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BMW Group India will distribute 365 engines and transmission units free to engineering and technical institutes across the country to help students get hands-on training in modern automobile technology.
This is part of ‘Skill Next’ a technical training initiative launched by the German automobile manufacturer today coinciding with the 11th anniversary of its Chennai car plant.
As part of the programme cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and a four-member student team from College of Engineering, Anna University, bolted together an engine and transmission unit and mated it to a soon-to-be-released X3 body at company’s main assembly line.
The event was organised at the BMW factory in Mahindra World City, about 45 km South of Chennai.
Addressing participants, Tendulkar said the distribution of engines and transmission units to technical institutions will give the students an opportunity to go beyond book learning. Just reading technology books without hands-on training will be the equal of “me playing book cricket,” he quipped.
The 365 engines and transmission units will be distributed by this year-end to engineering colleges, industrial training institutes and polytechnics. They will be given away on first-come-first-served basis, said Vikram Pawah, President, BMW Group India.
Recalling the genesis of the idea, he thanked Bharti AXA General Insurance which was part of the initiative. During the heavy floods and rains a number of vehicles had been damaged. After the insurance company cleared the idea, the company had decided to give away the engines and transmission units that did not meet BMW standards to institutions for training purposes. This was better than simply scrapping them, he added.
Workshops in 20 cities
After handover a train-the-trainer will be devised for institutes. Over 40 after-sales master technicians will conduct workshops at BMW dealerships in 20 cities.
The four-cylinder, two litre engines and 8-speed transmissions are modern units that power six locally produced BMW vehicles. Among the institution they will go to are 100 engineering colleges, 125 it is, 60 polytechnics and 10 automotive skill development centres.
Jochen Stallkamp, Managing Director, BMW Group Plant Chennai, said the unit was commissioned in March 29, 2007, and now employs over 650 persons.
It produces the BMW 3 Series, 5 Series and 7 series, BMW 3 and 6 Gran Turismo series and the BMW X1, X3 and X5 Series. It will soon start local production of Mini Countryman this year.
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