Led by Gauteng MEC for Economic Development Tasneem Motara, Mogale City and the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC) as well as its subsidiary partner Tiger Wheel & Tyre launched a training programme aimed at unemployed youth and SMMEs in and around Mogale City as well as those stationed the Chamdor Automotive Hub.
Through this programme, 200 Mogale based unemployed youth will be trained in fitting, stripping, balancing and wheel alignment at the Chamdor Automotive Hub. The training programme has already shown that candidates who complete it are employable as some trainees who completed the programme have been placed in jobs, this was according to AIDC CEO Andile Africa. At end of the programme, trainees will be included on a data base for possible employment opportunities in the future.
In his welcoming address, Executive Mayor Danny Thupane said the initiative is more than just a welcome gesture but a lifeline for the city’s youth and demonstration that unemployment can be tackled through various creative and intentional ways. Mogale City’s current unemployment rate stands at a worrying 47%, with youth accounting for the bulk of that ratio.
Secured through the collaborative effort of AIDC and Gauteng Enterprise Propeller as part of ongoing interventions to support SMMEs, Chamdor hub-based businesses received tools for their respective automotive trades. The hub launched last year was also set up including various government partners with Mogale City providing the land, building and utilities for operations.