Volkswagen Group assumes responsibility for young people from Southern Europe

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– The first 10 participants successfully complete the “StartUp Europe” trainee program
  and receive permanent employment
– Already 6,700 applications received from Spain, Portugal and Italy

Welcome to Wolfsburg. Robertino Alaimo of Visitor Services (at the wheel) shows a group of StartUp Europe participants from Italy around the Volkswagen plant. Timon Thomaser (front left), Paola Schiano, Andrea Gianni, Francesco Rossiello (second row, from left) and Francesco Jacolino (back row) hold up their freshly printed plant ID cards. Volkswagen has offered the StartUp Europe trainee program in Italy since the beginning of 2014.  The Volkswagen group has already accepted 120 young people from Spain, Portugal and Italy for its international “StartUp Europe” trainee program. The participants are completing the program in several small groups. Now, the first group of 12 participants from Spain have completed their trainee program and 10 of them have received a permanent employment contract from Volkswagen. The “StartUp Europe” trainee program has attracted considerable interest among graduates from the three Southern European countries. Since the program was launched two years ago, about 6,700 young women and men have applied to participate.

The Board Member for Human Resources of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, Dr. Horst Neumann, said: “Our “StartUp Europe” program gives university graduates from Southern Europe a perspective. We want to continue the program and would like to encourage others to expand their activities, too.”

The Chairman of the Group and General Works Council, Bernd Osterloh, emphasized: “Especially young people have problems in taking their first steps in the world of work in Southern Europe. Through our “StartUp Europe” program, we offer young people from Spain, Portugal and Italy bright prospects for a start to their career.”

When the program was launched in 2012, it was originally intended for graduates from Spain and Portugal. Volkswagen expanded the program to Italy at the beginning of 2014.

Applicants who are accepted for the “StartUp Europe” program are initially employed for two years. They spend the first few months in their home country, followed by up to 21 months in a Volkswagen Group company in Germany. The objective is that the young people should work in their home country in the future. The training includes seminars and language courses. The companies participating in the program include Group brands Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Lamborghini and Ducati as well as Group companies Volkswagen Navarra, Volkswagen Autoeuropa, Volkswagen Group Italia and Italdesign Giugiaro.