Continental Global Engineering Excellence Initiative: Georgia Institute of Technology Honors Continental Automotive for Global Engineering Excellence Program
- Continental wins "Work Abroad Employer of the Year" award
- German university RWTH Aachen joins international Global Engineering Excellence network
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta has honored Continental with the "Work Abroad Employer of the Year" award for the company's international university project, Global Engineering Excellence (GEE). In addition, Continental added German university RWTH Aachen to its network of GEE schools committed to this ambitious international project.
Beginning in 2005, the GEE program networked with eight international universities to study the social position of engineers, as well as their perspectives, education and performance impact they have on various economies. This gave rise to the GEE study, which concluded university curricula must reflect developments in a globally networked economy.
"Continental's hard work and dedication to preparing tomorrow's global leaders, by working hand-in-hand with academia, is what makes them a leader in their industry. I'm proud to announce Continental AG as the 'Work Abroad Employer of the Year,'" said Debbie Gulick, director of the Work Abroad program in the Division of Professional Practice at Georgia Institute of Technology.
"For us, the GEE study revealed the need to take action in science, the economy, and politics in globalizing the engineering sciences," said Stefan Kraft, head of Human Resources Development and Employer Branding & Recruiting at the Continental Corporation, based in Hanover, Germany. "That our commitment has now received a second international prize shows us that we are on the right track."
Previously in the U.S., the National Society for Experiential Education (NSEE) had also conferred a prize on the Global Engineering Excellence program.
In September 2008, the National Society for Experiential Education honored Kraft with the 2008 NSEE Corporate Leader of the Year Award for outstanding commitment to intercultural work in Continental's Global Engineering Internship Program (GEIP). During this program, selected students complete a paid internship and network with students from other GEE partner universities. Continental has started implementing recommendations of the GEE study into the internships.
Last year, GEIP included 19 students from seven nations working with high-level Continental employees and university representatives on internationally focused projects.
With sales exceeding euro 24 billion in 2008, the Continental Corporation is one of the top automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, powertrain and chassis systems and components, 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. The corporation employs nearly 140,000 at approximately 190 locations in 35 countries.
