September 9, 2002 -- For the current financial year, the MAN Roland Group once again maintains large job training programs at all its German facilities. A total of 125 applicants were taken on at the beginning of the new training year (56 in Augsburg, 12 in Plauen, and 57 in the Rhein-Main region in Offenbach, Geisenheim and Mainhausen). This means more than 450 trainees are employed for the 2002/2003 training year at Augsburg (200), Plauen (45), and in the Rhein-Main region (211). The number of applicants taken on remains virtually unchanged compared to last year.   The largest share of the newcomers, around 90%, are in the commercial sector, followed by the technical and business professions, totalling approximately 10%. The successful candidates were selected from more than 1500 applicants. A number of students from the vocational schools in Mannheim and Heidenheim as well as the technical college of Aschaffenburg studying mechanical engineering, computer science, media design, commercial business, and electrical technology, were also again taken on this year. Professional and vocational training within the MAN Roland Group has a strategic value, says Dr. Rainer Opferkuch, member of the Executive Board and head of Human Resources. "The demands for quality MAN Roland products and services on the part of our customers and sales partners throughout the world have to be satisfied at every level. We can accomplish this only with a professional and highly qualified team. We'll continue to invest in the training of our up-and-coming employees, despite economic bottlenecks, as we look forward to the coming upturn and our ability to compete." MAN Roland offers training in two dozen different fields. Beside classical vocations like lathe operators or mechanical technicians, so-called future vocations, such as mechatronic technicians, media designers, information specialists, or IT systems electricians, are being offered in increasing numbers. These new professions, which MAN Roland's personnel developers and trainers believe will progressively assert themselves in the market, are in high demand among applicants. Training takes place in the respective departments and locations as well as in the training centers of the MAN Roland Group in the MAN alliance, and in the vocational schools and technical colleges themselves. The modern and well-equipped training centers are also in demand from neighboring companies of the various MAN Roland facilities.   The outstanding results of this year's block of trainees testify to the quality of the training they receive. In the Rhein-Main region, for example, 22 of the 43 course participants received a company bonus for exceptional work, and four participants were honored in a special ceremony held at the Offenbach Chamber of Commerce for the best course results. In Augsburg, 32 of the 84 graduates of the MAN training center completed their course with honors, and this year's Chamber of Commerce award went to a communications electrician as well as to a technical draftsman of MAN. In Plauen, two of the fourteen graduates concluded their courses with the grade of "Very Good"; in Geisenheim, two of the four new industrial technicians finished with the perfect score of 1. The following courses are offered within the training agreement at the training centers by MAN Roland in Germany: Systems Technician; Printer; Electronics Installer; Information Specialist; Warehouse Specialist; Industrial Management; IT Systems Electricians; Communications Electricians; Design Technician; Mechatronic Technician; Model Design Technician; Technical Draftsman; Process Technician; Materials Tester; and Lathe Operator. These professions are accompanied by the technical college course degrees in Commercial Business, Digital Media, Electrical Technology, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, and Technical Management.