Vocational training helps Volkswagen and Russia make the most out of their collaboration

Interview with Marcus Osegowitsch, managing director of Volkswagen Group Rus

In September 2010 Volkswagen Group Rus started a joint training program with the Kaluga College for Information Technology and Administration. Why did Volkswagen Group Rus initially engage in the vocational training sector and why is this engagement with Russia so important for you as a company?

The main reason is our corporate quality standards, which are very high. Compliance with these standards is impossible without skilled employees. The existing vocational training system in Russia is based on other standards and does not make provision for training some of the specialists we need, for example, in mechatronics and automotive mechatronics. On September 1, 2010, the first 24 students in Russia began training in the fields of mechatronics and automotive mechatronics at Kaluga College of Information Technology and Management. According to the curriculum, the students learned the disciplines required by Russian and German vocational education standards. Students in this group learned a number of professional skills in welding, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, electrical engineering, electronics, programming and diagnostics. We believe graduates of the program will make a substantial contribution to maintaining our very high quality standards, because we believe they have the right training to work in an ultramodern facility like our plant in Kaluga. Since 2011, the number of trades and professions has increased to four with the addition of metalworking and painting mechanics. We are also planning to start training logistics specialists in September 2012.

During the German-Russian Year of Science 2011-12, your program was presented as an example of German-Russian cooperation in the field of education. There was similar cooperation between Volkswagen, Kaluga College and Moscow Technical Baumann-University for a degree combining vocational training with theoretical studies. What are the direct benefits of these programs for Volkswagen Group Rus?

The immediate result of implementing this program is that we get highly skilled specialists whose level of training meets our requirements. We also want to increase our Russian management and therefore need people with a specific university background. But there is also another side to it: we’re proud of the contribution Volkswagen Group Rus has made to modernize the Russian economy. You can see this in all elements of our presence in Russia, from the construction of modern automotive plants producing high-quality cars to implementing advanced educational programs.

Is there a risk that once trained, graduates might decide to pursue a career with a competitor?

We operate in a very competitive environment and can’t rule that out. But we’re confident that to a certain extent the dual training program is also a program for loyalty to Volkswagen Group Rus as an employer. Young people in the program receive training both at the college and our plant in Kaluga. During this time, they have the opportunity to meet the plant’s employees, get a sense of the inclusive environment in a modern plant and feel like members of this team. You should also not forget that we’re Kaluga’s largest employer and we place a lot of emphasis on employee satisfaction. We’re growing together with Russia, and we give our employees the chance to grow together with us.

Are there any steps the government could take that would help improve productivity for Volkswagen or automotive producers operating in Russia?

It would be good to receive support in the form of new vocational training standards and motivating other companies to do the same vocational training we do. The other challenge all our dealers face is a need for more employees like mechanics and trained sales people. Here the government could help by setting up a nationwide automotive dealership education program for potential employees.   

Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov referred to Volkswagen and the Kaluga plant as a positive example for foreign direct investment in Russia. What is Volkswagen’s future strategy for Russia and how can it contribute to the country’s economic growth?

Our strategy in Russia is to grow and develop together with the country by supplying our Russian customers with attractive, high-quality, modern and environmentally friendly cars. Our development also contributes to Russia’s economic growth. We have invested in our production facilities in Kaluga and Nizhny Novgorod and will invest in our local engine plant. Our goal is to produce 350,000 cars in the country. As we expand our presence in Russia, the number of jobs we create increases along with our tax payments. In addition, we are known as a responsible member of Russian society and not only as a major car manufacturer. We are known among Russian sports fans as a partner of the Russian national hockey and soccer teams, and as an official partner of the 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi. Volkswagen Group Rus is providing the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee with nearly 3,500 Volkswagen, Audi, ŠKODA cars and VW Commercial vehicles to transport visitors in preparation for and during the games, most of which, incidentally, will be produced locally.