MITSUBISHI invests in people for CARS Program
Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) has spent – initially – P100 million to put up a training center within its Sta. Rosa, Laguna manufacturing plant. The two-story structure will be the venue for training up to 250 MMPC employees and later, new hires. The facility will be ready early next year.
MMPC president and chief executive officer Yoshiaki Kato said the Philippine operation currently has 1,000 employees. In the course of the CARS’ six-year program, they will hire 700 more. A portion of this number will be new hires for its P2-billion stamping facility which will become operational beginning in 2018. The stamping plant is a requirement under the government’s performance-based program.
In an interview at its Tokyo headquarters recently, Kato said they will be training Mitsubishi dealers and plant workers on a regular basis and whenever there is new technology, or a new Mitsubishi product is to be launched in the market.
For the facility alone, Kato said it is primarily for technicians’ training. “The training center is mainly for dealers, technicians, and sales people when we introduce new products, or training for product knowledge.”
Under the CARS program, one of the requirements is that a participant should produce a minimum output of 200,000 units over the six-year period.
As a result of increased assembly production, the government is expecting up to 200,000 direct and indirect jobs in auto manufacturing, parts making, distribution, and ancillary services. MMPC has the Mirage/Mirage G4 as primary models under CARS. These models have to be produced locally.
Aside from the local training, Kato said they will be sending more people to their Nagoya production facility – which is where they have their Car Research and Development Center – for further training.
