Toyota launches advanced service advisor training under T-TEP program in India

Toyota Kirloskar Motor, in collaboration with Toyota Motor Corporation and its nationwide dealer network, has announced the launch of its advanced training model for Automotive Service Advisor under the Toyota Technical Education Program (T-TEP), at Government CPC Polytechnic, Mysore.

T-TEP, a special training module in which Toyota has tied up with industrial training institutes, was launched in 2006 in India. After a span of eight years, T-TEP is now associated with more than 36 Institutes (Industrial Training Institutes and Polytechnics) under the program.

In its first year, the program was implemented in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Hubli. The program was subsequently introduced in Bangalore, Pune, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Ghaziabad, Kolkata, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Indore, Vizag, Ludhiana, Cuttack, Haldwani and Nalbari (Assam).

Till now around 3,700 students have received training under this program and more than 2,400 are offered employment opportunities at Toyota Dealerships across India. Considering this success, Toyota is introducing the advanced level of this program, known as, SA T-TEP for the polytechnic institutes.

With this program, TKM intends to enhance the technical abilities and employability of polytechnic / diploma students in the 16-18-year age group. The program will benefit polytechnics in providing skilful service advisors for the Indian automotive service industry. Around 40 students of automobile/mechanical diploma will undergo this training per year.

The event marked the third launch of the Service Advisor T- TEP Program. The syllabus imparts training on automotive skills and service advisor skills in addition to dealer-specific requirement to students, thereby improving their knowledge of automotive Service and facilitating the adoption of latest technology.

Speaking at the occasion, Naomi Ishii, managing director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said: “We introduced T-TEP in India in 2006 and since then we have been successful in imparting technical training to around 3700 ITI students. Moving forward, we are collaborating with polytechnic institutes so that to contribute towards a marked increase in the availability of skilled manpower for the Indian automobile service industry in coming years. We are committed to provide the best to the polytechnics students also, which will eventually benefit the industry on the whole. T-TEP is our effort towards bettering the society through developing manpower and offering them employment opportunities in auto sector. We at Toyota strongly believe in the philosophy of QDR – Quality, Durability and Reliability – and believe that aftersales service of a car is equally important as buying a new car. This is to ensure that consumer safety and environment issues are given the first priority by entrusting a car in the trained hands of skilled manpower. The special course on service advisors would create skilled service advisors for the automotive service industry”, continued Naomi Ishii.

The SA T-TEP, a one-year syllabus, introduces students to Toyota’s advanced technology and service techniques. It also includes, on-the-job training, at Toyota’s dealerships. As a part of this program, TKM will also train institute instructors in the latest technology, used at Toyota and the automobile industry.

TKM plans to introduce this program to polytechnics across the country in the coming years and reach out to over 1,000 students per year. This year, TKM plans to introduce this program at 4 more Polytechnics. TKM provides T-TEP institutes with hi-tech training packages and Toyota service training manuals and materials. T-TEP supports Toyota’s comprehensive human resource development system that extends from training at T-TEP institutes to recruitment and development at Toyota dealerships.

T-TEP is widely recognized across the globe for its effectiveness. The program has been successfully introduced in 419 institutes across 53 countries by Toyota, which includes USA, Australia, Italy, South Africa, China, Vietnam and India.