Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber supported by Stellantis tackles regional unemployment

MIDRAND – March 31, 2025 – The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, supported by Stellantis, one of the world’s leading automakers, are collaborating on the Eastern Cape Youth Empowerment Programme to transform futures in the impoverished Eastern Cape. The programme aims to equip 50 young people with the valuable skills and market access needed to secure sustainable employment in the fast-evolving digital economy.

The province faces a massive unemployment challenge, which currently stands at 41.0% - significantly higher than the national rate of 33.5%. It is also home to Stellantis’ new assembly plant in the Coega Industrial Development Zone in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan area and will contribute jobs to the province and the automotive industry. Together with key business and financial partners, this new transformative initiative will provide critical opportunities in a sector primed for quality job creation and in need of new skills as the prospect of New Energy Vehicle production becomes a reality for the industry.

“Education is the biggest contributor to progress, and the more people we can provide education to, the more they will contribute to their lives and their communities,” says Stellantis SA Managing Director, Mike Whitfield. “Our greenfields manufacturing facility will be establishing the very jobs these new skills will be trained to fulfil.”

Through the SA Youth online platform, 50 young Eastern Cape learners from disadvantaged backgrounds will be identified and selected to undergo a year-long programme focused on providing technical training in ODIN Checkpoint Shop floor Task Management Solutions. This leading global automation technology is the type used in world-class manufacturing facilities, including Stellantis SA’s new plant. The training will be complemented by mentorship and hands-on experience in virtual systems maintenance.

The project will further provide the trainees with direct market access, allowing them to engage in various services, including system onboarding, implementation, and the development of Standard Operating Procedures content. Additionally, the Chamber’s Entrepreneurship Desk will support the young trainees in developing vital entrepreneurial skills, empowering them to launch their own business ventures and contribute to the economic upliftment of the region.

The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, a respected non-profit company representing approximately 700 members from commerce and industry, will play a key role in facilitating the success of this initiative. In addition to Stellantis, the Chamber has partnered with Jendamark, Harambee, the Eastern Cape Development Corporation and member companies in the manufacturing industry to deliver the necessary resources and connections to make this project a reality.

The initiative will also have a strong focus on entrepreneurial development, with micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the area benefiting from the highly skilled youth workforce. The Chamber has already placed over 100 interns with full stipends in local MSMEs and will continue to provide valuable opportunities for youth in the region.

“We believe in the power of partnerships to drive meaningful change. By equipping our youth with in-demand skills and providing direct market access, we are not only combating unemployment but fostering an entrepreneurial spirit that will last for generations,” said Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber CEO Denise van Huyssteen.

As a responsible corporate citizen, Stellantis SA aims to share its values, knowledge, and resources through philanthropic actions and is rooted in the belief that education is the cornerstone of progress and empowerment.

Stellantis Philanthropy is distinct from the company’s business operations in that it is purely philanthropic, focusing on creating opportunities and fostering hope. By providing tools for transformation, Stellantis Philanthropy aims to help individuals dream big and achieve lasting change.

Stellantis SA is embarking on this effort, with its focus on education, to empower people and to build resilient communities with effects that can extend generations into the future. Additionally, Stellantis’ Philanthropy vision and strategy are built on the company’s core pillars of Value, Care, and Tech.

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About the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber
With around 700 member businesses and over 160 years of rich heritage, the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber (NMBBC) is the most trusted, respected and authoritative voices on matters relating to local business and the economy.
The environment is changing at a rapid pace and as such, the Chamber has adopted an activist, collaborative, and action orientated approach in pursuing its vision of being the leading catalyst for Nelson Mandela Bay to retain and attract investment and employment.
NMBBC’s interventions to resurge the Bay include 11 geographic clusters where businesses have been mobilised together to achieve common outcomes, a Risk Management Desk, and Task Teams focusing on Water and Sanitation, Electricity, Safety and Security, Transport and Logistics, and the ease of doing business.
The Chamber believes in the potential of the metro and is actively promoting the retention and attraction of investments to the Bay of Opportunity, a two-port city which is anchored by a strong manufacturing sector. This is supported through the Chamber’s action arms, which include an Entrepreneurship Desk, a Trade and Investment Desk, and a Skills Development Desk.
The Chamber’s vison and mission is supported by various corporate partner members and action partners.
Visit nmbbusinesschamber.co.za for more information.

Tel: +27 (0)41 373 1122, Fax: +27 (0)41 373 1142, info@nmbbusinesschamber.co.za, www.nmbbusinesschamber.co.za, 200 Norvic Drive, Greenacres, 6045 | PO Box 63866, Greenacres, 6057
B-BBEE Level 3 accredited

About Stellantis
Stellantis N.V. (NYSE: STLA / Euronext Milan: STLAM / Euronext Paris: STLAP) is one of the world's leading automakers and a mobility provider. Its storied and iconic brands embody the passion of their visionary founders and today’s customers in their innovative products and services, including Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Jeep®, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, Vauxhall, Free2move and Leasys. Powered by our diversity, we lead the way the world moves – aspiring to become the greatest sustainable mobility tech company, not the biggest, while creating added value for all stakeholders as well as the communities in which it operates. For more information, visit www.stellantis.com

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For more information, contact:
Deidre du Plessis +27 76 240 0098 – deidre.duplessis@stellantis.comwww.stellantis.com