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Apprenticeship programmes powering auto aftermarket sector

Dec 04, 2018 Aftermarket, Garage, repair, training, apprenticeships, skills, MIWA


In late 2016, MIWA and Bodvest McCarthy joined forces to find the best training solutions to assist the SA independent aftermarket. A year later in 2017, 31 companies and 91 apprentices had applied for funding - of which 22 apprentice grants were awarded. 


To date, 16 apprentices are currently in training on the full four-year apprenticeship programme, with a further 18 apprentices having recently received their grant awards. The latter will start their four-year apprenticeship programme in January 2019. “There are also five Artisan Recognition of Prior Learning grants that have been awarded,” says Ilze Botha, Group Training Manager, Bidvest McCarthy. 


Botha explains that the Bidvest Automotive Artisans Academy has been assisting MIWA member companies with discretionary grant applications. “In most instances we have been appointed as the Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) for the company. In this capacity, we assist the company with all the administration to apply for the grants. We also assisted one company, Bogner Motors, through a ‘train the trainer’ process, so they were able to submit the documents on their own. This is the longer-term approach for the other companies to get them trained to submit their own grant applications in the future. Where companies already had an appointed SDF, they managed the grant application process on their own.”


Dewald Ranft, MIWA Director, says the aim of this initiative was to address the artisan skills shortage in the country. “It takes four years to train an apprentice so this really is a long-term plan and we are pleased with the progress made this far,” he says. 


For many years the industry depended on the larger dealer bodies to train and qualify artisans, but this has proved to no longer be sustainable. Less people are entering the industry and at the top end qualified artisans are recruited by companies abroad. “Currently there are also many people who have been working in the industry for years without a formal trade certificate. Our aim is to make formal training the norm so we can improve the industry’s credibility and promote it as a professional career which in turn will attract youngsters to the industry,” says Ranft. 


“If we really want to be successful in addressing the skills deficit in SA, all stakeholders in the industry need to participate and create opportunities for youngsters who are passionate about the industry and need to be trained formally,” concludes Botha.


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