SUMMARY:
Lead and manage the company training academy within the automotive environment, ensuring effective delivery of technical and compliance training, successful administration of apprenticeships/learnerships, internships and workplace experience programs, and full adherence to applicable legislative, regulatory, OEM/customer and internal governance requirements. Drive skills development outcomes, workforce capability and talent pipeline development aligned to operational needs and strategic objectives.
This position is responsible for quality of the product. Therefore, the position has the authority and responsibility to stop a process or shipment when the quality and safety of the product is compromised. As such, incidents in this regard must be immediately reported to your supervisor or Manager (Escalation).
POSITION INFO:
QUALIFICATIONS
Millwright Trade Test or Engineering Bachelor’s Degree or Equivalent
Education Program: Train the Trainer, Red Seal,
Professional Registrations and Certifications: Assessor and Moderator qualification, QCTO certified
Language Requirements: English
WSP and ART's experience
EXPERIENCE:
Years of Experience: 10 years of Training/Facilitation
Must have managed a Technical Training Center.
5 years supervisory experience
5 years as an artisan and 5 years as a training instructor
Required
Relevant tertiary qualification in Training & Development, or similar
Trade qualification in maintenance
10+ years’ experience in an industrial training environment, including program design and delivery.
Proven experience managing apprentices/learners/interns and workplace learning programs.
Working knowledge of accredited training requirements, assessment principles and audit readiness.
Experience with compliance reporting/submissions and stakeholder engagement with regulatory or sector bodies
Learnership and apprentice programs
Software, e.g. SAP, NSDMS, LMS. MS Office
Facilitation and coaching skills
Training and qualification standards
1) Academy Leadership, Strategy and Governance
- Develop and execute the academy strategy, annual training plan and budget aligned to plant/operations capability needs and business strategy.
- Establish academy governance: policies, procedures, training standards, assessment moderation, and document control.
- Manage stakeholder engagement with Operations, HR, Quality, EHS, Engineering, Finance, unions/employee representatives (where applicable), and external partners.
- Maintain an academy calendar and resource plan (facilities, trainers, tooling, equipment, training vehicles/components, simulators, and classroom capacity).
- Ensure training interventions support productivity, quality, safety, compliance, and customer/OEM requirements.
2) Training Needs Analysis, Curriculum and Program Design
- Conduct training needs analysis using skills matrices, competency frameworks, performance data, audit findings and production/maintenance plans.
- Design, update and standardize learning pathways for production, maintenance, quality, logistics and support functions (technical and behavioral as required).
- Develop and maintain training materials (lesson plans, presentations, practical job aids, SOP-linked checklists, assessments) ensuring version control.
- Align programs to accredited/non-accredited requirements, internal standards and customer/OEM specifications.
- Implement blended learning approaches where applicable (classroom, practical workshop, on-the-job coaching, eLearning, assessments).
3) Training Delivery, Facilitation and Assessment
- Oversee delivery of technical, compliance and operational training; facilitate sessions as required based on capability and capacity.
- Plan and manage assessments, trade tests/competency signoffs (where applicable), and ensure fair, consistent assessment practices.
- Coordinate internal subject matter experts (SMEs) and external providers; ensure service levels, quality, and safety compliance.
- Evaluate training effectiveness (attendance, knowledge/skills transfer, behavioural change, KPIs impact) and drive continuous improvement.
- Maintain accurate training records, attendance registers, assessment evidence, and certificates in line with audit and retention requirements.
4) Apprentices, Learners and Interns (Talent Pipeline)
- Plan, implement and manage apprenticeship/learnership programs, internships and workplace experience placements aligned to scarce and critical skills needs.
- Coordinate recruitment intake requirements with HR, line management and external partners, support selection, onboarding and induction.
- Develop rotation plans, workplace logbooks, mentorship/coaching arrangements and progress tracking for each participant.
- Ensure workplace readiness, discipline, timekeeping, performance management and learner support in line with company policies.
- Engage training providers/colleges, trade test centres and accrediting bodies (as applicable) to support learner outcomes.
- Monitor completion rates, competency attainment, placement outcomes and absorption into roles; report program performance.
5) Legal Submissions, Compliance and Audit Readiness
- Ensure the academy operates in compliance with applicable legislation, regulations and codes relevant to training and skills development (including but not limited to labour/skills legislation, occupational health and safety requirements, and any sector-specific requirements such as MERSETA and QCTO).
- Manage required submissions, reporting and supporting evidence to relevant authorities and stakeholders (e.g., MERSETA/skills bodies, accreditation entities, and internal governance forums), ensuring accuracy and on-time delivery.
- Maintain readiness for internal/external audits by ensuring training files, learner evidence, attendance registers, assessment outcomes and certification records are complete, traceable and securely stored.
- Coordinate and support accreditation/registration processes for programs, facilitators, assessors and moderators (where applicable).
- Ensure compliance training is scheduled and completed (e.g., safety, quality systems, environmental, code of conduct), and that refresher cycles are managed.
- Partner with EHS, Quality and HR to address non-conformances and implement corrective and preventive actions related to competence and training.
- Ensure ATR and WSP is maintained and submitted annually.
6) Academy Operations, Assets and Safety
- Manage academy facilities (classrooms, workshop areas, practical bays) ensuring safe, clean, compliant and fit-for-purpose environments.
- Control academy assets: tooling, training aids, consumables and equipment; maintain registers, calibration/maintenance requirements and responsible use.
- Conduct risk assessments for training activities and ensure appropriate PPE, permits and safe work procedures are applied during practical training.
- Coordinate contractor access and external training providers on site, ensuring site induction, safety compliance and supervision requirements are met.
- Implement and monitor housekeeping and 5S standards within the academy environment.
7) People Management and Capability of Trainers
- Lead, coach and performance-manage academy staff (trainers/facilitators, assessors, administrators) and ensure adequate coverage for operational demand.
- Identify trainer capability gaps and ensure continuous professional development, including assessor/moderator registration where applicable.
- Allocate work, set standards and monitor delivery quality; resolve escalations and ensure a customer-service mindset.
- Drive compliance with HR policies, timekeeping, discipline, training ethics and confidentiality requirements.
8) Reporting, Metrics and Continuous Improvement
- Compile and present monthly/quarterly training reports: plan vs actual, cost, attendance, assessment pass rates, certifications, compliance completion and learner progress.
- Maintain skills matrices and competence records; support workforce planning and succession/talent pipeline reporting.
- Track and manage training-related non-conformances, corrective actions and improvement initiatives.
- Use feedback, audit findings and operational performance data to improve programs, materials and delivery methods.
