Occupational Standards - the Automotive sector

Trades in the informal sector in Nigeria lack occupational standards (OS), i.e. benchmarks for the knowledge and competencies required to successfully perform work related functions within the occupation. That is why a lot of craftspersons do not offer the skills and quality standards required by the market. The repair of modern cars for example requires skills in the area of mechatronics that the majority of mechanics lack. In order to avoid that these mechanics become redundant the EoPSD decided to initiate a multi-stakeholder process to develop OS in the automotive repair sector and to adapt the skills training accordingly.

Achievements to date:

  • OS for auto mechatronics have been identified & a training curriculum has been developed
  • The National Automotive Council (NAC) of Nigeria has assumed full responsibility for the OS process and its implementation on a national scale, GTZ only supporting the process with technical assistance.
  • The Federal Minister of Labour has confirmed the adoption of the newly developed curriculum by the Ministry leading to Federal Trade Test Certificates in Automotive Mechatronics.
  • The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has been identified by the Ministry of Labour as one of the service providers.

Stakeholders:

Further stakeholders involved in the process include: the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), the Niger States and Science Technical Board (NSSTB), the Anambra Motor Manufacturing Company (ANAMMCO) and the Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association (NATA).

Step-wise approach in the OS process:
Step 1: Identification & mobilization of stakeholders: workshop & advocacy visits
Step 2: Review of different existing curricula & job analysis workshop
Step 3: Workshop for curriculum development resulting in a draft curriculum
Step 4: Distribution of draft curriculum to stakeholders
Step 5: Critique workshop on draft curriculum & elaboration of action plan for implementation
Step 6: Identification & accreditation of training providers
Step 7: Advocacy visits to mobilize support for the implementation
Step 8: Stakeholders' curriculum adoption conference
Step 9: Proof reading, editing & printing of final version
Step 10: Launch of curriculum
Step 11: Training of national facilitators on Systematic Curriculum and Instructional Development (SCID) & Development of Curriculum (DACUM)
Step 12: Local training of assessors & instructors