2010/11 Project Partners

Printed Book and Electronic Book Available online at: www.RainbowSA.co.za

FULLY UPDATED, 552 PAGES COVERING:

THE NEW DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION & TRAINING TAKES OVER SKILLS DEVELOPMENT THE NEW NQF - INCLUDING THE QCTO & THE OCCUPATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK SKILLS DEVELOPMENT SUCCESS STORY - THE ACCELERATED ARTISAN TRAINING PROGRAMME

THE NATIONAL TRAINING DIRECTORY SOUTH AFRICAS LEADING HR & TRAINING PROVIDERS

TO ADVERTISE OR PARTNER IN THIS PUBLICATION:

The National Skills Development Handbook is South Africas plain English guide to skills development and the NQF. It is used by HR Managers, Training Mangers, SDFs and education & training providers in both the public and private sector and is the recognised source for understanding the latest developments and success stories in this eld. Typical readership on an annual basis is: SETAS & DEPT LABOUR - 5,000 COPIES CHIETA - 2,200 copies, MERSETA - 790 copies, CETA - 500 copies, LGSETA - 340 copies, MQA - 250 copies, Dept Labour (NSF) - 237 copies, TETA - 220 copies, BANKSETA - 150 copies, plus additional smaller orders KEY ORGANISATIONS, GOVERNMENT BODIES & NPOS - 1,000 COPIES AMCHAM, City of Joburg, DANIDA, DBSA, Dept Correctional Services, Dept Education, Dept Health, Dept Justice, Dept Labour, Dept Trade & Industry, Dept Transport, Dept Water Affairs, French Development Aid, NACTU, Namibian Training Authority, National Skills Authority, NUMSA, SANDF, SAPO, SAPS, SAQA, SEIFSA, UK Trade & Investment, and many others TRAINING, HR PROFESSIONALS & SDFS - 4,000 COPIES Book distributors - 209 copies, Nedbank Group Limited - 50 copies, Other organisations including: ABSA, ACSA, Anglo Operations, BMF Intellect, Coca-Cola, De Beers, Deloitte & Touche SETA Services, Didata, Eskom, FNB, Grinaker, Group 5, Harmony Gold, KPMG, Metropolitan, Murray & Roberts, Rand Merchant Bank, Siemens, Telkom, Unisys, Vodacom, Woolworths, and many others...
For Partnerships or Advertising contact: Mike Stuart Skills Unit Head mike@rainbowsa.co.za 011 485 2036

Partners are those who wish to be seen as major players in the Skills sector. They receive the highest prole marketing with: Logo on the cover Case studies Premium advertorial and advert space Free copies of the book and CD... etc PLEASE NOTE: partnership contributions can be counted as ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT spend for BEE purposes and will count at 125% of contribution (i.e. for every R100,000 contributed to the project, your organisation gets to claim R125,000 of ED spend).

RAINBOWSAS OTHER PUBLICATIONS

ALL OF RAINBOW SAS BOOKS CAN BE ORDERED AS PRINTED COPIES OR ELECTRONIC BOOKS ONLINE AT WWW.RAINBOWSA.CO.ZA

The National BEE Handbook

The National BEE Handbook is South Africas comprehensive guide (over 600 pages!) to everything and anything one might wish to know about BEE, as well as a showcase of what the best organisations are doing to implement effective Empowerment. It is written in simple, inspiring, easy to understand chapters on each area of the Codes, BEE nancing, verications, business opportunities, and much more... The book helps everyone from the largest organisations to small emerging businesses with BEE issues.

The National Agricultural Directory / Nasionale Landbougids

The National Agricultural Directory is printed in both English and Afrikaans editions and is also available electronically. It is distributed to almost every major agricultural stakeholder in South Africa and much of Africa. The Directory contains 672 pages of information printed in full colour and covering the A - Z of Agriculture in Southw Africa.

