1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 1: Join us, let's walk the talk. This is seven oh two. 2 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 1: This is a rather fantastic, fantastic feature. It's called Corporates 3 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: that Care. We have it every single Wednesday. Now. Toyota 4 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:18,319 Speaker 1: identified that rising operational costs at its Sturban plant were 5 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 1: strongly linked to manufacturing skills having a shortage there in 6 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: the local markets. So Africa's education system is not producing 7 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 1: enough learners with strong maths and science capabilities to feed 8 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: into technical careers critical to manufacturing and excellence. And we've 9 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: heard this very often, that is a problem with maths 10 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: and science. Well, Toyota's got the perfect solution and in 11 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: Corporate that Care. Today Andrew Kirby, President and CEO of 12 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 1: Toyota South Africa. Moses joins us. Andrew, great to have 13 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: you in studio and welcome to seven oh two. Thank 14 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: You're good to be a right. I started the story, 15 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 1: pick it up from there. I mean, this the massive initiative. 16 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 1: What happened, what happens next? You found there was the 17 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 1: skills shortage, maths and science. But you guys didn't leave 18 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: it there, did you? 19 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 2: No, not at all. 20 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 3: And I think perhaps just to give it a little 21 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 3: bit of context, We've got five pillars of our corporate 22 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 3: citizenship strategy, and of course education has always been pre eminent, 23 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 3: but it's where we've put a lot of focus and 24 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 3: it globally has a lot of expertise and everybody knows 25 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 3: about the euro production systems mean manufacturing, and we have 26 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 3: been trying as a company to try and contribute to creating. 27 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 3: In fact, an interest and a love for making things 28 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 3: In Japanese is referred to as monusukuri, so the art 29 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 3: and the love of making things, and we've had a 30 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 3: number of initiatives on manufacturing, and recently in the last 31 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 3: ten years or so, we've tried to put a lot 32 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 3: more focus on developing the skills and talent and pipeline 33 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 3: to support manufacturing. So we've had everything from high school 34 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 3: programs which is what we're going to talk about now 35 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 3: this morning, to a collaboration with a TVT college to 36 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 3: upgrade the TVT College course to be able to then 37 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 3: recruit people into our shop floor and production environment. 38 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 2: We've got overseas assignments and. 39 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 3: We've also got a bespoke boutique business school, while we 40 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 3: offer an MBA specializing in manufacturing in collaboration with Gibbs 41 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 3: so it's quite a nice holistic approach in terms of 42 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 3: this situation. We started in twenty twenty one recognizing that 43 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 3: we were struggling to be able to attract and draw 44 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 3: in talent into our pipeline and recognizes that maths and 45 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 3: science and STEM in particular is a big concern. So 46 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 3: we focus on schools around our urban manufacturing site and 47 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 3: through our turn Empowerment Trust and in Quebeca, which is 48 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:59,080 Speaker 3: the arm that's driving this program, developed a program for 49 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 3: matriculence as they started in their last grade twelve who 50 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 3: were struggling with maths and science and to support that. 51 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 3: So quite practically, what happens is they get given a 52 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 3: smart device. There's a program on the smart device that 53 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 3: they go through. They get twenty four to seven support 54 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 3: because often these learners are studying at night or weekends 55 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,639 Speaker 3: and they have lots of questions. And then we've got 56 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 3: eight boot camps, so they come in on Saturdays eight 57 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,359 Speaker 3: times over the year to get really intense support, and 58 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 3: then we support it also with mentoring, entrepreneurship courses and 59 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 3: you know, other life skills that can really enable them 60 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 3: to thrive. And it's been remarkably successful. We had students 61 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 3: who were averaging I think it was in the fifty 62 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 3: nine percent for maths and fifty five for science. Now 63 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 3: they're averaging eighty four and seventy one. 64 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 2: Beautiful. So now suddenly their life opens up for them. 65 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 3: And we then go through a selection process to then 66 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 3: form part of our TIVT College program and it's TETA 67 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 3: Manufacturing Academy, and they get selected to go into that 68 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 3: two year program right where they then qualify with an 69 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 3: insects in megatronics Wow. And part of that program is academic. 70 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 3: Part of the program is experienced at Toyoto and then 71 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 3: they come and have a job for us and work 72 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:25,360 Speaker 3: through us. And if they don't go into the TIVOT College, 73 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 3: we also provide them with scholarships to go to university. 74 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 2: So they're two different streams. 75 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:35,840 Speaker 1: You created a whole ecosystem here, an entire ecosystem. How 76 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 1: many youngsters do you take? Because I know seven or two. 77 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:42,600 Speaker 1: Land is vast and people are listening, So how does 78 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:45,359 Speaker 1: it work? Is it a selection process? How do you 79 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: even decide? 80 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:49,479 Speaker 3: So we worked with the Department of Education and obviously 81 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:52,160 Speaker 3: the schools, and currently we're working with fourteen schools in 82 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 3: cases around our plant we get around five hundred applications 83 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:00,359 Speaker 3: a year for grade twelve, and we take at the 84 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 3: moment only one hundred. We have psychometric tests, we have interviews, 85 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:09,840 Speaker 3: we select them, and that's been growing, growing over the years. 