This document discusses the need for Indian companies to make focused learning investments to build sustainable competitive advantages against global competitors. It outlines several challenges, including complex automotive supply chains, the need for multiple functional competencies, and global OEMs having more developed capabilities. Higher education in India is noted as needing to better serve industry needs. The document proposes establishing organization-wide competency models and mapping competencies to roles. It advocates for a learning management system and curriculum to develop these competencies over time through training courses. The goal is to move employees from "present ready" to "future ready" through continuous learning and development.

1. Learning Investments: Making
Workforce Future Ready
V. Kovaichelvan
TVS Motor Company

2. Background
 Indian economy - abundant opportunities yet in a highly
competitive environment
 Indian companies compete with global players both at home
and International markets
 Global players have sound business model, mature business
processes, core competences & strong brand equity.
 Scale and sustainable competitive advantage is essential for
long term survival and growth
 Indian companies have a large gap in competence with
reference to global players
 Focused leaning investments are essential for building
sustainable competitive advantage

3. Challenges
 Automotive industry has a complex supply chain – Tier 1, 2,
3 Suppliers, Distributers, Dealers, Service points
 Weakest link determine the throughput and effectiveness
 Multiple functional competencies relating to
 Products, Manufacturing processes, Supply chain & logistics, Network etc.
 Design, testing, QC/QA, Manufacturing, Procurement, Sales, Service etc.
 Global OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers design & develop their
products in their Global Development Centers
 Design & installation of manufacturing plants are carried out
by experts in their head office
 Large number of expats run their business in India
 Indian companies need to acquire matching capabilities

4. Higher education in India
 Higher education need to serve as strong driver for progress
 IT and ITES sector led the sudden proliferation of
engineering education
 This has happened at the cost of quality of education
 Takes 2/3 years to become fully functional in the roles in
design and manufacturing
 Start the career as an amateur and learn, move to next role
as amateur; this continues…..
 Employees lack curiosity for continuous learning to keep
pace with rapid technological developments
 Before we think about „Future ready‟, the priority is to get
them „Present ready‟ .

5. Organization wide Competencies
 Established functional competencies for engineering
functions, front end functions, HR/IR functions
 Leadership competency model is established
Engineering competencies Marketing competencies Leadership competencies
Sl Sl
Category Competency Category Competency
No. No. Sl No Competency
16 Brand Management
1 Product Awareness
17 Market Activation
3 Personal leadership
2 Product Engineering
Product 3 Product Verification
18 Retail Sales Process 4 Rigor in execution
4 Design Verification 19 Dealership Management
5 Engineering Materials 20 Retail Finance 5 People leadership
Sa l es
6 Manufacturing Process 21 Network Expansion
Mfg
22 Information Systems
6 Emotional Intelligence
7 Manufacturing System
8 Quality Control 23 Logistics 7 Customer centricity
QM 9 Quality Assurance 24 Institutional Sales
10 Measurements & Metrology 25 Finance 8 Business Accumen
Tools & 11 Project Management 26 Product Service
Techniques 12 Problem Solving
Servi ce
27 Customer Service
9 Managing and leading change
13 Purchase Management Customer-led Product
Supply Chain
28 10 Long term perspective
14 Procurement Management Development
Ma rketing
15 Product Cost Management 29 Brand Development
30 Brand Activation

6. Functional Competency
Product Engineering
Study and understand design inputs of parts/sub-system and prepare drawings and 3D
models as per standards
CL1 Understand and utilise design guidelines for preparing drawings
Verify the part design and drawings against requirements of standards
Prepare design input sheet for parts considering quality characteristics of the sub-system
Create multiple concepts of part design confining to layouts meeting requirements and
propose the best using trade-off matrix
CL2
Evaluate the design for relevant attributes such as structural strength, stiffness, durability
etc
Identify and incorporate critical chracteristics and tolerances
Prepare subsystem layouts meeting attractive and must be quality characteristics
Prepare design input sheet for sub-system considering quality characteritics of the
CL3
system and product
Verify design for DFX- design for assy, mfg, cost, reliability etc
Prepare product layout/architecture for new product
Forecast trends in product technologies and identify technology development
CL4
requirement
Visualise mutiple platforms and commonise sub-system/parts and technologies