Chairpersons Foreword
The new occupational learning system in South Africa is similar to many developments taking place in other countries around the world, where business and government are under pressure to become more relevant, more effective and more credible. Our Black Economic Empowerment strategy and the new occupational learning system are two areas in which we now lead the world in such developments. RainbowSA plays its role in these changes by producing national information resources to support four key areas: Agriculture, Skills Development, BEE and the Environment. We will shortly be releasing the rst edition of our National BEE Handbook, as our country nally reaches the point where our public procurement framework is aligned with the BEE Codes of Good Practice, and the number of accredited verication agencies exceeds 30. We intend to publish the rst edition of our National Environmental Handbook in early 2011 to complete the circle of information that begins with food as the basis of life, skills as the basis to building our lives, BEE as the balancing tool to ensure we build together, fairly and responsibly, and all of this in a sustainable relationship to our environment. We are grateful for the support of our project partners in this work: HP, Internet Solutions, Lexmark, Maccauvlei and Astrotech each of which contributed nancially towards making this 2010/11 Handbook available. We also appreciate the involvement of our advertisers who waited for Bills and Regulations to be draed and enacted before we could print their adverts. This edition was well worth waiting for, capturing as it does the crucial changes to our skills development system that are now rolling out. It is also the rst time we are publishing in electronic format, allowing readers to search, print and make notes in the handy CD-ROM versions of our books. We urge SETAs and government departments to make use of the new, cost-eective, electronic versions of this book to reach as wide an audience as possible with capacity building information on these new changes to our skills development system. We oer this Handbook to everyone involved in skills development in South Africa with the intention that it inspire, simplify and help you to become more eective in your work.

Mr Teddy Nyathi CHAIRPERSON: RainbowSA Johannesburg, South Africa March 2010

Editors Foreword
Our national experience of implementing the NQF and the National Skills Development Strategy has been a steep and oen painful learning curve. In the absence of any established theory of skills development, we had to apply ourselves to the task without models and exemplars. Yes, there was a body of literature around qualications frameworks, but no other countries have applied the idea in a context even remotely similar to ours. 2010 marks a point in our learning curve where we could pick ourselves up from disappointment, learn from our mistakes and access the wealth of our experience we now have to guide us in a new approach to skills development. This new approach is collectively summed up as the Occupational Learning System (OLS). It is formalized in the new NQF Act (2008) as the Occupational Qualications Framework or OQF, and is more commonly referred to by the name of the executive body that is responsible for its implementation: the QCTO Quality Council for Trades & Occupations. The OLS aims to draw out and structure the benets of workplace experience in the learning process in a way which hasnt yet been achieved by the NQF. Learning by experiencing has always been seen as a risky mode of learning, yet also potentially the most valuable mode available to human beings (in contrast for example with learning by being lectured at, or learning by practicing tasks in a simulated environment). If you are involved in any way with training and developing people, or managing HR, including Employment Equity, this new approach to skills development should make you more eective. In this edition of The National Skills Development Handbook we allocate over 200 pages to explaining the OLS, including rich colour charts, diagrams, and practical examples. For more detailed information, see page 218 onwards. It is important to remember that governments interest in promoting this new occupational approach to skills development is rooted in its mandate to deal with unemployment, and therefore indirectly also, poverty. The approach outlined above gives employers a much greater inuence over the design and the credibility of qualications, in recognition of industrys primary role in providing employment; government plays a facilitative role and sets up a suitable environment for industry to full its skills needs more eectively. It is especially important that employers recognise the opportunities inherent in this new approach and take a highly pro-active role in adopting it. Failure to do so will render the Occupational Learning System ineective, as industry involvement and industry relevance are the cornerstones of the Occupational Qualications Framework. The new approach to skills development establishes a common ground between government and industry that could potentially result in signicantly less unemployment, assist in the eradication of poverty and in the creation of a sustainable business environment to protect and grow the wealth of future generations of people.

