The Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC) is preparing to launch a skills development training centre in Pretoria, to upskill automotive workers and train students in a range of new energy vehicle (NEV) skills.
The Manufacturing Centre of Excellence, which will launch at the end of October, will be the “first of its kind in SA”, introduced as part of a public-private partnership with vehicle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in efforts to prepare the industry for the digital future.
This is according to Asanda Mzinyati, head of business development at AIDC, speaking during a panel discussion at the “Transport Infrastructure Development in Gauteng” webinar, organised by CNBC Africa.
“We are setting up the first centre of technology, which will be launched on 31 October, in our facility in Rosslyn. As AIDC, we are very big on skills development and we have our own learning centre,” Mzinyati explained.
“The Manufacturing Centre of Excellence is aimed at moving the industry with the current times, looking at the new technologies that are in the automotive space. As you know, in the original learning centre that we had, we were focusing on the internal combustion engine training, which involves traditional motor mechanics, diesel mechanics, auto electricians, panel beating, spray painting and so forth.
“Now, with the new technology that is coming as part of the new energy vehicles, we have moved with the times. The centre is partnering with OEMs, which will set up shop within our facility to run workshops and skills transfer projects, and this would assist us because they are the experts in that particular technology.”
The AIDC is a subsidiary of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency, owned by the Gauteng Provincial Government. Established in 2000, AIDC supports the automotive industry’s growth and competitiveness, while positioning Gauteng as a premier automotive investment destination. Its vision is to foster a sustainable, green automotive economy, through initiatives such as incubation programmes, the Gauteng Automotive Learning Centre and township automotive hubs.
According to Mzinyati, the Manufacturing Centre of Excellence is partnering with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), a Japanese organisation supported by the Japanese government.
“We have partnered with JICA because there are Japanese concepts that we will learn from them, in terms of vehicle productivity, and it's important for the industry to move with the times regarding these new skills that are required,” he continued.
“We are entering a stage where we are moving towards emerging technologies in new energy vehicles, but we do not have the right skills to keep those vehicles on the road. We need to have the right skills for the assembling and manufacturing of new energy vehicles, because the components that come with it are different. That is why AIDC is launching this centre to ensure we respond to the call of our OEMs to upskill their workforce as well.”
According to a study by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa, the lack of skills is one of the key barriers to the digital transformation in the automotive industry and the planned local manufacturing of NEVs.
SA currently lacks the electrical engineering and mechatronics skills needed for the growing EV market. The skills gap also includes expertise in charging infrastructure and battery management, it says.
The Department of Higher Education and Training is working with Technical Vocational Education and Training colleges to introduce EV skills training.
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