Volkswagen Group Technology Solutions India: A Leading Automotive Manufacturer Utilizing Technology At Its Best
Sidharth Yadav
Managing Director
Volkswagen Group Technology Solutions India (VWITS), one of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers and the largest carmaker in Europe is no different in this initiative. Focusing on building IT Technology Solutions for the Group in Agile way of Development with Test Driven Development, Pair Programming and Code Sharing techniques, the company is delivering its best, providing employees with an exemplary platform to grow and advance both personallyand professionally. CEO Insights engages in an exclusive conversation with Sidharth Yadav, Managing Director, Volkswagen Group Technology Solutions India (VWITS), to know more interesting details about the company and how it is the best choice for employees to work in.
Tell us about the journey of VWITS. Where is the company positioned in the industry?
Set up back in 2016, with a vision to tap on the IT competency and expertise available in India VWITS has been developing and delivering the state-of-the-art technology solutions for various digitization initiatives in the Group, continuously growing from 200 to close to 1,700 people, doubling our capacity to 3,500 by 2024.
Standing by the "New Auto Strategy" of the Volkswagen Group, we at VWITS are committed to add value to the business through our innovative products & solutions. We aspire to be the most sought after Technology partner in the Group, and thereby we’re focusing on strengthening our core processes, as well as maintaining our customer-centric approach. Our
vision to implement agile product culture will enable us to deliver best-in class technology products to Group brands, entities and companies.
New Auto is one VWITS’ bold strategy backing our ambitious goal to transforming Volkswagen AG into a tech company. Subsequently, we are entrenching a state-of-the art IT structure with userfriendly applications and high-performance systems that Digitalize processes make data usable, and collaboration easier. With New IT strategy, we will boost our tech competence, increase inhouse value creation, and power a truly data-driven business. Most importantly, in the process, we’ll also remain focused on our biggest asset People.
What are the potential skills you look for in fresh candidates? How does the company encourage the employees to use their skills and abilities in the work?
Our aim is to lead the IT Technology for the VW Group from India and this is only possible if we have the right talent deployed. As we hire, we look in for potential, not just current skills, since we’ve a long-term view of talent, that can be leveraged for future. Hence, for our selection discussion, providing the interviewees’ with real life problems, we ask them to think and approach the problem using a multi-dimensional approach. We encourage all to experiment, try on new things without having to worry about success or failures. We’re constantly building a learning culture within teams with our 70-20-10 learning principle, ensuring they’re upskilling, cross skilling to provide cutting-edge solutions to Volkswagen AG.
What are the latest industry trends and methodologies adopted in the company to train the employees and extract the best out of them? What growth opportunities can VWITS employees’ expect?
We just don’t want to be a ‘Great Place to Work’, but a ‘Great Place to Grow’. We have been growing our company with a product-culture mindset, where every developer executes their role with end-to-end ownership in mind. Hence, we have multiple pillars entrenched like having a robust career architecture framework, support of career development counsellors, regular growth check-ins, access to senior leaders, unique & special education policy, coaching moments, mandated learning hours, cross skilling, international opportunities, including several other elements. At VWITS, employee is the owner of their career development, and they seek support of their leaders, leverage organization learning tools to carve out their path.
Tell us about the job security policies of the company which makes the employees feel safe in their job. Additionally, what are the co-curricular activities performed to encourage and make employees
New Auto is one VWITS’ bold strategy backing our ambitious goal to transforming Volkswagen AG into a tech company. Subsequently, we are entrenching a state-of-the art IT structure with userfriendly applications and high-performance systems that Digitalize processes make data usable, and collaboration easier. With New IT strategy, we will boost our tech competence, increase inhouse value creation, and power a truly data-driven business. Most importantly, in the process, we’ll also remain focused on our biggest asset People.
What are the potential skills you look for in fresh candidates? How does the company encourage the employees to use their skills and abilities in the work?
Our aim is to lead the IT Technology for the VW Group from India and this is only possible if we have the right talent deployed. As we hire, we look in for potential, not just current skills, since we’ve a long-term view of talent, that can be leveraged for future. Hence, for our selection discussion, providing the interviewees’ with real life problems, we ask them to think and approach the problem using a multi-dimensional approach. We encourage all to experiment, try on new things without having to worry about success or failures. We’re constantly building a learning culture within teams with our 70-20-10 learning principle, ensuring they’re upskilling, cross skilling to provide cutting-edge solutions to Volkswagen AG.
What are the latest industry trends and methodologies adopted in the company to train the employees and extract the best out of them? What growth opportunities can VWITS employees’ expect?
