The Role of Volkswagen in Mexico's Global Car Success
In The Role of Volkswagen in Mexico's Global Car Success, host Simon Reeve takes a tour of the Volkswagen factory in Puebla, Mexico. He learns how four different types of cars are made in four factories under one roof. This massive operation has turned Mexico into a global car export leader, producing over 5 million cars annually. Simon also meets students training to become robotics engineers, gaining hands-on experience while earning higher wages than the average worker in the country. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Americas With Simon Reeve, in which Simon Reeve explores the landscapes, cultures, and wildlife of North and South America.
Lesson Express
Q: How does the Volkswagen factory in Puebla contribute to Mexico’s economy, and what does this tell you about the relationship between manufacturing and global trade?
A: The Volkswagen factory in Puebla plays a crucial role by producing over 5 million cars each year, with 80% of them being exported worldwide. This highlights the importance of manufacturing in driving global trade, creating jobs, and boosting the national economy by turning Mexico into a major exporter.
Q: Considering the average salary in Mexico and the pay at the Volkswagen factory, what does this suggest about the economic impact of global companies on local communities?
A: The higher wages at the Volkswagen factory (18,000 pounds per year) compared with the average pay in Mexico (around 4 pounds per day) show that global companies can significantly improve the standard of living in local communities by offering better job opportunities and increasing economic mobility.
Q: In what ways does the training of robotics engineers at the Volkswagen factory compare with traditional university education?
A: Robotics engineering students at the Volkswagen factory gain hands-on experience equivalent to a university degree. This demonstrates that vocational training can provide practical skills and qualifications that are highly valuable in the workforce, often at an earlier stage in their careers than traditional college paths.
More Like This
In The Faces and Stories Behind the Texas-Mexico Border Crossing, host Simon Reeve takes a look at immigration at the Texas-Mexico border, revealing challenges faced by both migrants and Border Patrol agents. He sees peoples from Honduras and Guatemala being stopped and beginning the asylum process, a shift from the past when most migrants were from Mexico. Simon also uncovers how the surge forces Border Patrol to focus on paperwork instead of drug/human trafficking, leaving critical issues unaddressed. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Americas With Simon Reeve, in which Simon Reeve explores the landscapes, cultures, and wildlife of North and South America.
In Secrets of the Mayan Jungle, host Simon Reeve explores the ancient city of Yaxchilan in Mexico. Led by a guide from the Lacandon people — Mayan descendants — he learns how the jungle serves as both a food source and a pharmacy. Simon also uncovers how the arrival of Europeans changed life forever for Indigenous people, bringing devastating diseases that had a lasting impact. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Americas With Simon Reeve, in which Simon Reeve explores the landscapes, cultures, and wildlife of North and South America.
In The Zimmerman Telegram and America’s Entry into WWI, host Andrew Marr takes us back to when the Great War was raging but the Americans hadn’t yet entered the fighting. The Germans attempted to keep America out of the war by getting Mexico to reclaim the territory it lost to the U.S., but this backfired when their telegram was intercepted by the British, ultimately pulling the Americans into the First World War. This video is excerpted from BBC’s A History of the World, a story of human history that uses reenactments, modern footage, and storytelling to explain history’s greatest achievements.
In Follow the Water Wars in Chiapas, host Simon Reeve journeys to Chiapas, Mexico, where he uncovers the harsh reality of life in one of the country’s poorest regions. In San Cristóbal, many families struggle with extreme water shortages. A local shopkeeper reveals how deep wells dug by large corporations, including a massive soda plant, have drained the region’s water supply while receiving preferential treatment. This highlights the stark imbalance between corporate greed and basic survival. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Americas With Simon Reeve, in which Simon Reeve explores the landscapes, cultures, and wildlife of North and South America.
In The Faces and Stories Behind the Texas-Mexico Border Crossing, host Simon Reeve takes a look at immigration at the Texas-Mexico border, revealing challenges faced by both migrants and Border Patrol agents. He sees peoples from Honduras and Guatemala being stopped and beginning the asylum process, a shift from the past when most migrants were from Mexico. Simon also uncovers how the surge forces Border Patrol to focus on paperwork instead of drug/human trafficking, leaving critical issues unaddressed. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Americas With Simon Reeve, in which Simon Reeve explores the landscapes, cultures, and wildlife of North and South America.
In Secrets of the Mayan Jungle, host Simon Reeve explores the ancient city of Yaxchilan in Mexico. Led by a guide from the Lacandon people — Mayan descendants — he learns how the jungle serves as both a food source and a pharmacy. Simon also uncovers how the arrival of Europeans changed life forever for Indigenous people, bringing devastating diseases that had a lasting impact. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Americas With Simon Reeve, in which Simon Reeve explores the landscapes, cultures, and wildlife of North and South America.
In The Zimmerman Telegram and America’s Entry into WWI, host Andrew Marr takes us back to when the Great War was raging but the Americans hadn’t yet entered the fighting. The Germans attempted to keep America out of the war by getting Mexico to reclaim the territory it lost to the U.S., but this backfired when their telegram was intercepted by the British, ultimately pulling the Americans into the First World War. This video is excerpted from BBC’s A History of the World, a story of human history that uses reenactments, modern footage, and storytelling to explain history’s greatest achievements.
In Follow the Water Wars in Chiapas, host Simon Reeve journeys to Chiapas, Mexico, where he uncovers the harsh reality of life in one of the country’s poorest regions. In San Cristóbal, many families struggle with extreme water shortages. A local shopkeeper reveals how deep wells dug by large corporations, including a massive soda plant, have drained the region’s water supply while receiving preferential treatment. This highlights the stark imbalance between corporate greed and basic survival. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Americas With Simon Reeve, in which Simon Reeve explores the landscapes, cultures, and wildlife of North and South America.