Learning for the future – with artificial intelligence and virtual reality

Munich. At the BMW Group’s Munich site, a powerful
symbol is emerging: the new Talent Campus. Soon to become the
company’s education centre, the Campus will provide training and
professional development for some 40,000 employees in Munich –
including 900 apprentices and 300 participants on young talent
programmes. The state-of-the-art building will include training spaces
with the latest technologies for innovative learning, as well as
workshops and a public café. It will show clearly the importance of
training and lifelong learning at the BMW Group. Professional training
and lifelong learning are essential for the company’s successful
transition to electric, digital, circular mobility. Education is key
not just to staying innovative and competitive but also for employees’
future prospects in the fast-changing world of work.

On 15 July, World Youth Skills Day, the BMW Group will be raising
awareness of the many opportunities and prospects for upskilling
provided by the range of entry-level training courses and continuing
professional development (CPD).

Variety of entry routes

The BMW Group offers young people a wide range of employment
prospects in a variety of exciting skill areas. Entry-level training
includes internships, apprenticeships, student apprenticeships and
young talent programmes for outstanding school, university and PhD
students as well as graduates.

The training programmes focus primarily on electronics and
automation, IT and e-mobility, with some 30 apprenticeship programmes
and about 20 student apprenticeships in STEM subjects available
worldwide. Across the globe, the BMW Group fosters about 5,200 young
talents, with approx. 1,200 apprenticeship places and 140 places on
young talent programmes at BMW AG in Germany alone.

There’s one thing all the programmes have in common: a focus on
developing talents and nurturing personal strengths while adopting a
holistic approach to education that takes into account the learners’
individual personalities.

Focus on developing talents and strengths

The BMW Group offers a host of opportunities for young people to
broaden their horizons and apply their strengths. Those at German
sites, for example, all take part in workshops exploring strengths, to
help them identify not just their own special talents but those of
their colleagues as well. They are also given positions where their
skills are needed and they can continue to develop professionally.

Apprentices and student apprentices can also apply for a place on the
global exchange programme MOVE, where they get to experience a
practical assignment at a site in the BMW Group production network,
whether in Germany or abroad. During the course of the programme, they
take on two international assignments. Undergraduates and PhD students
can also do an internship or orientation assignment in the global
network. MOVE is an excellent opportunity for young people to develop
their intercultural skills and flexibility and expand their networks
across multiple sites.

Meanwhile, the Talent Factory sees apprentices and student
apprentices work in interdisciplinary teams, just like they would in a
startup. From their first year on the programme, they get to develop
products and services themselves, to provide real solutions for real
customers and nurture their creativity and innovativeness. The Talent
Factory is still in its infancy and being established at all sites worldwide.

Personal talent development is also at the heart of the AcceleratiON
programme for apprentices. This includes careers workshops, coaching,
mentoring for personal skills development, and practical assignments
in Germany and abroad. Participants in the scholarship and trainee
programme can tailor their assignments, projects and insights into the
various areas of the company in a wide range of ways to suit their
personal interests and strengths.

Lifelong learning as part of everyday working life

Technology is developing at breakneck speed, so new knowledge and
skills are essential, especially in the fields of electrics and
electronics. Training in the field of high-voltage electricity is
needed for new battery systems, agile working methods and
digitalisation, with a focus on artificial intelligence. That’s why
CPD is an established and integral part of everyday working life.

Munich’s new Talent Campus will also be home to the BMW Group
Academy, when it moves in. Established as the BMW Group’s very own
educational institution, the Academy offers more than 4,000 different
courses, all tailored to suit the needs of the company. To keep pace
with technological advances, course content is regularly updated in
conjunction with the specialist departments. The BMW Group Academy
also works with external training organisations to ensure the best
possible instruction.

Fit for the future with Digital Boost

One practical example of instruction is Digital Boost, introduced
under the umbrella of the BMW Group Academy in 2023. This CPD format
is the biggest training programme in the history of the company and
readying some 80,000 employees for the digital future. It encompasses
a multitude of practical examples of digital applications and
technologies. One focal point is the course modules on artificial
intelligence. AI skills are now needed in every profession, so they
are already an integral part of entry-level training at the BMW Group.
Digital Boost also familiarises learners the basics of the cloud, the
metaverse and data analytics. Young people at the Munich, Regensburg
and Dingolfing sites can already do a module on AI in their student
apprenticeships for a BSc.

Fun with innovative learning formats

To familiarise employees worldwide with a wide variety of
departments, course content is tailored to suit their personal skill
levels. AI applications, virtual reality simulations, avatars and
animations take them on an exciting learning journey, with features
such as an interactive activity based on an escape room. Virtual and
augmented reality create a multi-sensory experience for particularly
impactful learning, with avatars – created in minutes by AI –
explaining course content in videos. This ensures knowledge is
conveyed quickly and credibly – and also offers a crucial advantage:
content can be imparted in any language, adapted to suit the culture
and applied worldwide. In 2024, the BMW Group and BMW Group Academy
jointly earned eLearning awards in three categories.

Outlook: Training and young talent programmes make Germany a
more attractive business location

At the BMW Group, skills development means being part of a living,
inspiring learning ecosystem. Lifelong learning – and especially the
focus on subject areas of the future – is impactful in many ways: it
keeps employees relevant over the longer term and contributes to their
personal and professional development. The effects can also be felt
beyond the confines of the company, as skills development creates
future-focused jobs and ultimately makes Germany more innovative as an
industrial base.

Topics and stories at the BMW Group

On selected National and International Days, the BMW Group will be
presenting stories and information relating to the day that’s being
marked. So, if there’s something you’d like to know more about, let us
know. We’ll tell you more and introduce you to interesting people at
the BMW Group.

In 2024 the BMW Group will also be marking further days of observance
and action with stories and information:

16 August: World “Bratwurst Day”

14 September: World First Aid Day

9 October: Fire Prevention Day

30 November: Computer Security Day

3 December: International Day of People with Disabilities

If you have any questions, please contact:

BMW Group Corporate Communications

Dr. Hans-Peter Ketterl

Spokesperson for Human Resources and Member of the Board of
Management for Human Resources and Real Estate

Tel: +49-89-382-23923

Mail: Hans-Peter.Ketterl@bmwgroup.com

The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW
Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and
motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services.
The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites
worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2023, the BMW Group sold over 2.55 million passenger vehicles and
more than 209,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the
financial year 2023 was € 17.1 billion on revenues amounting to €
155.5 billion. As of 31 December 2023, the BMW Group had a workforce
of 154,950 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term
thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the
future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and
efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from
the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products. 

www.bmwgroup.com

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