On July 4, 2024, Stellantis South Africa hosted 44 members of the SOS Children’s Villages at their corporate headquarters in Midrand to introduce them to possible careers in the automotive industry.
The children along with 14 staff members from the homes, many of them former residents themselves, were shown Stellantis’s full range of seven brands that are sold and supported in South Africa.
They also got to hear testimonies from three different members of the Stellantis staff who shared how they had broken glass ceilings in their own journeys in the automotive industry.
The automotive industry contributed to 4,9% to the South African GDP in 2022, exported vehicles to 152 different destinations and earned R227,3 billion in foreign exchange.
“It is a global industry with a range of sustainable careers from automotive engineering to design, sales, human resources, finance and even public relations,” said Stellantis SA head of Corporate Communications Deidre du Plessis.
This was one of the factors behind Stellantis’ decision to invest in a R3-billion manufacturing plant in the Eastern Cape, to produce vehicles for Africa, generating employment, and supporting the local community.
By investing where they operate and creating jobs, Stellantis SA gets to make a significant and positive impact in those communities and create hope.
“Hosting these wonderful children here today to show them what exists and give them something to aspire to, is a wonderful privilege and we look forward to helping them where we can on their journeys in life,” Du Plessis said.
The SOS Children’s Villages in South Africa provide safe havens for abandoned and vulnerable children. They create supportive family environments to nurture their development, shape their futures, and contribute positively to their communities.
IOL