EAfA Member Spotlight: BMW Group’s pledge puts apprentices in the driver’s seat

BMW Group has been a member of the European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) since 2015. The Group renewed its pledge most recently in 2023 and is currently preparing for a further renewal. Read on to find out how BMW is training apprentices across its organisation, including BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce.

Please can you provide a short overview of your EAfA pledge?

BMW Group strives to provide top-qualified apprentices with promising retail and production career opportunities. We aim to equip apprentices with practical skills and real-world experience in advanced technologies such as virtual welding and the use of digital twins, which support the development of key skills required in modern manufacturing and technology environments. Our pledge directly contributes to EAfA's aims of improving the quality and enhancing the image of apprenticeships and promoting the mobility of apprentices.

Strengthening training for our apprentices internationally has been, and will continue to be, a key focus in the coming years. We seek to enhance the image of apprenticeships and ensure that apprentice training is recognised as a viable career path with attractive job prospects. Our activities also seek to close the gender gap of women's under-representation in STEM fields.

How did you first hear about EAfA, and why did you decide to submit a pledge?

We believe that education is the engine that drives the development of our society, and training apprentices plays a key role. When we heard about EAfA in 2015 through European Commission communications, we were interested. We submitted our pledge after learning that EAfA could provide opportunities to share our approaches to work-based learning within the EAfA network, engage in discussions with experts, and exchange best practices.

What opportunities has BMW taken to contribute to EAfA activities?

We support the goals of the EAfA and promote them not only within the BMW Group but also in our wider networks, regularly participating in EAfA events and panel discussions to share our best practices.

Our EAfA activities are part of our education policy strategy and communicated across all management levels. The Group regularly discusses its EAfA-related initiatives and experiences internally ensuring that activities are shared and reviewed in detail.

Since submitting a pledge, what activities has BMW undertaken to achieve the EAfA objectives in your pledge?

Firstly, our apprentice training approach, called 'TALENT' (Talent-oriented Learning and Development), promotes the individual skills of our apprentices through activities designed to develop their personal and professional talents into strengths. Apprenticeships are offered across a wide range of occupations, predominantly in technical fields, but also in IT-related and non-technical roles.

The second activity is a dual-education mobility project that combines valuable work experience and practical training from the BMW Group in Germany with a qualification in various professional fields from the Universidad de Alcalá in Spain.

Skilled Spanish apprentices were placed at the Munich plant and enrolled in the online Master GAIA in Professional Development, while others joined the dual education programme in Leipzig. The initiative covers fields such as manufacturing, engineering and IT, with a strong focus on digital skills and innovation. The project aimed to expand students' employment prospects, and many of the apprentices were hired by BMW afterwards.

In 2021, BMW established the global exchange programme 'MOVE' for apprentices and dual students. Currently, the MOVE exchange programme is active in Germany, the United States, Mexico, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Austria, Hungary and China. MOVE promotes personal development and openness to international mobility, allowing apprentices to build their personal network by staying at another BMW location for 4-8 weeks to experience new places, people and perspectives.

How does your pledge support gender equality in education and employment, and what measures has BMW taken to ensure equal access to apprenticeships for women and girls?

BMW Group is working continuously to increase the share of women in the workforce as a whole and in management positions. This remains a challenging task because more men go through apprentice training in technical fields, than women. We specifically aim to spark girls' interest in STEM careers by encouraging them to participate in 'Girls' Day', a nationwide initiative held in Germany. BMW Group has taken part since 2001, offering various career and study orientation programmes specifically for girls in collaboration with other associations and networks.

We introduce children to the technology we work with through STEM labs and technology camps and offer young women insights into working life through internships. We also showcase female role models on our websiteand send female apprentices as ambassadors to schools.

BMW has a reverse mentoring scheme related to the integration of AI into specialist departments. How are apprentices shaping the future competitiveness of BMW through this scheme?

At BMW, apprentices bring fresh perspectives and are eager to embrace new technologies. Their willingness to explore and innovate is a key asset, vital for integrating AI into our specialist departments. We value diverse skills, and teamwork between our departments' seasoned professionals and our innovative apprentices ensures BMW remains competitive and forward-thinking. Our strategy emphasises collaboration and fosters a positive learning environment for the whole group.

For example, in our 'Gen AI Heroes' internal initiative, apprentices lead Open Hour sessions and provide guidance on the use and application of Generative AI in daily work. Additionally, we host hackathons where apprentices and experienced employees team up with apprentices to solve real-world problems using Generative AI. Mentors include skilled professionals in the field, as well as apprentices and dual students from advanced study years who have gained substantial experience in Generative AI or have been reassigned within the department.

How do apprenticeships fit into BMW Group's sustainability goals in light of the EU's Clean Industrial Deal, decarbonisation and the transition to cleaner energies?

High-quality apprentice training allows us to train young people according to technological and ecological needs. Our approach is rooted in a holistic understanding of education, placing emphasis on the development of the whole personality. We prioritise cross-disciplinary competencies such as systems thinking, proactive problem-solving and a commitment to lifelong learning. Through a future-oriented training portfolio, we continuously update existing programmes to reflect emerging skills and evolving workplace needs.

We are therefore future-proofing our range of apprenticeship training - including electrification, automation and digitalisation. At the BMW Group, our commitment to the Paris climate agreement and net zero by 2050 is integral to our sustainability approach. On the road to net zero, we have set ourselves science-based CO2 targets for the years ahead. By 2030 the BMW Group intends to cut its CO2e emissions by a total of 40 million t compared with 2019.

Our apprentices not only learn about sustainability in theory, but get training on-the-job in our recycling = centres. First year apprentices go through a 'Circular Economy Challenge' with the aim to develop a concept for a circular product based on recycled material .

We even involved our apprentices in the first preparations for the transition to electric mobility; before the production started on our first electric vehicle - the i3 - apprentices converted the first "test fleet" of Minis to have electric drives during their training. They gave feedback to the project managers in development, what difficulties they were facing, so this could be included in the further development process. Additionally, the apprentices were thereby prepared for the start of production of the first electric series vehicle, the i3.

Are you inspired by BMW Group's commitment to delivering high-quality, innovative apprenticeships and promoting STEM careers for women? Submit a pledge on our EAfA Membership and Pledges webpage!