Toyota Kirloskar Motor Employees Represent India At WorldSkills 2024

In a significant stride toward furthering the "Skill India Mission" and the vision of "Viksit Bharat 2047," Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today proudly announced the achievements of its employees’ performance at the WorldSkills Competition 2024, held in Lyon, France. Known as the "Olympics of Skills," this premier global event brought together young professionals from across the world, competing in over 60 categories, ranging from engineering to creative arts.

Representing TKM, employees Harish Gowda, Mohit Umashankara, Nelson Vanidhara, Prem Kumar, Bhanuprasad S M, and Darshan Gowda C S had previously triumphed at the India Skills 2024 competition, earning the right to represent India on the global stage. Their success at both the national and international levels underscore TKM’s ongoing commitment to cultivating world-class technical talent and enhancing India's role in global vocational skills development.

Each employee brought unique strengths to the WorldSkills Competition 2024, contributing to the team’s remarkable performance. While Prem Vasanth Kumar achieved Medallion of Excellence in Additive Manufacturing, Bhanuprasad SM and Darshan Gowda CS showcased remarkable versatility to achieve the Medallion of Excellence in Mechatronics. Medallion of Excellence is awarded to the competitors with 700 or more points. Further, the Mechatronics candidates were awarded second place for Sustainable Practice Award having successfully completed tasks that are measured against industry sustainability standard with the highest level of performance.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. G. Shankara - Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “We are immensely proud of our employees’ performance at WorldSkills 2024. Earning the Medallion for Excellence at a global platform is not only a testament to their exceptional skills and dedication, but also sets an inspiring example for other employees to strive for excellence in their respective fields. We are truly grateful to the trainers, faculty members, Government of Karnataka, Government of India and all stakeholders who have contributed to this success and made us proud. The journey of these employees is a reflection of what can be achieved when talent meets opportunity, reaffirming our belief in transforming rural youth into world class competitive technicians.

This success also underscores our alignment with national goals like ‘Skill India’ and ‘Viksit Bharat 2047,’ as we continue our mission to contribute to society by fostering a skilled workforce. Toyota’s commitment to creating opportunities and delivering a positive impact in the communities where we live and work remains at the core of everything we do, and we look forward to continuing this journey towards shared prosperity and development.”

The contestants were trained at the Toyota Technical Training Institute (TTTI). Since its inception in 2007, TTTI has been committed to providing advanced technical education and fostering overall development among rural youth. The planned increase in intake reinforces TKM’s commitment to empowering economically challenged youths, creating world-class technicians, enhancing societal development, and employment. One of the recent initiatives to promote admission of female students, 'Toyota Kaushalya,' has been well-received by students. It offers a unique opportunity for youth to acquire skills relevant to the manufacturing industry, combining theoretical learning with on-the-job training (OJT) enhancing their employability. Furthermore, many of our employees after been trained at TTTI and TKM get the opportunity to be trained in Japan to gain hands on experience in global environment. Based on Toyota’s model of skill development, TKM has been developing 65 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and Government Tool Room Training Centers across Karnataka.

About World Skills Competition

Initiated in 1950, the World Skills Competition is the global hub for skills excellence and development through international cooperation and development. It is the global meeting place for government, education, industry, and association leaders to discuss relevant and important issues related to skills management.

In 2024, the competition saw participation from more than 1400 competitors from 62 countries challenging each other in 61 skill sets. India took part in 52 skills, winning 4 Bronze and 12 Medallions of Excellence in respective categories. The team consisted of 60 talented young minds.  The participants were selected through a nationwide screening process under the guidance of the National Skill Development Council (NSDC).