
Nissan support motor skills development at TVET colleges
Nissan South Africa has announced that it will be making donations to local educational institutions as part of an initiative to help improve motor technology skills in the country. With the growing skills gap in the automotive sector, this could greatly benefit students who are looking at potential study options in 2023.
How Nissan Is Helping Enhance Motor Technology Skills In South Africa
Nissan South Africa’s recent partnership with local tertiary institutions aims at promoting socio-economic development initiatives for the country. To help achieve this goal, the automaker has donated engines and other motor parts to UJ and five additional TVET colleges located in Gauteng, Limpopo, and the North-West. A total of R2 million in donations have been given by Nissan as part of their Motor Technology Enhancement Programme (MTEP).
The vehicle manufacturing company has set out to support skills development and training in higher education institutions across South Africa by backing projects designed to resolve societal issues. They have promised to better the lives of South Africans in areas like education, environmentalism and humanitarian aid.
Advancing Motor Technology Skills
The educational institutions to benefit from this generous donation includes colleges in Gauteng, the University of Johannesburg (UJ), Tshwane South, Waterberg, Vuselela, Central Johannesburg, Limpopo and the North West. Nissan’s donation of engine units consisting of engines, gearboxes, and differentials was made with the aim of addressing the current skills shortage, particularly in the following areas:
- motor body repair and spray painting
- petrol and diesel mechanics
- automotive welding
- vehicle bodybuilding
- auto electrical specialists which are likely the highest in demand
Nissan could secure the donation through the motor technology enhancement programme, which aims at keeping the motor technology curriculum up-to-date and responsive to changes in the automotive industry.
According to the Principal at Tshwane North College, Dr Thembi Tsibogo: “The engines will provide experiential training to students who are studying automotive programmes in the engineering faculty, and this will enable lecturers to enhance learning by providing practical demonstrations and application of the subject content.”
Dr Samuel Loyiso Gqibani, UJ’s head of the School for Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Technology said: “Having Nissan SA as our partner in the journey towards establishing an up-to-date motor technical programme with tools and state-of-the-art equipment is a dream come true for us.”
Filling The Skills Gap In The Automotive Sector
It is estimated that the automotive industry will face a shortage of 2.3 million skilled workers by 2025 and 4.3 million by 2030. The shortage of qualified workers in this sector can be addressed through initiatives like MTEP, which support development and training in tertiary institutions.
The donations from the Nissan Motor Technology Enhancement Programme will go a long way towards helping to fill the gap created by the skills shortages in South Africa and meeting the demand for skilled automotive professionals over the next decade. By investing more in education, particularly in motor technology, the automotive industry will have a better chance of thriving in a global environment.
With Nissan’s donations, local tertiary institutions are now well-equipped to offer their students advanced motor technology training and thereby produce highly qualified employees for the automotive industry. This could prove to be a major turning point in South Africa’s quest to become a leader in the automotive sector.

Nissan Donates Engines To Enhance Motor Technology Curriculums
Nissan Is Bridging The Gap Between Education And Industry
Nissan is setting an example of how corporate investment can be used to bridge the gap between education and industry in order to help drive economic growth and development. The automotive company has also shown its commitment to driving socio-economic change towards a better future for South Africans.
According to the country director at Nissan South Africa, Kabelo Rabotho: “Nissan’s approach towards advanced teaching and skills development was informed by its commitment towards advancing the UN’s Sustainable Goal of inclusive and quality education, furthering South Africa’s Automotive Master Plan 2035, which commits the industry to the development of new technologies and skills, and Nissan’s own sustainability strategy pillar of realising a more inclusive society.”
The donations made by Nissan will undoubtedly result in a positive long-term impact, such as increased employability for graduates and a more competitive South African automotive sector. Their commitment to supporting education, especially motor skills development, is highly commendable and will go a long way towards building a better future for South Africa.
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