Mercedes-Benz Korea said on the 28th that it is running a step-by-step "education-field-qualification" curriculum that connects schools to the workplace to cultivate vehicle maintenance talent.
Mercedes-Benz Korea's curriculum is characterized by enabling students to encounter the skills and job information needed in the field and to move on to actual career choices and employment. The company noted that, rather than ending as a one-off experience, it is a program that helps students design their own career paths.
The process begins with the Mercedes-Benz Korea Social Contribution Committee's mobile academy. Since 2014, the academy has been run with domestic automobile colleges and has provided 2,636 students at automotive specialized colleges with opportunities for career planning and job experience.
The mobile academy focused on technical education along with field connections. In Apr. last year at AMG Speedway in Yongin, Gyeonggi, it provided mentoring by an on-site technician group and hiring guidance from HR managers to 110 students from 10 automotive specialized colleges nationwide.
Outstanding graduates also experienced the global field. In Jul. last year, the Social Contribution Committee offered an eight-day, seven-night headquarters tour program in Stuttgart, Germany, for 11 outstanding graduates of the 18th mobile academy. The students observed the assembly process and experienced the training system at the Sindelfingen plant in Germany.
After field experience, the Social Contribution Committee operates the training academy program "AET." AET is a program in which selected students go through 20 courses over about one year to learn electric-vehicle work safety management, drive systems, battery cooling systems, and more. It targets students set to graduate from automotive departments at junior colleges nationwide.
Specifically, the program consists of about 14 weeks of theory education and 40 weeks of on-site training at official service centers nationwide. Graduates are granted official qualifications, including Mercedes-Benz high-voltage specialist (HV Level 3). They are also given opportunities to be hired by official dealers or service centers.
Technician Lee Kang-hyeok, currently working at the Mercedes-Benz Korea Hanam Service Center, is a case of being hired through the above process.
Mercedes-Benz Korea said that the higher the step in the curriculum, the higher the level of maintenance service that can be provided. A Mercedes-Benz Korea official said, "It is meaningful in that educational opportunities lead to employment and growth, and the results in turn lead to a virtuous cycle that improves customer service quality."