Car training program starts again

Trainees paint graffiti on a Mercedes-Maybach S-Class sedan at a kick-off ceremony for its Ausbildung program at the AMG Speedway in Yongin, Gyeonggi, on Friday. [MERCEDES-BENZ KOREA]

Mercedes-Benz Korea launched a second edition of its Ausbildung program, which provides vocational training and education to high school students.

A kick-off ceremony was held at the AMG Speedway in Yongin, Gyeonggi, on Friday, attended by some 120 key members of the company including Lee Sang-kuk, vice president of Mercedes-Benz Korea’s network development & training team, and Gerd Bitterlich, the company’s chief financial officer.

According to the company, a total of 33 trainees have been accepted to the program this year after tests and interviews. The trainees will start working at the carmaker’s 19 official after-sales service centers, where 70 percent of the courses will be on-the-job training. The remaining 30 percent will be theoretical studies provided by college professors.

The program will run for three years, and trainees will be provided with decent work conditions and stable salaries.

“We will continue to provide our cooperation and support for nurturing future young talent in the face of the fourth industrial revolution,” said Lee at the kick-off ceremony Friday.

The Ausbildung program was launched last year by Mercedes-Benz Korea and BMW Korea.

This year, MAN Truck & Bus Korea and Daimler Truck Korea joined the program.

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]