Tshililo Nelwamondo has been named Volkswagen Group Africa's (VWGA) Best Apprentice for 2026 after being recognised at the annual Best Apprentice Awards ceremony held in Wolfsburg, Germany in June 2026.
The event honoured more than 50 apprentices from 17 countries and 44 Volkswagen locations across the globe, recognising outstanding performance from apprentices training to become qualified artisans. Tshililo was the only representative from Africa.
“To me, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. When I joined VWGA in 2022, I never imagined that one day I would be standing amongst Volkswagen’s best performing apprentices. I am grateful to be recognised for the hard work that I have put into the work that I do,” he says.
For over two decades, the Volkswagen Group has been recognising its top young talent worldwide. This year, the Group is celebrating 25 years of the Best Apprentice Award. During this period, the Group has honoured more than 900 young talents for their achievements.
Tshililo was chosen after a stringent selection process based on his performance, attendance, and conduct during his training at the VWGA’s Technical Learning Academy in Kariega. He joined apprentices from countries such as Germany, Italy, Brazil, India, and China. Many of them work for different Volkswagen Group brands, including MAN, Škoda, Porsche, and Ducati.
Tshililo started working at Volkswagen Group Africa in 2022 as a production operator at the Centurion Group Parts warehouse in Gauteng, where he worked with Volkswagen and Audi parts. At the time, he only had a matric certificate.
When he heard about the apprenticeship opportunity, he applied and was accepted. In April 2024, he moved to Kariega to start his three-year training programme at the Technical Learning Academy.
The apprenticeship programme includes both classroom learning and practical work in the plant. As part of the apprenticeship, Tshililo has completed different modules such as hydraulics, pneumatics, welding, electronics, and autotronics.
At the same time, Tshililo is also studying Mechanical Engineering at the EastCape Midlands TVET College in Kariega. He is currently studying towards the N5 certificate and plans to study further to qualify as an automotive mechanic.
“Volkswagen Group Africa is proud to celebrate Tshililo’s achievement to be named as one of Volkswagen Group’s Best Apprentices in 2026. The award is the recognition of his exceptional performance, commitment, and professionalism throughout his training at our Technical Learning Academy in Kariega. The aim of our technical learning academy is to develop skilled employees for the future,” says Sats Ranchod, VWGA’s Human Resources Director.
“This recognition, on a global stage, highlights not only his personal dedication but also the strength of our apprenticeship programme in developing future-ready technical talent. We remain committed to investing in our people and equipping them with the skills needed to drive innovation and excellence within the automotive industry in South Africa,” Sats adds.
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