As part of its commitment to community, the BMW Group invests heavily in educational institutions in the communities in which we operate. This is another way that the BMW Group is investing in the U.S. and the American workforce.
The BMW Group’s largest manufacturing facility in the world is located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Not only does this plant employ over 10,000 people directly in the area, the company has doubled down on its commitment to this community by investing heavily in nearby Clemson University.
In 2003, BMW and Clemson University partnered to establish the International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR). In the nearly 15 years since, BMW has continued to invest both in CU-ICAR and the extensive research and development being carried out there.
To continue spurring innovation and research that can transform the industry, in February 2018, BMW partnered with CU-ICAR, the Greenville Technical College Center for Manufacturing Innovation, and Siemens to create the Clemson Vehicle Assembly Center. This center will focus on researching new assembly techniques through real-world application and also providing manufacturing training to students while they are still in school.
As part of that continued investment, BMW provides a fellowship program for students pursuing graduate level education through CU-ICAR. The fellowship provides $10,000 to students for tuition and other educational expenses during their initial year of the program. Students are also given the opportunity to intern for BMW to supplement their academic education with hands-on experience in the field of their study.
BMW partnered with Clemson and other Historically Black Colleges and Universities to help found the Call Me MISTER Initiative and which aims to increase the pool of available teachers from broader, more diverse backgrounds. The program provides tuition assistance through loan forgiveness programs, academic and social support systems, and assistance with job placement.