The BMW Group’s aim is to contribute to growth, prosperity and social stability through innovative, responsible action – because that’s the basis for a healthy economy and our future success as a company. Lifelong learning is fundamental in this regard and well-established within the company through a diverse range of training programmes. But as a true corporate citizen, the BMW Group promotes educational initiatives for young people around the world as well.
The approx. 155,000 employees from 110 nations are a key factor in the success of the BMW Group. It’s because of them that technological innovations and the transition to electric, digital and circular personal mobility are even possible. That’s why, in 2024, the BMW Group invested over 400 million euros in training and development, with an effective and forward-looking training portfolio. More and more, the ability to acquire new knowledge fast and for constant personal development is crucial to the competitive advantage. Lifelong learning is part of the BMW Group’s self-image and an established part of the day-to-day work.
But the commitment to education reaches far beyond the confines of the company itself – because it is important to the BMW Group to be part of the solution to a wide range of social challenges ahead. When it comes to societal change, education is key as it opens up new opportunities, enables well-founded decision-making and encourages critical thinking. “Working at the BMW Group means taking responsibility far beyond our own premises – for our society, the environment and all our stakeholders. It is our associates who are creating a more electric, digital and circular mobility. This is our contribution to a better future. This is what drives us forward every day”, says Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, People and Real Estate, Labour Relations Director.
The BMW Group offers a host of different entry options for young, talented people. One of them is the apprenticeship, which is established worldwide. Furthermore, the BMW Group also offers student apprenticeships at selected sites. The portfolio of apprenticeships and student apprenticeships is constantly being updated to meet the future needs, with a primary focus on electronics, automation, IT and electric mobility. Digital and innovative learning methods are a fixed part of the training programmes. The BMW Group currently has some 4,800 apprentices and student apprentices worldwide (3,681 of them in Germany) and offers approx. 30 apprenticeships and 20 student apprenticeships at its 20 sites in ten different countries across the globe (as at 31.12.2023).
For students, graduates and young professionals, the BMW Group has developed a number of special young talent programmes to help them join a dynamic working environment and take responsibility early on. By the end of 2023, over 500 young talents were supported through the programmes worldwide.
The BMW Group Academy offers a forward-looking further education portfolio for all employees and partners around the world. Courses primarily focus on qualifying individuals to work with the new battery and high-voltage systems of the Neue Klasse, furthering digital skills such as artificial intelligence (AI), and the New Retail sales system. Being web-based, they are easy to integrate into the working day. The BMW Group Academy aims to enable employees and partners to develop the skills and abilities they need – fast and with a clear purpose.
From the summer of 2025, the BMW Group Talent Campus Munich – which is currently under construction to the north-east of the home plant – will be the main educational institution for the company’s approx. 40,000 Munich-based employees. It will offer a high-quality learning environment with state-of-the-art equipment and technologies to create the best possible conditions for successful learning.
The BMW Group supports educational projects. In Germany, this includes the non-profit training initiative JOBLINGE, which supports young people with difficult starting conditions on their way into education and work. It was founded by the Eberhard von Kuenheim Foundation of BMW AG (now renamed BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt) together with the Boston Consulting Group, with the aim of creating more equitable opportunities. JOBLINGE has since become one of the most successful nationwide programmes against youth unemployment and is helping meet the shortage of skilled workers in Germany.
So that the support of young people has a lasting effect, one component of JOBLINGE’s support are the basecamps. One such basecamp opened at the start of the training year in Munich, in September 2024, supported by the BMW Group, Allianz Group, Infineon Technologies AG, the Lufthansa Group and Siemens AG. Its modern co-working space is the point of contact for apprentices and offers close mentoring and support from experts – which is crucial when it comes to staying on track and seeing an apprenticeship through to successful completion. The five companies offer coaching and advice as well as easier initial contact. But besides support for the apprenticeships, basecamps also serve as hubs for the entire professional training community – from young people still looking to find an apprenticeship to apprentices in need of support and experts specialising in the transition from school to work.
In addition to its focus on education, the BMW Group supports skills development for future leaders. It promotes an open and diverse society with equitable opportunities for all and inspires people across the globe with its activities in the field of sport and culture. For more on the BMW Group’s commitment to corporate citizenship, click here.
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