Happy 80th Birthday Mr. Josef Blattner

By Skills Austria

Mr. Josef Blattner, former Technical Delegate of Austria turns 80 years today (31 January 2013). Joseph Blattner worked for the Vocational Education Institute of the Upper Austrian Chamber, responsible for all the technical equipment and workshops. In this role he was responsible for the preparation and technical matters of all the workshops for the WorldSkills Competition in Linz, Austria in 1983. With this preparation showing the latest technical developments in workshops he set a milestone for the technical development for WorldSkills.

His first contact with WorldSkills - in regards to the preparation of the Competition in Linz - was in 1979 in Cork, Ireland, and in 1981 in Atlanta, USA. After the Competition in 1983, Joseph Blattner became Technical Delegate of Austria and fullfilled this role until WorldSkills 1997 in St. Gallen, Switzerland.

He always was a proponent of modern skills and tried to introduce the latest technology at the Competitions. Because of his technical knowledge and his humanitarian side Joseph Blattner was awarded the honorary membership of the IVTO and honored for his achievements. Within Austria, Mr. Blattner was not only responsible for selection of Austrian Competitors but also for the preparation and motivation of the participants. The successes of Austria at the WorldSkills Competition by repeatedly being world champion, has confirmed his incredible work.

Congratulations and all the best for his 80th Birthday!