CEO’s Message

MTA CEO, DARRELL JACOBS

In my first report to you in the previous MTA Trade Journal Magazine, I shared my vision for our industry organisation to be the best automotive skills, careers and service provider. After seven months into my role as CEO, this pursuit is underway.

I am fortunate to work with such a passionate and committed team, and I have been impressed on a daily basis with the expertise and dedication of our staff. No two days are the same. On one day I could be sharing a conversation with a first-year apprentice and the next on the paddock inspecting the latest in agricultural machinery. It is my job as CEO to ensure our outcomes across these range of interests are achieving the high standards which members have come to expect.

Central to this includes being at the forefront of developments to the automotive industry. We are currently experiencing a revolutionary turning point representing some of the most significant innovations to mobility and transport seen in living memory.

This is why I was so pleased that last month the MTA launched its Electric Vehicle Training Centre, the first of its kind in South Australia. Representatives from all sides of political persuasions, including Premier Peter Malinauskas, and industry leaders joined us to mark the occasion.

More and more South Australians are choosing to purchase an Electric Vehicle and the new centre will help facilitate this ongoing and future demand. The state-of-theart workshop, and the innovative courses which the MTA’s offers, further cements our position as the automotive industry’s skills provider of choice and a leader in the transition to zero and low emission vehicles.

This expertise is underpinned by our commitment to protect and grow the automotive retail, service and repair industry for South Australia. It means that the best interests of the sector are considered in all our training and upskilling programs.

We know the transition to EVs will not happen overnight but we are seeing sales significantly increase as new models and manufacturers continue to enter the Australian market. It is the MTA’s role to prepare automotive businesses for this and ensure we have the right settings and frameworks in place. This includes providing input on the Federal Government’s National Electric Vehicle Strategy where we will continue to consult with members about proposed policies such as landmark fuel efficiency standards.

This future of the automotive industry would not be possible though without securing the next generation of skilled technicians. I am delighted to announce that for the first time ever we officially have more than 1,000 students in training. Through listening to our members and industry in general we have designed a new training approach that suits your business and to date the results show that.

At the end of May more than 400 guests joined us to celebrate the 2023 MTA Automotive Graduation and Awards.

One of the most rewarding parts of my role as CEO of the MTA is spending time with apprentices, be that in the workshops at Royal Park or Cleve, in customer workshops with apprentices or just having a donut and ice coffee in the car park during the lunch break. No two apprenticeship pathways are the same and a credit to the graduates for finishing their qualifications. This made it all the more special to recognise the young men and women alongside their family, friends, and partners and employers. Looking ahead, there is still a lot of important work to do. We cannot rest on our laurels. This includes working through proposed industrial manslaughter legislation, the recently mandated Motor Vehicle Insurance and Repair Industry Code of Conduct, making it easier for automotive businesses to deal with abandoned vehicles and assisting organisations transition to a world of Electric and Hybrid vehicles.