Advanced Training, Development Paths & Career Planning
Shape your professional future with our advanced training and qualification programmes and our transparent development paths. At Volkswagen, we offer a multitude of different and individual opportunities to plan and shape your personal career path, from advanced professional training to taking on positions at senior and management levels.
How can I develop professionally at Volkswagen?
In short, there are various opportunities for you to develop professionally at Volkswagen. You can use various on-demand qualification opportunities and learning platforms to develop your own expertise in a targeted manner, but also expand your interdisciplinary skills. Or you can take on further activities, more responsibility or initial leadership tasks in your team. And you may want to advance to management level. Whatever it is, we’ll be by your side on your chosen career path.
Development appraisals: find your way with us
You’ll discuss your potential development with your supervisor at least once a year. During the appraisal, you’ll have the opportunity to reflect on how you would like to develop further in your role. Or whether development in a different direction might be the right solution, i.e. taking on a different area of responsibility or taking on more responsibility, for example in a leadership position or as head of a specialist project.
In addition, you’ll have the possibility of discussing your personal performance continually throughout the year. Feedback is important to us, which is why we offer you the opportunity to receive feedback not only from your supervisor but also from your colleagues.
Development steps: planning your career together
In order to plan potential development steps for our employees, regular on-the-job feedback is given, and personal motivation and professional aptitude are discussed in development appraisals. Ultimately, the selection of an employee for a particular development path is based on the principle of multiple-party verification; the specific criteria are based on Volkswagen's People Profile Find out more about the Volkswagen mindset.
Special qualification programmes tailored to the new position prepare employees for the new tasks. Even after taking on the new role, regular on-the-job feedback is provided to enable you to grow into the tasks and responsibility in the best possible way.
Example
This is what an exemplary career path could look like
In the following, we have outlined a possible professional career at Volkswagen. This is naturally just an example. As described above, there is a multitude of opportunities for your professional development path at Volkswagen.
You complete your internship at Volkswagen in the field of software development during your studies; throughout this period you’ll have already proved that you are talented, reliable and a team player. During your internship, you’ll discuss with your departmental supervisor the possibility of writing your thesis in the same department.
Immediately after your internship, you’ll write your master's thesis at Volkswagen and can draw on the practical knowledge and specialist expertise you’ll already have gained. In addition, you’ll expand your professional network in the company and enhance your specialist skills.
Your thesis at Volkswagen was so successful that you go on to apply for the company’s PhD programme and work for us as a PhD student for three years. During this time, you’ll acquire extensive specialist knowledge and learn to plan and carry out substantial projects (in this case your dissertation) – with the help of supporting seminars. Thanks to the PhD programme, you’ll also expand your network at Volkswagen.
After completing your PhD, you’ll apply for the position of cloud architect and shortly afterwards, you'll become part of our team. You’ll work here for three years on various projects relating to cloud-based applications in aftersales, and embark on the first projects for which you are responsible.
In the development appraisal with your supervisor, you’ll agree to take on the role of product owner in the future, and proceed to inspire your colleagues in this role for two years.
Due to your expertise, you’ll have the opportunity to switch to one of our Group brands, for example Porsche, Audi, Cupra or Škoda, where you’ll work in one or more teams for some time and gain valuable new experience. A post abroad is also possible; our Global Assignments team will provide you with support.
Back at Volkswagen in Germany, your supervisor suggests during another development appraisal that you follow a leadership career path whilst also supervising a small team. At the same time, you’ll complete your qualification training to become a supervisor, where you’ll be prepared for your new tasks and responsibilities. In addition, your supervisor will be at your side as your mentor.
Your journey along the development path with us will also be accompanied with appropriate seminars and training courses. Once you've successfully completed your development path, you'll be put in charge of your team.
Since you now have a wide range of experience in several areas, you’ll also have the opportunity to advance to management level.
