In addition, Volkswagen is celebrating an anniversary this year. For 25 years now, the Best Apprentice Award has been presented to the best apprentices worldwide. During this period, more than 900 young talents have been honored for their achievements.
This year, the award recipients come from 17 countries and 44 locations across the Group worldwide. They completed their training in a total of 19 different trades – 26 award winners in the fields of industry and electronics, 10 in the fields of business, IT and logistics, and 14 in the field of automotive technology. Many of them are among the top graduates in their country and have received awards at the regional, state, or national level. At Volkswagen, they have already worked on major projects and gained valuable experience even during their training.
At the awards ceremony in Wolfsburg, the company recognized the dedication, team spirit, and sense of responsibility that these young professionals have demonstrated early in their careers. In their speeches, the board and employee representatives also emphasized the importance of global vocational training for the company’s long-term viability.
Oliver Blume, CEO of Volkswagen AG: “The Best Apprentice Award demonstrates once again that vocational training at the Volkswagen Group stands for the highest professional standards and a commitment to diversity. The award-winning graduates are among the top talents in our company worldwide. Through their passion, dedication, and exceptional skills, they have demonstrated during their training that they have what it takes to become the specialists and leaders of tomorrow. Highly qualified young talent is and will remain a key factor in our Group's success.”
Daniela Cavallo, Chairwoman of the General and Group Works Council at Volkswagen AG: “Our young colleagues have every reason to be very proud of their achievements. The world and our company are undergoing rapid change. In this challenging environment, our trainees have demonstrated what we can achieve through motivation, focus, and perseverance. I would also like to thank the trainers, whose dedicated work contributes to the success of our company. We don’t know where the coming years and decades will take us. Artificial intelligence, in particular, is already having – and will continue to have – a significant impact on many job roles at Volkswagen. That’s also a great opportunity. I am very confident about our company’s future when I see the outstanding young talents we have as we move forward. Together with all our colleagues around the world, they are helping to move our Volkswagen family forward.”
Arne Meiswinkel, Chief Human Resources Officer of the Volkswagen brand: “For a quarter of a century, our Best Apprentice Award has stood for excellence in training. It shows just how strong our global training network is. This year alone, we are honoring 50 outstanding graduates from a total of 19 vocational training programs. They can all be proud of this award. Because they performed exceptionally well, thereby laying the foundation for a successful career.”
With the Best Apprentice Award, the Volkswagen Group highlights the value of its global vocational training program year after year. The award is designed to specifically encourage young talent to take on responsibility, remain open to learning, and actively help shape the company’s future with their expertise.