Companies that have recognized the high importance of vocational education for their own business success as well as for their workforce were able to apply for the IHK Education Award 2026 with their exceptional approaches until late last summer.

Twelve concepts will enter the final round in May

There is no shortage of promising candidates: From approximately 140 submissions, the panel of experts selected twelve finalists for this year's awards. These companies will showcase their special commitment on May 18, 2026, at the Tipi am Kanzleramt in Berlin with the help of a video produced by DIHK.

A jury of around 250 volunteer IHK examiners will then crown the winners live, who will be celebrated on the same evening.

The finalists benefit from extensive publicity and from the image films they can use for their own purposes after the event. In addition, the winning companies will be able to use prize money donated to nonprofit organizations in the field of vocational education.

These finalists are competing

In the category "Small Enterprises":

• BIBUS METALS GmbH, Essen
• ITs-plus GmbH & Co. KG, Leverkusen
• WUNDS Datensysteme GmbH, Zeitz
   

In the category "Medium Enterprises":

• OSTEG mbH, Zittau
• SEAR GmbH, Rostock
• Plange GmbH, Neuss
   

In the category "Large Enterprises":

• DB Fahrzeuginstandhaltung GmbH - Werk Cottbus
• Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG, Blomberg
• dm-drogerie markt GmbH + Co. KG, Karlsruhe
   

For the "Special Award":

• NTT DATA Business Solutions, Dresden
• Gedikom Gesundheitsdienstleistung Kommunikation GmbH, Bayreuth
• Wellnesshotel Tanne, Tonbach
   

All details are available at www.ihk-bildungspreis.de.