Volvo India signs MoU with Indian universities to offer mentorship programs, internships

Volvo Group India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Manipal University, KIIT University, and SRM University to offer mentorship programs to postgraduate students and provide 50-75 internships annually.

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The collaboration aims to build a stronger industry-academia engagement and enhance the industry-readiness of students in the automotive arena. It includes a two-semester credit program on industry-specific subjects and is designed to offer mentorship to postgraduates in mechanical, electrical, electronics, and computer science streams. Additionally, students will also be offered internship opportunities and pre-placement offers.

Kamal Bali, President and MD, Volvo Group India, told businessline, “In a year, we take approximately 50 to 75 Indians for internships, which last around six months for M-Tech students. Additionally, through National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS), we engage nearly 100 individuals for year-long apprenticeships.”

Volvo Group India will support this initiative by training faculty members, facilitating industry-specific sessions with seasoned professionals, providing relevant use cases and problem statements for developing practical knowledge, conducting guest lectures, and imparting educational assistance to the other faculty members of the institutions. In addition, they will provide scholarships to female students opting for these programs, promoting diversity and inclusion in the automotive industry.

• Also read: While internships are zooming, pre-placements decline

“For faculty, we are starting a one-month training program from Monday. Thirty people from different universities will be joining, and we expect another twenty by July, bringing the total to fifty,” he continued.

The Volvo Group is a manufacturer of trucks, buses, construction equipment, marine and industrial engines and also provides solutions for financing and service. The group employs 105,000 people, has production facilities in 18 countries, and sells its products in more than 190 markets. Volvo Group India hires nearly 100 freshers every year and in the past three years, they have averaged about 750 recruits annually.

“It’s not just Volvo, other companies in the automotive sector will also benefit from this collaboration. One of the main issues we face is the mismatch between the availability of jobs and the readiness of candidates. We seek to bridge this gap to ensure a better alignment between industry needs and workforce skills,” Bali added.

(Reported by bl intern Vidushi Nautiyal)