Mumbai: Tata Motors’ flagship Kaushalya Programme has enrolled more than 23,000 young people and helped over 5,000 graduates secure employment, including more than 50 international placements, the automaker said ahead of World Youth Skills Day.
The industry-led initiative, launched in 2021, reported a 100% placement rate among programme graduates offered structured employment opportunities. It is designed to prepare young people for careers in advanced manufacturing, automation and emerging mobility technologies at a time when India is seeking to expand its position as a global manufacturing hub.
The programme also aims to widen access to manufacturing careers among groups that have traditionally been underrepresented in the sector. Women account for 21% of participants, while 25% come from affirmative action categories, according to Tata Motors.
Sitaram Kandi, Chief Human Resources Officer at Tata Motors, said, “India’s manufacturing competitiveness and mobility ambitions will be shaped by the quality of its workforce. Through Kaushalya, we are investing in the next generation of skilled professionals by creating opportunities that combine technical education, industry exposure and real-world experience. The programme is helping young people build meaningful careers while strengthening the talent pipeline required for an increasingly advanced and technology-driven automotive industry. The strong placement outcomes achieved by our trainees demonstrate the effectiveness of industry-academia collaboration in creating skills that are relevant, employable and future-ready. We remain committed to expanding the programme’s reach and empowering more young people to participate in India’s growth story.”
Earn-and-learn training across six manufacturing centres
Kaushalya operates at Tata Motors’ manufacturing locations in Pune, Jamshedpur, Lucknow, Pantnagar, Sanand and Dharwad.
Under an earn-and-learn model, participants receive a fully sponsored Diploma in Mechatronics while combining classroom education with practical experience on manufacturing shop floors. The arrangement gives trainees exposure to industrial operations before graduation — a useful advantage in a sector where machines rarely pause to explain the textbook.
The curriculum has been developed with industry specialists and covers Automobile Engineering, Manufacturing Technology, Electrical & Electronics, Mechatronics, Automation, the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0.
These subjects are becoming increasingly relevant as automotive production shifts towards electrified, connected and software-defined vehicles, requiring manufacturers to recruit workers with skills that extend well beyond conventional mechanical engineering.
Placements across automotive and manufacturing companies
Graduates receive structured placement opportunities within Tata Motors’ wider business ecosystem, including dealerships, suppliers, vendors, Tata Group companies, other automobile manufacturers and overseas employers.
Kaushalya alumni have secured roles at organisations including Tata Steel Downstream Products Ltd., Tata Advanced Systems Ltd., Zydus, JSW Greentech, Subros, Spinny and Wipro.
The programme has also facilitated international employment for 50 graduates at Jaguar Land Rover’s manufacturing facility in Nitra, Slovakia.
Among them is Anita Kende Bethekar, a Diploma in Mechatronics trainee from a remote tribal village in Maharashtra.
Sharing her experience, Bethekar, who is currently placed with Jaguar Land Rover in Slovakia, said, “Coming from a remote tribal village in Maharashtra, a global career in the automotive industry once felt beyond reach. Tata Motors’ Kaushalya programme equipped me with the skills, exposure and confidence to pursue opportunities I had never imagined. Today, I am proud to be the first girl from my village and neighbouring region to hold a passport and build a career with Jaguar Land Rover in Slovakia. This achievement is not just mine; it is a source of pride for my family, my community and every young girl who dares to dream beyond her circumstances.”
Soham Ravindra Manmode, a Diploma in Automobile Manufacturing Technology trainee placed with Tata Motors Customer Support, said the initiative allowed him to acquire qualifications while earning and gaining practical experience.
“Coming from a financially challenged family in a small town, building a career in the automotive industry once felt like a distant dream. Tata Motors’ Kaushalya Programme changed that by enabling me to learn, earn and gain real-world industry experience simultaneously. The skills, confidence and exposure I acquired through the programme helped me build a rewarding career with Tata Motors. Today, I take pride in supporting my family and contributing to India’s automotive growth story,” Manmode said.
More than 5,000 trainees expected annually
Tata Motors expects more than 5,000 Kaushalya trainees to become industry-ready each year, creating a continuing talent pool for India’s automotive and wider manufacturing sectors.
The initiative reflects a broader effort by manufacturers to narrow the gap between academic education and the practical skills employers require. As factories adopt automation, connected systems and more sophisticated production technologies, that gap can otherwise become almost as difficult to navigate as an assembly line without a manual.
By combining sponsored education, workplace experience and placement support, the programme is seeking to turn technical training into sustainable employment. Its longer-term relevance will depend not merely on the number of young people enrolled, but on whether initiatives such as Kaushalya can keep pace with an automotive industry undergoing one of the most significant technological transitions in its history.
