28th birthday.