MTA March 2018_Web

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AUTOMOTIVE TRAINING
AUTOMOTIVE TRAINING
The skills shortage in South Australia has been well documented
and there is a clear demand for qualified automotive technicians.
In an attempt to meet this demand, the MTA board made a
conscious decision to increase the number of apprentices
in training. This has resulted in an increase in apprentice
commencements at the MTA to 40% in 2017, up from 38%
in 2016.
A major focus of the MTA is to get as many young people work
ready across as many trades as possible.
With an increase in the number of commencements, the next
crucial step is to ensure that apprentices continue through to the
completion of their training. Regrettably, many apprentices drop out
in the first or second year of their apprenticeship, due to a range of
personal and learning difficulties.
The MTA has sought and received funding from the Federal
Government to deliver an automotive specific mentoring service
which will mean that additional support is available to all industry
apprentices, helping them to complete their training.
The aim of the scheme is to retain over 75 per cent of 492 program
participants by guiding them through trade training, mental health,
family and financial issues that can arise during an apprenticeship
and prevent completion. Past experience in delivering this service
indicated that if apprentices successfully completed their first two
years, most of them go on to complete their full apprenticeship.
This will help to reduce the skills shortage currently experienced by
industry.
The quality and flexibility of the MTA’s training is being increasingly
acknowledged by our industry, with a growing market share.
MOTOR TRADE
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