HR Management
ZF's entire HR management process is aimed at the further development for individuals. It seeks to train a team that is committed to the company’s values, that is eager to learn, and that creates value in all the company’s relationships, with the ultimate goal of accomplishing the company’s primary mission: developing a market-leading organization with a human face.
Corporate university
ZF is always seeking to foster continuous professional development, and it is convinced of the importance of the knowledge and training. Thus it created UniZF. The mission of UniZF is to teach the ZF way of being, doing, and measuring business, to promote personal growth, and to develop technical and interpersonal skills. Here ZF has consolidated a model of continuing education that matches business goals. This initiative extends across the entire organization, involving employees and even vendors. UniZF courses and training sessions are taught by professionals from other companies and ZF staff specialized in the topics being covered. Internal multipliers at ZF include Board of Management and the CEO, who actively participate in training and act as multipliers, disseminating their knowledge to everyone in the company.
Senai apprenticeships
Through a partnership with Senai (Serviço Nacional de Aprendizagem Industrial, or the National Service of Industrial Apprenticeship), ZF offers scholarships for young people who want to pursue a career in industry. This 2-year scholarship is awarded to children and siblings of ZF employees who are currently enrolled in or have already completed grade school, middle school or high school. One of the objectives of the program is to train for sectors of the labor market that are lacking qualified candidates, as well as to create employment opportunities for first-time jobseekers and to optimize the development of young people. Apprentices are supported by the HR team, who make sure that apprentices receive benefits such as medical and dental care, life insurance, meals, and transportation, along with a stipend that is commensurate with their duties. In 2007, more than 40 young people participated in the program.
Developing the talent pool
ZF invests in several projects that promote young people on the job market. These actions seek to train professional staff and promote their development by offering classroom and hands-on experience in the day-to-day operations of the company. One of the most important initiatives was the creation of the first program in mechanical engineering in the Engineering Department of Sorocaba (Facens) This was made possible through a partnership among ZF and other companies and the university department. This project awards scholarships and the opportunity to complete an internship during the five-year degree program. It also supports national and international student competitions in the field of engineering. In 2007, 16 young people received scholarships, which fully subsidize monthly tuition and offer a supplemental monthly stipend, medical and dental care, life insurance, meals, and transportation. In this same year, all the students remained in the company after completing their internship. ZF’s main goal is to prepare young professionals with know-how specific to their industries and the labor market, thus helping to build a fairer society for everybody.
