The Gauteng Automotive Learning Centre was a hive of celebrations and partnership strengthening between the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ) and the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC), on Thursday the 15th of August 2024.
At the centre of this well attended occasion, was a celebration of over 80, predominantly female students, which was described by esteemed industry speakers as a significant response to the automotive industry’s strides towards the 2030 National Development Plan deadline to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality, in South Africa.
Mr Andile Africa, CEO of AIDC described how the partnership with TASEZ was born out of the need to provide their facilities to automotive skills, education and training of future automotive practitioners and leaders. Mr Africa highlighted how a meeting with his TASEZ counterpart, Dr Bheka Zulu whose organization he described as having “…access to funding and markets…” led to this partnership aimed at advancing technical education and affording career opportunities in the automotive space.
The student programs, which include theory and hands-on experience, are overseen by AIDC’s Technical Skills Facilitator and qualified mechanical engineer, Ms Salome Mashishi. She outlined their intake criteria, student and community engagement as well as the need for the course to meet the highest and modern standards required by the evolving technological landscape of this sector. Ms Mashishi, during the delegate’s tour of the training facilities, highlighted the importance of the programme and strides towards a workforce that is ready to embrace the revolution from combustion engines to electric vehicles (EV).
During his speech, TASEZ CEO Dr Bheka Zulu, invited to the podium, TASEZ’s strategic partners which included the Provincial Department of Public Works and Brics Business Council to outline their respective objectives and roles in their strategic partnership with TASEZ.
While the department of public works committed to taking in a significant number of graduates from the academy, … a representative from the Brics Business Council’s Skills Development Working Group shared their vision of a concept called “skills passport”. This concept’s vision is to create opportunities for qualified partner country’s artisans, SMMEs and incubation programmes to work in Brics countries as well as tapping into Brics partners, for further skills development as well as business collaborations.
TASEZ board chairperson, Lionel October’s message drew from government’s National Development Plan targets as well as the Industrial Policy and Strategy Review, launched on 7 May 2024 to highlight the significance of TASEZ’s inception and vision.
The programme of the day ended with the awarding of certificates to students as well as a networking lunch.
The Slyso TV Podcast, as a multimedia company whose interest is deliberately to cover personal and skills development across different sectors of our society. Being part of this event has been an eye-opener, to see first- hand, the efforts that different government departments and organizations’ partnerships undertake to respond to skills development and economic growth. It speaks to our vision of using technology to create and document a positive narrative, that can be embraced by citizens, with emphasis on highlighting opportunities for South Africans to take part in the country’s economy and growth.
If you are interested in further information about Tasez & AIDC and opportunities in the automotive space, please visit their webistes on: tasez.co.za & aidc.co.za
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