Mike Stuart Skills Development Unit RainbowSA www.RainbowSA.co.za

Table of Contents

Foundational Concepts
Click your mouse on the page numbers to hyperlink to that heading (PDF version only) Published by RainbowSA March 2010

Table of Contents
Contact Details Lists Contact details of key organisations ..................................... 011 National & International Bodies Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET) ............ 014 National Skills Authority (NSA) .............................................. 018 South African Qualications Authority (SAQA) ...................... 020 Umalusi ............................................................................... 022 Council for Higher Education (CHE) ..................................... 024 Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF) ............................................ 026 German Development Co-operation (GTZ)........................... 028 Sector Education & Training Authorities (SETAs) AGRISETA ............................................................................ 030 BANKSETA ........................................................................... 032 CHIETA ................................................................................. 034 CTFL SETA ........................................................................... 036 CETA ..................................................................................... 038 ETDP SETA........................................................................... 040 ESETA................................................................................... 042 FASSET ................................................................................ 044 FOODBEV SETA................................................................... 046 HWSETA ............................................................................... 048 ISETT .................................................................................... 052 LGSETA ................................................................................ 054 MAPPP-SETA ....................................................................... 056 MERSETA ............................................................................. 058 MQA ..................................................................................... 060 PSETA................................................................................... 062 The new Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET) takes over responsibility for skills development The latest proposals on how the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (QCTO) will operate, including new draft information on Development Quality Partners, Assessment Quality Partners, and Assessment Sites Updated: The launch of the QCTO on 23 February 2010 DHET plans for the FET and skills development sector Extension of NSDS 2 and SETA licensing Organisational information covering the National Skills Authority (NSA), SETAs, CHE, Umalusi, and SAQA 30 training provider advertisements updated, plus 30 new advertisements

Copyright RainbowSA 2009 - 2010

www.RainbowSA.co.za
Printed Edition: ISBN 978-0-620-46245-7 eBook Edition: ISBN 978-0-620-46246-4

New in this Edition

Key Organisations
DISCLAIMER
We have tried to make this book an accurate summary of complex information. For detailed information and legal opinion, please contact the government departments, agencies and relevant role-players. We will not be held responsible for consequences of actions which may arise from errors contained in this book.

Table of Contents
FRAMEWORKS & STRATEGIES What is the HRDSA? .......................................................... 065 What is the NQF? ............................................................... 066 What is the NSDS? ............................................................ 081 What is JIPSA? .................................................................. 083 INSTITUTIONS & AGENTS What is SAQA? .................................................................. 085 What is a QC? .................................................................... 087 What is a SETA? ................................................................ 088 What is an ISOE and an SDI? ............................................ 099 What is an FET college? .................................................... 103 What is an Accredited Training Provider? .......................... 106 What was an ETQA? .......................................................... 108 What is a Consultative Panel? ........................................... 109 What is an SGB? ................................................................ 111 PLANNING & MONITORING What is a SSP? .................................................................. 112 What is a WSP? ................................................................. 113 What are Critical & Scarce Skills? ...................................... 114 What is the NLRD?............................................................. 115

DELIVERY What is a Unit Standard? ................................................... 118 What are CCFOs? .............................................................. 123 What is a Qualication?...................................................... 125 What is a Learnership? ...................................................... 129 What is a New Venture Creation Learnership? .................. 150 What is an Apprenticeship? ............................................... 154 What is a Skills Programme? ............................................. 157 What is RPL? ..................................................................... 158 What is the Skills Development Levy? ............................... 165 PRACTITIONERS What are ETD Practitioners?.............................................. 171 What is an Assessor? ......................................................... 174 What is a Moderator? ......................................................... 176 What are Facilitators? ........................................................ 178 What are Coaches & Mentors? .......................................... 178 What are RPL Advisors? .................................................... 179 What are Evidence Facilitators?......................................... 179 What is an SDF? ................................................................ 180

Click your mouse on the page numbers to hyperlink to that heading (PDF version only)

