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Bannewitz. The medal has found its place on a shelf in Moritz Gersch's room. Even in Sweden, several hundred kilometers away, he is admired for his success. The Bannewitz native's girlfriend lives there and recently kept her fingers crossed for the 19-year-old from afar. That's because Moritz Gersch had previously won a ticket to the WorldSkills vocational championships in Lyon and made a name for himself. The apprentice came top along with nine others in the "Electrical Installation" discipline, making him one of the best in his field around the globe.
As trainer Torsten Lippoldt, who is also training coordinator at the energy supplier SachsenEnergie his protégé scored a total of 713 points - 55 fewer than the first-placed athlete from China. "I once got into this position by chance," says the coach. That was in 2013, when an edition of the World Championships took place in Leipzig. The advantage of the prestigious competition is that connections can be made with other training centers and a comparison can be made with them. And he can also see another advantage to the whole thing: "It publicizes job profiles." However, anyone who wants to take part in the World Championships must first assert themselves at home. Candidates are selected as part of an internal selection process.
Challenging tasks await World Cup participants
Moritz Gersch had won one of these. At the subsequent German Championships, he also left the impression as runner-up that he could bring home a medal. The Bannewitz native's participation in France was therefore a foregone conclusion for his employer and coach Torsten Lippoldt. From September 10 to 15, a total of 1,400 participants from more than 70 nations competed in 59 disciplines. From a technical point of view, challenging tasks awaited the budding electronics technician for industrial engineering, as the 19-year-old explains.
Within 20 hours, he and his opponents had to install a complete house and industrial installation. And all in front of numerous onlookers. "I was able to cope well with the public traffic," sums up Moritz Gersch. "You concentrate on your work, otherwise you drive yourself crazy." Among other things, cables had to be laid and light switches installed in a wooden cabin open to the front. That was still one of the easier tasks. The challenge lay in the installation and programming of the control and regulation technology, recalls Torsten Lippoldt. In addition to an automated light control system, a motor control system for a door drive was also required. However, it turned out that not everything worked in the end. "That wasn't necessarily our own fault," explained the coach, referring to the equipment provided.
He has now competed in the World Professional Championships three times - each time with a different protégé. Another edition is already on the cards. It is set to take place in Shanghai in 2026. Before that, however, there are still competitions to be held at national and European level.
Moritz Gersch, however, has some unforgettable moments. "Apart from the many littered corners, Lyon is very beautiful," he says. "We did some team building before the World Championships, went on a boat trip, completed a scavenger hunt and visited the birthplace of the famous physicist André-Marie Ampère, which is now a museum. On the competition days, we spent most of our time at the extensive exhibition grounds where the World Championships were taking place. We only returned to the hotel after 10 pm."
Swedish competitor left behind
A few days later, he was relieved that he had made it and that the badge of honor he had been awarded adorned his room in his parents' house. Above all, however, the SachsenEnergie apprentice is pleased that he was able to leave his Swedish competitor behind. And there's a good reason for that. "I have a special relationship with the country because of my girlfriend. If I do end up going there after my apprenticeship, it will look good on my application letter," says the Bannewitz native, not without pride.
However, the company is finding it difficult to let such a competent apprentice as Moritz go. HR Director Lars Seiffert: "He has proven that he is a world-class master of his craft. I take my hat off to this achievement." He also has words of praise for Torsten Lippoldt and his commitment: "Because he has been instrumental in promoting this talent." The coach, for his part, knows what he has in Moritz: "His hard work, his precision and his excellent technical understanding have led him to this success."
The young man secured the second Medal of Excellence for the energy company. That is the correct name of the award. He started his apprenticeship at the company in 2021. December will show how he finishes it. First up is the oral test. The practical part of the exam will follow in January. But anyone who had physics as their favorite subject at school and shone with A's should be able to pass. Both in Sweden and here in Germany, some people will be keeping their fingers crossed for him.
SZ
