Mladá Boleslav, 28 February 2023 – Skoda Academy has launched its ninth Student Car project. Twenty‑nine apprentices are designing and building a one‑of‑a‑kind vehicle under mentor guidance, continuing a programme that began in 2014.
Students receive support from Skoda's Design and Engineering Development departments. Details such as the vehicle platform, name and planned improvements will be revealed in the coming months, and company leaders praised the project as valuable practical training.
Mladá Boleslav, 28 February 2023 – The traditional Skoda Academy Student Car project is back: this year marks the ninth time that apprentices in Mladá Boleslav have designed and built a dream car. Since the 2013/14 academic year apprentices have created their vehicles from a blank sheet to a complete, one‑of‑a‑kind car, with guidance from mentors and support from Skoda's Design and Engineering Development departments.
Twenty‑nine apprentices have started building their cars. Further details of the ninth Student Car project, such as the vehicle platform, name and how it will be improved, will be revealed in the coming months.
Maren Gräf, Board Member for People & Culture at Skoda Auto, said: “The Student Car project has been an integral part of the training process at Skoda Academy for nine years now. The great team spirit, the enthusiasm of our talented young students and their attention to detail have always impressed me. During the project they gain practical experience at every stage of development and insight into the company's various departments.”
Maren Kabowski‑Ciecior, Principal of Skoda Academy, said: “I am looking forward to following our students and the development of the project with great anticipation. This project gives our talented students the opportunity to apply everything they have learned and lays the foundation for a promising career at Skoda Auto.”
The precursor to the Student Car project was formed in 1975. In 2022 apprentices transformed the Skoda Kamiq into the Skoda Afriq race car. To date Skoda Vocational School students have designed and built eight Student Cars under mentor supervision; the eighth, the Skoda Afriq, was supported by Skoda Motorsport. The original precursor were four Skoda Buggy Type 736s hand‑built in 1975 by apprentices in the former Czechoslovakia.