BEE & Skills Development

Table of Contents

Introduction .......................................................................... 185 Who should read this ............................................................ 186 Denition ............................................................................... 186 Who qualies as a black person ........................ 187 Which version of the codes? ................................................. 187 Why do we need BEE? ......................................................... 189 How does BEE work? ........................................................... 190 BEE Status levels .............................................. 190 Exempted Micro-enterprises ............................. 192 Qualifying Small Enterprises ............................. 193 Medium & Large Businesses & Government ..... 193 The Skills Development Element .......................................... 194 Pre-qualifying conditions ................................... 195 The skills element on the Generic Scorecard .... 197 The Learning Programme Matrix ....................... 199 Learning Programme Matrix Table ........................................ 196 Disability Empowerment & Skills Development..................... 203 Youth Empowerment & Skills Development .......................... 206 Frequently Asked Questions ................................................. 206 Example calculations of your score....................................... 211 Other resources & support .................................................... 217

CONTRIBUTE

We invite you to contribute information, insight, case studies, research, checklists or any other form of input for our next edition. Please contact Mike on 011 485 2036 or mike@RainbowSA.co.za. 3

Table of Contents Table of Contents

Table of Contents
What is the OLS? ............................................................... 221 Overview of the OLS ......................................... 221 Why is the OLS necessary? ............................................... 232 What is the Labour Market? .............................................. 250 What is ESSA? ................................................................... 252 Who will benet from ESSA?............................. 254 Benets of ESSA .............................................. 254 What is the OFO?............................................................... 256 Background to the OFO .................................... 258 What the OFO looks like ................................... 260 What is the NOPF? ............................................................ 264 What does the NOPF look like? ....................... 266 Why is the NOPF needed? ................................ 268 Benets of the NOPF ........................................ 269

Table of Contents
What is the OQF?............................................................... 272 Why is the OQF needed? .................................. 273 What is the purpose of the OQF? ...................... 273 What are the components of the OQF?............. 274 How does the OQF integrate with the NQF? ..... 275 What qualications fall within the scope of the OQF? ............................... 275 What qualications fall outside the scope of the OQF? ..................................... 277 What is the QCTO? ............................................................ 280 Background and assumptions of the QCTO ...... 282 Functions of the QCTO ...................................... 283 What is a CEP? .................................................................. 284 Why are CEPs needed? .................................... 285 How is a CEP formed? ...................................... 286 How do CEPs work?.......................................... 287 What are occupational qualications? ................................ 292 The National Occupational Award ..................... 293 The National Skills Award .................................. 294 What qualies as a National Skills Award? ........ 296 What is to stop everyone registering National Skills Awards? .............................. 297 Steps to follow if you want to register a National Skills Award ............................... 298

The OLS

(THE OCCUPATIONAL LEARNING SYSTEM)

Click your mouse on the page numbers to hyperlink to that heading (PDF version only)

Table of Contents
How are qualications delivered?....................................... 336 Redening learning programmes ...................... 336 Provider accreditation and workplace approval . 339 Learning implementation agents ....................... 343 How are qualications assessed? ...................................... 348 Assessments ..................................................... 349 Assessment Sites .............................................. 350 Recognition of Prior Learning ............................ 351 Certication of learning achievements............... 352 How does quality assurance work? .................................... 354 Major shifts in the approach to quality assurance in the OQF................................. 354 Quality assurance of design, delivery and assessment ......................................... 359 Quality assurance through impact assessment . 362 How are artisans developed? ............................................. 364 Economic growth and scarce skills .................... 364 Artisan skills required for economic growth ....... 366 Changes to the artisan learning landscape ....... 368 Artisan skills development routes ...................... 372 Benets & opportunities of the OLS ................................... 376 For business ...................................................... 376 For providers ..................................................... 386 For labour .......................................................... 390 Frequently Asked Questions .............................................. 396

Table of Contents
What is Foundational Learning Competence? ................... 300 Why is the FLC needed? ................................... 300 What was wrong with fundamentals in NQF 1.0? ................................................ 300 How does the FLC solve these problems? ........ 302 How does the FLC work? .................................. 303 Limitations of the FLC........................................ 303 Foundational Communications .......................... 304 Framework for Foundational Communications .. 305 Foundational Mathematical Literacy (FML) ....... 306 How are qualications developed?..................................... 310 Key features of occupational qualications design ......................................................... 310 The development process for qualications ...... 313 Developing the Occupational Prole ................. 313 Identify the development pathway for each occupational task ............................... 324 Designing the Learning Process........................ 327 Developing unit standards and qualications specications ........................ 332 Developing qualication assessment specications .............................................. 333 Registration requirements ................................. 334

