TKK Corporation and the Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology signed a memorandum of understanding to advance human resource development and meet the needs of the manufacturing industry in the Industry 4.0 era.

According to the latest statistics from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), in 2023, the use of robots in the automotive industry has reached a new record, with over 1 million units deployed. This represents one-third of the total number of industrial robots installed in the industry worldwide.

The country with the highest rate of robot adoption per 10,000 workers is South Korea, with 2,867 industrial robots per 10,000 workers, followed by Germany with 1,500 units, the United States with 1,457 units, Japan with 1,422 units, and China with 722 units.

In the investment sector, the BOI revealed that in 2022, 234 projects under efficiency improvement measures were approved, an 86 percent increase, with investment totaling 15.281 billion baht, a 6 percent increase. The majority of these projects were invested in modern machinery and automation to increase production efficiency and accommodate an aging society. Secondary investments included investments in renewable energy or energy conservation, which align with the global trend towards decarbonization.

The facts conveyed through these statistical figures are intended to demonstrate the clear and promising growth of the robotics and automation industry in Thailand and globally. This growth rate reflects the need for all parties to prepare for this opportunity, particularly in the education sector, which must produce personnel to keep up with this growth.

In addition to modernizing the curriculum to align with robotics and automation technology, developing production potential and developing personnel in this field requires collaboration with businesses and the industrial sector to support and fill gaps in educational institutions. These include modern robotics and automation systems for practical use in industry, providing students with learning tools. Furthermore, having expert lecturers from the industrial sector share their work experiences with students will provide students with a realistic picture of the work environment upon graduation.

Recognizing the potential for this collaboration to positively impact Thailand's education sector, TKK Corporation Co., Ltd., a Thai company with extensive expertise in automation and robotics, has joined hands with the Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology (TNI) to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly develop the education sector. This collaboration, which will entail further development of the Thai education sector, will significantly contribute to the development and workforce production of engineering students involved in robotics and automation.

TKK Corporation is committed to preparing the Thai education sector to produce robotics and automation personnel to meet the needs of the industrial sector.

Prior to the signing ceremony of the cooperation between TKK Corporation Co., Ltd. and the Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology, Kanlayanee Kongsomjit, CEO of TKK Corporation Co., Ltd., delivered a keynote address at a forum titled “Human Development for the Economy and Industry in the 21st Century.”

"TKK is a Thai company, founded by Thais. We have been in the industry for some time, manufacturing and distributing industrial robots, service robots, AI, and various automation systems used in various industries. Throughout our time in this field, we have witnessed rapid and promising growth in the automation and robotics sector, particularly in the service robot sector, which is widely used in the service and restaurant sectors. TKK Corporation manufactures the food-serving robots for MK Restaurant."

“The deployment of food-serving robots at all MK Restaurant branches nationwide has been very positive, both from management and servers. The robots have significantly reduced the workload for servers, improving their health and quality of life. They no longer have to constantly carry heavy items to serve food, which has resulted in improved service quality.”

"This is to illustrate the changing world of work, which is increasingly dependent on technology. It's our responsibility as humans to control and manage this technology for maximum benefit. And of course, the students currently studying in the Faculty of Engineering will grow into quality personnel in the future. They will no longer just think about designing and producing the same old things, but will also design innovative products and tools that enhance the quality of life of their users."

"In the design process, we think from the beginning about material selection. We'll select materials that are durable, strong, yet environmentally friendly. We'll also design them to be beautiful and cost-effective, for example."

"Especially if our graduates become robot engineers, I want to emphasize that robots are not far from us. Going forward, we'll see various forms of robots, including service robots, reception robots, and security robots, spreading across airports, restaurants, and shopping malls. It's certain that the COBOT trend, which involves robots and humans working together, will become mainstream. Therefore, all students must prepare their skills to embrace the opportunities this trend presents."

Then, at the signing ceremony, Ms. Kalyanee spoke about TKK Corporation's intentions and the objectives of signing this cooperation agreement with the Thai-Nippon Institute of Technology, saying:

“The Memorandum of Understanding on Academic Cooperation and Academic Services today is a cooperation with four main objectives.

