Keynote Address at HWKNO Reception

At the Reception of the East Bavarian Crafts (Empfang des Ostbayerischen Handwerks) at the marinaforum in Regensburg — hosted by the HWK Niederbayern-Oberpfalz and the AGU — the evening was held under the theme "Crafts and Artificial Intelligence." The shared message: East Bavaria's skilled trades are an engine of innovation and prosperity that helps secure equivalent living conditions across both city and countryside.

HWK President Dr. Georg Haber stressed that the crafts sector stands ready to tackle the challenges ahead and to play a decisive role in driving the energy transition forward — with a self-image that masters both tradition and modernity, "Laptop und Lederhose," and for whom digitalization is nothing new. Minister President Dr. Markus Söder pledged his full support, making clear that the energy transition cannot succeed without the skilled trades. At the same time, he argued the sector still does not receive the appreciation it deserves. As concrete measures he named a major expansion of the chambers' training centers, free master-craftsman training (Meisterausbildung) in Bavaria from the following year, and a mandatory "Day of the Crafts" at all general-education schools — steps toward greater parity between vocational and academic education and toward securing the next generation of talent. He described the state government as the crafts sector's closest partner.

In the expert segment, Prof. Christophe Barlieb (Faculty of Architecture, OTH Regensburg) linked craftsmanship and the art of building digitally. In his Cybercraft talk he outlined how building could work in future through the seamless interplay of the analog and digital worlds: sensor technology captures physical phenomena humans cannot fully perceive, from which complex processes can be adapted and tailored solutions developed. He positioned the crafts as an essential link between industry and people, advocated for greater use of augmented reality, and urged that technological change be shaped responsibly — seeing digital support as an opportunity rather than a threat.