[Report] Visiting the Korea Toyota Training Academy for 'Future Talent Development'

On the 12th, at the Toyota Motor Korea Training Academy located in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, an instructor was spraying water on a model car door in front of a paint simulator set up on the 4th floor. The simulator-linked screen shows in real-time how evenly the paint is distributed and even gives a score. The teaching tool used here is water, not paint. Spraying paint during every training session generates pollutants. To reduce this, an eco-friendly simulator equipment using water was introduced.

A representative from Korea Toyota is demonstrating a training practice using an eco-friendly painting simulator.
[Photo by Woo Su-yeon]

Earlier this month, Toyota Motor Korea (hereafter Toyota Korea) opened the 'Toyota Training Academy' as an education and practice space for nurturing future mobility talent. The facility spans 1,507㎡ over four floors above ground. Originally, the Toyota Training Center was located in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, but after 18 years, it was renamed and relocated.

Toyota Korea designed this space as a comprehensive education center for cultivating future mobility personnel. It offers common training for Lexus and Toyota dealers and employees, as well as specialized theoretical and practical courses in service, sales, and other departments integrated with the latest technologies. Additionally, it serves as a brand experience space and is planned to be used as a venue for practicing carbon neutrality and contributing to the local community.

Exterior view of the Korea Toyota Training Academy located in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do [Photo by Korea Toyota]

The Toyota Training Academy provides educational content covering the entire process from service to sales based on Toyota's management philosophy, TPS (Toyota Production System). Sales personnel receive training related to vehicle demonstrations, test drives, delivery, as well as CS (Customer Satisfaction) management and customer vehicle care. The service department undergoes education on regular inspection processes, customer response skills, general maintenance and parts knowledge, value chain, and body painting (BP).

Sheet Metal Painting and Value Chain Training Center located on the 4th floor of Toyota Academy
[Photo by Korea Toyota]

A space for brand experience has also been prepared. The space is designed around key concepts such as "Making Better Cars" through motorsports, automotive talent development, and brand elements explaining Toyota's new system announced last year. To promote the value of carbon neutrality, Toyota Korea placed upcycled accessories made from recycled vehicle parts inside and outside the building. In the painting practice education, eco-friendly simulator equipment using only water and air instead of actual paint was introduced. Manabu Konyama, CEO of Toyota Korea, said, "The Toyota Training Academy will be actively utilized not only for education and talent development but also as a brand space and a communication space within the community."