Why Your Next High-Paying Job Might Come with a Welding Torch

Shubhangi Sethi, the Regional Manager for India at Seabery, stood before a packed classroom at a school on Toyota’s sprawling Bengaluru campus and asked the one question most Indian parents have spent decades teaching their children to avoid: “Who in this room wants to take up welding as a profession?”

The silence was predictable. In a country where the professional hierarchy has long been topped by doctors and IT engineers, welding is often dismissed as a "blue-collar" dead end, a job characterized by heat, sparks, and low social standing. But Sethi, representing a Spanish firm at the cutting edge of industrial training, wasn’t there to talk about the smoky workshops of the past. She was there to talk about the future of the automotive components industry, where the "torch" is often a digital simulator and the "workshop" is a high-tech laboratory.

"We have to make them aware that there are lots of other skills available in the market where students can become very good professionals and earn well," Sethi explained, noting that the shortage of professional welders in India is driven largely by a lack of awareness and a persistent stigma.

The Olympiad: A High-Stakes Talent Hunt

This classroom exchange wasn't an isolated lecture; The scale of the event underscores the industry's hunger for fresh talent. Out of more than 136,000 students who applied from schools across India and the United Arab Emirates, only 175 finalists from Classes VI to XII made the cut.

About 150 parents and teachers also visited the competition.These students weren't just taking tests; they were visiting manufacturing plants, interacting with industry veterans, and getting hands-on experience with robotics, data science, and augmented reality (AR). 

The event was inaugurated by FR Singhvi, Mentor ASDC, Padmanabha Paddy, Executive Vice President and Director at TKM, and Arindam Lahiri, CEO of ASDC. The closing ceremony included Vinkesh Gulati, Chairperson of ASDC, G. Shankara, Executive Vice President at Toyota Kirloskar Motor, and Dr. Biswajeet Saha, Director of Training and Skill Education at CBSE.

“The olympiad aligns with the CBSE focus on experiential and skill-based learning,” noted Dr. Biswajeet Saha, Director of Training and Skill Education at CBSE. For the automotive sector, which encompasses everyone from massive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) like TKM, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, and Ashok Leyland to the Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers—this event is a critical bridge between traditional schooling and the high-tech reality of modern manufacturing.

Gulati described the event as a platform to direct young talent toward the automotive sector, while Shankara emphasized the company's commitment to supporting skill development through experiential learning.

Winners were announced across three grade categories. In the Grade 6-8 category, Abeer Verma from The Oriental School, Bhopal, secured first place. For Grade 9-10, Anchit Sahai from Wisdom World School, Maharashtra, took the top position. Nishanth Sudhakar from Chennai Public School won in the Grade 11-12 category.

The Million-Rupee Handshake

Zooming back into the classroom, the atmosphere shifted as Sethi began to talk numbers. In an industry increasingly dominated by precision and automation, the value of a skilled technician has skyrocketed.

Sethi informed the wide-eyed students that a professional robotic welder, trained using the latest AR tools, can command starting salaries that would make many software engineers envious. "If we can have a professional robotic welder, even a fresher will get a salary of around Rs 80,000 to 1 lakh a month," she said, citing figures from major players like Toyota, Maruti, and Hero. Even high-end manual welders who understand the intricacies of muscle memory and joint angles can earn between Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000.

It's about a fundamental shift in required skill sets. As the industry pivots toward Electric Vehicles (EVs), autonomous systems, and Industry 4.0, the "grease monkey" of old is being replaced by specialists in mechatronics and AI-driven production.

Bridging the Skill Chasm

India faces a notable talent gap in emerging fields. Although the country produces millions of graduates, relatively few possess the specialized vocational skills required for precision manufacturing. The Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) is working with industry stakeholders to build these capabilities.

The approach is increasingly global. In Europe, for instance, a professional welding course typically spans 550 hours to meet industrial standards. In India, institutions like ASDC are partnering with different local and foreign companies and organizations to launch similar courses that train candidates in high-skilled domains including AR. 

The use of AR over Virtual Reality (VR) is a strategic choice. Unlike VR, which places a user in a completely digital environment, AR allows trainees to use real components and tools in a physical space, overlaid with digital guidance. This technology doesn't just improve skill; it slashes costs. Sethi, for instance, noted that  using simulators can reduce the cost of training a welder by 50% by eliminating the need for expensive consumables during the initial learning phases.

The School-to-Factory Pipeline

The long-term goal is to integrate these skills into the national curriculum. ASDC along with the collaborating companies, is already in talks with NCERT and CBSE to introduce STEM-based vocational solutions in schools, allowing students to earn credits for technical skills. 

For schools and students, the benefits of events like the NAO are multifaceted. Students get a rare look "under the hood" of the mobility world, exploring career pathways in 3D printing, AI, and sustainable mobility. Schools gain access to industry-aligned curricula that make their students more employable in a rapidly changing economy.

As the NAO 2025 concluded with winners like Abeer Verma and Nishanth Sudhakar taking top honors, the takeaway for the 175 students parents and teachers in attendance was clear: the automotive sector is no longer just about cars; it’s about high-tech talent.

Way forward

Ultimately, the success of India’s "Make in India" ambitions will depend on whether it can produce enough "one-lakh welders" to fuel its factories. By bringing the industry directly to the schoolhouse gate, ASDC and its partners are ensuring that the next generation doesn't just see a car as a means of transport, but as a career path built on precision and technology.