By Edward Moleke Makwana
South Africa’s automotive industry is facing a growing shortage of skilled technicians as vehicles are increasingly reliant on sophisticated electronics, software, connectivity, advanced driver-assistance systems and, with the emergence of hybrids and electric vehicles, high-voltage electrical systems. Demand for experienced South African-trained technicians is also compounding the situation as many are lured abroad for better-paying opportunities.
The shortage highlights a contradiction in the labour market: millions of young people are unemployed, yet the industry is struggling to find technicians with the right practical and high-tech skills. Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa’s service engineering and operations director, Kevin Heunis believes there needs to be a shift in how school leavers are channelled towards universities, with vocational and technical careers often treated as secondary options.
Ford is among the companies investing in apprenticeships, including a three-year auto technician scholarship that places trainees in dealerships while they complete theoretical training at technical colleges. BMW Group SA, Toyota South Africa Motors and Hyundai Automotive South Africa are also expanding or maintaining apprentice pipelines to meet rising demand.
Retaining trained technicians is another concern. BMW SA’s head of business communications, Angela Konert said the company had seen technicians leave for international opportunities, including in Australia, New Zealand, England, Ireland, Scotland and Jamaica.
BMW has increased its annual intake of first-phase apprentices from 30 to 40 and has more than 100 apprentices across its retailer network, including 14 women. BMW SA directly employs another 55 apprentices, 17 of whom are women.
Toyota said technician mobility was an industry-wide challenge but that it continued to invest in training and career progression. It currently has more than 130 apprentices in training, about 50 of them women, and more than 100 master technicians across the Toyota and Lexus dealer network. However, only one master technician is a woman, reflecting the wider difficulty of attracting and retaining women in senior technical automotive roles.
Hyundai said it had lost some technicians, though not in numbers that had affected after-sales operations. Spokesperson Zweli Mnisi said the company had 144 active apprentices, including 35 women, and 59 master technicians, supported by mentorship and continuous technical training across its national dealer network.
MerSeta acting chief executive officer Naphtaly Mokgotsane said the mismatch between high unemployment and technical-skills shortages reflected broader labour-market conditions, changing industry requirements and weak demand in parts of the economy.
During the 2025/26 financial year, 911 students entered MerSeta-supported automotive-related apprenticeship programmes and 666 completed automotive-related trades.
For 2026/27, MerSeta is targeting 3 800 students for trade and artisan qualifications, 1 600 for artisan recognition of prior learning, partnerships with 1 000 employers and five TVET colleges.
Mokgotsane said non-completion could be caused by insufficient workplace exposure, financial pressure, weak mentoring, assessment delays and employer constraints.
The shift to new-energy vehicles is adding urgency. MerSeta has identified growing demand for competencies such as high-voltage safety, EV diagnostics, battery systems, electronics integration, thermal management, data-enabled diagnostics and mechatronics. It is working with employers, manufacturers, NAACAM and the RMI to expand workplace-based learning and update qualifications.
Mokgotsane said industry-led training should not be seen as proof that the formal skills-development system had failed, but rather as evidence that closer collaboration between manufacturers, employers, education institutions, Setas and quality-assurance bodies was needed.
The stakes go beyond dealership workshops. As South Africa tries to retain automotive investment and prepare for electrification, a shortage of skilled technicians could become a significant constraint.
At the same time, international demand for local technicians shows that these qualifications can give young people rare employment prospects and global mobility. The challenge is to equip young South Africans for the jobs already available and for the more sophisticated ones emerging.
- South Africa's automotive industry is experiencing a shortage of skilled technicians due to the increasing complexity of vehicle technologies and the demand for experienced local technicians abroad.
- Companies like Ford, BMW, Toyota, and Hyundai are investing in apprentice programs to train new technicians, with a focus on increasing practical and theoretical skills.
- Retention of trained technicians is challenging, with many leaving for international opportunities, and the industry struggles to attract and retain women in senior technical roles.
- MerSeta is targeting increased enrolment and completion in automotive-related apprenticeships for 2026/27, emphasizing the need for workplace exposure, mentoring, and updated qualifications for new-energy vehicle technologies.
- The shortage of skilled automotive technicians poses a risk to South Africa’s automotive investment and electrification efforts, highlighting the importance of collaboration between industry and education institutions.
