Skoda VW India’s Amaan Shaikh wins Volkswagen Group’s Best Apprentice Award 2021

Nineteen-year-old mechatronics technician Amaan Shaikh from Pune, Maharashtra has bagged top honours for India at the 21st edition of the Volkswagen Group’s Best Apprentice Award 2021.

With this achievement, Amaan joins the ranks of up-and-coming professionals, who completed their vocational training last year and are among the 50 best apprentices in the Group worldwide. Every year, the Volkswagen Group presents the Best Apprentice Award to the 50 most talented apprentices, honouring their outstanding professional competence and performance.

This year to, the Volkswagen Group presented the ‘Best Apprentice Award’ to 50 trainees from 19 countries, globally. Amaan Shaikh impressed the panel with his skills and competencies in work planning, machining, PLC and robotic programming, installation and commissioning, troubleshooting of mechatronics systems.

Sarma Chillara, Group Head of HR and Administration Skoda Auto Volkswagen India said, “It gives me great pride to witness our apprentice Amaan Shaikh win Volkswagen Group’s coveted Best Apprentice Award 2021. I congratulate Amaan and his batchmates from the graduating batch for their excellent performance and for upskilling their technical capabilities especially on future-oriented technologies in this Dual Vocational training program of the Volkswagen Academy.”

The Mechatronics 2021 program is part of ŠAVW’s global initiative based on the unique training methodology using advanced technology to upskill and re-skill talent. The program gave apprentices an opportunity for global exposure in economies including Germany, China, and Brazil.

On receiving the Best Apprentice Award 2021, Amaan Shaikh said, “I am delighted on being recognized as the Best Apprentice from India for 2021. I would like to thank SAVWIPL for giving me this transformational opportunity through the Mechatronics program. I am confident that these learnings and skills will play an important role in my career progression and I am also hoping that I can make a meaningful contribution to the future of mobility.”

Hailing from Thane, Amaan has received training in metal working, electrical & electronics, industrial automation, hydraulics and pneumatics, robotics, welding, Auto CAD and CATIA, CNC, and 3D printing. He has learned competencies across work planning, machining,PLC and robotic programming, installation and commissioning, troubleshooting of mechatronics systems.