The Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI) and the Motor Industry Workshop Association (Miwa) have secured R23,5 million funding from Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services (MerSETA). It will be used to provide training for key technical and non-technical short skills courses as identified by members of the two organisations.
Job Opportunities for Youth
The initiative is an effort to address the high rate of unemployment among youths in South Africa. Government has appealed to various industry players to help absorb and create opportunities for young jobless youths. According to Pieter Niemand, Miwa’s national director, the training is in line with the association’s training strategic objective. He said it will focus on five key areas, which include:
- automotive parts sales
- service advising
- leadership and problem-solving
- basic auto electrical skills, and
- automotive component diagnostics.
Enhancing Workshop Capabilities
The training will also provide shorter and more niche-focused training programmes for employees within both RMI and Miwa. In total, the project aims to impact 1, 575 staff members and employed learners nationally. According to Andre Bogner-Botha, chairperson of Miwa Gauteng and Miwa Training Forum, “Training staff in these areas will enhance workshop capabilities, service quality and overall business performance.” Niemand said the programme will adopt a holistic approach with a view to addressing the diverse needs of the automotive aftermarket sector. In particular, it will respond to the needs of micro and small employers which constitute the majority of Miwa members, contributing to workforce resilience and adaptability.
Hybrid Learning Mode
The training syllabus will cover both technical and non-technical aspects. Niemand said that any of the Association’s 2,600 member businesses are eligible to apply for training for themselves and their staff members. The programme will entail a hybrid of online and face-to-face courses and will take between two days and three months. All theory aspects can be completed online and then final assessments will be conducted in person by a designated training provider. Classes will commence on 1 July 2024.
A Young Artisan and Technician Pipeline
Some of the member benefits of the courses will be improved customer service, enhanced workshop efficiency, stronger leadership and problem-solving skills and a competitive edge. It is hoped that the programme will make a noticeable dent in the unemployment rate by empowering and creating a pool of young artisans and technicians across the country.
