For more than a decade, the Gauteng Automotive Learning Centre (GALC) has played an important role in developing the skills needed to support South Africa’s automotive industry. Since opening its doors in 2013, the centre has trained 24 631 participants, equipping artisans, upskilling workers, and supporting suppliers, thereby strengthening one of Gauteng’s most important economic sectors.
On 16 July 2026, GALC begins a new chapter.
The facility will officially relaunch as the Manufacturing Centre of Excellence, marking a strategic shift from an OEM-specific training centre to a shared industry platform designed to support the future of manufacturing in Gauteng.
The transformation comes at a time when manufacturing is changing rapidly. Automation, digital technologies, lean production systems and new mobility solutions are reshaping the skills that industry requires. To remain competitive, manufacturers need a workforce that is adaptable, technically skilled and ready to work in increasingly advanced production environments.
Recognising this shift, the Gauteng Department of Economic Development, through the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC), has reimagined the role of the learning centre.
GALC was originally established through a partnership between the Gauteng Provincial Government, AIDC and Nissan South Africa to strengthen skills development and workforce capability within Gauteng’s automotive sector. Today, its purpose has evolved to serve the broader manufacturing industry through a shared, industry-wide platform.
The Manufacturing Centre of Excellence will provide practical, experiential learning opportunities for OEMs, suppliers, component manufacturers, emerging enterprises and young people looking to enter the industry.
More importantly, it reflects a new way of thinking about skills development.
Instead of focusing solely on technical training, the Centre combines practical manufacturing with modern production systems, lean methodologies, process improvement and emerging technologies. The aim is to ensure that learners and workers gain experience that mirrors today’s manufacturing environment while preparing for the factories of tomorrow.
The relaunch represents more than the reopening of a facility. It signals a long-term investment in Gauteng’s manufacturing capability and in the people who will drive the industry’s future.
As the province continues to position itself as South Africa’s manufacturing hub, the Manufacturing Centre of Excellence is expected to play a key role in supporting industrialisation, localisation, supplier development and job creation.
For young people, it represents a pathway into meaningful careers.
For industry, it offers a platform for continuous improvement and workforce development.
And for Gauteng, it marks the beginning of a new chapter in building a skilled, competitive and future-ready manufacturing economy.