We just don’t want to be a ‘Great Place to Work’, but a ‘Great Place to Grow’. We have been growing our company with a product-culture mindset, where every developer executes their role with end-to-end ownership in mind. Hence, we have multiple pillars entrenched like having a robust career architecture framework, support of career development counsellors, regular growth check-ins, access to senior leaders, unique & special education policy, coaching moments, mandated learning hours, cross skilling, international opportunities, including several other elements. At VWITS, employee is the owner of their career development, and they seek support of their leaders, leverage organization learning tools to carve out their path.
Tell us about the job security policies of the company which makes the employees feel safe in their job. Additionally, what are the co-curricular activities performed to encourage and make employees
to stay motivated?
Most practices and benefits are aligned to what Top 25 percentile of great companies in India provide. However, few things that stand out are our combination of Top-up insurance, term life insurance, tools for well being by design (5 dimensions of wellness), following the avenues available for consulting superspeciality doctors PAN-India. But, above all this, it is our investment on learning and growth per employee, encouraging them to upskill their knowledge, through guided coaching by our leaders to make the team members strive towards excellence. It is our top most strength to maintain job security.
People, Passion and Purpose are our pillar for engagement. Hence, we focus on making people communities stronger, significantly creating an environment for people to bring in their diverse interests and passion to join groups around singers, dancers, fitness & sports enthusiasts, writers, hikers, bikers, and more. This motivates one to bring their whole self to work, including their interests and passion. It elevates the diversity quotient of our workplace and diversity is always energizing. When people feel belonged, there’s always a great level of talent retention observed.
What is the role VWITS has envisioned to take in the near future? What is the level of impact it strives to bring to the market?
India has long evolved from an extended workbench into a true IT powerhouse. The amazing local tech talent pool provides us with the right skills, competences, and attitude for New IT, powering Volkswagen Group’s New Auto strategy. Conclusively, aspiring to scale fast in Volkswagen Group Technology Solutions India, we’re aiming at doubling our IT workforce here by 2024. We are empowered to take end-to-end responsibility for key strategic projects that drive our in-house value creation. One of the drivers in the next months will be to build in-house expertise for our key applications serving critical business processes. VWITS will play a significant role in the overall internalization strategy, reducing reliance on external suppliers and intellectual monopolies. Furthermore, intending to further develop our team in India into one of the key technology innovation hubs for Volkswagen’s Group, with our ITS.4 strategy, we are now getting ready to take end-to-end product responsibility by in sourcing key knowledge within the Group.
Sidharth Yadav, Managing Director, Volkswagen Group Technology Solutions India
A passionate and goal-oriented leader & professional, Sidharth is extensively driving growth within the company emphasizing on the availability of IT talent and innovation capabilities in India.
Most practices and benefits are aligned to what Top 25 percentile of great companies in India provide. However, few things that stand out are our combination of Top-up insurance, term life insurance, tools for well being by design (5 dimensions of wellness), following the avenues available for consulting superspeciality doctors PAN-India. But, above all this, it is our investment on learning and growth per employee, encouraging them to upskill their knowledge, through guided coaching by our leaders to make the team members strive towards excellence. It is our top most strength to maintain job security.
People, Passion and Purpose are our pillar for engagement. Hence, we focus on making people communities stronger, significantly creating an environment for people to bring in their diverse interests and passion to join groups around singers, dancers, fitness & sports enthusiasts, writers, hikers, bikers, and more. This motivates one to bring their whole self to work, including their interests and passion. It elevates the diversity quotient of our workplace and diversity is always energizing. When people feel belonged, there’s always a great level of talent retention observed.
What is the role VWITS has envisioned to take in the near future? What is the level of impact it strives to bring to the market?
India has long evolved from an extended workbench into a true IT powerhouse. The amazing local tech talent pool provides us with the right skills, competences, and attitude for New IT, powering Volkswagen Group’s New Auto strategy. Conclusively, aspiring to scale fast in Volkswagen Group Technology Solutions India, we’re aiming at doubling our IT workforce here by 2024. We are empowered to take end-to-end responsibility for key strategic projects that drive our in-house value creation. One of the drivers in the next months will be to build in-house expertise for our key applications serving critical business processes. VWITS will play a significant role in the overall internalization strategy, reducing reliance on external suppliers and intellectual monopolies. Furthermore, intending to further develop our team in India into one of the key technology innovation hubs for Volkswagen’s Group, with our ITS.4 strategy, we are now getting ready to take end-to-end product responsibility by in sourcing key knowledge within the Group.
Sidharth Yadav, Managing Director, Volkswagen Group Technology Solutions India
A passionate and goal-oriented leader & professional, Sidharth is extensively driving growth within the company emphasizing on the availability of IT talent and innovation capabilities in India.