In a bold bid to tackle one of South Africa’s most pressing socioeconomic challenges, the National Automobile Dealers’ Association (NADA) has unveiled “Motoring Mavericks,” a pioneering campaign designed to fundamentally reshape how young South Africans perceive careers in the automotive retail sector. The initiative arrives at a critical juncture, with youth unemployment remaining stubbornly high and the need for innovative, scalable employment solutions more urgent than ever.
Far from a traditional recruitment drive, Motoring Mavericks seeks to dismantle outdated stereotypes that have long confined the industry’s image to two narrow paths: selling cars or fixing them. Instead, the campaign throws open the doors to a world of diverse, dynamic, and highly skilled career opportunities spanning digital marketing, finance, human resources, business management, data analytics, supply chain logistics, and beyond.
With nearly 600,000 new vehicles sold in 2025 according to naamsa | The Automotive Business Council, the sector stands as one of the country’s most vital engines for job creation and skills development. The Motoring Mavericks campaign aims to ensure that a new generation of young South Africans—particularly those who may never have considered the industry as a career destination—understands that the automotive retail world is not merely about showrooms and workshops, but about boardrooms, digital command centers, and innovation hubs.
A Sector at a Crossroads
The South African automotive industry has long been a cornerstone of the national economy, contributing significantly to GDP, exports, and employment. Yet for decades, the public perception of automotive retail has lagged behind the sector’s evolution. Many young people, particularly those from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, remain unaware of the vast ecosystem of professional roles that exist within modern automotive dealerships and retail groups.
Brandon Cohen, Chairperson of NADA, articulated the challenge with characteristic candor during the campaign’s launch in Johannesburg. “When we speak to young people about automotive careers, the first thing that comes to mind is either sales or being a mechanic,” Cohen said. “But the reality is that a modern dealership is a sophisticated business enterprise. We need marketers who understand digital platforms, finance professionals who can manage multi-million rand portfolios, HR practitioners who can build inclusive workplace cultures, and business managers who can think strategically. These are not ‘car jobs’—these are careers.”
The Motoring Mavericks campaign is NADA’s most ambitious youth engagement initiative to date, reflecting a recognition that the industry must actively compete for talent in a landscape where young people are increasingly drawn to technology, finance, and creative sectors. By reframing automotive retail as a hub of innovation and professional opportunity, NADA hopes to attract a more diverse, skilled, and motivated workforce.
Beyond the Stereotypes
At the heart of the campaign is a deliberate effort to challenge entrenched stereotypes. For generations, the automotive industry has been perceived as male-dominated, blue-collar, and limited in its career trajectory. Motoring Mavericks directly confronts these perceptions through a multi-channel campaign featuring young professionals working in non-traditional automotive roles.
One of the campaign’s centerpiece videos profiles a young woman who began her career as a digital marketing intern at a dealership group and now leads a team managing online customer engagement strategies across multiple brands. Another features a chartered accountant who chose to specialize in automotive retail finance after discovering that the sector offered the complexity, scale, and dynamism she had been seeking in her career.
“I never imagined myself in the automotive industry,” said one of the campaign’s featured professionals, speaking at the launch event. “I studied marketing because I loved storytelling and strategy. It was only when a friend told me about an internship at a dealership group that I realized the automotive world was not about selling cars—it was about understanding people, building brands, and using data to create experiences. I have never looked back.”
The campaign also places significant emphasis on digital skills, recognizing that the automotive retail landscape is being transformed by technology. From digital showrooms and virtual test drives to AI-powered customer relationship management systems and advanced inventory analytics, the modern dealership operates at the intersection of commerce and technology. Motoring Mavericks aims to position the sector as a natural home for digitally native young people seeking to apply their skills in a fast-paced, results-driven environment.
An Industry That Delivers
The timing of the campaign is no accident. The release of naamsa’s 2025 vehicle sales data provided a powerful backdrop, with nearly 600,000 new vehicles sold over the course of the year—a figure that underscores the scale and resilience of the sector. Each one of those vehicles represents not just a transaction, but a complex web of economic activity: financing arrangements, marketing campaigns, logistics operations, after-sales services, and a vast ecosystem of supporting roles.
