People – Employee engagement and society

Learning and development

Our Corporate People Development department at ALPLA clearly demonstrates its dedication to the structured and systematic development of its employees, regardless of their rank or location. We align current and future business requirements with the portfolio and potential of our employees, emphasising our commitment to their learning and development.

Andrea Becker
Head of Corporate People Development

 

‘Our goal is to establish all the parameters for those already working at ALPLA to be able to realise their full potential. Here, it is important to us that everyone knows the opportunities within the company and that we actively promote individual development.’

Our centre for learning and training, the ALPLA Academy, enables our employees to develop personal and professional abilities and skills. Our global internal network of trainers and experts passes on our existing expertise, helping to sustainably embed this knowledge within the company. Various forms of learning are used, such as classroom training, e-learning and hybrid formats. To successfully accomplish its mission, it is essential that the ALPLA Academy engages with new trends and technologies as well as external requirements. The aim is to continuously expand the range of courses provided by the ALPLA Academy globally in cooperation with our Learning Centres and regional training coordinators present in all ALPLA regions.

The total number of training hours remained stable in 2021 and 2022, after a year-on-year increase of 11.8% from 2020.

GRI 404-1
Average hours of training per year per employee
GRI 404-1
Average hours of training per year per employee

Kudret Sahin
Head of the ALPLA Academy

 

‘We are the partner for your learning journey at ALPLA. We want to provide all our employees with a broad, extensive and innovative range of learning opportunities. In everything we do, we ensure that learning success is guaranteed.’ 

The trend towards digitalisation during the coronavirus pandemic led to an increase in virtual courses and training sessions in many ALPLA regions. This continued even after the pandemic and resulted in a high demand for digital training opportunities. In 2022, a total of 16,060 optional e-learning courses were completed worldwide (excluding mandatory compliance e-learning courses) – an increase of 66% compared to 2020. In 2022, the ALPLA Academy offered 136 new e-learning modules and extended the portfolio up to an offer of 264 optional courses. With a special focus on personal development, there are now 130 new e-learning courses covering topics like behaviour and communication, learning new languages, management and teamwork, or inspirational leadership.

 

Performance and career development

The Employee Dialogue is a key leadership tool that helps us clarify expectations and guide our energy in the same direction. It does so by driving business performance and employee development at the same time. The Employee Dialogue is in essence an opportunity to have quality communication between manager and employee (white and blue collar alike) on a regular basis about performance, development and collaboration.

GRI 404-3
Percentage of employees receiving regular performance and career development reviews
GRI 404-3
Percentage of employees receiving regular performance and career development reviews

Dual training as an export hit

ALPLA has been offering junior employees dual vocational training in a variety of professions since 1960. This concept was first exported to Mexico and China in 2013, followed by an apprenticeship programme in India (2020) and Poland (2021). In 2022, ALPLA opened a second apprenticeship programme in Mexico. Additional apprenticeship programmes are planned in South Africa, Romania and USA.

Dual training quickly became well established in the countries involved despite its novelty. The option of combining practical training with a general qualification from a vocational school has become very popular among young people and their families. Participants who are particularly dedicated are also given the opportunity to travel to other ALPLA sites to work there for a few weeks and gain further experience.