In a bid to nurture talent and create a skilled workforce for the automotive industry, Tata Motors, in collaboration with Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), has established 25 dedicated ‘Automotive Skill Labs’ at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. These labs, fully equipped with essential tools, aim to provide practical automotive skills to approximately 4000 students annually, with 30% of the enrolment being girls.
This unique industry-academic initiative aligns with the vocational courses envisioned in the National Education Policy 2020. The ‘Automotive Skill Labs’ focus on secondary and senior secondary students (grades 9 to 12), offering essential subject knowledge, hands-on skills, and valuable industry exposure within the school premises. Students also have the opportunity to visit Tata Motors’ plants, interact with service and dealership professionals, and attend lectures by industry experts for real-world experience. Additionally, instructors receive necessary training at Tata Motors’ plant locations.
A notable achievement from this programme is the construction of an E-Rickshaw by students at the Pune Skill Lab. Upon successful completion of the programme, students receive joint certificates from Tata Motors and NVS. They can further opt for a Diploma in Manufacturing Technology, which includes a full stipend and on-the-job training at Tata Motors’ manufacturing facilities. Alternatively, students 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.
Vinod Kulkarni, CSR Head, Tata Motors, emphasized the initiative’s impact: “Our Automotive Skill Labs empower youngsters from underserved communities with employable skills relevant to the evolving automotive sector in India. This programme creates pathways for students in grades 9 to 12 to pursue higher education and secure employment opportunities. Contributing to the ‘Skill India Mission’, it 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), with 17 reaching the second stage of the competition.
