Bangalore, 28th April 2025: Reaffirming its long-standing commitment to shaping the future of India’s skilled workforce, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today successfully concluded its much-anticipated Skill Festival 2025, held at its Bidadi facility, celebrating the spirit of vocational excellence, innovation, and youth empowerment. The event marked the culmination of months of intensive skill development programs and contests aimed at nurturing India’s future-ready talent pool.
The ceremony was graced by the presence of Dr. Ragapriya R (IAS), Commissioner, Department of Industrial Training and Employment (DITE) Government of Karnataka and senior TKM leadership. The event began with a showcase of TKM’s skill development journey—highlighting key milestones and the adoption of new-age technologies to shape talent for tomorrow. A dedicated skill exhibition and video walk-through offered glimpses into the depth and diversity of talent nurtured under TKM’s training ecosystem.
Students from partner ITIs across Karnataka also showcased their prowess in disciplines like Mechatronics, Auto Body Repair, and Prototype Modelling—emphasizing TKM’s deep investment in nurturing talent from the grassroots level.
Central to the festival were the Toyota Internal Skill Contests, hosted by the Toyota India Centre of Excellence, offering a rigorous platform for associates to compete across critical manufacturing domains—including Assembly, Welding, Press, Paint, Maintenance, Logistics, and Quality. From 5,800 participants, the top three performers from each department underwent four weeks of intensive training at Gurukul, Toyota’s in-house skilling academy. A total of 51 finalists were felicitated during the grand ceremony for their outstanding achievements.
Following further advanced training and evaluation over the next three months, 17 exceptional performers will be selected to represent TKM at the Global Skill Contest in August 2025—bringing Indian manufacturing talent to the global spotlight.
Speaking on Toyota’s sustained skilling efforts, Dr. Ragapriya R (IAS), Commissioner, Department of Industrial Training and Employment (DITE), Government of Karnataka said, “Empowering youth with future-ready skills is the cornerstone of Karnataka’s growth and India’s development. The Skill Festival hosted by TKM is a powerful demonstration of how industry can play a transformative role in shaping the future of our workforce. By equipping youth with practical skills and global exposure, TKM is not only supporting the Government’s vision of a skilled India but also empowering communities across Karnataka. I am happy that Faculty and the ITIs are being developed through the Skill Festival. I applaud Toyota’s commitment to inclusive, grassroots-driven development, and their continued partnership in strengthening the state’s skilling ecosystem.”
Sharing his thoughts, Mr. G. Shankara – Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “At Toyota, our unwavering commitment to manufacturing the highest quality cars is deeply rooted in the passion and craftsmanship of our people—what we call Kotozukuri. Recognizing that excellence in manufacturing begins with excellence in people, we place skilling and people development at the core of our mission. Through focused efforts to nurture rural youth and equip them with world-class technical competencies, we are building future-ready professionals while contributing meaningfully to the socio-economic development of the nation. Initiatives like the Skill Festival, our support to ITIs, and advanced training programs reflect our broader vision of building a self-reliant, future-ready workforce—while also contributing to India’s journey as a global manufacturing hub.”
Paving India’s Path at the WorldSkills Competition
A key highlight was TKM’s continued contribution to India’s growing stature at the prestigious WorldSkills Competition—the “Skill Olympics” hosted biennially since 1950. The next edition is set to take place in Shanghai, China on September 18, 2025, with participation from over 1,400 competitors from 65 countries, spanning 59 official and 5 showcase skills across six major sectors.
Over the years, India’s WorldSkills candidates trained by TKM have consistently made the nation proud, securing three Bronze Medals in Mechatronics and Prototype Modelling and winning the Medallion for Excellence in Mechatronics and Additive Manufacturing in successive editions from 2015 to 2022.
Strengthening Karnataka’s Skilling Ecosystem
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has significantly extended its skilling mission beyond the boundaries of its manufacturing facilities, playing a pivotal role in advancing Karnataka’s technical education and vocational training landscape. In alignment with the Government of India’s Skill India Mission and Make in India vision, TKM has built a comprehensive and inclusive skilling ecosystem aimed at empowering youth, enhancing institutional capacities, and fostering future-ready professionals.
Partnering with the government and educational institutions, TKM has supported the development of 80 technical institutes across the state, including 60 ITIs and 20 GTTCs, with recent efforts in FY 2024–25 enabling 17 new government institutes. Its comprehensive initiatives include faculty development programs for principals and trainers, the Toyota Youth Connect program—which engaged over 7,700 students in 31 districts to promote industry exposure and employability—and the Developing Safety Mindset campaign, which reinforced a culture of safety across 25 partner ITIs.
These efforts are bolstered by the Toyota Technical Training Institute (TTTI), which now offers technical education to over 1,000 students—including up to 600 girls—with a 100% placement record. Additionally, initiatives like the Toyota Kaushalya ‘Learn & Earn’ program, specialized GTTC training, Toyota Gurukul, and the establishment of 26 Centres of Excellence further demonstrate TKM’s deep commitment to building a skilled, future-ready workforce in Karnataka.
The Skill Festival 2025 reaffirmed TKM’s pivotal role in India’s skilling landscape—demonstrating how localized capability development, global benchmarking, and deep partnerships with government and academia can together shape the next generation of Indian industry leaders.
