HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda today held a graduation ceremony for students of the 20th class of the Mazda Technical College. Founded in 1988 and located in the Mazda headquarters complex in Hiroshima, the college is recognized by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and offers a two-year course. The curriculum aims to train technicians to develop a wide range of technical skills and a well-rounded character. Students of the 20th class who completed the two-year program will be placed in production and prototype departments at Mazda after graduation. Approximately 1,000 past graduates, or ten percent of Mazda’s production workforce, are currently employed at Mazda’s main manufacturing sites.

Before the ceremony, the Mazda Technical College held an exhibition of the students’ final projects. Each year, teams of students are given eight months to create an automatic production system using the knowledge, techniques and skills they learn over the two-year curriculum. This year’s assignment was to “design and manufacture an automatic production system for desktop accessories.” The students successfully completed the automatic production system and achieved their goals in terms of both quality and cost.

Automatic production system for desktop accessories	Desktop accessories

“For twenty years, the Mazda Technical College has been educating technicians who go on to fill important manufacturing roles at Mazda. Many previous graduates are now continuing their development as core employees,” said Motoyasu Tonou, the principal of the Mazda Technical College. “I hope that this year’s graduates retain their love of manufacturing and desire for excellence we have seen during their final projects, and that they go on to produce high quality vehicles that delight our customers. I would like to see them continue to leverage the team spirit instilled in them at the college and fulfill their potential in Mazda’s constantly advancing production sites. I expect them to work hard and to keep in mind the need for personal development in their new jobs. In this way they will set a good example as role models in the workplace and for younger students at the college.”

Yasutaka Yamada, one of the graduating students from the 20th class, said, “The Mazda Technical College has provided us with a broad foundation in manufacturing skills and a well-rounded education. I have also come to understand the importance of self motivation. There were many challenges, and at times I felt ready to give up, but with persistence and the fantastic support of my fellow students, I learned to overcome obstacles. When I start working, I will use what I’ve learned here and contribute to enhancing Mazda’s brand value, improving business efficiency and raising quality levels.”

The Mazda Technical College will continue to train future generations of technicians by providing them with the basic skills and technical abilities necessary to sustain and grow Mazda’s world class manufacturing capabilities.