Skilled Women Apprentices Join Maruti Suzuki’s Gurugram Plant

Maruti Suzuki took to its social media account to share images of its new women apprentices who have joined the shop floor of the marque’s Gurugram plant. Echoing the ethos of the women-led development programs introduced by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, this new initiative is also a testament to Maruti Suzuki’s commitment to having an all-inclusive and gender-diverse workplace across all departments. 

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the brand, Hisashi Takeuchi was also present at the occasion to welcome the new workforce. They have been hired as part of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship’s ‘Skill India’ program that aims to upgrade the skills of the nation’s youth/ women etc with ‘scale, speed, and high standard.’ 

Maruti Suzuki isn’t the first OEM company to hire an all-women workforce. In 2022, Volkswagen launched its first all-women-operated city store in Coimbatore. Later after a year, it opened its second such store in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Nearly 34 percent of MG Motor India’s workforce is already comprised of women. They can be seen both at the marque’s Halol plant in Gujarat and its Gurgaon office. Furthermore, to encourage more women to join its workforce, MG Motor also introduced a unique employment program called ‘Drive her back’. This initiative will aid women to enter the workplace again after extended career breaks, marriage breaks, or maternity leaves. 

Last year, Kia India also introduced a skill development and livelihood enhancement CSR program. Specifically designed for rural women residing near the Kia India manufacturing unit in Erramanchi, the brand also invested ₹40 lakh to establish a training center that will provide a 36-week training program for the women there and uplift them with skill development.  

The inclusion of women in the workplace is a welcome step. Not only does it provide employment opportunities that help sustain different households, but also upgrades their skill set and keeps them in time with the ever-changing industrial processes and different methodologies.