7. Leadership competency model
Rigor in Execution: Implements strategies with a sense of urgency by ensuring
rigorous planning of processes and resources. Demonstrates self initiative,
anticipates and removes obstacles in execution
Senior Management Middle Management Junior Management
Communicates strategy effectively
Understands the strategy and aligns Delivers work plans and adheres to
across the organisation and sets
his goals timelines
stretch goals
Establishes rigorous work plans,
Ensures rigour in review and control Escalates problems and looks for
resources and accountabilities to
of work plans speedy resolution
realise goals
Communicates a sense of urgency
Effectively identifies and removes Adheres to established systems and
and removes obstacles to effective
bottlenecks processes
execution
Ensures speed by complexity
Utilize IT effectively for timely Displays high energy levels and a
reduction, clear direction and
execution and efficiency strong bias for action
effective use of IT.
Displays high energy levels and a
Ensures consistent achievement of strong bias for action to achieve goals
goals to relentless PDCA

8. Competencies for roles
Role Vs Competency requirement matrix
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Quality control
and metrology
Manufacturing
Measurement
management
Procurement
management
management
Product cost
Management
Mfg Process
Engineering
Engineering
verification
verification
Awareness
Assurance
Purchase
Materials
Dept Section Role
Problem
Product
Product
Product
solving
Project
Quality
system
Design
CAD engineer CL1 CL1 -- -- CL1 CL1 -- -- -- CL1 CL1 -- -- -- --
Part design engineer CL2 CL2 CL1 -- CL2 CL1 -- -- CL1 CL1 CL1 CL1 -- -- CL1
Design
Functional leader/Sub-
system design engineer CL3 CL3 CL2 CL1 CL2 CL1 -- -- CL1 CL1 CL2 CL1 -- -- CL1
System Leader/Section
R&D
head CL4 CL4 CL3 CL2 CL2 CL1 -- -- CL2 CL1 CL3 CL2 -- -- --
Testing engineer CL1 -- -- CL1 CL1 -- -- -- -- CL1 CL1 -- -- -- --
Testing Testing analyst CL2 -- CL1 CL2 CL1 -- -- -- CL1 CL2 CL2 CL1 -- -- --
Group leader CL3 -- CL1 CL3 CL1 CL1 -- -- CL2 CL2 CL3 CL2 -- -- --
Section head CL4 -- CL2 CL4 CL2 CL1 -- -- CL3 CL2 CL4 CL3 -- -- --
Analysis Engg Analysis engineer -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Proving engr CL1 -- -- -- CL1 CL2 CL1 -- CL1 CL1 CL1 CL1 -- -- --
PED
Process planning engr CL2 -- -- -- CL2 CL3 CL2 -- CL2 CL2 CL2 CL2 -- -- CL1
Group leader CL2 -- -- -- CL2 CL3 CL2 -- CL2 CL3 CL3 CL2 -- -- CL2
Section head CL2 -- -- -- CL2 CL4 CL3 -- CL3 CL3 CL3 CL3 -- -- --

9. Competencies for roles
Customer Centricity
Rigor in execution
Business Acumen
People leadership
Communication
leading change
Competency
Managining &
Interpersonal
strategising)
relationship
(planning &
perspctive -
Intelligence
leadership
Emotional
Long term
Personal
Level
Entry level CL 1 CL 1 CL 1 CL 1
- - - - - -
Junior Management CL 1 CL 1 CL 1 CL 1 CL 1 CL 1 CL 1 CL 1
- -
Middle Management CL1 CL1 CL 2 CL 2 CL 2 CL 1 CL 1 CL 1
- -
Senior Management CL 2 CL 2 CL 3 CL 3 CL 3 CL 3 CL 3 CL 3 CL 3 CL 3

10. Courses to develop competencies
Competency and Training Course Matrix
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Chassis system fundamentals
Metrology and Measurements
Cost drivers and part costing
Quality Management Basics
Product Engineering Basics
Automotive manufacturing
Automotive Fundamentals
Project Management tools
Supplier part development
QC Story and 7 QC tools
Fit & finish fundamentals
Procurement processes
Manufacturing Systems
Power train engineering
Automotive electrical &
Competency
Testing fundamentals
Training Course
Chassis engineering
Supply chain basics
Power train system
electronics system
Applied Statistics
fundamentals
fundamentals
processes
Competency Description
Basics
Basics
Understand basic working principles of automobiles and their sub
P
systems
Read drawings , understand functions and key part characteristics
CL1 P
Product Awarness
of the assigned parts
Understand the effect of part non conformance on the product and
P
customers
Understand functions and quality characteristics of given
P P P P
subsystem
Understand the relationship the quality characteristics has with
CL2 parts characteristics and process parameters P P P P
Understand the variation of part/quality characteristics and effect of
P P P P
it on product and customers
Study and understand design inputs of parts/subsystem and
P
prepare drawings and 3D models as per standards
Understand and utilise design guidelines for preparing drawings
CL1 P
Product Engineering
Verify the part design and drawings against requirements of
P
standards
Prepare design input sheet for parts considering quality
P P
characteristics of the sub-system
Create multiple conepts of part design confining to layouts meeting
P P
requirements and propose the best using trade-off matrix
CL2
Evaluate the design for attributes such as structural strength,
P P
stiffness, durability etc
Identify and incorporate critical chracteristics and tolerances
P P

