After his middle school, René Geupel underwent a competency test, after which the employment office recommended him for an internship in the leather industry.

Enthusiastic about the complex process, which makes an attractive leather from a crude, hairy skin, he decided to go into the tanning profession. He applied to the company SÃœDLEDER, which specialises in the production of cattle and calf leather, and completed his tanning training at the vocational school in Reutlingen, where he also gained practical insight into the production of other types of leather from different raw materials.

After his training, René Geupel was quickly promoted to shift supervisor, and is responsible for quality control. He makes sure the operation runs smoothly" and when needed, he gets “hands on”.

René Geupel fully validates his choice of profession, that he would repeat anytime.

“It’s a fascinating job and relatively very few are doing it. It feels like a big family.”

As the next step in his career he has resolved to qualify as a qualified leather and tanning technician, which also includes the aptitude examinations for becoming a trainer.

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