Porsche 2009 Annual Report Download - page 80

One of the high points of vocational training
at Volkswagen is the annual presentation of the “Best
Apprentice Award” to the best trainees.
Going forward, uniform standards of exper-
tise will form the basis of vocational training and se-
curing a job at Volkswagen. These standards are cur-
rently being developed for four core automotive voca-
tions with the goal of further standardizing and sys-
temizing professional development across the various
locations. At the same time, this aims to ensure that
the curriculum for all vocational groups comprises the
very latest knowledge and is at the cutting edge of
technological development.
Volkswagen offers made-to-measure
programs for graduates
The start of a person’s career shapes his en-
tire working life, which is why Volkswagen launched
the StartUp Direct program in 2008 to give young
university graduates a head start in the company.
Over a two-year period, participants in the program
not only familiarize themselves with their own depart-
ment and the company but also attend a large number
of training seminars. These are supplemented by mul-
tiple-week placements in production and sales as well
as an optional foreign placement.
University graduates with an international fo-
cus can alternatively enter the StartUp Cross program.
This 18-month international trainee program includes
a three-month international placement. Over 650
trainees have passed through one of these two pro-
grams since their launch in 2008.
The Student Talent Bank is Volkswagen’s staff
development program for people who are still at uni-
versity. In the last ten years, over 1,200 young peo-
ple who demonstrated outstanding abilities and dedi-
cation during a national or international placement at
Volkswagen have been included in the Student Talent
Bank.
Environment
Environmental management in the Porsche
Zwischenholding GmbH group
The issues of climate protection and sustain-
able use of resources are influencing politics, society
and business worldwide. Global climate protection
protocols and activities at European and national level
are pushing reductions in CO2 emissions and the con-
sumption of fossil fuels. In particular, the transport
sector, which accounts for some 25 percent of
worldwide CO2 emissions, is almost wholly dependent
on mineral oil as a raw material, and has been at the
center of the debate. As a result, the automobile in-
dustry is increasingly turning to environmentally
friendly concepts, such as hybrid and electric drives,
to complement the development of conventional
drives. With Porsche Intelligent Performance, the Por-
sche brand is showing that sports-car appeal and
premium quality are compatible with lower fuel con-
sumption, and that increased performance does not
exclude reduced CO2 emissions.
The 918 Spyder concept study marries Por-
sche’s racing high-tech and electromobility: on the
one hand the emissions of a microcar; on the other,
the performance of a top-end sports car. Its hybrid
technology is united with a lightweight body in con-
junction with a high-revving V8 engine and two electric
motors on the front and rear axles. The plug-in hybrid
system combines the benefits of battery- and gas-
powered vehicles. The lithium-ion batteries – the heart
of the electrical motor – can be charged while the
vehicle is in motion, from the mains socket or by con-
verting kinetic energy into electrical energy during
braking (recuperation). This enables the car to be run
solely on electrical power for up to 25 kilometers.
The 918 Spyder’s four driving modes offer a choice
of settings ranging from efficiency to performance
depending on the particular situation. The intelligent
combination of electrical motors and combustion en-
gine holds potential for high performance with mini-
mal fuel consumption.
The new 911 GT3 R Hybrid incorporates a
hybrid system specially developed for deployment in
80 Group management report