Nissan Australia recently invited around 40 Victorian youth to its head office as an introduction to its award-winning Nissan Mentored Apprenticeship Program (NISSMAP).
It was an opportunity for the youth to gain insights into a career in automotive through NISSMAP while also spending time with vehicles such as the Nissan GT-R, Nissan Z, and Nissan Leaf.
NISSMAP launched in 2011 and has since seen some 600 young people complete an automotive technician apprenticeship through Nissan’s service centre network – the fifth-largest dealer network in Australia.
“The NISSMAP program was started with a simple goal – to provide young women and men across Australia with the support, mentoring and skills they need to embark on an exciting career in the automotive industry,” says National Dealer Training Manager Alisha Gray
“In the 11 years since launch, it has achieved that and much more, reporting incredible qualification and staff retention rates and creating a new generation of enthused and engaged automotive technicians.”
The NISSMAP program’s unique approach to mentored apprenticeships has delivered tangible, real-world benefits to its participants. While the average automotive apprenticeship spans four years, some 90% of NISSMAP participants qualify in just two years and eight months, such is the fast-tracking of skills and competencies they receive.
The retention rate is almost double the industry average of 49%, with 87% of NISSMAP participants retained in the industry.
The NISSMAP program operates in Victoria, NSW, QLD and WA, and an expansion into South Australia is expected over the next 12 months.
