The Korea-Germany Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted the ‘3rd AusBildung Graduation Ceremony’ on the 26th at The Plaza Hotel, in collaboration with Volkswagen Group Korea, Daimler Truck Korea, MAN Truck & Bus Korea, Mercedes-Benz Korea, and BMW Group Korea.
AusBildung is a dual vocational education program from Germany introduced by the Korea-Germany Chamber of Commerce and Industry, combining 70% hands-on training with 30% academic knowledge over a total of 36 months. Participants graduate with a bachelor’s degree and a certification issued by the German Chamber of Commerce.
The event began with a congratulatory message from Jorn Weissert, the Deputy Chief of the German Embassy, followed by messages from Oh Seok-hwan, Deputy Minister of Education, and Tobias Bole, Director of Vocational Training at the German Federal Chamber of Commerce. Martin Hengelmann, the representative of the Korea-Germany Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also sent encouraging messages for graduation and new beginnings.
During this graduation ceremony, certificates from the German Federal Chamber of Commerce were awarded to a total of 82 graduates, including 4 graduates from Volkswagen and 10 from Audi, all of whom were part of the first AusBildung cohort. Particularly, the best trainees and trainers were selected based on outstanding performances in the final assessment, conducted twice during the program.
Volkswagen’s best trainee was Son Ha-bin, with best trainer Moon Jun-oh (both from Auto Platz/Pangyo). Audi’s best trainee was Park Young-ki, with best trainer Yoon Seong-hwan (both from Yukaro Automobile/Sasang). BMW’s best trainee was Lee Kang-hee, with best trainer Choi Yoon-jong (both from Han-Dok Motors/Sadaegu Central). Mercedes-Benz’s best trainee was Seo Tae-young, with best trainer Kim Jun-seok (both from KCC Auto/Kangseo Mokdong). MAN Truck & Bus’s best trainee was Jung Kwan-ho, with best trainer Kim Dong-guk (both from MAN Truck & Bus Korea/Sejong). Daimler Truck’s best trainee was Choi Jae-hoon, with best trainer Lee Sang-hyuk (both from Indong TIS/Pohang).
Son Ha-bin, a trainee from Volkswagen, remarked, “I chose AusBildung because it allows me to focus on my studies while gaining employment. I will continue to strive to grow as a skilled technician in the automotive field. I owe a huge thanks to my trainer Moon Jun-oh for their support through my numerous mistakes.”
Deputy Chief Jorn Weissert from the German Embassy expressed confidence that the graduates will play significant roles not only in the automotive sector but also in other fields, stating, “As the automotive industry faces widespread changes, the importance of a close collaboration between academia and industry for training skilled professionals is more emphasized. The AusBildung program equips trainees to handle rapid technological changes and serve the industry and society with quality technical talents.”
Deputy Minister of Education Oh Seok-hwan expressed optimism, saying, “Through the AusBildung program, which collaborates vocational high schools, colleges, and companies to nurture talents tailored to the industry, both the trainees and the companies can develop, contributing to our society as a whole.” He also emphasized that the Ministry of Education will continue to support the development of each student’s capabilities and foster a partnership for mutual growth between Korea and Germany.
Kim Young-jin, the deputy director overseeing the AusBildung program at the Korea-Germany Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated, “I am proud of all the graduates who have become skilled professionals through their time and effort, and we will continue to support their growth. It takes a village to raise a child; thus, I deeply appreciate the trainers and all the employees of the companies who have guided and supported these students in their journey to becoming skilled professionals.”
Meanwhile, the Korea-Germany Chamber of Commerce and Industry introduced the AusBildung program in Korea in 2017 in collaboration with German automotive companies Mercedes-Benz Korea and BMW Group Korea. Subsequently, Daimler Truck Korea and MAN Truck & Bus Korea joined in 2018, Volkswagen Group Korea in 2019, and Porsche Korea in 2021. Currently, five vocational colleges in Korea are participating. Training for general automotive maintenance, bodywork, painting, and service advising is being conducted at 145 service centers, and a total of 129 graduates have emerged. Currently, about 280 trainers and 440 trainees are actively engaged in the program.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr