On the 6th, Volkswagen Group Korea held the launching ceremony for the 5th Auszubildenden program, a dual vocational training program modeled after Germany’s system.
This year’s ceremony took place in an online studio set up at the Volkswagen Group Korea Training Academy in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.
Attendees included six Auszubildenden trainers, nine newly selected trainees for the general maintenance and service advisor roles, Volkswagen Group Korea employees, representatives from Volkswagen and Audi dealers, and key figures from the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce. The event commenced with a welcome speech from Til Scheer, CEO of Volkswagen Group Korea, followed by a diploma award ceremony, presentations on the Auszubildenden program and brands, and a Q&A session.
The Auszubildenden program features trainers who have completed 100 hours of theoretical and practical training over two weeks with an expert from Germany.
Trainees are selected from third-year high school students through a document review, written exams, and interviews. Selected trainees sign employment contracts with Volkswagen Group Korea’s official dealers, ensuring stable salaries and high-quality training over three years. Upon completion of the program, they will receive a specialized associate degree along with an Auszubildenden certificate.
CEO Til Scheer stated, “Volkswagen Group Korea is committed to nurturing talent that will lead the future of mobility. Our Auszubildenden program, which consolidates mobility technology knowledge and field experience, contributes to the growth of trainees into professional technicians who will lead the automotive maintenance sector in Korea as stable professionals.”
Meanwhile, the Auszubildenden program is a sophisticated vocational education system from Germany that combines practical training in the workplace (70%) and theoretical education in school (30%). After the introduction of the auto-mechatronics course specialized in automotive maintenance, new training courses for auto painters (Auto-Lackierer) and automotive bodywork technicians (Karosserie-Mechaniker) were added in response to industry demands from 2021.
Last year, high-voltage technical training such as EIP (electrically instructed person) and HVT (high voltage technician) was incorporated into the general maintenance curriculum to keep pace with the rapidly evolving electrification trends in the industry.
Starting this year, a new service advisor role has been introduced to enhance customer understanding of vehicle maintenance and repair options, and notably for the first time, female trainees will participate in this aspect of the Auszubildenden program.
Trainees integrate theoretical knowledge from school with practical experience obtained in the workplace, allowing them to systematically learn about the latest automotive technologies and develop a sense of pride as members of the organization. This dual approach also benefits companies by nurturing personnel who are compatible with the business and brand, ensuring a stable workforce. In Germany, more than 300 Auszubildenden programs across various professions are currently being implemented.
Since the introduction of the Auszubildenden program in 2019, Volkswagen Group Korea has produced a total of 67 trainees to date.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr