World Youth Skills Day 2026: Skills for a shared future

Empowering youth with future-ready skills for inclusive, peaceful, and sustainable societies

On World Youth Skills Day 2026, Merilin’s story is a powerful example of SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth – in action at Weidmann. For us, this means giving young professionals the space to build real skills, take ownership of meaningful projects, and contribute to work that drives both our company and the field forward. Empowering the next generation isn’t just a commitment – it’s how we grow.

„On World Youth Skills Day 2026, I want to share a bit of my story. My name is Merilin, and I started my career as a nursing apprentice, which is probably not the typical background for someone building AI infrastructure at a manufacturing company. But that detour taught me more about people and practical problem-solving than any textbook could.

Now, studying Computational Linguistics and working as an AI working student at Weidmann, I get to apply that curiosity where it matters. I built and deployed CHOn, our internal AI assistant platform, which colleagues now use daily to draft trip reports, write and refine emails, and research topics faster than before. Seeing people shift away from repetitive work and genuinely enjoy using these tools is what makes it worth it. Proud to be part of a company that gives young professionals the space to build something real.“

Merilin Sousa Silva