86 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:13,840 Speaker 3: So right now, as the program's developed and some of 87 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 3: them have gone to university, some of them gone into 88 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 3: the TVT program, we've no employed sixty of these of 89 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,279 Speaker 3: these individuals, and they've got really bright futures and hopefully 90 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 3: we will also make a huge contribution to our business 91 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 3: and strengthen our operations. 92 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean that's that's that's huge, and what needs 93 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:33,159 Speaker 1: to happen with maths and science in our country. It's 94 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: such a it's the backbone of what we do. It's engineering, 95 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:41,039 Speaker 1: it's Toyota, it's it's what you do. Do we need 96 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 1: to have a whole rethink, perhaps because I think Toyota. 97 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 2: Has I think so. 98 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:49,040 Speaker 3: I don't think enough focus has been given. I don't 99 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 3: think there's enough confidence from the teachers to build a 100 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 3: teach maths and science. There's a lot more support that 101 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 3: that's needed, and I think these are you know, it's 102 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 3: a fairly let's say more intervention that's having a remarkable impact. 103 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:07,599 Speaker 3: We've now expanded the program and through the Albert Vessel's 104 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,280 Speaker 3: Trust which is as the founding family of OFT in 105 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:14,679 Speaker 3: South Africa and the doctor and Fansale who's the smart 106 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:18,839 Speaker 3: predecessor at past twenty one, there's funding to grow that. 107 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 3: So now we're supporting grade elevens and now we've also 108 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 3: opened it up to other corporates, so now we're supporting 109 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 3: forty one schools in four provinces from Pope and Northern Cape, 110 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 3: parting and Costil doing over twelve hundred learners the program 111 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 3: and expanded it down to grade ten. So now we 112 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 3: have grade tens, elevens and twelves and obviously the potential 113 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 3: opportunities now even broader, and we encourage anybody who wants 114 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 3: to participate to get on board and through in Quebeca 115 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 3: we can we can really scale this up, which I 116 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,160 Speaker 3: think is how we'd like to make a bigger contrary, 117 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 3: Are you. 118 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 1: Sure you still want to do vehicles and not education, 119 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 1: because I think you're heading that way at the moment. 120 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: You certainly are the remaining provinces and I have to ask, 121 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 1: I'm sure there's a plan to go there as well. 122 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 3: Yes, So from it to your point of view, we 123 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 3: want to make sure that our corporate cisonship strategy is 124 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 3: an integrated one. So we have a real desire to 125 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 3: make a difference, to make an impact and to play 126 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 3: a part in solving some of the challenges we have 127 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 3: as a country, of course, but at the same time, 128 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 3: we want to scale up learners so that we can 129 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 3: bring them into our pipeline and we can continue to 130 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 3: add more and more technology to our production environment. So 131 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 3: it makes sense to do and participate with the schools 132 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 3: around our operations. And I think where we want to 133 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 3: try and help leverage it is to encourage other corporates 134 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 3: to do the same thing. And I think now to 135 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 3: have Grade ten, eleven and twelve is a huge opportunity. 136 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 3: But we always say and too, I do know it's 137 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 3: not just about the technology, the automation, the equipment of systems. 138 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 3: It's actually about people. We are just a people business. 139 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 3: We differentiate ourselves, hopefully from our competition by our people, 140 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 3: and as a country, we. 141 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 2: Also diffriciate ourselves by people. 142 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 3: So I think it's really heartwarming to be able to 143 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 3: do that and really create our fantastic experience. So I 144 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 3: just want to share one example we're a young lady 145 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 3: who in twenty twenty two, so it was our second 146 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:23,640 Speaker 3: year of the program, realized that her parents wouldn't be 147 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 3: able a fund to she education, that she wasn't doing 148 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 3: well in school, and that her only hope was ready 149 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 3: to try and and raise her education. So when we 150 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 3: approached the school and offered us to all the students, 151 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 3: she jumped at it, and her marks really improved quite dramatically. 152 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 3: She ended up in applying for our TIVT College program 153 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:49,559 Speaker 3: through the term Manufacturing Academy, and during that work experience 154 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 3: she got some experience in our well shop and in 155 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 3: our paint shop. 156 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 2: She came through that process. 157 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 3: She's not employed with us, working in our pain shop 158 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 3: and doing some really fantastic projects. But at the same time, 159 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 3: she's now encouraging other learners, yeah, to think about that 160 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 3: as well. So and you know, she says herself, her 161 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:12,439 Speaker 3: opportunities and her career has now got a really bright future. Yeah, 162 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 3: we might even send her overseas and in the next 163 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 3: few years. So I think they're just there's so many 164 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 3: stories like that that make it really worth it. 165 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 2: Andrew. 166 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:21,200 Speaker 1: I think it's fantastic, it really is, And thank you 167 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:23,360 Speaker 1: so much for coming on to seven or two. I 168 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 1: could talk with you the whole day about it. But 169 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 1: congratulations Andrew Kirby, President and CEO of Toyota South Africa 170 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: Motors in our corporates that care feature. Thank you so much, Andrew, 171 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 1: and I look forward to visiting those other provinces as well. 172 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 2: It's gonna be great. Thanks a lot you. 173 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:46,680 Speaker 1: Seven two podcasts around seven two dotza and that wraps 174 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:50,080 Speaker 1: up our time together. If I didn't get to your WhatsApps, 175 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 1: your smsses, it's not a problem. 176 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 2: Boonds us back tomorrow and we'll do it all again