CHENNAI: Ehime Nissan is set to establish an automotive technician training school in the state in partnership with Guidance Tamil Nadu, creating a new pathway for Indian workers to secure overseas employment, Industries Minister TRB Rajaa said.
The programme will train around 100 participants over three years, combining technical instruction with Japanese language lessons. Two trainers from Ehime Nissan will oversee the training, aimed at strengthening local skills and supporting Tamil Nadu's ambition to become a global hub for automotive manufacturing.
The initiative follows a visit by a Tamil Nadu delegation to Ehime Nissan's training centre in Matsuyama, Japan, in July 2025, when the minister invited the company to explore skill-development opportunities in the state. A follow-up visit by the Japanese team to Chennai in August included inspections of potential training sites, such as Central Polytechnic College and ITI Guindy, and meetings with faculty, students and officials from Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation and Guidance Tamil Nadu.
Local instructors in Tamil Nadu will lead the training, supported remotely by Japanese trainers through online modules. Each batch will spend three to five months in Chennai before undergoing six months of advanced instruction at Ehime Nissan facilities in Japan.
Successful trainees will be offered jobs with Nissan in Japan for three to five years, with high performers eligible for tenure extensions. Those returning to India will leave with Japanese language skills and technical certification, boosting their employability in the domestic automotive sector.
Guidance Tamil Nadu will formalise the partnership through a facilitation memorandum of understanding, linking Ehime Nissan with state skill-development agencies to ensure smooth implementation. Next month, the Japanese team will visit ITI Guindy to pilot virtual reality-based lesson modules, testing digital tools, Wi-Fi connectivity, and teaching methods ahead of the programme's official launch.
Highlighting the state government's focus on youth development, Rajaa said the DMK administration was working to expand educational opportunities and, through them, create high-quality jobs. "The government is committed to improving the standard of living for every student," he added.
