For most South African high school learners, the workplace exists only in their imagination, and this lack of exposure leads to wasted potential and uninformed choices after school.
Now, Hyundai Automotive South Africa is changing that narrative with the launch of Drive Your Dreams, a mentorship programme that guarantees learners an employment opportunity once they leave school or graduate from tertiary education.
Thirty Grade 11 girls and boys from Oosrand Commerce and Entrepreneurship School of Specialisation in Boksburg are the first to benefit. One of the school’s best-performing learners, 16-year-old Zaakiyah Human, had the distinguished honour of being mentored by Stanley Anderson, CEO of Hyundai Automotive South Africa.
“Women make up less than 20% of South Africa’s automotive workforce and globally they hold less than 10% of leadership positions in the industry.”
“We want to tackle this imbalance by inspiring more young women to enter and lead in the sector. We want to show that there are careers here for them, and that Hyundai Automotive South Africa becomes their employer of choice.”
Moving lives forward
A survey of 336 Grade 11s at Oosrand School found that two-thirds of them have never met a CEO or business leader and that, half of them do not have a mentor or someone guiding them towards a career choice. Furthermore, the survey revealed that half the learners would be the first person in their family to go to University or pursue a professional qualification.
“This shows just how removed learners are from the world of work, and why mentorship matters,” says Anderson. “As a company that promotes inclusivity and forward-thinking, we believe that mobility is about more than just moving people from point A to point B. It is about moving lives forward.”
Oosrand School was selected to pilot the two-year mentorship programme because it is the best performer among the Secondary Schools that have received libraries from Hyundai Automotive South Africa.
“Through our 22 school libraries, we have invested in literacy and access to knowledge,” says Tamika Mercedes, General Manager for Training at Hyundai Automotive South Africa. “The materials and resources have made a critical difference in the classroom. Schools that were sidelined, now participate confidently in our Annual Book Quiz, Spelling Bee, General Knowledge as well as dictionary challenges.
“Drive Your Dreams is the next gear. It is about turning access into opportunity. We want young South Africans to see what’s possible beyond the classroom and to know that their dreams are valid and achievable,” added Mercedes.
Executive mentorship
Oosrand’s 30 top-performing Grade 11s will spend two days a month at the Hyundai Training Academy in Bedfordview, where they will learn about the automotive industry, company culture, communication, time management as well as teamwork. Each of them will be mentored by an executive or senior manager to be empowered with workplace experience.
When they matriculate in 2026, the top-performer will win a bursary that covers a three-year University Degree in an automotive-related field, with the promise of a job after graduation. The others will be eligible to join the Hyundai Automotive South Africa apprenticeship, sales cadet and learnership programmes.
Anderson says Hyundai Automotive South Africa’s aim is to employ all thirty learners. “All the activities during the mentorship are geared towards these young people working at Hyundai Automotive South Africa and becoming a part of our family.”
