The Volkswagen brand has launched a program—the “Future Electronic Engineer Program” (FEEP)—to train 100 young engineers and skilled workers throughout the world as top production experts in e-mobility. The first participants to complete the three-year program will support the run-up phase of the I.D. family, the new generation of full-electric vehicles based on the modular electrification toolkit (MEB) in Zwickau.

The new training program was initiated by the Volkswagen brand’s Pilot Hall in Wolfsburg, which forms part of the Production and Logistics Board of Management division. Plants in China, Brazil, Argentina, the US and Mexico are also participating in the program, which is supported by Volkswagen’s volunteering initiative and local universities. From June onwards, young specialists from Germany, China and the Americas will be participating in the program.

This year and next year, we will have to master about 80 starts of production. The vehicles have more digital intelligence on board than ever before. These are severe challenges. And the situation will become even more challenging with the MEB models. We need start of production specialists who can provide local support at our plants when the need arises and ensure a good start of production. We intend to implement outstanding volume production that meets our high quality requirements.

—Oliver Wessel, Head of the Pilot Hall

The successful FEEP trainees will act as “midwives” for the new electric cars to be launched on the market as part of Volkswagen’s major electric offensive.

Within three years, Volkswagen will be starting production of a total of 27 electric car models for four brands in three regions of the world. At the Zwickau plant alone, models of three Group brands will roll off the production lines. In future, our MEB plants throughout the world will need young engineers who are thoroughly conversant with the requirements for production of the new vehicle architecture and also have considerable practical experience.

—Thomas Ulbrich, Member of the brand Board of Management responsible for E-Mobility

Participants entering the program in fields such as vehicle informatics or data logistics will normally have completed a practically oriented course of studies. Initially, they will be provided with basic training on commissioning at the Volkswagen brand pilot hall in Wolfsburg and will work on current vehicle projects such as the first compact I.D.

Following this stage, they will receive intensive seminars—for example, during specialist training as programmers—and will work on projects with gradually increasing requirements. They will then complete an assignment to another country where they will work on starts of production and benefit from practically oriented support by highly qualified mentors and senior experts working on a volunteering basis.