ŠKODA AUTO is again offering talented young students the chance to feel like car designers. The students, aged 17 and 18, are currently being trained at the ŠKODA AUTO Vocational School and have come together to build the fifth study. Under the guidance of their teachers and with the support of the Technology, Design and Production departments at the company’s headquarters in Mladá Boleslav, they are building a convertible study based on the ŠKODA KAROQ. The project highlights both the significance of the latest SUV model range for the brand’s model portfolio, as well as its successes and achievements. In addition, it emphasises the fresh and youthful design of the ŠKODA KAROQ. As part of the practical project, the students learn to train their technical and organisational skills in a team. The finished study, which is yet to be given a name, will be introduced to the public in June.
The student engineers come from seven different professions – among them painters, car mechatronics engineers and toolmakers. “We are really looking forward to the project because we get the chance to build a car using our own ideas,” explained team member Ondřej Bacík.
Students have designed and built a vehicle every single year since 2014: the first study was a two-seater version of the ŠKODA CITIGO; a pick-up based on the ŠKODA FABIA followed in 2015; in 2016 it was a coupé based on the ŠKODA RAPID SPACEBACK; and in 2017 the ŠKODA CITIGO was the inspiration for an electric buggy.
This training project once again underlines the high quality of ŠKODA AUTO’s education programme. At the vocational school, which was founded in 1927, talented young students undergo training in technical subjects for 3-4 years. At present, more than 900 students are completing a total of 13 full-time education programmes (five lasting for 4 years and eight lasting 3 years) and two expansion programmes. In addition, around 60 ŠKODA employees are expanding their qualifications as part of other further training programmes.
The vocational School for Mechanical Engineering is part of the ŠKODA Academy, which was founded in April 2013 to provide comprehensive training for students and employees. Its education and qualification programme is specifically geared towards the needs of the company. Since 2013, the car manufacturer has – with support from the KOVO union – spent approximately 260 million korunas on expanding its offering of education programmes and modernising the equipment at the ŠKODA Academy.
