Kolkata: Maruti Suzuki India Limited today announced its partnership with Savitribai Phule Pune University, Maharashtra to train youth in automobile retail.
With the support from Maruti Suzuki, the university will offer a customized 3 years “Bachelor of Vocational Studies in Retail Management” course to students.
The three-year curriculum will comprise of one-year classroom training followed by two-year on-the-job training at Maruti Suzuki authorised dealerships.
The MoU between Maruti Suzuki India Limited and Savitribai Phule Pune University was signed by Manoj Agrawal, Executive Vice President, Training Academy, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, and Dr Nitin Karmalkar, Vice-Chancellor, Savitribai Phule Pune University.
The curriculum for Bachelor of Vocational Studies in Retail Management” is developed by Maruti Suzuki and Savitribai Phule Pune University with an enhanced focus on value education, work ethics, soft skills, and learning Indian and Japanese work culture. Special sessions on the automobile industry and its best practices will be imparted by industry experts as part of the course. The first batch of 80 students will commence the academic year 2021-22 from August 2021. The course is based on the concept of ‘Earn while you Learn’ where students will receive a stipend during their on-the-job training.
Announcing the initiative, Manoj Agrawal, Executive Vice President, Training Academy, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said, “One of the key challenges faced by the automobile industry currently is the skill gap and non-availability of trained personnel. This association with Savitribai Phule Pune University will help students who aspire for career options in the automobile retail sector. The mandatory 24-month on-the-job training will provide in-depth knowledge to students and make them ‘industry-ready. We are confident that with this specially curated course, we will see an upsurge of skilled professionals in the industry, to provide high-quality customer service.”
Speaking about the association, Dr Nitin Karmalkar, Vice-Chancellor, Savitribai Phule Pune University, said, “With the strong commitment to provide quality education and skill-based training, we have initiated the Bachelor of Vocational Studies in Retail Management program in collaboration with Maruti Suzuki India Limited. This industry integrated program will provide theoretical as well as practical knowledge to students with regular industry interaction and on-the-job training. The course will allow the students to build a promising career in automobile sales in India.” (UNI)