This is an absolute first: For the first time, the engineering firm Auto und Verkehr (IAV) has worked with us to establish binding framework conditions for all students employed by the company. “And these conditions take into account the respective phase of their academic training,” says Garnet Alps, who led the negotiations on behalf of IG Metall Lower Saxony/Saxony-Anhalt.
Specifically, this means: The collective bargaining agreement applies retroactively to October 1, 2015, for students in practical training, doctoral candidates, teacher trainees, and interns employed by IAV.
Students in practical training, for example, now receive an hourly wage of 13.98 euros as stipulated in the collective bargaining agreement. If they have been with the company for more than two years, they are eligible for 50 percent of bonus payments; after just three months of service, they are entitled to capital-forming benefits amounting to 27 euros per month. In addition, the agreement establishes entitlement to 30 days of paid vacation and the right to participate in company-sponsored continuing education programs. Annual performance reviews, as well as training and rotation plans, have also been formalized. If students meet the academic requirements and pass their final exams, they will be offered a permanent position at IAV upon completion of their studies.
The collective bargaining agreement now also uniformly defines the conditions for doctoral candidates, teacher trainees, and interns.
A Structured and Predictable Career Path
Gaining practical experience and learning to apply theoretical knowledge directly—these are reasons why students take on a position at a company while still in school. Others include the desire for financial independence and prospects for the future. At IAV, students can now fulfill these wishes—in a structured and predictable manner.
Garnet Alps of IG Metall describes the collective bargaining agreement reached as a “flagship”: “Both sides benefit from this: Thanks to the favorable collective bargaining terms at IAV, employees can plan their career paths, and the company secures the loyalty of young engineers early on.”
IAV employs approximately 6,000 people at its development centers in Berlin, Gifhorn, and Chemnitz/Stolberg, as well as at many other German locations, including Ingolstadt and Munich, and in other parts of Europe, Asia, and North and South America. IAV’s customers include nearly all automakers and their system suppliers.
