Siemens boosts number of people in training programs in Germany: focus on digitalization and sustainability

More than 1,500 apprentices and participants in work-study programs in Germany will start their careers at Siemens on September 1. Despite the scarcity of applicants in the country’s apprenticeship market, this number has significantly increased compared to the previous year (2022: 1,300; 15 percent increase). For a while now, there has been an imbalance between supply and demand on Germany’s apprenticeship market: At the start of August, more than 220,000 training positions were reported as vacant. However, only around 117,000 of the country’s young people are currently looking for an apprenticeship.

“I’m very pleased that – despite the difficult situation on the market for labor and skilled personnel – we’ve managed to significantly increase the number of apprentices and work-study program participants in Germany,” said Judith Wiese, Chief People and Sustainability Officer, member of the Managing Board and Labor Director at Siemens AG. “Because we can only master the challenges of the accelerated digital and green transformation with qualified and committed junior colleagues who choose to work in the technical occupations needed to drive this transformation. Very early in the decision-making process, young people need guidance and concrete support in choosing the focus of their training. For this reason, we actively cooperate with schools. Our goal is to generate enthusiasm for the STEM subjects: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. We also aim to convey the great importance of technical occupations in a professional and positive manner,” continued Wiese.

Thanks to its global activities and an annual investment of around €170 million in training and a further €205 million in continuing education measures for people employed at the company (fiscal 2022), Siemens is one of the largest private training companies worldwide. This year’s apprenticeships in Germany are distributed across 18 training centers. They include 900 positions at Siemens AG, 200 apprenticeships at Siemens Mobility and 180 at Siemens Healthineers. In addition, as part of joint training programs, Siemens Professional Education is training more than 250 young people for the company’s external partners.

“From involvement in STEM initiatives for schools to continuing education programs for people working at Siemens, we tailor our educational offerings to the requirements of technological change and the digital work world,” said Thomas Leubner, Head of Siemens Professional Education. “With a 95 percent share, occupations in technology in general, and especially in information technology (IT), are the main focus of the apprenticeships and work-study programs that we offer. In particular, there’s been an increase in IT-related occupations. More than half the apprentices within Siemens are participating in work-study programs.”

Siemens’ current training campaign in Germany, “Alles mit Zukunft” (Everything with a future), sparks enthusiasm and conveys a positive attitude toward STEM subjects. The program presents concrete job opportunities for people who complete education and training in computer science, mathematics and electrical engineering. Even for those who have already entered the work force, the focus is on conveying knowledge and enabling lifelong learning: Siemens offers tailored training and continuing education measures in areas such as robotics and data analysis to keep the people who work for the company fit for technological change. And it works: over 97 percent of people employed at Siemens who start programs for obtaining further qualifications complete them successfully.

In addition to STEM subjects, sustainable management is another priority. For this reason, Siemens has joined forces with Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Germany, to launch an exclusive new program for enabling students to earn a master’s of business administration (MBA) in sustainability management. This program is designed to drive advances in this key field and expand the existing portfolio of educational offerings. It’s a part-time MBA program that is run entirely online and in English. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the current global economic, social and ecological challenges. The students gain specific knowhow and skills to apply sustainable innovation strategies and leadership competencies in their teams and organizations and – as a result – integrate the topic of sustainability into an organization’s entire value chain. This program is open to people working at Siemens and is equally suited to those with an academic background in business or technology. More information on the program is available here.