“The growing number of participants from year to year shows the increasing popularity of the dual training program. What is even more promising is the interest of more and more women as the female participants included two mechanical engineers, two software engineers, one logistical engineer and three economics and management students,” Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing CEO Christian Wolff said at the event.

The attendees took part in icebreakers, group quizzes and a creative project where they had to outline their ideas for the future of car manufacturing. The factory’s educational manager János Kovács explained how, through these activities, students could learn to collaborate in a professional environment outside of the classroom, which will promote their ability to work together later on.

Wolff stressed how the automotive industry is going through its biggest remodeling in history thanks to advancing technology, such as self-driving cars and other state-of-the-art services that will revolutionize driving. The result of this change can already be observed in the factory at Kecskemét (92 km southeast of Budapest), and Wolff explained how beneficial it could be for future employees to understand this, with the help of their educators within the dual training program.

The CEO outlined the importance of Mercedes’ cooperation with the Engineering and Automatization Faculty of János Neumann University; it was as a result of their joint effort that Hungary was able to introduce the dual training program.

The Kecskemét factory has helped educate students from seven degree types through the program, including mechanical, technological, logistics, software and vehicle engineering, along with economics, and management and international business.