Audi 2010 Annual Report Download - page 163

161
Management Report
132 Audi Group
141 Business and underlying
situation
156 Financial performance
indicators
159 Social and ecological aspects
159 Employees
162 Audi in society
163 Location-based
environmental aspects
167 Product-based
environmental aspects
173 Risks, opportunities
and outlook
183 Disclaimer
520 experts newly recruited
AUDI AG recruited around 520 experts in 2010 – first and foremost for the growth area of electric
mobility as well as for lightweight automotive design and production planning. Over and above
increasing its workforce in line with growth, AUDI AG provides specific training and advancement
for its existing employees.
Health, job and family
The corporate benchmarking study “oekom Industry Report Automobile” published in 2010
awarded AUDI AG the top grade of A+ in the categories “Work-Life Balance” and “Health and
Safety” (“oekom Industry Report Automobile,” April 2010). The subject of this rating report,
in which a total of 15 carmakers from the United States, Europe and Asia participated, was
management sustainability. AUDI AG’s positive results for the above criteria are down to its
programs designed to steadily improve ergonomics, a very high standard of health and safety
at work, and the wide-ranging options for flexible working hours and health protection.
The Company has further stepped up its preventive measures since summer 2006. By the end of
2010, for example, a total of around 30,000 employees had taken a voluntary health check-up.
This thorough preventive health check can be taken during working hours and includes lab tests
and an in-depth consultation with a physician.
The number of Audi employees taking up the option of parental leave rose to around 900 (780)
in the period under review. The popularity of parental leave has thus gradually increased since
its introduction in 2001. The length of parental leave taken by AUDI AG employees averages 12
months. 79 percent of the men entitled to parental leave take advantage of this arrangement.
Training and advancement
788 young people started apprenticeships at AUDI AG in September 2010. Behind this record
figure lay the pledge made by the Company in the previous year – when the Audi brand celebrated
its 100th anniversary – to create an additional 100 positions for apprentices. As of the end of
2010 there were slightly more than 2,350 apprentices at the two German locations Ingolstadt
and Neckarsulm, spanning about 20 different vocations. The figure includes around 100 young
people embarking on a sandwich course leading to the entrance qualification for a university of
applied science. In parallel with training as an automotive mechatronics engineer, electronics
engineer for automation technology or tool mechanic, they can acquire a subject-specific univer-
sity entrance qualification.
The StEP scheme (Study and Experience in Practice) is a program offered by AUDI AG combining
vocational training with studies of a technical subject. To accommodate the double number of
school-leavers produced by the introduction of the higher school-leaving certificate after 12 school
years, the Company is to double the number of places available. For the extra places in the StEP
program, priority will be given to school-leavers from those federal states where there will be a
particularly high number of young people commencing their studies as a result of the elimination
of the thirteenth high-school year.
In March 2010 the first graduates of the new “Automotive technology electrician” qualification
received their certificates. The concept for certifying further training was developed by experts
from AUDI AG in partnership with IHK Akademie München in response to the electrification of
the driveline. The qualification, which takes a maximum of eight weeks, centers on working with
high-voltage technology and health and safety at work. From the 2010 intake on, this qualifica-
tion is integrated into the apprenticeship for automotive mechatronics engineers at AUDI AG. All
apprentices are furthermore receiving training in hybrid technology and electric mobility.
The topic of lightweight design is also extensively covered during vocational training. Additional
course content on new joining techniques and combinations of materials has been added for
existing vocations. The new vocation of foundry mechanic is a new addition to the training
range.