The municipal vehicle technology sector organizes itself into a further training association

In June 2022, the continuing education network for municipal vehicle technology began its work.

The transformation of the vehicle industry through digitalization, automation and the expansion of alternative drives will also permanently change work processes in companies. The Further Training Association (WBV) Municipal Vehicle Technology will help small and medium-sized enterprises to network and cooperate more closely with each other.

During the project period of two and a half years, WBV Kommunalfahrzeugtechnik will also develop three work packages on competence management, learning management system (LMS) and sustainability.

Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, AKT Akademie für Kommunalfahrzeugtechnik GmbH will establish the WBV Kommunalfahrzeugtechnik together with the Verband der Arbeitsgeräte und Kommunalfahrzeug-Industrie e.V. (VAK) and about ten pilot companies. VAK President Oliver Dippold welcomes the WBV Municipal Vehicle Technology as an opportunity for municipal companies to deal with future challenges in good time: “The industry is in a difficult situation. It is not only the supply chains that are causing us great concern, but there is a lack of qualified personnel at all corners. We will have to invest much more in staff training and development. That’s where the training alliance comes in at just the right time.”

With an internal competence management and further training measures, companies remain competitive

The labor market is tight due to a lack of skilled workers. On the one hand, this makes the search for new employees more difficult; on the other hand, it is therefore all the more important to retain employees in one’s own company. To remain competitive with large corporations, companies should provide their employees with targeted training. A more strongly developed competence management within the company itself can also increase its own competitiveness in these times characterized by change and crises. In this way, further training can be applied precisely and not according to the watering can.

In order to avoid personnel bottlenecks in the long term, retain existing employees and increase employer attractiveness, it is essential to maintain one’s own knowledge and competence base. With an HR expert group, Marko Andrijanic from WBV Kommunalfahrzeugtechnik helps to identify the company’s own potential and prepare employees for the new professional requirements.

Further training can be suitably integrated into the company’s daily routine by means of e-learning

Companies often find it difficult to release their employees from work for a longer period of time. But continuing education takes time. Learning management systems (LMS) and learning experience platforms are designed to remedy this situation. However, such systems, which are adapted to the industry, do not yet exist.

In the field of LMS, Tamar Kanchashvili from WBV Kommunalfahrzeugtechnik is developing an e-learning platform that is tailored to the needs of companies and users and makes training opportunities more transparent. Individual courses will present challenging topics such as the national hydrogen strategy, sensor technology, energy storage, process automation, disruption, virtual reality and augmented reality in a way that is understandable and accessible to a wider operational audience. Learning can be individual and flexible in terms of time and place.

An industry-specific sustainability index can serve companies in the future as a guide with regard to sustainable business management

At the latest since the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2016, the implementation of sustainable living is more urgent than ever. Sustainability activities are already taking place in many companies. However, internal communication regarding sustainability is often still difficult. Comparisons between companies in terms of sustainability strategies cannot be made at present without major effort. Here, sustainability indicators can be helpful, which can be used to establish connections between sustainability and economic success and to present these as learning experiences. In the ‘Sustainability’ work package, the VAK juniors and the PEM Chair at RWTH Aachen University are developing an industry-specific sustainability index or label that can serve as a guide for small and medium-sized companies.

Participation desired

Only a few companies from the industry can still be included in the project. However, it is worthwhile to participate. Each company receives comprehensive advice and impulses to ensure its future viability.

Are you interested or do you have any questions? Then write (
kmf@kommunalwirtschaft.eu
) or call (+49 30 2100548 – 23) us.