Skills development in the automotive sector for a competitive advantage.

Overview:

The automotive industry is challenged by disruptive technologies, evolving regulatory requirements, and high competition. As such, it is critical that people within the sector are equipped to not only meet and exceed industry demands but also be able to provide world-class customer experiences and service excellence throughout the entire lifecycle of the products provided by the industry.

A global automotive manufacturer recognised the need for a skills-led competitive advantage and set out to empower its workforce with the necessary skills to achieve its objectives. Kepler + Co, a leader in skill identification and development, was selected as a provider to achieve these goals.

The project was driven by the following objectives:

• To equip the workforce with advanced skills to deliver exceptional customer service and support throughout the vehicle product lifecycle.
• To implement a distributed training initiative across South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa to standardise skills and proficiencies.
• To improve employee engagement through skills-led development.
• To develop a culture of curiosity, continuous skills development, and operational excellence.

The Solution:

• Comprehensive training across roles was provided via the manufacturer's learning platform, covering behavioural, functional and manufacturer-specific technical skills.
• The program accommodated skills development in English, French, and Portuguese to meet linguistic diversity needs.
• A framework allowed individuals to develop skills at their own pace.
• The initiative supported online, live, and in-person skills development sessions.
• Training was provided across roles like sales, parts, service, technicians, and warranty administration.

Outcomes and achievements

• Over 6,900 course completions reflecting improved technician and service advisor skills.
• The skills platform was rolled out consistently across multiple regions.
• Employees spent a combined total of nearly 5 years developing skills on the platform.
• An aligned, skilled workforce resulted in improved customer experiences from sales to after-sales support.

Takeaways

This project demonstrated the transformative potential of focused workforce development initiatives to achieve organisational objectives across diverse, distributed workforces. It established a culture of ongoing innovation and continuous skills development.