From caretaker to authorised signatory, from tradesman to managing director: a career at TREUREAL Gebäudeservice

Attracting, developing and retaining skilled staff in the long term: for TREUREAL Gebäudeservice GmbH (TGS), this is a key component of the company’s development, given the increasing competition for qualified employees. Two examples from within the company’s own ranks demonstrate that a career in facility management does not necessarily have to begin with a university degree or a traditional management entry route: Managing Director Uwe Lippmann began his professional career as a tradesman. Alexander Sygor joined TGS as a caretaker in 2007 and was appointed authorised signatory in June 2026.

“In our sector, we need people who know their trade, are keen to take on responsibility and are willing to develop their skills. What matters to us is not the position someone starts in, but the potential they bring and what we can achieve together,” says Uwe Lippmann, Managing Director of TREUREAL Gebäudeservice GmbH. “Particularly in light of the skills shortage, companies must offer prospects for the future. Further training alone is not enough. Employees also need a genuine opportunity to apply what they have learnt and to take on more responsibility step by step.”

Lippmann himself is a prime example of this approach. After completing his apprenticeship as a gas and water plumber with a local housing association from 1987 to 1989, he initially worked as a tradesperson. In 1994, he joined the Treubaugruppe, which is now known as TREUREAL Gebäudeservice GmbH. Whilst working, he undertook a master craftsman’s course, which he completed in 1995 by passing the master craftsman’s examination. This was followed by roles as a specialist site manager on new-build and refurbishment projects throughout Germany, as well as working as a master craftsman and team leader. Lippmann established project sites in Stendal, Bad Tölz and Bonn, amongst other places, and took on increasing responsibility in integrated building management and facility management. As a project manager and later as a division manager, he played a key role in establishing numerous further sites, including Berlin, Chemnitz, Essen, Mannheim and Leipzig. The nationwide team leader structure at TGS was also implemented with his involvement.

At the same time, Lippmann continued his professional development and completed a part-time degree in Facility Management. He was later granted power of attorney; he has been Managing Director of TREUREAL Gebäudeservice GmbH since 2009. In addition to expanding existing structures, his key priorities include, in particular, business acquisition and the resulting further development of the company. “I have gained experience in many different areas within the company, such as project and personnel management, and business development,” says Lippmann. “This experience also shapes my perspective on our staff. Anyone with hands-on experience understands the challenges faced by our teams and our clients very well. When technical expertise, initiative and a willingness to undertake further training come together, this can lead to exceptional career paths.”

Sygor’s career path demonstrates that this principle also applies to the next generation of leaders. He started in 2007 as a caretaker at the Essen site and, even in this role, played a part in developing the site. He subsequently became assistant to his then line manager and later took charge of his first team. In 2011, Sygor completed a part-time further training course to become a certified facility management specialist at the Wuppertal Technical Academy. TREUREAL Gebäudeservice supported him in this. He also gained qualifications in quality management and oversaw this area for many years alongside his operational duties. Since 2013, Sygor has been Regional Manager for the West region and, since 2027, has also been responsible for the North region. In June 2026, he took the next step: his appointment as an authorised signatory of TREUREAL Gebäudeservice GmbH.

“When I started as a caretaker in 2007, the path to becoming an authorised signatory was, of course, not part of any pre-determined career plan,” says Sygor, Regional Manager for the North and West and authorised signatory at TREUREAL Gebäudeservice GmbH. “The key factor was that I was repeatedly given the opportunity to learn new things and take on responsibility. At the same time, you have to be willing to make the most of these opportunities yourself. It’s hugely important that further training is supported and that performance is recognised within your own company.” Alongside his technical and operational duties, Sygor is committed to fostering a sense of community within the company. At the Essen site, for example, he initiates and organises joint activities such as taking part in company runs.

For TREUREAL Gebäudeservice, both CVs are more than just individual success stories. They represent a human resources strategy that combines practical experience, ongoing professional development and internal progression. Particularly in the field of technical and infrastructural building management, the company sees this as a key means of securing expertise in the long term and developing managers from within its own ranks. “Our sector offers far more career prospects than is often perceived from the outside,” emphasises Lippmann. “From technical or trade-based entry-level roles, through team and project responsibility, right up to management positions, there are numerous opportunities for development. We want to show that with us, you don’t have to stay in the role you started out in.”

With a view to the company’s future development, TREUREAL Gebäudeservice intends to continue with this approach. The aim is to support staff at an early stage, provide them with opportunities for further training and career progression, and increasingly fill positions of responsibility from within the company’s own ranks. “For us, internal development is not a matter of individual career paths, but part of our corporate culture,” says Lippmann. “Anyone who wants to take on responsibility and develop their skills should be given the chance to do so at TREUREAL. This applies to all areas of the company – not just the operational side, but also the administrative side, where, for example, a former trainee now works as a team leader.”