Skoda Auto Volkswagen India has announced its first student car project, offering students a hands-on experience in the automotive industry, besides allowing them to apply their theoretical knowledge in a practical setting.
Under this, selected students from the Group Academy's Dual Vocational Training in Mechatronics programme have created a unique cabriolet version of the Rapid sedan. The flagship programme has been contributing to upskilling 10th-grade school students since 2011. This full-time 3.5-year course, adopted from Germany, focuses on developing school leavers' talents to take up critical roles.
Piyush Arora, Managing Director and CEO, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, said that the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to nurturing talent and promoting innovation in the Indian automotive industry.
Such initiatives also create an opportunity for the realisation of futuristic ideas by building prototypes with out-of-box thinking without the fear of failure, he added. “We are confident that this project will not only give students practical experience but also equip them with new skills and insights into various departments at Skoda Auto Volkswagen India,” said Arora.
Sarma Chillara, Group Head - HR and Administration, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, noted that as the automotive industry continues to evolve, the company believes that grooming the next generation of skilled professionals to adapt to this dynamic landscape is imperative.
“With a focus on practical learning and skill-building, our mechatronics programme is tailored to empower students with the tools and expertise needed to thrive in the fast-paced automotive industry. It brings us great pleasure to witness our students collaborating on such a prestigious project,” he added.
The programme's objective is to encourage technological creativity among apprentices, inculcate a sense of pride in their talent, and promote a problem-solving approach to developing appropriate technologies. Apprentices get a chance to apply what they learn in the classroom practically, promoting creativity and showcasing their talents. The programme is also a platform to find talented individuals and boosts apprentices' confidence in speaking and presenting their work.
The academy is taking steps to regularise the Student Car Programme and include it as a project in the students' syllabus. The programme will involve one cycle of projects every year, and the student selection criteria will be improved to make it more competitive.
Through this initiative, the academy aims to create a centralised forum/platform for the plant where students can showcase and implement innovative and futuristic ideas. It will provide students with a unique opportunity to develop their skills and contribute to the academy's growth while gaining practical experience in the field.
The first project under the programme is the cabriolet version of the Rapid. The company noted that among the various customisations, the one that draws attention is the retractable Skoda badge on the bonnet. The iconic ‘winged arrow’ hood ornament elevates elegantly from the bonnet and retracts back in at a touch of a button.
The students also added sleek LED lip lighting to the front bonnet to enhance the sporty appearance. In addition, the project car also gets an illuminated ‘Skoda’ inscription on the boot lid to give it a distinct appearance. There are several other sporty bits, like the fully-loaded black accessories package with a yellow catch radium flow character line and yellow-painted brake callipers.
To give the cabin a premium feel, the students upgraded the standard radio to a more modern, tablet-style touchscreen infotainment system. They had to integrate the seatbelt into the front seat since the cabriolet doesn’t have a B-pillar where the belts are originally mounted. A sporty exhaust system replaced the factory-fitted exhaust.
Though this is the first Student Car Project by Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, internationally, the Skoda Academy's Azubi Student Car Project is now in its ninth iteration.
The Skoda vocational students in Mladá Boleslav have been designing and building their dream car since 2014. With exceptional one-of-a-kind vehicles, the Group in India aims to showcase its Vocational School's high level of training and support the nation’s Skill India initiative.
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