Bridgestone India to train 640 youth as skilled heavy motor vehicle drivers

Bridgestone India has signed an MoU with Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) to extend their flagship CSR initiative Sarthi. The programme is aligned to Bridgestone’s global commitment towards Safe and Sustainable Mobility.

Under the programme, 695 youths from marginalised sections have been trained and placed as skilled heavy motor vehicle drivers, mostly from underrepresented areas of Maharashtra. Under the new MoU, Sarthi will now be extended to South and East India and Bridgestone intends to impart training to around 640 youth including 100 women in the current financial year.

The MoU was signed by Apurv Choubey, Chief Human Resource Officer Bridgestone India and Arindam Lahiri, Chief Executive Officer, ASDC. In addition to training on Driving Skills, this programme includes sessions on finance management, soft skills, gender sensitisation and physical wellbeing as well.

“As one of the leading Mobility Solutions provider in the country, we believe we have a part to play in making Indian roads safer for all. The Sarthi programme is our endeavour to fill the gap of skilled drivers in the country, and as a result, contributing towards road safety. We are glad to partner with ASDC for the project. The commercial drivers are an important stakeholder group for us and I’m especially glad that we are able to reach out to women drivers as well, helping them upskill and have more opportunities,” said Parag Satpute, Managing Director, Bridgestone India.

 “Drivers are an integral stakeholder of the ecosystem and we as an organization welcome collaborating in endeavors that provide skills for a career in the automotive sector. These programmes strengthen the industry and also provide employment opportunities,” said ASDC’s CEO, Arindam Lahiri,

As part of this collaboration, Project Sarthi will avail the services of the Institute of Driving Training and Research – Pune, Society For Govt. of Odisha - Ashok Leyland HMV Driver Training Institute Odisha and the Telangana Institute of Driving Education and Skills (TIDES), Telangana.