VW qualifies experts for I.D. family production
Volkswagen will begin the education of the next generation this month with the Future Electronic Engineer Program (FEEP). As part of the program, 100 young engineers and specialists will be specially trained to produce the I.D. family vehicles.
The future specialists will take roles in the areas of planning, pilotiing, the e-mobility series and the pre-series center, as well as the electronics development. The first graduates of the three year programme will be employed in Zwickau, working on I.D. family models.
The education scheme was initiated by VW’s pilot facility in Wolfsburg, which is part of the logistics and planning department. Locations in China, Brazil, Argentina, the USA and Mexico will be taking part as well. The programme is supported by the “Volkswagen pro Ehrenamt” initiative (Ehrenamt is voluntary work in German) and local universities to educate young people in Germany, China and North and South America as of June.
Oliver Wessel, who coordinates product development before vehicles go into serial production, is aiming to start one of the largest training programs in the industry with FEEP. He added: “This year and next year, we will have to master about 80 starts of production. The vehicles have more digital intelligence on board than ever before. These are severe challenges. And the situation will become even more challenging with the MEB models. We need start of production specialists who can provide local support at our plants when the need arises and ensure a good start of production.”
According to other VW sources, the new graduates will play sort of a midwife role for the new I.D. vehicles, as Thomas Ulbrich explains: “Within three years, Volkswagen will be starting production of a total of 27 electric car models for four brands in three regions of the world. At the Zwickau plant alone, models of three Group brands will roll off the production lines. In future, our MEB plants throughout the world will need young engineers who are thoroughly conversant with the requirements for production of the new vehicle architecture and also have considerable practical experience.”
The participants of the programme generally undergo a complementary study course with practical orientation – particularly if they join as vehicle I.T. technicians or data logistics. At first candidates undergo a basic training, where they will work on current vehicle models, before candidates are then sent around the world to work with different VW teams on different projects.
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