Munich. During an inaugural visit to Germany, United
States Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta today visited the BMW
Group’s Munich headquarter and manufacturing plant. Secretary Acosta
and staff from the Department of Labor were received by Harald Krüger,
Chairman of the BMW AG Board of Management. The visit included an
extensive tour through the BMW Group’s production and technical
apprenticeship training facility, with opportunities for discussions
through all levels of the company from board members to young
apprentices just starting their training.
This high-level visit builds on the initiative to strengthen skilled
US-workforce training started during Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit
to the White House in March of this year. During a roundtable with the
German Chancellor and US President, Harald Krüger and five other CEOs
from both German and United States industry agreed to use the German
apprenticeship model as a basis for a co-operation to prepare the US
workforce and the manufacturing sector in particular for the labor
market of the 21st century.
“We greatly value Secretary Acosta’s visit as a sign of our company’s
excellent, long-standing relationship with the US,” commented Harald
Krüger. “In training and education for manufacturing, we have a common
denominator that we can leverage to increase the level of cooperation
between our economies,” Krüger added.
Well-trained associates in both production and sales are the
foundation of the BMW Group’s success in the United States. BMW Group
training programs at the company’s US plant in Spartanburg, South
Carolina, are based on the German dual apprenticeship training system.
This means classroom learning is combined with practical experience,
ensuring associates are well prepared for future challenges. During
Secretary Acosta’s visit, Krüger pointed out, “The automotive industry
is in the midst of a technological transformation, with digitalization
changing not only our products and services but also our working
environment. Highly skilled workers, however, will remain the
foundation of the BMW Group’s success – whether it be in the United
States, Germany or any of the 140 countries where we operate”.
“Apprenticeships hold great promise in helping American workers
acquire the skills they need to get good jobs while ensuring companies
can attract the talent required to succeed in this fast-moving global
economy,” said Secretary Acosta. “Thank you to Chairman
Krüger and the BMW team for the warm welcome today and for employing
9,000 workers in your Spartanburg plant and supporting 70,000 direct
and indirect jobs in the United States. I look forward to continuing
our collaboration as the U.S. fosters agile and adaptable
apprenticeship programs to support economic development and long-term
success for both our countries.”
The BMW Group believes the German dual apprenticeship training model
is an excellent method to meet future requirements for skilled workers
worldwide. Therefore the company has introduced dual vocational
training at its plants in the US, the UK, China, South Africa,
Thailand, Brazil and Mexico. Worldwide, more than 1,500 people are
hired each year as BMW Group apprentices; in total more than 4,500
apprentices are currently completing their vocational training with
the company.
Secretary Acosta visited the company’s vocational training center in
Munich, the largest training unit within the BMW Group with 870
apprentices currently receiving training in 16 different professions.
By sharing responsibility for training between public vocational
schools and companies, the dual system not only ensures that skills
and theoretical training meet national standards, it also enables the
BMW Group to train their apprentices in the latest technologies used
by the company, such as working on high-voltage systems for electric
vehicles or software programming of advanced production robots.
The BMW Group supports around 70,000 direct and indirect jobs in the
United States. The BMW Group’s largest production plant in the world
is located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Around 9,000 people work at
the plant, which is the global production hub for BMW X models ranging
from the BMW X3 to the BMW X6. Seventy per cent of the plant’s
production is exported, making BMW the largest exporter by value of
any car manufacturer in the USA. Over the last ten years, BMW has
invested more than 220 million US dollars on training workers in
Spartanburg. “In the next five years, BMW will be investing 200
million USD in training in Spartanburg,” Krüger announced during his
recent White House visit.
The BMW Group training programs in Spartanburg are run in
co-operation with local community and technical colleges. The “BMW
Scholars” apprenticeship program was founded in 2011 and currently
offers close to 100 apprentices an enhanced career perspective. The
program is modelled on the German apprentice system and combines
theoretical classroom learning with hands-on practical experience. The
BMW Group also offers initiatives which go beyond technical training.
Together with a local university, the “Advanced Manufacturing
Management” Bachelor Program enables associates to follow a more
academic path. Additionally, the M-STEP (Military-Service Technician
Education Program) Program provides US army veterans qualifications
for sales and service careers in conjunction with BMW dealers around
the nation.
If you have any queries, please contact:
Corporate Communications
Jochen Frey, Business and Finance Communications – HR,
jochen.frey@bmwgroup.com
Telephone: +49 89 382-41125
Glenn Schmidt, Head of Business and Finance Communications,
glenn.schmidt@bmwgroup.com
Telephone: +49 89 382-24544
Media website:
www.press.bmwgroup.com
Email:
presse@bmw.de
The BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW
Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and
motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services.
As a global company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly
facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than
140 countries.
In 2016, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.367 million cars and
145,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax was approximately
€ 9.67 billion on revenues amounting to € 94.16 billion. As of 31
December 2016, the BMW Group had a workforce of 124,729 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term
thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established
ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain,
comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to
conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.
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