Young talents at seating furniture manufacturer COR in Rheda-Wiedenbrück have once again passed their Bielefeld Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CIC, German: IHK) examinations with excellent grades. Nelly Pagenkemper and Celina Marie Berkemeier completed their apprenticeships as the best upholsterers in the East Westphalia-Lippe region and were honoured by the East Westphalia Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Bad Oeynhausen on 4 November 2025. Nelly Pagenkemper then continued her journey to Düsseldorf on 14 November 2025, where she was honoured as the best apprentice in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Then, on 8 December 2025, she also received an award for being the best apprentice in Germany.
Celina Marie Berkemeier was already familiar with COR from her four-week internship and could hardly wait to start her apprenticeship as upholsterer after graduating from upper secondary school. From the outset, she was captivated by the creativity and craftsmanship of the profession and remains just as enthusiastic today. Celina will remain with the company as an upholsterer and young employees’ representative on the Works Council.
Nelly Pagenkemper discovered COR during an online search. After completing her Abitur (A levels) in Gütersloh, followed by a year of voluntary service and an internship at COR, she realised that an apprenticeship as upholsterer was ideal for her, as it allowed her to combine her manual dexterity with her love of sewing. After completing her apprenticeship, Nelly embarked on a design course at Münster University of Applied Sciences.
The fact that COR trainees have been achieving outstanding results for years is attributable to the hard work of each individual, yet it is also a collective achievement. “We place great emphasis on high-quality training and individual support, ensuring that our apprentices truly enjoy the start of their careers. They also see themselves as part of a team, supporting and encouraging one another. Teamwork is particularly important and it provides a healthy framework for excellence,” said Susanne Schlenke, manager of the upholstery training workshop, commenting on the success of her protégés.
Photo 1: Nelly Pagenkemper (left) and Celina Marie Berkemeier. © COR
Photo 2: The best apprentices from companies in the Gütersloh region and their well-wishers: CIC General Manager Petra Pigerl-Radtke (right), CIC President Jörn Wahl-Schwentker and Ute Horstkötter-Starke (far left), CIC Vocational Training Director, congratulate the top apprentices. © East Westphalia Chamber of Industry and Commerce/Thorsten Ulonska
Photo 3: Nelly Pagenkemper at the CIC national award ceremony in Berlin – together with Swaantje Creusen, Chair of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce Education Committee. © German Chamber of Industry and Commerce /Jens Schicke/Christian Plambeck
