Over the years, Proton has sent many of its personnel to its technical partners’ facilities in Japan and more recently, China, where they can receive training in various areas. The training will equip them will skills and knowledge which they can then bring back to Malaysia and share with their colleagues.
As Proton embarks on the development of New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), primarily electric vehicles, it is building up expertise in this new field of the auto industry. To equip its own personnel with the knowledge of development, integration, manufacturing, and sales and service of NEVs, the Malaysian carmaker has sent 16 of its staff members to the Geely Research Institute at Ningbo in Hangzhou Bay, China.
6-month training programme
The group will spend 6 months there and undergo training to learn about NEVs which Proton will introduce in future. This first group consist of a mix of experienced industry workers and young engineers who graduated from the company’s Young Talent programme. More will be sent in the future for training in multiple disciplines related to NEVs.
“When Proton and Geely started collaborating in 2017, one of the pillars of the partnership was for Proton to accelerate its model development timetable by incorporating technologies readily available from Geely. That has been successfully done and now, we are leveraging on the global experience of the group in NEVs to give our own model development timeline a boost,” said Dr. Li Chunrong, CEO of Proton.
“Our initial plan was for the programme to begin sooner but this was put on hold by the pandemic. However, with travel restrictions having eased recently, Proton can now reap the benefit of being part of one of the most diverse and forward-thinking collective of automotive brands,” he said, referring to Proton being part of the Geely Group that includes brands such as Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, smart, Lynk & Co, and the London Electric Vehicle Company.
Providing Malaysian input for specifications
Aside from being trained in in various aspects of NEVs in China (which is the world’s largest NEV market), the participants will also be involved in deciding the final specifications for the smart #1 (say it as ‘smart hashtag One’). Because usage patterns and user behaviour differ from country to country, input from Proton staff will be vital to ensuring it meets the needs of Malaysian buyers.
To go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2023, the smart #1 will be the first battery electric vehicle (BEV) to be offered by Proton, through its NEV subsidiary, PRO-NET. [Click here to read more about the smart #1].
Investing in human capital
Looking a little further ahead, these training programmes will help to strengthen collaborative efforts as Proton personnel get involved in multiple disciplines earlier in the development process to fine-tune upcoming offerings to local market expectations. The ultimate goal is, however, for the acquisition of knowledge and new skills that will help steer the company’s future direction in the years to come.
“Proton invests in knowledge acquisition for our staff as we believe it is the best way for the company to move forward. The experience and training they gain will not only benefit the company but indirectly, it will also help raise the skill level of Malaysia’s automotive industry as more staff members are sent for training. This is one of the reasons why Proton was established, and the company is proud to be able to fulfil that aim,” Dr. Li said.
