BMW Skill Next technical skilling initiative launched

Chennai’s Anna University is the first engineering institute to be covered under BMW’s Skill Next.

To mark its Chennai manufacturing facility’s 11th anniversary, German luxury carmaker BMW has launched Skill Next, a technical training initiative that aims to give hands on technical experience to engineering students across India.

Under Skill Next, BMW aims to provide engines and transmissions to the leading engineering and technical institutes across every state and union territory in India by 2018 end. The powertrain in question is the 2.0-litre diesel engine that powers a variety of BMW and Mini vehicles in India. This all-aluminium, 4-cylinder engine produces 187bhp and 400Nm. The transmission chosen for Skill Next is the 8-speed torque converter automatic.  

The handover of demonstration units will be done on a first-come-first-serve basis after due undertakings are submitted by the institutes. The undertakings will ensure that the engine and transmission units are used inside laboratories on campuses of the institutes for learning purposes only.

Post handover, BMW will employ 40 ‘Aftersales Master Technicians’ to conduct Train the Trainer workshops at BMW dealerships in more than 20 cities. The module has been devised by professional trainers from BMW India and will be a combination of classroom sessions and hands-on practical sessions using detailed training materials.

BMW is donating these powertrains to institutions nationwide. In case you are wondering why, these powertrains are the ones that were affected by the 2015 South Indian floods. Post damages, these engines and transmissions could not be used in production cars as per BMW’s quality standards. However, these parts were insured and Bharti AXA General Insurance honored the claims. Therefore, instead of stocking the machinery or selling it at a low price, BMW is donating the same to engineering institutions.