The Fast and the Furious Way to Success in South Africa

Publication date: 09 June 2011

The fact that the automotive industry is plagued by a severe skills shortage is no secret. In a recent Merseta annual report, it was cited that the industry will need no less than 2 000 skilled technicians in 2012, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The question remains, how is the gap being bridged, and with a severe shortage of people entering the sector, how can the industry make automotive apprenticeships a more viable option for the educated youth of South Africa?

The AA School Leaver’s Programme is all about grooming learners who are serious about a technical career. “Too often, recruits enter the industry with a complete misconception as to what being an auto technician is all about; people are swept away by the idea of a “fast and furious” career in the industry without taking the time to consider the countless hours of hard work it takes to get there,” says Derek Hall-Jones, Divisional Manager for Technical Services at the AA.

For aspiring young technicians looking to make a career in the industry, building up a skills set is a process that can take years to mould to perfection, but it’s also a vocation, something that’s either in your DNA or something that you’ll end up hating.  The AA School Leavers Programme could be cited as a vocational bridging programme aimed at giving entrants into the market a taste of what life is like as a technician.

Unlike anything else in the industry, the course offers a psychometric assessment to ascertain up front if candidates are likely to make the cut. An intensive four week programme then takes them through an induction that comprises not only an introduction to the theory of mechanics, but also lets them physically take stuff apart to learn how things work and get a broad understanding of how this fits into the bigger picture of a vehicle.

The course is also aligned to the national curriculum at NQF level, which means that school leavers wanting to experience the ins and outs of being a mechanic can go on to use the credits from the course should they decide it’s the career for them. Modules covered include a motor industry introduction, health and safety, hand skills, engine fundamentals as well as minor and major components and their operations.

The majority of the industry takes on apprentices without psychometric assessment or any form of introduction to the industry, the result of which is often an apprentice who discovers too late, and after considerable investment, that he’s in the wrong career. The AA School Leaver’s Programme gives aspiring technicians a chance to test the waters, and if they like and enjoy it,  then not only do they have NQF credits to take along with them, but the AA is also prepared to market these graduates to their clients, a win-win situation all round.

“It’s a preparatory step in the right direction for aspiring apprentices who are still questioning their career paths, but want to test the waters. Graduates leave with a Certificate of Completion for their future employers and the results of the psychometric evaluation: things which will set them apart in an interview situation,” says Hall-Jones. “The benefits for prospective employers should not be overlooked either, as our graduates come away with a keen understanding of what the industry is all about and their resolve to succeed is what sets them apart.”

The course runs for a duration of 4 weeks at the AA Technical College in Alphen Square and costs R8500. Interested parties should contact Maria 011 347 9300 or AATrainingJHB@AASA.co.za.