Toyota tackles SA maths and science crisis to fix skills shortage

Kabous Le Roux

Kabous Le Roux

8 April 2026 | 9:19

Toyota says weak maths and science results are choking SA’s skills pipeline. Its school programme is boosting marks and feeding learners directly into jobs and technical careers.

Toyota tackles SA maths and science crisis to fix skills shortage

Picture: Pixabay

Toyota South Africa says weak maths and science results are choking its talent pipeline, and it’s stepping in with a large-scale education programme already delivering sharp results.

The company has rolled out a high school intervention targeting Grade 10 to 12 learners, with a clear aim: to rebuild the pipeline of technical skills needed to sustain manufacturing.

Skills shortage hits production pipeline

President and CEO Andrew Kirby said rising operational pressures at Toyota’s Durban plant exposed a deeper problem: a shortage of skilled workers.

“We were struggling to attract and draw in talent into our pipeline,” Kirby said.

He pointed to a broader systemic issue: South Africa’s education system is not producing enough learners with strong maths and science skills to feed into technical careers.

That gap directly affects manufacturing performance and growth.

Marks jump sharply after the intervention

Toyota’s response was to intervene at the school level.

The programme targets Grade 12 learners struggling with maths and science, providing:

—Smart devices with structured learning content

—24/7 academic support

—Eight intensive Saturday boot camps

—Mentorship, entrepreneurship training and life skills

The results have been significant.

Learners who were averaging 59% in maths and 55% in science improved to 84% and 71%.

“Now suddenly their life opens up for them,” Kirby said.

From classroom to factory floor

Top-performing learners are funnelled into further opportunities.

Some are selected for a two-year technical training programme through a TVET college, where they qualify in mechatronics and gain practical experience inside Toyota’s operations.

Others receive university scholarships.

The programme has already led to employment outcomes.

“We’ve now employed 60 of these individuals, and they’ve got really bright futures,” Kirby said.

The programme expands across provinces

What began around Toyota’s Durban operations has grown rapidly.

The initiative now includes:

—41 schools

—Four provinces, including KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, North West and Northern Cape

—More than 1,200 learners

It has also expanded beyond Grade 12 to include Grades 10 and 11, widening the pipeline earlier.

Toyota is working with the Department of Education and multiple partners to scale the programme.

Call for other corporates to step in

Kirby said the model is designed to be replicated, and other companies are being urged to get involved.

“We encourage anybody who wants to participate to get on board,” he said.

He stressed that while technology and systems matter, people remain central to both business success and national growth.

“We are just a people business… and as a country, we also differentiate ourselves by people.”

‘Her life changed’: one learner’s story

Kirby shared the example of a learner who joined the programme in 2022.

Facing financial constraints and poor academic performance, she used the support to improve her results, enter the technical training stream, and secure employment at Toyota.

“She’s now employed with us… and doing some really fantastic projects,” he said.

Her trajectory, he added, highlights the programme’s broader impact: turning struggling learners into skilled workers with long-term career prospects.

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