Volkswagen Australia is doubling its training capacity to meet the future needs of EV owners with a new facility under construction in Essendon Fields near Melbourne.
The company’s director of customer experience and marketing Jason Bradshaw says Volkswagen Group has long been at the forefront of automotive training.
“Our technicians are an elite, the most sought after in this industry. That demand will increase as Volkswagen Group begins introducing electric vehicles at every price point. These brands will be at the forefront of EVs,” Bradshaw says.
The Maben Group has begun work on the 2500 square metre site that will double as Volkswagen and Audi’s regional office with a mezzanine floor to accommodate Volkswagen Financial Services Australia. Built in conjunction with Porsche, the Essendon Fields facility will be key to both auto importer’s preparation for e-mobility.
Overall, Volkswagen and Porsche’s combined facilities have a 2774sqm footprint with 80 licensed parking places. Practical completion is scheduled for late October with operational commencement in January 2021.
Two thousand apprentice technicians, sales staff and managers will be trained annually at the new purpose-built facility located 18km from Melbourne’s central business district.
Bradshaw says that in conjunction with the brand’s corporate headquarters at Chullora in south-west Sydney, Volkswagen Australia would effectively double its training capacity.
“While there is national concern around the impending skills shortage and the drastic reduction in apprentice jobs since the advent of COVID-19, Volkswagen Group Australia and remains a key trainer and it network a committed employer of young Australians,” Bradshaw says.
Bradshaw says Volkswagen was impressed with Essendon Fields’ experience in delivering automotive projects, with the 30-hectare EF Auto precinct already home to more than 38,000sqm of automotive retail showrooms, workshops and pre-delivery facilities.
