207 applicants, 7 days, 4 vocations, countless successfully completed tasks, and finally 100 selected apprentices: this is the past period of the Training Center in numbers. The first class of technicians participating in the three-year dual training programme will start their couses in the right-then opened Training Center in September 2023.
The aim of the BMW Group’s dual vocational training programme, based on international experience, is to develop the social and personal skills of the participating apprentices, in addition to gaining practical professional experience, and to familiarise them with the values and operations of the company and the Debrecen plant, so that they can join the BMW Group’s Debrecen team after the three-year training.
Technicians studying in four vocations in three secondary educational institutions of the Debrecen Vocational Training Center (DSZC) could apply for the programme starting in September. For the dual training programme announced by the training team of BMW Group Plant Debrecen, there were more than twice as many applicants as places already in this first year.
“It’s a huge advantage as a teenager to start up with such an outstanding professional career locally, which also helps us to keep talents home” – said László Papp, Mayor of Debrecen.
The selection days, which took place in early March, followed a precisely designed schedule. During the seven-day process, first the problem-solving and logical skills of the applicants were assessed, through a variety of tasks, by the training team of BMW Group Plant Debrecen. In the second step, students were tested for their manual skills and professional knowledge when they had to assemble a functioning piece of equipment through a series of tasks that varied from vocation to vocation. In the third and final round, the focus was on getting to know the students’ personalities in a more informal setting, through personal interviews.
“Being first can be difficult, but also full of challenges, so the 100 technicians of the first class, based on their skills and attitude, got an exceptional opportunity from BMW Group” – emphasised Zsolt Tirpák, Chancellor of DSZC.
Feedback from both the trainers and students suggested that the selection process was conducted in a direct and open atmosphere, rather than in an old-fashioned, school-like setting, which allowed for truly interactive discussions. This was also the aim of the programme, as the BMW Group is launching a new structure of vocational training in Debrecen, and it was important to reflect this approach already in the selection process.
“Hereby we would like to congratulate to all the 100 students, we’re happy to have you in the BMW Group Plant Debrecen team. Let’s meet in the Training Center from September!” – added Réka Jenei, Head of Communications at BMW Group Plant Debrecen.
In addition to the selection of 100 technician apprentices, BMW Group Factory Debrecen also reached another milestone in March 2023, as the 200th employee joined the team of the greenfield project. The already very intensive recruitment activity is expected to gain new momentum in the coming months, with a growing number of direct, blue-collar jobs opening up alongside indirect, white-collar positions. In addition to the selection of the students for the dual training programme, the recruitment activities of BMW Group Plant Debrecen also remain intensive, with the company seeking to hire nearly 400 employees for 70 different positions. The list of open positions is constantly updated, and the application form is available at https://www.bmwgroup.jobs/hu/en.html.
The BMW Group is building a comprehensive vehicle factory in Debrecen with a press shop, body shop, paint shop, vehicle assembly, as well as a unique battery module plant, which will allow the in-house assembly of the battery cells necessary for the electric drive. Located on an area of more than 400 hectares in the north-western part of Debrecen, the plant will be the first unit within the Group to be developed entirely along the iFACTORY concept from the initial design phase, in the spirit of efficient, environmentally friendly and digitalised production. According to the plans, BMW Group Plant Debrecen will start production in 2025 with more than 1,500 employees, and that will be the year also when the first model of the all-electric NEUE KLASSE, which will debut in Debrecen, will roll off the production line.
