23 participants, 10 countries, one skill: At the international “Water Technology” training camp, young professionals immersed themselves deeply in modern water management.

From 28 April to 1 May 2026, the world’s top young talents in the skill “Water Technology” gathered in Esslingen at ADIRO Automatisierungstechnik GmbH. Delegations from Germany, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Austria, Hungary, China, Namibia, Kenya, and Egypt took part in the “WorldSkills Germany Training Camp Skill #55” to prepare specifically for the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai.

WorldSkills are considered the world championships of vocational skills and bring together young professionals from around the globe to compete at the highest international level across various disciplines. In the skill “Water Technology”, the focus is on tasks related to water treatment, wastewater technology, process control, pump and pipeline systems, as well as the analysis and safeguarding of water quality.

Training based on international standards

Against the backdrop of the internationally recognized standards of the German water sector, the German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste (DWA) organizes international training camps every two years together with WorldSkills Germany, ADIRO, and other partners at Germany’s National Performance Center for Water Technology. The Wilo-Foundation supported the training camp for the first time as a contribution to international skills development and global knowledge exchange

As part of its commitment, the Wilo-Foundation awarded four travel scholarships to participants from Egypt, Kenya, and Namibia. The aim is to enable young professionals from different regions to access high-quality education and training formats.

Practice-oriented program with international expertise

Under expert guidance, participants completed an ambitious training program covering all key areas of modern water management. The program included, among other elements:

• Process understanding: Working with simulation software and visualizing plant processes using the DWA magnetic card set
• Chemical laboratory work: Practical analytics and laboratory-based investigations
• Mechanical maintenance: Servicing and repairing pumping stations in water and wastewater facilities
• Automation technology: Programming and control using modern EDS Water Management stations

The aim of the training is to convey all relevant content for successful participation in international competitions such as WorldSkills or EuroSkills in a practice‑oriented manner and to prepare participants specifically for the requirements of the “Water Technology” skill.

Experiencing Water Technology at IFAT

The training camp highlights the crucial role of skilled professionals in addressing global challenges such as sustainable water treatment. A particular focus was placed on understanding the interdependencies between water and energy.

At the end of the four‑day training program, all participants received an official certificate confirming their successful qualification. The program also included a visit to IFAT, the world’s leading trade fair for environmental technologies in Munich, as well as the Wilo exhibition booth.