Celebrating Three Decades of "Shaping Individuals": The Technical Academy Co-Founded by Toyota and Jinbei Reaches Its 30th Anniversary
In September 2020, the Liaoning Toyota Jinbei Technician Institute celebrated its 30th anniversary. This milestone marks three decades of Toyota's commitment to China, a journey that began with a focus on people and manufacturing, or monozukuri.
Akio Toyoda, currently serving as the President of Toyota, reiterated this commitment during the anniversary celebrations. He presented a personal message, reminding everyone of the "founding spirit" that puts people at the core of monozukuri. To emphasise this, he presented his calligraphy of the phrase "不忘初心" (bú wàng chūxīn), which means "never forget the original intentions."
The institute, originally named the Technical Training Center of Toyota Jin Bei of China Automotive Industry, was established in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China in 1990. The idea for the institute came about through conversations and exploration of options with the China National Automobile Industry Corporation (now known as the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers).
Toyota's original intention in its first forays into business in China was to support the development of talent for manufacturing. This was evident in the collaboration with Shenyang Jinbei Automotive in the 1990s, which led to the establishment of training programs and technical education initiatives. Directly from this collaboration, the Liaoning Toyota Jinbei Technician Institute was born, providing specialized automotive technical education.
Jinbei had asked Toyota for technical support in 1988, leading to an agreement where Toyota began providing technical support for commercial vehicle production. This collaboration resulted in the birth of the "Haise," a Jinbei-brand version of the Toyota Hiace. The "Haise" gained popularity due to its high quality and performance, helping Jinbei become the largest manufacturer in its class/category and supporting the transportation needs of a rapidly developing China.
Over the past 30 years, the academy has grown significantly. The inaugural class had around 100 students a year, and it has since grown to over 4,000 students. The academy has over 35,000 alumni who are now supporting manufacturing in China, primarily in the automotive industry.
Akio Toyoda's goal is to make cars while thinking about making people in the community happy, and he values nurturing talented people who can help achieve this goal. He emphasised this during his tenure as the first head of the China region group, where he emphasised the importance of becoming a best-in-town company and creating relationships where they can say thank you to each other.
Toyota appreciates having educated and talented people at the company and in the industry, as they grow and contribute to their community. As the Chinese automobile market has grown exponentially, from approximately 550,000 vehicles sold in 1990 to 25.8 million units as of 2019, Toyota will continue its endeavors, taking the original intentions to heart. Toyota will continue to strive for excellence in monozukuri, never forgetting its original intentions.
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