Tata Motors’ flagship Kaushalya Programme has enrolled more than 23,000 youth since its launch and enabled over 5,000 graduates to secure employment with a 100% placement rate, including more than 50 international placements, underscoring its growing role in building a skilled workforce for India’s automotive and manufacturing sectors.
Launched in 2021, the industry-led skilling initiative is designed to equip young people with future-ready skills in advanced manufacturing, automation and emerging mobility technologies, helping bridge the industry’s increasing demand for skilled talent.
Building future-ready talent
Operational across Tata Motors’ manufacturing facilities in Pune, Jamshedpur, Lucknow, Pantnagar, Sanand and Dharwad, the programme offers a fully sponsored Diploma in Mechatronics under an earn-and-learn model.
The curriculum, developed in collaboration with industry experts, blends classroom learning with hands-on shop-floor training at Tata Motors’ manufacturing plants. Trainees receive practical exposure in Automobile Engineering, Manufacturing Technology, Electrical & Electronics, Mechatronics, Automation, Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 technologies.
Focus on inclusion
The Kaushalya programme is also promoting greater diversity in manufacturing careers.
Women account for 21% of programme participants, while 25% of trainees belong to affirmative action categories, reflecting Tata Motors’ focus on building a more inclusive and equitable workforce.
Strong placement record
On successful completion of the programme, trainees are provided structured placement opportunities across Tata Motors’ ecosystem, including dealerships, suppliers, vendors, Tata Group companies, other automotive manufacturers and international employers.
Programme alumni have secured jobs with organisations such as Tata Steel Downstream Products Ltd., Tata Advanced Systems Ltd., Zydus, JSW Greentech, Subros, Spinny and Wipro.
The initiative has also opened global career opportunities, with 50 graduates placed at Jaguar Land Rover’s manufacturing facility in Nitra, Slovakia.
Investing in next generation
Tata Motors Chief Human Resources Officer Sitaram Kandi 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.”
He said the programme is helping strengthen the talent pipeline required for an increasingly technology-driven automotive industry, while its strong placement outcomes demonstrate the value of industry-academia collaboration in creating employable and future-ready skills.
Transforming lives
Sharing her journey, Anita Kende Bethekar, a Kaushalya trainee now working at Jaguar Land Rover in Slovakia, said the programme transformed her career prospects.
“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,” she said.
She added that becoming the first girl from her village to hold a passport and build a career in Slovakia was a proud moment for her family and community.
Supporting India’s manufacturing ambitions
Tata Motors expects more than 5,000 trainees to become industry-ready every year through the programme, helping create a sustainable talent pipeline for India’s automotive and manufacturing sectors.
As the industry transitions towards electrified, connected and software-defined mobility, the company said it remains committed to enhancing employability and preparing young professionals with future-ready skills.