At an award ceremony in Berlin, Robert Bosch GmbH and the daycare center for children in Stuttgart-Bergheim were presented the Initiativpreis Aus- und Weiterbildung 2007 (2007 prize for initiatives in occupational and further training). At the award ceremony in the "Haus der Wirtschaft" in Berlin, the Otto Wolff Foundation and the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) honored the joint project "Early childhood education and care – new departures in education." The project, which was founded as part of the "Wissensfabrik – Unternehmen für Deutschland" (Knowledge Factory – Companies for Germany) initiative at the beginning of 2006, aims to bring technology to life for children and young people from an early age. It also aims to further cooperation between Bosch apprentices and children aged between 4 and 13. "We are delighted to receive such a prestigious award. As part of our social commitment, we invest on an ongoing basis in the education of children and young people. Our Knowledge Factory projects are an excellent platform for this investment," says Dr. Wolfgang Malchow, member of the board of management and director of industrial relations of Robert Bosch GmbH.
The long-term initiative "Early childhood education and care – new departures in education" was launched by the Bosch occupational training department and the daycare center for children in Stuttgart-Bergheim. Four apprentices plan, organize, and support their own project at the daycare center. In one project, for example, the little inventors built wind turbines and generated electricity under the guidance of Bosch apprentices. Both apprentices and children alike benefit from the positive experience gained from working as part of a team. For instance, these projects help children learn social and creative skills from an early age and introduce them to the practical side of the processes involved in science and technology.
Bosch regards the occupational training of young people as an integral part of its corporate social responsibility. Some 1,400 apprentices started their working life at Bosch sites around Germany in the fall of 2007, up slightly on the already high number of the previous year. In Germany, the company is currently training around 4,400 young people, who can choose from over 40 different careers. Worldwide, the company trains more than 6,000 young people. Moreover, Bosch is also involved in the German competition for young researchers ("Jugend forscht") and pursues a wide range of campaigns for young women to further their interest in technology. More and more initiatives like the Girls' Day, where young women are given an insight into technical careers, or femtec, a university career center for women studying engineering and sciences are showing positive effects. Of the total number of new apprentices, the share of young women comes to 21.4 percent, which is above average for the automotive industry.
