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The paper investigates motivations, challenges and success factors experienced by an incubator company and panel shop owners during transformation from a non-registered to a registered panel shop. Since 2006 the company has assisted six black owned panel shops in upgrading their businesses through an annual grant of R1.5 million per business. The objective is to develop and empower disadvantaged black owned motor body repairers. The study was conducted through multiple case studies and in-depth interviews with owners and staff of these panel shops including incubator company personnel. The study revealed that noticeable improvements were in better infrastructure, improved management skills, registration with the repair authority, access to work from the insurance industry and better turnover. Challenges faced were in building of trust among panel shop owners and support agencies seconded to their businesses by the incubator company during the incubation process.

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Academic institutions need to exhibit the appropriate flexibility to meet the demands of industry. This descriptive study seeks to identify the problems both in the private sector and in the education sector with regards to engineer training and to utilise the strengths of both to provide a solution. The study highlights the current growth of the manufacturing sector and the continuing skills gap. It identifies the problems faced by the manufacturing industry and also changes that can be made to the further education training curriculum. Investigations of the impacts of the engineering training and the factors affecting training and that inhibit or facilitate the engineering training were done. Based on experience and many discussions with the private and education sector with regards to the particular problems currently being faced by those wanting to use advanced manufacturing technology it is hoped this document will generate a lively debate between the private and public sector. This paper fulfils an identified training need and offers a practical solution to overcome a national skills shortage.