Volkswagen India started the Mechatronics Apprenticeship Programme at its Academy in the Pune Plant in 2011 as part of the Group’s global effort to build industry ready talent to bridge growing skill shortage the world over. In an effort to recognize the outstanding performance and professional competence of key performers in the programme, the Volkswagen Group recently presented its ‘Best Apprentice Awards 2016’ to 45 young talents from all over the world. Here, Saurabh Sajji from India bagged the ‘Best Apprentice Award’ in the Mechatronics trade.
Hailing from Pune, Saurabh was among the nine young women and 36 young men at the ceremony held at the Congress Park in Wolfsburg. Saurabh comes from a modest background and his interest for the automobile industry is what led him to enrol into the programme.
The Mechatronics Apprenticeship Programme is based on German Dual System of Vocational Education and Training. The partnership of Volkswagen Group India with Indian vocational education and training authorities is a milestone on the path towards modernisation, practical relevance and flexibility of vocational education and training. This programme provides employability in the areas of Production, Maintenance, Planning, Quality Assurance and Research & Development. The Mechatronics Programme also helps the apprentices with key competencies which are necessary to adapt to the fast changing industrial requirements.
This year’s Best Apprentice Award was the 16th of its kind presented by the Volkswagen Group and a total of 431 apprentices have been honoured since 2001. The group is currently training about 19,500 young women and men in about 60 vocations and 50 dual courses of study.