Crafting a New Generation: The Power of Influencer Marketing in Skilled Trades
Well, well, well! Who would have thought that influencers, those purveyors of avocado toast and workout leggings, would be the key to attracting young talent into the skilled trades? We’re talking about a day infused with social media savvy at the Crafts Day in Bolzano! That’s right, folks; it’s not all cat videos and makeup tutorials! Crafts are taking the stage, and it seems influencers are the driving force.
Today’s chat about the role of influencer marketing was hosted by the trade association for crafts and service providers, or lvh.apa. Listen closely, because this is all about *selling* craftsmanship to the digital-savvy youth like it’s the hottest iPhone release. According to their research, a targeted presence on social media alongside influencers can turn the dusty old craft world into a vibrant and enticing career choice. You don’t just nail things together anymore, you become the next big thing on TikTok!
The Numbers Are In!
And oh boy, do we have some growth numbers! The apprentices in South Tyrol jumped from a humble 4,326 in 2014 to a grand total of 5,612 by 2024. That’s a whopping increase of almost 30%! You know what they say: if you’re not growing, you’re… well, not learning a trade. It seems the lvh President Martin Haller is onto something when he says that investing in young talent is crucial. Especially when that talent can do far more than pulling rabbit out of hats — these kids can pull a sense of craftsmanship straight out of Instagram!
Meeting Youngsters Where They Are
According to Deputy Governor and State Councilor for Economic Affairs Marco Galateo, the solution lies in meeting young people where they live — on social media! He’s hit the nail on the head there, hasn’t he? If they’re scrolling through endless memes about cats in hats, why not sprinkle in a few posts about how exhilarating it is to be a butcher, insulator, or HLS technician? I mean, who wouldn’t want to watch a madly energetic Lee Evans-style butcher making sausages while dancing to the latest pop hits?
Influencers at Work: A Roundtable on Reality
The discussion took an amusing twist as influencers and trade representatives came together to chat. What a beautiful disaster this was! Influencer-carpenter Ben Berger met with interior decorator Romina Haller — sounds like a pair ready to create the next big reality show, don’t you think?
They debated the pressing issues of social media marketing and how influencers can blow up the awareness of little old companies. The conclusion of this round? The hashtag #CraftedNotCaught is going to be a thing! Seriously though, companies need to tap into influencer marketing to present craft as cool, modern, and oh-so-sought-after. Because let’s be real: a cat meme isn’t going to get you an apprenticeship.
Honoring the Best in Craft
Now, let’s switch gears — it’s awards time! The Crafts Day event was also a time to honor achievement. This year, Franz Xaver Gernstl, a German filmmaker, snagged the sponsorship prize for crafts. Apparently, his interviews showcase the joyful essence of craftsmanship. It’s like he’s made crafting cool; if only we could get him to film a reality TV segment on how to make a traditional door frame while wearing shades and sipping an organic latte.
WorldSkills 2024 Medal Winners: Respect!
And let’s not forget the crème de la crème! The shining stars of WorldSkills 2024 were celebrated, receiving gold stars and, wait for it, a check from Südtiroler Volksbank. I’m not saying cash is king, but it definitely doesn’t hurt to reward talent! Mariano Paris from Volksbank said it best, “craftsmanship is the backbone of our society.” It’s like saying bread is the foundation of a sandwich; we all get it, but we often overlook it in favor of trends.
A Buffet of Ideas
The day wrapped up with a delightful buffet — because nothing spurs creativity quite like a plate of freshly-made pastries. The participants mingled, exchanged ideas, and maybe, just maybe, came up with the next viral craft trend!
So there you have it! The fusion of influencer marketing and skilled trades holds the potential to revitalize an industry that, let’s face it, could use a bit of a makeover. Who knew that influencers could become the new ‘craft caffeine’? Let’s hope the next viral sensation will be one involving a hammer, some wood, and a touch of social media magic.
From: luk
Bolzano – The extent to which influencer marketing contributes to getting young people interested in skilled trades was discussed today at the Crafts Day in the lvh. Through a targeted presence on social media and close collaboration with young influencers, crafts can become even more visible as a diverse, colorful and promising profession.
