Government Polytechnic,Tata Motors to signtraining MoU

Government Polytechnic, Nagpur, has taken a lead in going beyond the routine job of providing technical skills to students and industry. For past three years, the institute has been informally training the staff of Passenger Car Business Unit (PCBU) of Tata Motors Pvt Ltd (TML) in managerial and other skills that can enhance the business for its dealers from across the country.

Satisfied by the polytechnic's role, the company has decided to go ahead with the mutual initiative and give it a formal shape. The two sides will be signing an MoU on Wednesday for continuing the programme at least for another three years.

Polytechnic principal R S Naidu told TOI that the institute had been able to build its credibility successfully in three years since 2007 with the industry. "It has been an honour for us too to train people from a prestigious company like Tata Motors. It also goes without saying that company has entrusted the work to us impressed by our work. The MoU is just a formality. Both sides stand to benefit equally and it will be a giant leap for the polytechnic," he said. Sree Raman, the customer care general manager of PCBU would be signing the MoU on behalf of industry.

Ganesh Dalvi, head of automobile engineering department which has been running the course as a special effort in building the institute-industry relationship, says, "For automobile industry, customer satisfaction index (CSI) is one of the biggest factors. The CSI can be increased only when people placed at positions like the customer retail manager (CRM) and works manager (WM) at retail outlet are able to handle their customers beyond the retailing, servicing and repairs parameters. This does not fall under the purview of a technical institute like ours. But we have managed to successfully shape the industry professionals in skills which cannot otherwise be provided by a teaching institute and hence the MoU."

Incidentally, the city polytechnic happens to be the only institute in country giving such training to staff of Tata Motors. It has already trained 198 personnel through design, development and implementation of audience specific professional development programmes in ten different batches for both CRM and WM category. Dalvi says that the industry had attempted similar deals with other organizations but couldn't get the desired results.

The polytechnic had to go out of its way to prove its calibre in the field. "They tied up with us based on our strengths. In the deal, besides generating additional revenue for the institute, the automobile engineering students too benefit. Besides paying us the fees for the tailor made residential courses we run for TML, the company also provides us with latest vehicles' parts like engine, gear box etc. This helps us give our students the latest technical knowledge," Dalvi, who is himself an active trainer with special expertise in the field along with Kishor Dixit, says.

Normally, persons handling the CRM and WM posts at any dealership outlet are either science or management graduates. They are never groomed to handle customer in a professional manner at dealer's end. But the polytechnic runs two courses of four and eight weeks respectively for CRM and WM staff improving overall skills of the two categories.