Michelin India and ASDC Complete Skill Training for 65 Candidates in Pune

Michelin India and the Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) have concluded convocation ceremonies for two skilling initiatives in Pune — Project Vahaan and Project EV Shiksha — training a combined 65 candidates in driver safety and electric vehicle servicing. The ceremonies mark the completion of what both organisations describe as an effort to align workforce development with the structural changes underway in India's automotive and mobility sector.

Project Vahaan enrolled 35 candidates in a Level 4 certification programme for Light Motor Vehicle and Heavy Motor Vehicle drivers. The curriculum covered traffic regulations, defensive driving, road safety practices, and soft skills, delivered through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on training. The convocation for this programme was held at MIDC, Kasarwadi, Chinchwad, and was attended by representatives from ASDC, Michelin India, training partners, and programme beneficiaries.

Project EV Shiksha trained 30 candidates as Electric Vehicle Service Technicians under a Level 4 programme. The course included theoretical and practical components covering high-voltage safety protocols, fire safety procedures, routine EV maintenance, minor repairs, basic diagnostics support, safe handling of EV components, and workplace readiness skills. Its convocation took place at MIT Art, Design and Technology University in Pune. Both ceremonies featured formal inaugurations, addresses by industry and skilling leaders, certificate distribution, and direct interactions with trained candidates.

Both programmes were directed at candidates from economically weaker sections, where access to formal employment has an outsized effect on household and community stability. The selection of this demographic reflects a broader objective shared by Michelin India and ASDC: to ensure that the benefits of India's expanding mobility economy reach those who have historically been excluded from formal skilling pathways.

Shantanu Deshpande, Managing Director of Michelin India, said the company viewed people with the right skills as equally important to technology in shaping the future of mobility. He added that the programmes were intended to strengthen road safety through improved tyre care and maintenance, support India's shift toward electric mobility, and open livelihood opportunities for young people who might otherwise lack access to structured training.

Vinkesh Gulati, Chairperson of ASDC, said the initiatives demonstrated that industry-aligned skilling could deliver results beyond raw training numbers. By combining safety, employability, and future-facing skills in a single programme framework, he said, participants were being equipped to build careers while also contributing to safer roads and a lower-emission transport ecosystem. Arindam Lahiri, CEO of ASDC, added that the combination of certified training, industry relevance, and social inclusion was designed to generate lasting value for both individual learners and the broader mobility sector.

India's automotive sector has seen rising demand for EV-ready technicians and certified drivers, but formal training access remains limited, particularly for youth from lower-income backgrounds. The country's electric vehicle market has expanded considerably in recent years, driven by central and state government policies aimed at accelerating EV adoption, along with rising fuel costs that have made electric alternatives more attractive to consumers and fleet operators. However, the availability of trained EV service personnel has not kept pace with fleet growth. Industry bodies have flagged this skills gap as a practical constraint on wider EV adoption, as vehicle owners in many regions struggle to find qualified technicians for servicing and repairs.

On the road safety side, India continues to record one of the highest rates of road fatalities globally, with driver behaviour and inadequate training cited among the contributing factors. Programmes that provide structured, certification-backed driver training are seen by experts as one lever for improving road safety outcomes, particularly among commercial vehicle operators.

Michelin, headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, operates across 175 countries and employs approximately 129,800 people. The company's India operations have increasingly emphasised corporate social responsibility through skill development initiatives linked to its core areas of expertise in mobility and road safety. ASDC is a sector skill council established under the National Skill Development Corporation to address workforce development needs across the automotive industry, working with industry partners to design and deliver training that meets sector-specific requirements.