PWO AG congratulates its vocational training graduates  

• PWO's vocational training graduates came out on top once again this year

Oberkirch, 16 November 2009 - Progress-Werk Oberkirch AG once again has cause to be proud of its apprentices. Lisa-Maria Basler from Renchen-Erlach, Isabell Baschnagel from Kappelrodeck and Simon Decker from Oberkirch all picked up prizes in 2009. Lisa-Maria Basler and Isabell Baschnagel won a special distinction at the graduation ceremony of the Achern Business School: The newly qualified industrial clerk and two other students received an award for achieving the best graduation certificates. Simon Decker received congratulations by the Baden-Württembergischer Industrie- und Handelskammertag (Association of Chambers of Industry and Commerce of Baden-Württemberg) for achieving the best mechatronics engineering graduation certificate in the state.

Karl M. Schmidhuber, Chairman of the Management Board of Progress-Werk Oberkirch AG, points out that providing training for young people is a long-standing tradition at PWO: "For 90 years now, PWO and the region of Ortenau have been inseparable. Many families have close ties with the company that span back over generations. Fathers, mothers, children and grandchildren have found employment and a means of living at PWO. This makes us especially aware of our social responsibility. Even in difficult times for the automotive sector we are still investing into the future. And our most important investment in the future are young people! Our success is built on our know-how, accumulated and permanently expanded over many years, passed on to our trainees and apprentices. I?d like to congratulate our vocational training graduates in 2009 and wish them all a successful future, preferably at PWO!"

Dr.-Ing. Winfried Blümel, Member of the Management Board responsible for production and materials management, adds: "PWO can again be proud to have the best in the state in its ranks. We strive to achieve the best product quality for our customers and are also aware of the responsibility to give our apprentices the best possible education. They deserve our gratitude for rewarding us in turn by achieving outstanding graduation certificates."

Bernd Bartmann, Member of the Management Board responsible for finance and business administration, is particularly pleased with the awards won by the two clerical graduates: "These awards are good examples of the scope of our efforts to give young people all possible opportunities for their future careers. Industrial companies, too, need good office staff after all. Congratulations!"

Progress-Werk Oberkirch AG

The Management Board