This specialised training programme enhances operational skills and leadership among women engineers, fostering a culture of excellence and diversity at Mahindra

The ‘Operational Excellence for women Engineers’ conducted by the Mahindra Institute of Quality, from July 8 to 10, 2024, marked a significant stride towards nurturing operational excellence culture. Designed to provide participants with knowledge that extends to workplaces, the programme emphasised the importance of driving excellence at workplace and more. The objectives were clear: to promote and nurture a defect free, accident free and breakdown free workplace, implement best practices in workplaces, and create environments to drive excellence in operations.

The curriculum includes an introduction to operations management, the importance of safety, the principles of pull-based production systems, the identification and elimination of waste, kaizen, QC circles, and effective shop floor practices for change management. Additionally, the program features case studies presented by women managers who share their experiences and challenges in manufacturing.

The programme, inaugurated by Rahul Dhadphale, Head of XUV 300 TCF AD Nashik, welcomed 24 participants from different sectors of the Mahindra Group, including Auto, Farm, Farm Machinery, and supplier companies. The sessions provided participants with crucial insights into driving operational excellence using Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Lean, and Total Quality Management (TQM) philosophies.

A notable feature of this year's OEYE programme was the inclusion of guest lectures by Shashi Dandekar, Head of XUV 7OO TCF & EV Projects at MVML, and Ms. Pranoti Joshi, Sr. Manager at Right Tight Fasteners Nashik. Their sessions focused on the challenges faced by women on the shop floor and strategies for overcoming them, as well as leadership in driving operational excellence. Key takeaways included dealing with unconscious bias, building support networks, preparing for the future, networking, and mutual support among women.

Since its inception, the OEYE program has conducted over 20 batches, training more than 400 participants. While earlier batches included both male and female participants, this was the first time the program was exclusively designed and conducted for women. The positive feedback from participants highlighted the effectiveness of the training content and the impactful guest lectures. Moving forward, Mahindra plans to continue offering similar programs tailored specifically for women, such as the Mahindra Yellow Belt for Women, to further promote diversity and empowerment within its workforce.

Through the OEYE programme, Mahindra demonstrates its commitment to fostering excellence, diversity, and the empowerment of its workforce, ensuring that its women engineers are well-equipped to drive quality and innovation in their respective fields.