In a bid to expand its skill development initiatives, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) has announced its partnership with Delhi Skill & Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) to train youth in automobile retail, making them employable.
A press release from MSI noted that the curriculum is designed and developed jointly by Maruti Suzuki and DSEU as per the guidelines of the University Grants Commission (UGC). The first batch of the programme will be initiated this month.
As part of the partnership, Maruti Suzuki and DSEU will offer a BBA (Automotive Retail Management) course spanning over 3 years.
The industry-integrated programme is a blend of academic learning and skill development where students will acquire theoretical knowledge through classroom learning in the first year, followed by two years of on-the-job training at Maruti Suzuki dealerships in Delhi NCR. During the on-the-job training, students will receive a stipend and an incentive basis their performance as per dealership policy.
Additionally, the course entails an enhanced focus on work ethics, soft skills, Indian and Japanese work culture etc. Bridging the industry-academia gap, industry experts will also impart sessions on the automobile industry and its best practices.
Interestingly, the company claims that it will offer 100% placement to the students on successful completion of the course, and based on their performance during on-the-job training, it will stand a chance to get a placement at Maruti Suzuki dealerships.
Rajesh Uppal, Member - Executive Board (HR, IT, Safety, DE) & CIO, MSI, noted that the collaboration with DSEU will help students aspiring for career options in the automobile retail sector.
Skill gaps and the non-availability of trained workforce are challenging for the industry. Real-time on-the-job training will help bridge the skill gap. Professionally structured skill training will go a long way to strengthen their career in the automobile retail Industry, he added.
Dr Amita Dev, Vice Chancellor, DSEU, said, “Offering a holistic platform for theoretical as well as practical learning, the course will surely help to boost their employability, knowledge, and intellectual skills.”
In FY21, Maruti Suzuki collaborated with Shri Vishwakarma Skill University in Haryana for an industry-integrated bachelor’s programme to equip youth with automotive retail skills required at dealerships and create a pool of skilled and professional Dealer Sales Executives (DSEs). Later, the initiative was further expanded to other parts of the country.
The automaker has similar tie-ups with Savitribai Phule Pune University in Pune, GLS University in Ahmedabad and Tata Institute of Social Sciences – School of Vocation Education (TISS-SVE) in Mumbai and B K Birla College (Autonomous) in Kalyan. About 340 students are being trained as a part of these partnerships.
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