With brush and plaster to silver

Lena Prinz for Team Austria at WorldSkills 2024

Lena Prinz

Painter

Austria

What made you decide to become a painter?

I was at grammar school and at some point I didn't like it anymore, so I started working for my dad as a labourer for a year. I didn't really know what I wanted to do, but after a year I decided to start an apprenticeship because I liked the work and we worked well together.

When did you first hear about WorldSkills/EuroSkills and when did you decide to take part? How did your passion for the painting profession come about?

We have apprentice competitions that I took part in and I was nominated for the Austrian Skills (national championship) at the national apprentice competition. I watched videos of the previous WorldSkills/EuroSkills long before that and always thought how cool it must be to be allowed to take part in such an event and then made it there myself through Austrian Skills.

How did your passion for painting come about?

I like creative work, being indoors and outdoors and, of course, working with someone (in this case my dad) who you get on well with and where the teamwork works really well.

What have been your favourite projects in your professional life so far?

For me, the building sites where we do a complete renovation and you can see an extreme before/after are always nice.

What are your favourite materials to work with and why?

I like to use creative techniques (Valpaint,...) because there are so many different products with which you can achieve a real "wow effect". I also like to work with various fillers and plasters, because that's what I like to do.

How did your training for the WS go?

I was given two months off before the WorldSkills and practised every day. Before that, I practised at the weekend or after school.

What did you think of the competition itself?

I enjoyed standing there and working, the days passed very quickly and I also found it interesting to see how other countries work.

What was the relationship like with your competitors?

Well, we always had time to talk and exchange ideas in the morning and after the competition, and once all the painters went on a trip together.

What makes AT so good that there is always a winner among the painters?

I believe that everyone can achieve their goals. You have to invest a lot of time and persevere - even if you might have a day when you're not so motivated. And if you have 1-2 months in which you can only concentrate on practising and you can also try out a lot (how can you improve something...).

Which Festool tool is your favourite to work with and why?

My favourite thing to work with is the Festool Eccentric sander 150/3 because it's great for finer work and is easy to hold and the Festool hoovers are also great for wet and dry vacuuming. I use them every day at work.

What would you like to see from Festool?

I think all the tools we have from Festool are great (perhaps it would be great if the weight of the long-neck sanders were reduced - there are already sanders weighing less than 3 kilos).

What experience/wisdom would you pass on to the following participants?

Giving your all in every training session and reminding yourself why you're doing it. I can say from experience that when it comes down to it, I don't think almost anyone goes as planned but simply doesn't lose their nerve.

What advice would you give to very young people when choosing a career?

Watch videos, do internships, job fairs, get a taste and try things out! Give a job a chance, there will always be a job that you don't like doing, but I am convinced that you can grow into a job and that every job has its good side.