Rolls-Royce is planning to enter into strategic partnerships with Indian research institutions and universities for increased R&D collaboration. This is part of the company’s strategy to leverage India’s engineering prowess for mutual growth.
Rolls-Royce has also embarked on a training module that allows employees get a hands-on experience, which helps in knowledge retention and to achieve success in the workplace.
At Rolls-Royce's Pune Engineering centre, the company takes in local interns, and sends its engineers to Germany to upgrade their skills. The engineering centre supports the marine and power systems business.
“Last year, we consolidated our Marine and Power Systems engineering capability and established a new engineering centre in Pune, by bringing about 100 employees from the two businesses under one roof," said Kishore Jayaraman, President, Rolls-Royce, India and South Asia.
The Pune centre has a world-class training facility which enables its engineers to get certified training on engine hardware.
“These engineers are members of our 15,000-plus global engineering team complementing our global engineering operations and working collaboratively with engineers located in the UK, the US and Germany, as well as the rest of the world," Jayaraman added.
The MTU Engineering and Research Centre (EARC) was opened in Pune in 2010. It is MTU’s first centre to be opened outside Germany. The main function of the EARC is to support the MTU’s global Engineering and Research Division with the design of engine components and systems.
Local talent
Given that the Rolls-Royce Group is keen to recruit graduates and apprentices, the engineering centre taps into the large pool of local engineering capability. “We are actively providing opportunities to local students and graduates by way of internships etc, to learn and grow with a world leader in power systems," he adds. Doing so also enables the company “to fulfil its vision of making in India for India and the world”.
Rolls-Royce does not stop at bringing in local talent. Aiming to inspire future generations in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), it has education outreach programmes and activities that demonstrate the life-long opportunities that STEM careers can offer, “and help build a robust pipeline of engineers and scientists in India. We partner with Charities Aid Foundation on Project Muskan, that focuses on children with learning difficulties. This innovative programme is used in a classroom with diverse learners to enhance learning through activities and learning tools”, Jayaraman adds.