BMW India has launched the Skill Next initiative on the 11th Anniversary of the car maker’s Chennai plant. The plant that was inaugurated in 2007 has produced more than 72,000 cars till date. 8 BMW models are locally produced at the plant.

The newly launched Skill initiative will see BMW India providing 365 engines and transmission units to engineering and technical institutes at no cost. This move will help students at various colleges get hands on experience on BMW engines and gearboxes. BMW India will also deliver engines and transmissions.

The handover 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 the laboratories on campuses of the institutes for learning purposes only.

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

The hardware that will be provided to the educational institutes comprises of the 2.0 litre twin turbo four cylinder diesel engine and the eight speed step tronic automatic gearbox. This combination powers six models that are produced at the Chennai plant.

As part of the 11th Anniversary celebrations, star cricketer Sachin Tendulkar along with students from the College of Engineering Anna University assembled the 2.0 litre diesel engine and eight speed automatic gearbox for the new X3 that recently began local production at the Chennai plant.

The new BMW X3 will be launched in India on April 19, 2018.