INDUSTRY NEWS
Transforming Challenges into Opportunities Through National Training Reforms
In collaboration with the Retail Motor Industry Organisation( RMI), the South African Motor Body Repairers’ Association( SAMBRA) is stepping up its initiatives to tackle the severe lack of training prospects within the motor body repair industry.
Since 1 July 2024, the official transition to occupational qualifications has highlighted persistent challenges within the sector, particularly regarding access to accredited training providers for specialized trades such as spray painting and panel beating.
SAMBRA National Director, Juan Hanekom, points out that the number of merSETA-approved training centres has drastically decreased from 30 to just 12. He notes that while the new occupational qualifications are valuable, they necessitate apprentices spending a significant portion of their three-year training, up to one-third, at a training provider. Hanekom emphasizes that the current infrastructure is insufficient to meet this demand, particularly in rural regions.
In a significant development in June 2024, the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations( QCTO) launched an innovative model. This new approach allows employers to deliver all three elements of the occupational certificate, Knowledge, Practical, and Workplace, completely on-site.
“ This model has game-changing potential,”
says Louis van Huyssteen, RMI National Training Director,
WORDS IN ACTION 12 AUGUST 2025