In a world increasingly driven by technology and innovation, gender diversity in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) remains a crucial factor for inclusive progress. Recognizing this, Volvo Group India has launched Yukti, a flagship initiative aimed at empowering young girls to explore STEM careers through hands-on learning and industry exposure. With the company’s commitment to achieving 35% women representation in its workforce by 2030, Yukti is more than just a workshop—it is a movement to break barriers and build a strong pipeline of future women leaders in technology.
In this exclusive conversation, Ms. Radhika Nair, Head of People & Culture, Volvo Group India, shares how Yukti aligns with the company’s larger mission of fostering diversity, inclusion, and workforce development. She delves into the biggest challenges preventing girls from pursuing STEM careers, the role of immersive technologies like VR, Robotics, and AI in education, and how Volvo Group India is ensuring that STEM opportunities reach students across diverse socio-economic backgrounds.
Read on to discover how Volvo Group India is shaping the future of STEM education and creating a more inclusive, innovation-driven workforce:
Q. What inspired Volvo Group India to launch Yukti, and how does it align with the company’s larger mission in education and workforce development?
A. Volvo Group India launched Yukti with the vision of fostering a more diverse and inclusive STEM ecosystem by empowering young girls with hands-on exposure to real-life STEM applications. While women in STEM leadership have made progress—holding 14% of executive roles and 8% of CEO positions—there is still immense potential to accelerate this growth.
Increasing female representation is not just an opportunity but a necessity to drive innovation, diversity, and inclusive progress in the industry. Through initiatives like Yukti, Volvo Group India aims to nurture curiosity in STEM from an early age, creating a strong foundation for future leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This aligns with our larger mission of building a diverse workforce, with a goal of reaching 35% women by 2030. By fostering an ecosystem that promotes women’s leadership in technology, we are not only strengthening our talent pipeline but also shaping the future of innovation.
Q. How does Yukti support Volvo’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, particularly in empowering young girls to pursue STEM? What are the biggest barriers preventing girls from choosing STEM careers, and how is Volvo Group India working to overcome them?
A. Yukti is a flagship intervention that strengthens Volvo Group India’s commitment to diversity and inclusion by actively empowering young girls to explore careers in STEM. Recognizing that early exposure and inspiration are key to building confidence in technical fields, Yukti provides hands-on learning experiences and real-world industry insights, helping young girls discover the fascinating innovations shaping the world. Through such interventions, students not only gain exposure to cutting-edge concepts but also hear from accomplished women leaders in technology. These success stories are not just inspirational but also thought-provoking, encouraging young minds to envision a future in STEM.
By fostering curiosity and breaking stereotypes, interventions like Yukti that foster Diversity, aim to build a strong pipeline of future women leaders, aligning with Volvo’s broader organizational goals. However, significant barriers—such as societal stereotypes, lack of role models, limited access to STEM education, and unconscious biases—continue to dissuade girls from pursuing STEM careers. Volvo Group India attempts to tackle these challenges through impactful collaborations with like-minded institutions, providing students with opportunities to explore the world of science and develop a deep appreciation for breakthrough innovations. By creating a supportive and encouraging learning environment, we aspire to inspire, equip, and empower the next generation of women leaders in STEM, ensuring a more diverse and innovative future.
Q. How do you ensure that Yukti aligns with India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and global STEM education trends? How does Volvo Group India identify key schools and regions where the Yukti program can have the most impact?
A. Volvo Group, in its endeavour to promote women in technology leadership, actively invests time and effort in identifying like-minded institutions and partnerships.
If you look at YUKTI, as an activity, it is designed to align closely with India’s National Education Policy (NEP) and global STEM education trends by emphasizing experiential learning and skill-based education. NEP advocates a shift from traditional memorization-based learning to an inquiry-driven, hands-on approach that fosters creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking—principles that YUKTI aims to promote. These engagements not only help students understand core STEM concepts but also enable them to apply their knowledge to real-world challenges faced by industries and society at large. In doing so, YUKTI not only nurtures innovation but also instills a sense of purpose, encouraging young minds to contribute meaningfully for the greater good.
On a global scale, STEM education is evolving to emphasize inclusivity, digital literacy, and industry collaboration, ensuring students develop future-ready skills. With the advent of technology, it is essential for young students to understand its impact, benefits, and its role in augmenting people’s lives. YUKTI integrates these aspects by providing access to cutting-edge technological trends, real-world problem-solving experiences, and direct engagement with institutions that actively promote and advocate STEM education.