According to industry estimates, the automotive retail sector directly employs hundreds of thousands of South Africans, with indirect employment in supply chains, logistics, and support services adding hundreds of thousands more. In a country where the official unemployment rate hovers above 30% and youth unemployment exceeds 50%, the sector’s capacity to absorb and develop young talent is a critical national asset.
Mikel Mabasa, CEO of naamsa, welcomed the Motoring Mavericks initiative, noting that it aligns with the broader industry’s commitment to transformation and skills development. “The automotive sector is not just about manufacturing or sales—it is a complete value chain that offers opportunities at every level,” Mabasa said. “We need young South Africans to see themselves as part of that chain, whether they are interested in finance, technology, logistics, or management. Campaigns like Motoring Mavericks help bridge the gap between perception and reality.”
A Collaborative Effort
The Motoring Mavericks campaign is the product of extensive collaboration between NADA, its member dealerships, industry partners, and educational institutions. Recognizing that awareness alone is insufficient, the campaign is accompanied by a structured pathway for young people to translate interest into opportunity.
Central to this effort is a partnership with several Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and universities, through which NADA has helped develop curricula that align with the skills needed in modern automotive retail. Work-integrated learning programs, internships, and apprenticeships are being expanded, with participating dealerships committing to providing structured, mentored experiences for young entrants.
“We are not just telling young people about opportunities—we are creating the on-ramps for them to access those opportunities,” said a NADA representative involved in the campaign’s rollout. “That means working with educational institutions to ensure that the skills being taught are the skills the industry needs. It means creating pathways that do not require a traditional university degree. And it means supporting young people once they are in the door, so that they can build long-term careers.”
The campaign also places a strong emphasis on inclusivity, with targeted outreach to young women, youth from rural areas, and individuals from historically disadvantaged communities. NADA has set internal benchmarks for diversity in the recruitment and advancement of young people through the program, recognizing that true transformation requires intentional effort.
The Challenge Ahead
While the launch of Motoring Mavericks has been met with enthusiasm from industry stakeholders, the campaign faces significant challenges. Youth unemployment in South Africa is not merely a skills gap—it is a structural crisis rooted in an economy that has struggled to generate sufficient jobs for new entrants. Even with the best intentions, the automotive retail sector cannot single-handedly solve the country’s employment crisis.
Moreover, the sector itself is undergoing rapid transformation. The shift toward electric vehicles, changing consumer behaviors, and the increasing digitization of the customer journey are reshaping the skills required to succeed in automotive retail. The Motoring Mavericks campaign must not only attract young people to the industry but also prepare them for a future that may look very different from the present.
NADA is clear-eyed about these challenges but remains optimistic about the potential for meaningful impact. “We are not pretending that this campaign will solve youth unemployment overnight,” Cohen acknowledged. “But what we can do is ensure that young South Africans who are looking for opportunities know that this industry is open to them. We can show them that there is a place for their talents, whatever those talents may be. And we can provide a pathway for them to build careers that are meaningful, sustainable, and rewarding.”
A New Narrative
As the Motoring Mavericks campaign rolls out across digital platforms, schools, and community organizations, its ultimate success will be measured not in clicks or views but in the lives it touches. For the young person who sees themselves reflected in the campaign’s imagery and decides to explore an internship. For the graduate who discovers that their degree in finance or marketing has a natural home in a dealership group. For the community that gains a new anchor of employment and opportunity.
In a country where the gap between aspiration and opportunity can feel insurmountable, initiatives that create genuine pathways matter. Motoring Mavericks is, at its core, an invitation—to see an industry differently, to imagine a career that may never have been considered, and to step onto a path that leads somewhere.
“We want young people to know that the automotive industry is not just about cars,” Cohen said. “It is about people. It is about technology. It is about business. And it is about the future. If we can change the way they see us, we can change the way they see their own possibilities. That is what Motoring Mavericks is all about.”
The campaign is now live, with resources and information available through NADA’s website and partner platforms. Dealerships across the country have begun hosting open days and career information sessions, welcoming young people to see firsthand the breadth of opportunities available within the sector. For South Africa’s youth, a new path has been laid—and the invitation is open.
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