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VW opens three new training centres

8 June 2009

Volkswagen South Africa has opened three new state-of-the-art production training centres as part of the Production Academy at its Uitenhage plant, as the automaker intensifies its efforts to establish itself as a learning organisation.

In 2006, the company made a commitment to spend more than R400-million on training and skills development between now and 2010, a move that is seen as key to improving customer service, market leadership, global cost competitiveness and quality and schedule adherence amongst others.

Volkswagen South Africa MD David Powels explained that the company's intentions on becoming the benchmark auto manufacturer in the country and a competitive global player depended on the skills development of its employees.

"The reality is that the critical skills required to carry out this plan are scarce in South Africa," he said in a statement last month. "We have intensified our efforts to develop these skills within our own people and embed a culture of continuous learning within the organisation."

He pointed out that through improving itself, the company would secure its future as a vehicle manufacturer with over 5 000 employees in the country.

Five academies

Five training academies have been implemented, namely production, leadership, technical, commercial and sales and marketing.

"This is the route taken by an employee to build his or her knowledge progressively through a range of blended learning activities, which include workshops, simulated exercises, e-learning and on-the-job training," Powels explained.

The majority of the training modules are aligned to South African Qualifications Authority requirements, ensuring that skills gained provide employees with some form of a nationally recognised qualification, or credits towards the qualification.

E-learning

Each and every Volkswagen employee, from shop floor to executive level, will soon be able to access training online when e-learning - currently in a pilot phase - is rolled out to the rest of the organisation.

"In addition to providing a secure medium of measurement, e-learning allows employees to complete online modules, view their personalised learner path and book workshops from any computer with internet access 24/7," Powels added.

The sales and marketing and commercial academies are geared toward achieving key business goals by equipping support staff with the knowledge and skills they need to deliver to this strategy.

The leadership academy supports people in executive roles to develop their leadership skills and competencies in line with the Volkswagen SA leadership brand, and also assesses employees for leadership potential, as well as for functional roles within the company

"These five academies will create a learning environment which is vibrant, active and dynamic; in which all employees can learn and grow, and contribute towards Volkswagen South Africa achieving its aim of becoming a true learning organisation," Powels said.

SAinfo reporter