BeAT – Professional Development and Training CenterAs part of our DekaRB project, we had the special opportunity to attend the event Transformation@Bosch: People – Technology – Future as invited guests at the Bosch site in Eisenach. For us, the focus was not only on learning about best-practice examples but also on gaining direct insight into the reality of a company in the midst of a profound transformation process. This behind-the-scenes look was of great importance to our project, as it showed us how theoretical concepts are put into practice and what challenges arise in the process. At the same time, the event provided a valuable platform for networking with stakeholders from politics, business, and education – an aspect that is central to the further work of the DekaRB project.
Transformation in focus
The transformation is hitting the automotive industry particularly hard, as Bosch’s recent announcement to cut around 22,000 jobs by 2030 – most of them in the automotive sector – made clear. This was also the backdrop for the event in Eisenach, a site where sensors and other high-tech products for combustion engines are primarily manufactured. Batteries are also part of the portfolio, and there is potential for developing hydrogen applications. The pressure is correspondingly high, but those responsible want to face the challenge head-on and are relying on support from state politics.
At the heart of the event was a panel discussion with high-profile guests: Prof. Dr. Mario Voigt (Minister President of Thuringia), Markus Behrens (Chairman of the Management Board Federal Employment Agency), Dr. Thomas Pauer (Executive Vice President at of Robert Bosch GmbH), Christoph Immel (Plant Manager Eisenach), and Maik Freitag (Chairman of the Works Council Eisenach). The lively discussion highlighted the challenges and opportunities of transformation and made it clear how essential it is to put employees at the center in order to successfully shape change.
Employees at the center
To avoid simply being subjected to change, a new site strategy has been developed that places employees at the core. They are seen as the key to mastering transformation—provided they actively contribute, continue their training, and help shape the future. This topic was also central to the event, which attracted numerous regional and national training providers as well as political leaders. Thuringia’s Minister President Mario Voigt announced a comprehensive package of measures: simplified funding for training, steps to mitigate the European combustion engine ban, and reductions in bureaucracy. He emphasized that keeping the plant in Thuringia is also in the interest of the state government.
The commitments were positively received by the 1,900 employees, as well as by management and the company. There are already examples of successful training initiatives that demonstrate how actively employees are helping to shape the transformation. The panel agreed that only constructive social partnership can lead to sustainable and workable adjustments—people must be at the center and be brought along.
Regional roots and perspectives
The strong regional ties of the site became evident during the plant tours. Cooperation with farmers, the municipality, and other local companies plays a major role. The site’s innovative strength is intended to be broadly utilized, for example through the exchange of apprentices with partner companies and the idea of establishing Eisenach as a training hub.
Nevertheless, the challenges remain enormous. Whether political support, management, and employees together can muster enough strength is still uncertain. The question of the future product portfolio remains critical and is unlikely to be resolved solely by a possible end to the combustion engine ban. Batteries and hydrogen technologies offer promising approaches—developments that may yet secure a sustainable future for the Bosch plant in Eisenach.
Thomas Rehfeld and Stefanie Seitz, November 18, 2025