“Today’s Craft Day was all about one of the most important topics in attracting young talent: influencer marketing. In an increasingly digital world, this instrument offers a valuable opportunity to get young people excited about the craft and make them curious about the diverse career opportunities. One of the primary goals of the trade association for crafts and service providers (lvh.apa) is to find new talent and to position the craft in an attractive way, especially on social media. This strategic presence has made a significant contribution to bringing practical careers into the focus of the young generation. The success of the digital and analogue measures is clear from the positive development in the number of apprentices: While there were 4,326 apprentices in South Tyrol in 2014, this number has increased to 5,612 by 2024. This is an increase of almost 30 percent over the last ten years.”
“Investing in young people is a central task of the craft sector. Dual training is a crucial success factor, as the excellent performance of South Tyrolean young craftsmen and women at the WorldSkills has once again shown. Social media not only offers the opportunity to sell products, but also to show how versatile, colorful and powerful the craft is,” emphasized lvh President Martin Haller.
The fact that the topic of influencer marketing is being discussed as a global phenomenon was also shown by a “three-country, three-question round” with representatives from Austria, Germany and Italy. Franz All three emphasized the importance of this marketing tool and called for its use. Deputy Governor and State Councilor for Economic Affairs Marco Galateo also emphasized the importance of meeting young people where they are active – on social media.
Examples from practice
How influencer marketing is actually used was discussed in an exciting discussion with seven young influencers and trade representatives. Influencer and carpenter Ben Berger from Germany and influencer and interior decorator Romina Haller from Switzerland exchanged ideas with the young South Tyrolean entrepreneurs Thomas Mair (butcher), Tanja and Tamara Breitenberger (insulators), Manuel Pernthaler (HLS technician) and the state chairwoman of the Young craftsmen in the lvh. The conversation was about what influence social media has on the level of awareness of companies, what goals lie behind the presence in social networks and what challenges and effects social media has on sales figures and recruiting young talent. Conclusion of the round: Corporate marketing and influencer marketing are indispensable today in order to position the craft in a contemporary way. The discussion was then supplemented by interesting examples presented by Evelyn Unterfrauner, moderator and founder of NONSTOP CREATING GmbH in Munich. She showed the potential of social media marketing and gave valuable tips on how companies can use these tools effectively to generate attention and appeal to young people.
Top performers in the craft industry honored
This year’s Crafts Day once again offered two special moments of recognition and appreciation. An outstanding highlight of the event was the awarding of the sponsorship prize for crafts, which was presented by the Association for the Promotion of Crafts. V. is donated. A few years ago, this association launched the ‘Prize for Special Merit in Crafts’, which is awarded to people or institutions who have made a special contribution to the further development of crafts. The prize is aimed at winners from the German-speaking Alpine region. This year the choice fell on the German documentary filmmaker and producer Franz Xaver Gernstl. “Mr. Gernstl’s special style of interviews makes it clear that the meaningfulness of craftsmanship makes people happy. With his reports, he allows us to authentically share in what people achieve creatively and what drives them passionately.” The award winner was congratulated by lvh President Martin Haller and lvh Vice President Hannes Mussak.
At the end of the event, the WorldSkills 2024 medal winners were honored. The young craftsmen in the lvh, together with their main sponsor Südtiroler Volksbank, once again drew attention to the outstanding achievements of the four medal winners. Mariano Paris, Head of Corporate Communications and Marketing at Volksbank, took the opportunity to symbolically present the young talents with a check – a well-deserved recognition for their impressive successes. “We are convinced that craftsmanship forms the backbone of our society. By handing over the check to the WorldSkills winners, we want to honor their fantastic performance and express our support for the young generation,” emphasized Mariano Paris, Head of Corporate Communications/Marketing at Volksbank.
The Craft Day ended in a relaxed atmosphere, with shared networking and a buffet, where participants had the opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss new ideas for the future of crafts.