ORDER
Additional copies of this book - see page 183

ADVERTISE
For more information see page 458

Training Section Training Section

Adult Basic Education & Training (ABET) ............................ 460 AIDS/HIV Training ................................................................. 461 Banking ................................................................................. 462 Business Schools .................................................................. 465 Call Centre Training .............................................................. 467 Coaching & Mentoring........................................................... 467 Communication, Language & Presentation Skills ................. 469 Customer Service, Sales and Marketing ............................... 471 e-Learning ............................................................................. 472 Educational Institutions ......................................................... 473 Emergency Care Services .................................................... 485 Entrepreneurship & Small Business Training ........................ 485 ETD Practitioner Training ...................................................... 486 Finance & Accounting ........................................................... 486 HR Personnel Training .......................................................... 494 Innovation.............................................................................. 498 Industrial Psychology Education ........................................... 502 IT Training (ISETT)................................................................ 498 Leadership ............................................................................ 504 Learnerships ......................................................................... 506 Click your mouse on the page numbers to hyperlink to that heading (PDF version only) Management & Supervisory .................................................. 507 Personal Development & Interpersonal Skills ....................... 510 Production Management ...................................................... 049 Project Management ............................................................. 513 Public & Development Management ..................................... 514 Public Relations Training....................................................... 516 RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) ..................................... 517 Real Estate Related Training ................................................ 518 Risk & Credit Management ................................................... 519 Secretarial & Administration .................................................. 520 Skills Development & NQF Consulting.................................. 521 Technical & Trades ................................................................ 524 Telecommunications Training ................................................ 527 Tourism & Hospitality............................................................. 527 Training Events & Organisers ............................................... 528 Training Management & Strategy ......................................... 531 Training Materials & Design .................................................. 531 Training Venues .................................................................... 535 Wholesale & Retail Training .................................................. 537

THE

National Training Directory

HR Section
BEE Consulting ..................................................................... 538 Change Management............................................................ 539 Diversity and Transformation Management .......................... 540 Environmental Sustainability ................................................. 543 HR Consultants ..................................................................... 544 HR IT Solutions ..................................................................... 544 Occupational Health & Safety .............................................. 545 Organisational Consulting .................................................... 545 Performance Management.................................................... 547 Recruitment, Assessment & Staff Management.................... 547

Table of Contents
The Accelerated Artisan Training Programme (AATP) ............411 Background ...................................................... 411 How does the AATP accelerate training? ......... 412 Targets ............................................................... 412 Incentives for employers.................................... 412 Criteria for participation ..................................... 412 How successful has the AATP been so far? ...... 413 ArcelorMittal ............................................................................ 414 Fluor ........................................................................................ 422 McCarthy Motors ..................................................................... 430 The Stainless Steel Company .................................................438 Barloworld Motors ................................................................... 446 Lindsay Saker ......................................................................... 452

Index
Alphabetical index of providers and partners ........................ 548 Contact details of public FET colleges .................................. 550

Success Stories

The HP Business Institute

As the rst equity equivalent proposal to have been approved by Government, we are pleased that another signicant milestone has been achieved in the countrys transformation process.

