Continental a Much Sought-After Training Company: Over 2,000 Applications from Metro Hanover Alone

HANOVER - August 26, 2008: Continental is a much sought-after training company in the Hanover metro area. More than 2,000 school graduates have filed an application with the international automotive supplier for a traineeship slot as of September 1, 2008. “We are delighted at the great interest shown in our company and, in particular, that so many young women have also applied for technical traineeships and study programs. It tells us that we hold a certain appeal for this target group as well," says Heinz-Gerhard Wente, Executive Board member for human resources, who will personally welcome the 92 trainees and Bachelors at the training center in Hanover during their first weeks at Continental. All told Continental provides vocational education for approximately 2,000 young people in Germany, 600 of whom will be getting started this fall.

Back in May and June 2008, Wente joined a host of others from the world of business, NGOs and public affairs in Germany to take part in the state employment agency’s career training campaign “Stifte sichern Zukunft” [Pencils safeguard the future]. The campaign aims to underscore how important career training is for the German economy on the whole. “Our trainees and Bachelors are tomorrow's specialists. We are dependent on nurturing this quality, especially if we are to be successful in international competition," says Wente.

The 92 ContiAzubis [trainees] and ContiBachelors commence their training in six different occupations and five different double-major programs – from industrial business management assistant at headquarters to process technician for plastics and rubber technology in commercial tire production, from a double-major program in business management through to production technology.

This year one out of every four trainees is, in any case, female. Last year it was just one out of every five. Female applicants are most drawn to the double-major programs in technical and commercial areas and to training slots as mechatronics technicians, process technicians, and industrial business management assistants.

In an area related to vocational training, Continental is again – for the sixth year in a row – running a “Professional Integration"-project as an introduction to the work world. It provides access to the job world for nine young adults who, although displaying the basic potential for qualified vocational training, have so far failed to attain the necessary qualifications for commencing their vocational training. Young people are completely integrated into different job areas and in this way acquainted with the day-to-day work world. This gives them the opportunity to further develop and to demonstrate that they are ready to start vocational training or a job. In 2006 the project was honored with the German award for the promotion of youth employment [“Deutscher Förderpreis Jugend in Arbeit”].

With targeted annual sales of more than €26.4 billion for 2008, the Continental Corporation is one of the top automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for the powertrain and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers, the corporation contributes towards enhanced driving safety and protection of the global climate. Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile communication. Today, the corporation employs approximately 150,000 at nearly 200 locations in 36 countries.