Q. How does the program introduce students to real-world industry challenges, beyond just theoretical learning? In addition to technical skills, does Yukti also focus on soft skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork? If so, how?
A. Yukti goes beyond conventional theoretical learning by embedding real-world industry challenges into its workshops. Through immersive activities and simulations, students engage in experiences that closely mirror workplace scenarios, ensuring practical application of concepts rather than just passive learning. Recognizing that success in today’s workforce demands more than just technical expertise,
Yukti’s workshops emphasize key competencies such as collaboration, agile thinking, and the ability to analyze problems from multiple perspectives. Participants are encouraged to think critically, adapt to dynamic situations, and develop innovative solutions—essential skills in any professional setting. The panel discussion featured a diverse group of accomplished women, where they shared their personal journeys, offering invaluable insights into the challenges they have faced. Their stories of perseverance, triumphs, and even setbacks serve as powerful learning experiences, inspiring participants to navigate their own career paths with confidence and resilience.
Q. The Yukti workshop included immersive experiences such as Virtual Reality (VR), Robotics, and AI. What are the key advantages of using such technologies in STEM education? How do you adapt your STEM programs to cater to students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds who may not have prior exposure to technology?
A. The integration of immersive technologies like Virtual Reality (VR), Robotics, and AI in STEM education provides students with hands-on, experiential learning that enhances understanding, engagement, and retention. VR allows students to explore complex scientific concepts in a visually interactive manner, making learning more immersive and accessible. We might have experienced this in the EduTech space, across interactive learning platforms, creating experiential learning. Robotics fosters problem-solving, creativity, and teamwork by enabling students to design and build functional models – as we saw in one of the hands-on workshops that was organized in YUKTI.
AI introduces them to real-world applications of data-driven decision-making, preparing them for future careers in the current scenario, where the advent of technology is the new normal. These technologies make complex concepts more tangible, ensuring students grasp STEM subjects with greater clarity and zeal and enthusiasm.
At Volvo Group India, we are also committed to supporting students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds by catering to their learning needs and development aspirations. A few initiatives are cited below:
- Volvo Group Iron Women Driver Training Program: As part of our efforts to break gender stereotypes in the trucking industry, female drivers recently completed a driving orientation at our training school in Hosakote. This initiative aims to encourage more women to pursue truck driving careers with Volvo Trucks in India, supported by a top-class, inclusive driving environment.
- Volvo Educational Scholarship Programme: Through this initiative, Volvo Group Trust has sponsored the engineering education of girl students.
- Promoting STEM Education: Volvo Group Trust has set up a STEM Mini Science Centre at a Government High School in Mandigeri Village near Budhihal. The center features 80 models illustrating 150 Science and Mathematics concepts, benefiting 250 students by enhancing their learning experience.
- Enhancing Digital Literacy: To create computer awareness among government school students, Volvo Group Trust has established a mini-computer lab at the Government Social Welfare Hostel in Taverekere.
- Vocational Skill Development: Volvo Group Trust is sponsoring a vocational job training program for ITI girls at NTTF, focusing on CNC Machine Turning. This initiative aims to create livelihood opportunities in the manufacturing sector and empower young women with industry-relevant skills.
Through these initiatives, Volvo Group India continues to drive inclusive education, skill development, and workforce empowerment for a sustainable future.
Q. What’s next for Volvo Group India in terms of STEM education and workforce development? Any upcoming initiatives that you’d like to highlight?
A. At Volvo Group India, we work relentlessly to bolster STEM education and workforce development through meaningful partnerships. We firmly believe that “Partnership is the new leadership”, and in collaboration with our academia partners, we are creating a synergistic ecosystem for innovation and talent development.
Our approach is centered around three key pillars:
1. Leveraging Academic Research for Industry Innovation – By collaborating with institutions, we engage students and faculty in solving real-world industry challenges, co-creating research materials, and fostering problem-solving.
2. Building a Future-Ready Talent Pipeline – As the workplace evolves, we recognize that technical skills alone are not enough. A mindset of growth, adaptability, continuous learning and innovation is crucial. To prepare students for this dynamic landscape, we actively co-create academic curricula, certifications, and training programs.
3. Accelerating Technology Adoption & Commercialization – We support hands-on learning through industry visits, internships, and mentorship opportunities, equipping students with practical exposure that bridges the gap between academia and industry.
We also foster a culture of entrepreneurship and research, encouraging young minds to innovate and drive technological advancements. Through these initiatives, Volvo Group India continues to empower the next generation of STEM professionals, ensuring a skilled and future-ready workforce.
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