11. Learning Management system

12. Learning Management System

13. Learning Management System

14. ‘Present readiness’ to ‘Future readiness’
 During year 1, employees took 50% of the courses for
current role
 During year 2, employees took 100% of the courses and
qualified for the role
 During year 3, employees qualified for current role, started
taking up courses for future roles
 Leverage on continuing education and executive education
 Selection of employees ready for the future role in future
through IJP.
 Get entry level employees „Role ready‟ during first year
itself
 Integrate individual/elemental skills and aligning with core
competence and organizational competence

15. Collaborative program for ‘Future readiness’
 „Role readiness‟ from entry level with collaborative education.
 Select the students in the first year in a polytechnic &
engineering college
 Fully sponsored and residential program
 Internship during every vacation
 „Role readiness projects‟ during last semester and
qualification
 Assigned to handpicked managers and assigned aspirational
goal, coached for superior performance
 Focus on building „Aspiration‟, „Engagement‟ and „competency‟
 Focus on life skills as well
 This is a high investment and efforts initiative

16. Role readiness

17. Continuing education
 Nomination for higher studies in Universities in UK and India
 Masters program at University of Warwick, Cranfield University, Imperial
college, Loughborough University, Leeds University
 Collaborative MTech in Automotive technology at IIT, Chennai
 Masters program at IISc, IIT-K, NITIE
 PhD program at IISc, IIT, Warwick
 About 20 nominations/year
 Nomination for executive education programs
 Stanford, Harvard, Michigan, NUS, AOTS, JUSE, JIPM, ISB, CCL
 Nomination to International conferences, Auto fairs,
Symposiums
 SAE Congress, Milan Show, Tokyo Motor Show,

18. Involvement of Employees in Kaizens

19. Total Employee Involvement
 100% participation of employees
 Suggestion Scheme – 45 Suggestions/Emp/Year
 Quality Circles – 1000 projects/year by 370 Quality circles
 Cross function teams – 400 projects/year
 Task force – Upto five task forces/year for breakthrough
improvements
 Training on 7 QC tools, QC story(Problem solving
methodology), Statistical techniques, M7 tools
 Introduced certification with Green belt, Black belt

20. Total rewards Philosophy

21. Need an integrated approach
Attract from
Hiring process target segment
Career planning & Need communication.
Total Rewards
Succession Transparency and
philosophy fairness
management
Recognize,
Engage, Reward, Retain Performance
Engage, Reward
Management Retain
system

22. Way forward…..
 Launch total rewards philosophy formally with cascade
communication
 Integrate with relevant HR processes
 Realise the returns on learning investments; Sometimes
such investments improve employability
 Enable employees earn their role by learning and equipping
themselves with „future ready‟ competencies

23. THANK YOU

24. Integrated Competency Model

25. Potential
 High potential is about aspiration to rise to, and succeed in more
senior and critical positions
 Aspiration is advancement, recognition, financial rewards and
overall enjoyment one seeks to achieve in their life or career.
 Ability - Innate ability and learned skills
 Engagement is about how well they engage to learn the skills
and work towards their aspiration
 Align the aspiration with innate ability and engage to learn the
skills
1. Innate ability
2. Learned skills

26. Competence
 “Competency is an underlying characteristic of an individual that is
causally related to criterion – referenced effective and/or superior
performance in a job or situation”. Characteristics of competency:
 Motives: The thing a person consistently thinks about or wants that
cause action;
 Traits: Physical characteristics and consistent responses to situations
or information;
 Self-Concept: A person‟s attitude values or self-image
 Knowledge: information a person has in specific content areas
 Skill: Ability to perform a certain physical or mental task
Innate ability
Learned skills

27. Aligning Comp & Benefits
 In general, manufacturing followed compensation based on
large number of grades with time based promotions
 Roles were not clearly defined and aligned with grades
sharply
 Competencies were not clearly established with courses
and certification
 Concept of internal job posting was not actively practiced
 Employees were not clear what it takes to learn, contribute
and grow

28. Aligning Comp & Benefits
 During 2004, carried out job evaluation and established
work levels
 Established compensation philosophy
 Annual increases were carried out based on market
benchmarking
 Last year, re-evaluation of jobs carried out
 Roles were mapped against work levels and grades
 Salary bands are being established, outliers are being
analyzed
 Total rewards philosophy is established
 Communication to employees established
 Planning to launch this end of this year