How MG Motor India is building its next gen of employees

The automobile industry is going through a major slump. Sales are down, business has dipped and the worst part is that the auto ancillary industry has also started laying off people, with around 10 lakh jobs at stake. Amidst this crisis, MG Motor has come up with its own ways to brush off pressure and focus on building the next generation of employees.

The automotive company has introduced a two-way learning internship programme, known as ‘Bridge’, wherein it invites students from overseas to experience the Indian market of MG Motor. The Company will also send some of its Indian employees to its overseas establishments for cross-pollination of knowledge and experience.

“Through the internship programme, these students will be able to experience our manufacturing processes, marketing strategy and also the Indian consumer preferences,” says Gaurav Gupta, chief commercial officer, MG Motor India.

The Company in no way claims that the programme is aimed at tackling slowdown in the Indian auto market or keeping the morale of its employees high. However, it is common knowledge that learning and development of employees becomes essential during tough times to retain them and keep their spirits high.

In the first year of the two-month long Bridge programme, the Company invited students from Britain. The students attending training programmes at the Company’s headquarters in Gurgaon and at its Halol manufacturing facility, enabling them to experience and learn more about MG India’s operations. The British students also interacted with Indian customers at select showrooms as global brand ambassadors for MG, further spreading the word about MG’s rich legacy and how it became one of the world’s most celebrated car brands.

The selection of students for this programme was a very meticulous and rigorous process, which started with an advertisement in UK. People who were interested in the programme enrolled for it. The company scanned the CVs of all the candidates, and students from different backgrounds were selected through a video interview. Although many applications were received, the company selected only nine students for the programme.

“MG India took a strategic decision to extend the invitation for the programme’s first batch this year to British students, underlining the brand’s strong linkage to UK, the country of its origin,” shares Gupta.

“As an organisation, MG Motor India remains committed to providing its employees with growth and development opportunities and enabling learning experiences for them in overseas markets” 

Through this programme, the Company wishes to create the next gen of workforce at MG Motor India, equipped with a knowledge of diverse global markets.

The programme will benefit students in several ways. The experience gained will help the students in self-development. It will offer them an opportunity to witness diversity and interact with Indian consumers. It will also help the students in their careers going forward.

The Company aims to have international students visiting its Indian market and carrying back the knowledge that they gain from this exposure. Also, the organisation wishes for its own employees to travel overseas and gain an understanding of diverse markets in the world.

“As an organisation, MG Motor India remains committed to providing its employees with growth and development opportunities and enabling learning experiences for them in overseas markets,” mentions Gupta.

The programme was the brainchild of Gupta himself. “As per our commitment to encouraging innovation and people development, it is my endeavour, and comes across as a unique initiative taken by a corporation, in the education and training space,” claims Gupta proudly.

He adds, “By giving students an in-depth insight into industry best practices, local business processes and market-specific strategies, MG aims to facilitate superlative learning and growth opportunities.”