High Gear
Preparing youth with automotive skills for growing job opportunities.
Program Description
In partnership with the National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (NAACAM), the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), and the Automotive Industry Development Centre–Eastern Cape, High Gear modernized curricula, trained teachers, and created training opportunities to strengthen the automotive workforce and prepare youth for jobs in a growing sector. This included:
- Refreshing engineering curricula
- Providing educators with hands-on experience in relevant job settings
- Connecting students with learning placements in automotive manufacturers
- Creating an Electric Vehicle (EV) industry Competency Framework, which prepared South Africa’s TVET system to train students for careers in EV manufacturing
Program Partners
Change in Action
Through the High Gear program:
- 2,839 students (48% women) completed courses based on updated curricula
- 174 students completed work-integrated learning placements
- 1,188 young people secured jobs or became economically active
- 94 educators completed training in effective teaching and project-based learning
- 53 lecturers completed industry placements, bringing workplace insights into classrooms
Employers reported increased confidence in TVET graduates’ skills, and industry associations emerged as national leaders in strengthening training pathways and preparing the sector for the EV transition.
“When education and industry move in sync, young people, employers, and the economy all move forward together.”
High Gear industry partner
Geography
South Africa