Goodyear scholarship provides practical experience for two students

Carla McIntosh, Goodyear Group human resources development manager, said that the 'Spirit of Innovation' scholarship is one way in which the tyre company recruits talent for the organisation.

"In response to critical needs in industry, the sponsorship assists two top students per year in the respective fields of engineering and business management studies. Our first bright recipients are Thembile Nqari and Matthew Bussy, both second year students at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU)."

Between semesters, the young men spend time at Goodyear gaining invaluable practical experience in their relevant fields. Nqari is studying towards a Diploma in Logistics Management, while Bussy is working towards a B Eng in Mechatronics.

Aim is to develop, retain and motivate

"My course is very theoretical. What you learn on paper and in lectures is very different when you actually see it in practice in the factory," said Bussy. "It's a big eye-opener," Nqari agreed. "The theory of supply chain comes to life when you see people using it in real business situations."

"Our aim is to develop, retain and motivate. We are guided by the 70/20/10 principle: 70% learning on-the-job, 20% learning through mentoring and 10% learning in the classroom. Over and above this, we have also partnered with local and national training providers to deliver key industry and management skills," said McIntosh.

"In order to recruit talent, we have implemented various learner programmes that serve as 'skill pipelines' into the organisation. Our graduate-in-training programme, tyre assembly skills programme, experiential learner programme and various apprenticeships all provide us with top talent. They provide vital development opportunities for those within Goodyear as well as in the
community."