Prievidza is written in capital letters on the car map of Slovakia
Slovakia and the automotive industry clearly belong together. Brose Prievidza has stood out on the automotive map of Slovakia since 2015. During this time, in addition to the plant on the green meadow, it also managed to build a modern development center. In the coming years, it plans to expand its development activities, looking for smart people to whom it offers the possibility of further development.
“Our colleagues have the opportunity to develop in three levels according to their preferences. Firstly, it is the possibility of advancement to management positions, secondly, the possibility of increasing specialization up to the level of a global expert, and thirdly, it is personal development in the career of project management,” says Viliam Rohovský, vice president for the area of door systems development for Eastern Europe.
How many people currently work in the research and development department and what are the qualification requirements for department employees? Do recent graduates also have a chance to use these positions?
Currently, we have more than 150 colleagues who are involved in various development tasks. Qualification requirements are, of course, different depending on the type and nature positions. In general, these are positions with a technical focus, so a university education in a technical direction is an advantage. On the other hand, we have offered several times to colleagues who obtained the necessary knowledge instead of university and proved themselves to us. We also have various training programs that allow you to further train the specific technologies of our products. We provide our colleagues with a background that helps their further growth and development.
The development process itself consists in the cooperation of a wide teamwhile each of the members is a part of it.
We evaluate the initial vision based on the available knowledge and from the point of view of feasibility. We will then create and virtually test the concept. We have our own validation facilities where we can simulate various environmental conditions around the world. Subsequently, we make prototypes, which are gradually transformed into the final product through a standardized process. It is of course a very simplified description of our processes, which are much more complex and very robust in many areas. On the basis of our more than 100 years of experience in the automotive industry, we have succeeded, and are still succeeding, in transferring this experience directly to the development of our products.
Why did the company decide to build its strategic development center in Prievidza?
We are focusing on development in Prievidza for several relevant reasons. The first of them was the decision to invest and build one of the largest production plants of our division in this location. Opening a development center under one roof was the next logical step. The combination of our great production experts with the experience of people from the development teams adds a new dimension to our work. It guarantees the combination of both, sometimes quite different views of our products and processes, on the basis of which we are able to react very quickly and flexibly to internal requirements. However, open communication and especially cooperation in project teams, as well as at the highest level of the company, are also key in this regard. There is no university in the upper Nitra region, so young people go to study in other cities in Slovakia or abroad. I want to go back and use their experience in a modern company with a stable background. We show them that big things can be done even from a small town. It can also have its advantages.
What are the current development trends in the automotive industry?
The automotive industry is currently undergoing massive changes and adapting to various new requirements and trends. Whether the changes are legislative, ecological, or the actual requirements of the end users. The latest trends are supported by the drive that the entire automotive segment is going the ecological way, with the most common direction being electrification, from the point of view of the source of the means of transport. However, this is not the only fundamental thing that has changed in recent years. With the advent of the modern technological and computer era, completely new dimensions are opening up for us in the possibilities of transporting passengers or cargo. As an example, I will cite autonomous driving, about which we already hear quite often and often at an advanced level, it has already been introduced to the market. However, one should also not forget about the comfort during transportation. It is very likely that with the advent of automated control systems, the end user will begin to perceive the vehicle from a completely different angle than it is today. It will have much higher requirements for comfort while driving, and quality found time during transportation is an obvious requirement. In all these fields, we, as a company, see new opportunities for cooperation with our customers and actively participate in them. In the same way, here in Prievidza, we participate in other innovative projects.
How do you manage to create with Slovak universities?
Representatives of all universities in Slovakia were already present when the foundation stone of Brose was tapped in Prievidza. We realize that it is precisely supporting and mutual cooperation with universities that is crucial. It is also a model that has been implemented for a long time in developed countries and brings its benefits in the form of young prospective people, ready for the challenges of the future. We cooperate intensively in several areas, from testing, through various assignments to driving, either at our place or at universities.
What benefits do you offer your employees?
Recently, we have found that working flexibility is the most desired benefit among our employees. That is why fully flexible working hours and very open Home Office options are among the most popular benefits. Among the standard, but certainly not common, are various company discounts, sporting and non-sporting events, training and internships abroad, and financial bonuses. We offer jobseekers relocation support and wide career growth opportunities. Our colleagues have the opportunity to develop in three levels according to their preferences. Firstly, it is the possibility of advancement to management positions, secondly, the possibility of increasing specialization up to the level of a global expert, and thirdly, it is personal development in the career of project management. The benefits offered are not immutable, we prepare to improve and expand them every year.
What plans does Brose Prievidza have for the future?
We have clearly defined both the goals and the vision of our company in Prievidza. Our goal is to build a full-fledged development center with a separate identity. to ensure that our colleagues have access to the latest in the development of our products, as well as the possibility of completely independent and effective knowledge we want in the labor market. There are several good companies with potential competing with each other in Slovakia. Of course, for employees. Personally, I think that this is why it is necessary to look at your future employer from several points of view. Brose offers its customers stability and security with its more than 110-year tradition in the automotive industry. In addition, we are one of the few automotive suppliers that offer our customers complex system solutions within automobiles. Our plan for the future is to create a team of experts and across the entire spectrum of our products who can solve system-level interaction in cars. We offer our candidates interesting opportunities for self-realization, while supporting the excellence and uniqueness of each team member.