“The first issue concerns TKK's own commitment to supporting materials, equipment, spare parts, and various tools used in teaching at the Faculty of Engineering, Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology.”

“The second is providing scholarships to underprivileged students who demonstrate academic excellence and a desire to continue their studies. Upon graduation, they will work to earn income to support themselves and their families. This further education will focus on the areas of AI, robotics, and automation.”

“Thirdly, we support student internships in cooperative education programs. This is crucial, providing students with the opportunity to prepare before entering the real-world work environment. TKK is well-positioned as a leader in business operations, automation systems, and robotics, and our customer base, primarily in the manufacturing industry, is confident we can provide students with a shared vision.”

"And finally, we believe that the private sector can support the education sector by collaborating on curriculum design, whether it's specialized or new, modern programs that keep pace with changes, generating new knowledge that students can apply to their work."

Thai-Nippon Institute of Technology is ready to respond and continue the cooperation to be a model for producing engineering personnel with modern skills to support Industry 4.0.

Assoc. Prof. Rangsan Lertnaisat, President of the Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology (TNI), said on the occasion of the signing of this cooperation that

"The Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology is an educational institution that prioritizes the production of specialized personnel, particularly engineering personnel. These personnel possess the skills, knowledge, and abilities to meet the needs of the manufacturing industry and align with modern production technologies, such as the adoption of automation, robotics, and AI in today's manufacturing processes."

"Therefore, this collaboration with TKK Corporation is a positive step towards producing knowledgeable and capable personnel. It also helps our institution develop a higher-quality curriculum and teaching methods."

"The Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology also provides academic services. Today's collaboration opens the door to bringing new technologies and knowledge, not just to our students, but also to the Institute itself. This will benefit training and upskilling personnel in the Thai manufacturing sector, enabling them to keep pace with evolving technologies such as robotics, automation, and AI. Therefore, today marks another day when the Institute is extremely pleased to have achieved this wonderful collaboration."

In this regard, Assoc. Prof. Anchalee Supitak, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology, added that

"The Faculty of Engineering was established alongside the founding of the Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology. We have been producing engineering professionals for the labor market for 16 years, with approximately 200-300 graduates each year. Programs are offered in automotive engineering, robotics and automation engineering, computer engineering, industrial engineering, and electrical engineering. Almost all of our programs are closely related to TKK Corporation Co., Ltd.'s business expertise, particularly in robotics and automation systems used in manufacturing, both in the service sector and in industrial plants."

"In the past, after graduating, the majority of our students have gone on to work for Japanese or Thai-Japanese companies, with a significant number going to Japan. TKK is also a distributor of robots and automation systems for numerous Japanese companies. This has led to the collaboration between the Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology and TKK Corporation Co., Ltd. to develop education and academic services."

"The institute has requested cooperation and support from TKK regarding equipment, robots, and automation systems for use in the Faculty of Engineering's teaching. We recognize that in this era, teaching cannot be done solely through traditional classroom instruction, relying on theoretical knowledge. Robots, automation systems, and even AI programs used in industry must be incorporated into the teaching and learning process. However, it must be acknowledged that equipment, especially robots and automation systems, are expensive. Therefore, the graciousness of sending these tools will significantly assist the institute."

“Furthermore, TKK has responded to our proposal to co-develop a new curriculum related to automation and robotics. We will also send expert staff instructors to teach and share their experiences with our students. In the future, we will also offer Saturday-Sunday credit transfer courses to train essential skills for industrial personnel in the form of upskilling and reskilling. TKK is also ready to provide instructors to train with us.”

"Therefore, TKK's support will help our engineering curriculum produce skilled personnel capable of meeting the demands of modern manufacturing, or Industry 4.0. Students will gain insights and learn about the real-world situations they will encounter upon graduation. TKK also offers internships for our students. This provides a valuable opportunity for students to gain practical skills in the industrial sector."