With both a three-month theoretical and eight-month workplace practical component the learnership is NQF Level 3 accredited, presented by the Commercial Transport Acadamy, the curriculum include driving, operating a vehicle and health and safety training. With over 50% of youth in South Africa facing unemployment, Isuzu Motors South Africa is focussing on skills development as a sustainable solution to combat unemployment.
“It is encouraging to see that youth, regardless of gender and age, are keen to learn skills which offer employment opportunities,” Gishma Johnson, Isuzu Motors South Africa, Corporate Communications Manager.
With trucks becoming physically less demanding to operate and with the support and investment from OEMs such as Isuzu, more opportunities for female and younger professional commercial drivers are becoming available. The 2018 intake group is a mixed group and consists of four women and six men of which the youngest is 22 years old while the oldest is 35 years old.
“The Isuzu truck range is perfect for women drivers. Of the 2016 intake of five women who graduated, two stayed in the industry. Safety is still a concern for women drivers – particularly long-haul driving but we are slowly preparing the industry for skilled women truck drivers. The learners come from Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal and have been vetted thoroughly to ensure that they have an interest in the industry. Apart from the 3-month theoretical component, they also completed an 8-month workplace practical component. They understand the product and have dealt with the very latest technology in South Africa – making them highly employable. The fact that the learnership is backed by the OEM, is key,” Nicci Scott, founder of Commercial Transport Academy.
