Europe's news in English

COPY LINK

JOBS

Audi to create more than 10,000 new jobs by end of decade

Audi expects to create more than 10,000 new jobs over the coming nine years as steady growth in sales translates into an increasing need for manpower, the car maker said at the weekend.

Published: 25 April 2011 11:17 CEST

Audi to create more than 10,000 new jobs by end of decade

Photo: DPA

Audi CEO Rupert Stadler told Automotive News Europe in an interview that this represented a more than 20 percent increase in headcount globally by 2010.

“Our sales growth goes hand in hand with additional production capacity, products and people,” he said. “Last year we employed 58,000 globally. By the end of the decade it should be 70,000.”

Audi, which belongs to Volkswagen, aims to take over BMW’s position as the biggest maker of luxury cars in the world. Last year 1.1 million new Audis hit the roads, followed by an expected 1.2 million this year and a projected 1.5 million per year by 2015.

This year Audi will hire 1,200 new workers worldwide and bring more than 200 contract workers on board as employees as well as giving 700 apprentices jobs, he told the magazine.

One focus of the expansion plans will be America, with sales in the United States up by 14 percent so far this year and expected to stick at such a pace.

“We want to increase our US sales by a double-digit percentage this year,” said Stadler. “Our dealers are demanding more cars right now than we can deliver.”

Yet a decision on whether to build an assembly plant in the United States is still being weighed up with Stadler only saying a decision will be made by 2015. Such a move would create up to 2,000 new workers. But the US is not the only market in Audi’s sights.

“Anyone who knows Audi understands that we are not a brand that will stop at that point, as we still see strong sales potential in markets such as China, Russia, India, South America and also in the US,” said Stadler.

DPA/hc

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.

Become a Member to leave a comment.

Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Munich ranks third in German cities with the highest total GDP, behind Berlin and Hamburg, but in terms of GDP per capita, it’s higher than both of them.

It also consistently ranks high, often highest, in terms of average household income.

As of 2023, nine of the 40 companies listed on DAX, Germany’s stock index, were based in Bavaria. Seven of those are based specifically in Munich.

While Frankfurt is commonly known to be Germany’s business capital, Munich can claim the title of Germany’s insurance capital, which is saying something, as Germany is home to some of the largest insurance firms in the world, like Allianz.

Beyond the state’s capital city, a number of international companies are based elsewhere in Bavaria, particularly in the Franken region, near Nuremberg.

Which companies actively hire English speakers?

Bavaria, and Munich in particular, is home to a number of companies at the forefront of international business. But the state is known for its traditional, sometimes conservative, culture, which affects its business culture as well.

Whereas companies embracing English as their primary business language are easy to find in Berlin, the practice is less common in the south. That said, there are some notable exceptions.

Sportswear giants, Adidas and Puma, both have their headquarters near Nuremberg in Herzogenaurach, and regularly recruit English speaking international talent.

“As an international company, our teams reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities,” Jon Greenhalgh, Senior Manager Media Relations for Adidas told The Local. “Fostering a culture of inclusion where we value and leverage differences, ensures that we can authentically engage with our employees and truly connect with our consumers.”

He added that around 40 per cent of Adidas’ Germany-based employees are foreign nationals, from over 100 different countries.

Siemens and BMW rank among Bavaria’s top employers, and are also known to hire their fair share of foreigners.

“In Germany, we recently had around 2,000 open positions,” Konstanze Somborn told The Local on behalf of Siemens AG.

He added that Siemens operates in 190 countries. “That is why we value international teams very much…English as a common language is very usual.”

READ ALSO: ‘Which German companies want to hire foreigners?’

Similarly, BMW hires workers from a variety of backgrounds.

“Every year, we hire lots of internationals and welcome them to the BMW Group,” Dr. Hans-Peter Ketterl, a press spokesman for BMW Group told The Local.

But not all of these positions are available to non-German speakers.

Ketterl added that BMW’s working language is German in the country, even though, “English is an indispensable entry requirement as the second corporate language in many areas of the company.”

Check job boards and follow best practices

If it’s your first time applying for jobs in Germany, make sure to change your resume to the German format, even for English positions.

While Germany is home to its own job boards, like Xing, LinkedIn is probably the best place to start. In addition to searching for positions based in your preferred location, you can check relevant groups, like Munich Startups, to broaden your horizons.

The English Jobs in Germany website is also a good resource to start with.

Url copied to clipboard!