Mumbai, July 15,
2024.
Reaffirming its commitment to nurturing
talent and creating a skilled workforce for the automotive industry, Tata Motors’
in collaboration with Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) has established dedicated
‘Automotive Skill Labs’ at Jawahar
Navodaya Vidyalayas(JNVs).To date, 25 labs, fully equipped with essential
tools, have been set up across select JNVs in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat,
Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.This unique
industry-academic joint initiative equips approximately 4000 students annually
with practical automotive skills, with 30% of students enrolled being girls.
Aligned with the vocational courses
envisioned in the ‘National Education Policy 2020’, Tata Motors’ ‘Automotive
Skill Labs’ focuses on providing secondary and senior secondary students
(studying in 9th to 12th standard) with essential subject knowledge, hands-on
skills, and valuable industry exposure—all within the school premises.
Additionally, students can visit Tata Motors’ plants, interact with service and
dealership professionals, and attend lectures by industry experts to gain
real-world experience and deepen their knowledge. Furthermore, instructors
teaching at these labs are provided with the necessary training at the
company’s plant locations.A testament to this immersive learning experience is
an E-Rickshaw constructed by the students at the Skill Lab in Pune.
Upon successful completion of the programme, students
receive joint certificates from Tata Motors and NVS. Post-schooling, the
students can opt for a Diploma in Manufacturing Technology, including a full
stipend and on-the-job training at Tata Motors’ manufacturing facilities.
Alternatively, those interested in continuing with Tata Motors can pursue a
BTech in engineering—a 3.5-year executive education programme in collaboration
with select engineering institutes—leading to permanent employment after five
years.
Emphasizing the commitment to enriching the
lives of youth and bridging the skills gap in the automotive industry, Vinod Kulkarni, CSR Head, Tata Motors,
said, “Our Automotive Skill Labs empowers youngsters from the underserved
communities with employable skills, relevant for the evolving automotive sector
in India. It creates pathways for students in grades 9th – 12th
to pursue higher education and secure employment opportunities. Contributing to
the ‘Skill India Mission’, this programme instills innovative thinking,
entrepreneurial spirit, analytical mindset and critical communication skills
amongst the students. The response from girl students has strengthened our
commitment to empower future leaders who will contribute to India’s prominence
on the global stage as envisioned by Viksit Bharat @2047.”
In 2023, over 1,600 students from this
programme participated in the National Automobile Olympiad organised by the Automotive
Skill Development Council (ASDC), out of which 17 succeeded in reaching the
second stage of the competition.