Apple launches India education hub to offer coding, automation and digital skills

Apple has launched a new education hub in India to provide coding, automation and digital skills training to workers across its supply chain, as the iPhone maker steps up investment in workforce development alongside its manufacturing expansion in the country.

The company said the Apple Education Hub in Bengaluru will begin offering courses from March and will operate in partnership with the Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Apple described the centre as its first such hub in India.

The move forms part of a broader expansion of training programmes for supplier employees. Apple said it is rolling out new development courses at more than 25 supplier sites across India, starting with Tata Electronics, covering digital literacy, Swift coding, robotics, automation technology and smart manufacturing.

“These new courses mark the latest initiative from Apple’s global $50 million Supplier Employee Development Fund,” the company said in a statement.

Sarah Chandler, Apple’s vice-president of environment and supply chain innovation, said the programme was intended to open new career pathways for supplier employees. “We’re thrilled to expand our technical training courses in India, giving thousands of employees the opportunity to learn valuable new skills,” she said.

Under the partnership with Manipal Academy of Higher Education, faculty will train supplier instructors, who will then deliver courses at scale within factory locations. Lt Gen (Dr) M.D. Venkatesh, vice-chancellor of the university, said the collaboration reflected the growing importance of skills investment in India’s manufacturing ecosystem.

Apple said it currently offers more than 75 courses for supplier employees in India, spanning technical, professional and health education, as well as rights awareness training. Following the launch of a robotics training programme in December 2024, the company plans to extend that initiative to additional sites this year.

The technology group is also expanding vocational education programmes for people with disabilities in India, building on partnerships with suppliers and local non-profits. Apple said more than 18,000 supplier employees globally have benefited from the initiative to date.

The education push comes as Apple continues to diversify and scale its supply chain beyond China, with India playing a central role in both manufacturing and talent development. How effectively these training programmes translate into higher-skilled roles and long-term workforce retention will be closely watched as Apple deepens its operational footprint in the country.

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