Problems with young talent are omnipresent in the skilled trades. What is the situation for stonemasons? In STEIN 8/25, we take an in-depth look at the training and further education opportunities for stonemasons. We take a detailed look at the job description and show what the current situation is at German stonemasonry schools. There are also portraits of stonemasons who have undergone further training. They present their projects and show what a professional career with stone can look like.
05.09.2025
Art meets skill – The stone in August 2025
Jo Kley emphatically does not specify a theme for his one-week workshops. "I keep the course completely free," says the artist from Kiel. "The young people are given neither a plan nor a template, they should do what they feel like doing, what their gut instinct tells them." The national winners of the "Die gute Form im Handwerk" and "Deutsche Meisterschaft im Handwerk - German Craft Skills" competitions, organized by the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts, had received the voucher to take part in the course as an award for their outstanding work. However, instead of a utility product, no matter how aesthetically pleasing, the workshop focused on the creation of a purely artistic sculpture. The students, from the Central Association of German Crafts, had received the voucher to take part in the course as an award for their outstanding work. However, instead of creating a utility product, no matter how aesthetically pleasing, the workshop focused on the creation of a purely artistic sculpture. Cover picture: Horst Baderschneider
On the offensive
The situation for young talent in the skilled trades is devastating. This also applies to the stonemasonry trade. According to the BIV, there were still around 2,400 trainees in 1998, but around 20 years later there were only 736. At the STEIN editorial office, we have been following this development with concern for years and are looking for the causes and solutions. In this issue, we show how interesting and well-founded training as a stonemason is and what career opportunities it offers in the long term. One piece of good news is that the federal association is going on the offensive and is trying to tackle the loss of apprentices with various measures. One of these is the “Stone makes you proud” campaign. You can read more about this and training as a stonemason as well as the various schools from page 6 onwards.
Further training on the job
Our author Dr. Alexandra Nyseth has compiled a list of further and advanced training courses for stonemasons for you from page 15.
From page 20, master stonemason and stone sculptor Steffen Grigoleit talks about his further training to become a “Master Professional Restorer”. The selection of projects he has completed since then is particularly exciting.
Added value for stone professionals
Thomas Laubscher, Head of the European Training Center (EFBZ) in Wunsiedel, talks about the importance of training and further education for stonemasons and stone sculptors in an interview with STEIN. From page 28 onwards, find out what courses the EFBZ offers and what added value this brings for stone professionals.
Digital surprise
It’s up to the man and woman: further training can also be supplemented by “learning by doing”. You can find out how to integrate the software in your own company even without studying computer science in the article by our machine specialist Michael Spohr on networking machines from page 44. You will be surprised how stonemasonry companies can modernize themselves digitally relatively easily today and achieve previously unattainable efficiencies.
We hope you enjoy reading STEIN.
Your stone editorial team Redaktion@stein-magazin.de
The magazine is available in the store here.
In our last issue 07/25, we showcase unusual exterior claddings made of natural stone. Read more here.