The Volkswagen Group honoured its 2025 Best Apprentices at a ceremony in Wolfsburg, Germany, held on 27 June 2025. This annual recognition celebrates exceptional performance by apprentices training to become skilled artisans.
In this year’s ceremony, 48 Volkswagen Group trainees from 16 countries were honoured.
Marcus Petersen (photo), a 48-year-old hailing from Graaff-Reinet, aspired to work at Volkswagen Group Africa from a very young age. As fate would have it, he was first employed at VWGA in 1998 as a temporary employee, and within two months, he was afforded permanent employment.
His main interest was electrical engineering; however, owing to financial difficulties, he was unable to finish his studies. This did not deter him from fulfilling his ambitions and just two years after joining VWGA, he was appointed as a Group Leader in Production.
Through further education and financial assistance offered by VWGA, he obtained an Operations Management Diploma in 2014.
“I wanted to pursue my dream of being an electrical engineer, but I was afraid that my age would stand in the way of that. However, when the opportunity for me to study further came, I was thrilled that the organisation would assist me, taking me a step closer to my dream,” Marcus says.
In 2021, he joined the VWGA's apprentice programme to start his new journey and career change. Being the oldest of the group of six, he wanted to prove that age is just a number and should not stand in the way of one's dreams. Currently, Petersen is practising his apprenticeship in mechatronics at the Volkswagen Technical Learning Academy.
“I want to show my colleagues that anything is possible, if you put your mind to it and you work hard for it. Now I have had the opportunity to travel to Germany to receive an award that recognises my hard work, and I couldn’t be happier,“ says Marcus.
“At Volkswagen Group Africa, we are committed to empowering our employees at every stage of their journey. Marcus’s achievement is an example of how dedication, continuous learning and support can unlock excellence,” says Russell Coleman, HR Director at VWGA. “His success is a reminder that growth has no age limit - and that investing in people is investing in progress.”
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Chinese EV newcomer iCAUR is putting its promise of personalisation to the test in South Africa, with the brand now using an influencer-led design competition to show local buyers just how far they can tailor their vehicles to suit their own tastes.
Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) is set to make history with a series of Guinness World Records attempts, bringing Hilux owners together from across the country in a bold, large-scale celebration of the all-new 9th generation Toyota Hilux.
Chery is intensifying its European expansion by exploring partnerships that would allow the company to utilise existing automotive factories rather than constructing new ones.
