SKZ Plastics Center with record attendance at training courses
Plastics processors and producers have increasingly used the year 2023 to prepare themselves for future challenges. The largest training provider for the plastics industry, the SKZ Plastics Center, is delighted with the record number of more than 13,000 course and conference participants.
The know-how of employees can be a decisive competitive advantage, as qualified employees avoid mistakes and work more efficiently. Many companies in the plastics industry have recognized this and have increasingly focused on further training during the upswing after the pandemic years. Despite a good order situation and corresponding capacity utilization in companies, the SKZ Plastics Center in Würzburg welcomed a new record number of participants in 2023: 12,000 specialists and career changers from the plastics industry and related sectors took advantage of a training or networking event at the institute. "To some extent, we have seen a certain catch-up effect after the pandemic years, particularly in the area of our networking events. People missed the personal interaction that is the foundation of good collaboration. However, such a large number of participants is also the greatest possible confirmation of our work. We are delighted to be able to support our partners and customers in this key industry," explains Matthias Ruff, Head of Sales Research and Education at SKZ.
The participants attended courses on a wide variety of topics relating to plastics: from joining, injection molding and extrusion to materials science, quality assurance, recycling and sustainability, the SKZ offers a very broad range of courses to cover the many facets of the industry. In addition to the main location in Würzburg, the various SKZ locations in Horb, Halle an der Salle, Peine and Selb provide further training courses throughout Germany. "We are very pleased about the fantastic demand last year," says Ruff. Unfortunately, however, it is precisely the further training of employees that is cut first and too quickly in times of crisis. But this is usually too short-sighted. "Qualification always pays off in the end, as the efficiency gains and quality assurance quickly recoup the financial investment in employees. A simple example is our course on energy saving. Participants learn how to make significant savings in energy costs quickly. That's why we always recommend prioritizing employee training, even in difficult times," says Ruff.