BMW Opens New Training Centre in Debrecen Powered Solely by Green Energy
The BMW Group has inaugurated its Training Center at the newly established Debrecen plant in Hungary. With an investment surpassing one billion euros, the facility will commence production of the first all-electric model from the Neue Klasse line in 2025. Training competent professionals is a top priority for BMW.
The Neue Klasse represents BMW’s future, blending electrification, digitization, and sustainability.
This Training Center’s unveiling in Debrecen signifies a step closer to the 2025 production launch of the Neue Klasse.
Spanning over 6,500 square meters and backed by nearly 20 million euros, this facility boasts advanced infrastructure. Here, employees, apprentices, and dual-education students will hone their skills for producing the upcoming BMW models.
Ilka Horstmeier, a board member of BMW AG, during the opening ceremony, remarked, “Neue Klasse reshapes our vision of mobility and teamwork. Our transformation is molded by our workforce. With the Training Center’s launch in Debrecen and the initiation of our first batch of 100 students, we underscore the significance of education in shaping our company’s future.”
By 2025, the apprentice count will escalate to 300, making it Hungary’s premier apprentice program.
The collaboration with the Debrecen Vocational Training Center enables students to embark on a three-year journey mastering mechatronics, electronics, automotive mechatronics, and IT. Every successful graduate is presented with a job offer by BMW or the choice to pursue further studies.
Hans-Peter Kemser, the President and CEO of BMW Group Plant Debrecen, commented, “At this Training Center, we’ll immerse apprentices in BMW’s methodologies and values. We thrive on teamwork and value every member’s input.”
Beyond offering educational and job opportunities, BMW also collaborates with local universities on art and culture projects, reinforcing its commitment to community engagement.
Foreign and Trade Minister Péter Szijjártó expressed his enthusiasm at the event, “BMW’s choice to bring cutting-edge technology and produce their newest electric model in Debrecen fosters stronger Hungary-Germany relations. This center promises bright prospects for our youth.”
Currently, the Training Center is among the first operational structures on the vast 400-hectare Debrecen site, with the Communication Center soon to follow.
Uniquely, the Debrecen plant, envisioned as an iFACTORY, will be the world’s first to run solely on clean energy, with significant power sourced from a 50-hectare solar array within the premises. The facility aims to produce 150,000 units annually.
Image: BMW Group