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The rise of the automobile manufacturing industry has helped turn many previous unemployed and unskilled young South Africans into skillful industrial workers, bringing hope to many more.

FAW South Africa now has a total of 240 workers, of which 98 percent are locals. BAW South Africa’s work force is made up of approximately 200 workers, with 96 percent of them being South Africans.

In the newly established auto plants, young people receive training and soon become skillful workers.

Errend Magaena used to do maintenance work in a local school before joining BAW South Africa in November 2012 as a maintenance and cleaning employee. He was soon transferred to the production line.

Magaena is now a first-level supervisor in charge of two teams working on the trimming and mechanical lines, making sure everything is running smoothly.

The young man shows his strong desire to grow together with the company. “As for me, I would like to be part of the senior management in the next four or five years. For BAW, where I plan to stay for a long time, I wish it all the best,” he said.

Rose Mothogoane, previously a car-cleaner, is now a team leader responsible for the trimming line at BAW South Africa. “My dream is to see the company growing, hiring a lot of people and having the potential of producing more vehicles,” she said, adding that she hopes to become a supervisor one day. (Reporting from South Africa)