Toyota seeks to grow ranks of skilled auto workers
(Philippine Daily Inquirer Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)THE LACK OF EXPERTS IN THE specialized field of automotive repair and maintenance has long plagued the industry, but Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation Inc. seeks to provide a long-term solution through its market-driven scholarship program. Under the scholarship program, underprivileged youth are taught skills and provided training that would make them employable in the automotive industry, not just Toyota, upon graduation.
TMPF president David Go said in an interview that the scholarship program not only benefits the students, but the companies as well.
Go explained that the program provides companies such as Toyota, including their extensive dealer networks, a steady stream of graduates with the right qualifications to help keep operations going.
There are currently 12 vocational partner schools providing a pipeline of skilled, talented and employable manpower to Toyota Motor Philippines and its network of more than 23 dealers.
Toyota provides the engines and the curriculum that the students can work on, while the partner schools take care of implementing the curriculum and actually training the students.
Partner schools include the Mariano Marcos State University in Laoag, Lingayon Technological Institute, Don Bosco College-Canlubang, Alcantara National Trade School in Romblon and Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City.
Since the program was implemented, more than 400 of the vocational scholars have been employed by the Toyota network.
Other graduates have either moved on to other careers or put up their own businesses, using training that they got through Toyotas Youth Business Camps.
Toyota believes that not all are meant for employment, thus, should be provided skills to enable them to go out on their own.
Not content with just churning automotive technical/vocational graduates, Toyota last year took the next step by introducing the Expended Tertiary Education, Equivalency and Accreditation Program in partnership with the Mapua Institute of Technology.
The program is intended to provide the opportunity to both Toyota scholars and employees the chance to earn a college/university degree in Automotive Engineering while working with Toyota.
The curriculum developed with Mapua is unique as it integrates Toyota principles and philosophies and recognizes the value of the actual work experiences and seminars undergone by the Toyota scholars or employees.
TMPF education sector head Ramon Ventura Jr. said the Automotive Engineering program would enable Toyota to develop people with a higher set of skills that would ultimately redound to the benefit of the company.