HP was the rst company to obtain approval for an Equity Equivalents Programme under the governments BroadBased Black Economic Empowerment initiative. This is a means by which foreign owned multinationals can gain credit on the BEE Scorecard as if they had local black ownership, without having to sell part of their companies (which they are legally not allowed to do).
The HP Business Institute is HPs Equity Equivalents Programme. It is an independently run enterprise and skills development programme which fast-tracks young graduates and black employees of Small to Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs), empowering them with the skills they need to compete successfully in the ICT sector. The shortage of IT skills is a strong barrier to development in South Africa. As an entrepreneur, I identify strongly with HPBI as my own business has grown predominantly through training and appropriate skills development, said Ann Kleynhans, Managing Director of CEOS Technologies, one of HPs partners participating in the programme. Technology can certainly assist in helping to resolve unemployment. The way HP has approached the SMB sector and skills development is exactly what the ICT industry requires. I would like to think that in two years, the SME ICT industry will have grown tremendously. The Institute is a signicant part of HPs overall BEE strategy and brings HPs total investment in BEE initiatives to over R150 million. HP will identify up to 300 students annually who will be placed in short term skills programmes and one year traineeships. The rst group of students commenced their studies in February 2008. Enterprise and skills development is critical to economic growth, especially in the ICT sector, explained Thoko Mokgosi-Mwantembe, the recently retired CEO of HP South Africa. Ultimately, HPBI will assist SMEs in boosting their skills and productivity levels, allowing them to operate and compete at the highest possible business level. HP South Africa has always been committed to promoting empowerment and ascribes to the underlying principles of Broad-Based Black Economic

Empowerment as the key to realising its full potential as a company and as a business imperative. Speaking about the HPBI in August 2007, the former Minister of Trade and Industry, Mandisi Mpahlwa said, As the rst equity equivalent proposal to have been approved by Government, we are pleased that another signicant milestone has been achieved in the countrys transformation process. HPs commitment to transformation in the ICT sector and the broader South African economy has been evidenced by its excellent achievements against the Department of Trade and Industrys (DTI) gazetted Codes of Good Practice. HP has achieved a Level 2 Contributor (85%) status to B-BBEE. This is the total score against the seven elements of B-BBEE, externally certied by KPMG. HP is committed to diversity and as such has always embraced the principles of B-BBEE and transformation in South Africa, said Francesco Serani, senior vice president and managing director of HP Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). There is huge potential in South Africa and HPBI will help nurture that potential by lling skills shortages and enabling ICT to fully contribute to the development of the country and the region. Some quick facts about HP South Africa: HP SA has provided strong support for black empowerment business partners HP SA employs 1,000 employees, across the country More than 90% of HP SAs business is conducted through its partners HP SA launched a business academy in 2004, to fast-track BEE resellers to meet the standard business requirements of HPs global partner programme HP has already integrated many graduates into its system through industrial attachment and subsequently, full-time employment

HP South Africa shares some background information on their Business Institute in this interview with Jabu Luthuli, Transformation Manager of HP South Africa.

How was the idea of the Institute conceptualized? In considering what programme to put forward as our Equity Equivalent, we considered the requirements and objectives of: Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment National objectives including those of ASGISA and JIPSA HPs B-BBEE compliance objectives, and The IT industrys needs

An innovative solution was then developed that closely meets these requirements. The key drive for the solution we came up with, is the lack of capacity in our industry, primarily due to a shortage of skills. Our solution is thus about building sustainable capacity to deliver against the IT Industrys growth needs. This capacity will be built within small B-BBEE IT Companies. What was the process you had to go through to get it approved as an Equity Equivalents programme, and as the first Equity Equivalents programme to be accepted by government? The process was consultative, and very much aligned with the process as articulated in the BEE materials on the DTI Website. As required by this process, we also got the support of our line ministry the Department of Communications. As we were the first company to go through this process, it did take longer. The DTI Process to evaluate Equity Equivalents was also still in development. How does the Institute work? a) b) The HP Business Institute (HPBI) is an enterprise development programme The objective is to assist with the growth of existing small SME B-BBEE IT Companies that are committed to growing their businesses and to true transformation HP will determine the business growth path, and select SMEs who meet the selection criteria, and who want to participate in the specific growth path, for participation in the HPBI programme The business growth path will target long-term profitable business, with significant emphasis on the higher end of the IT industry, and on new markets The key way in which HP will assist is to significantly subsidise a range of tested solutions that are required by SMEs to grow their businesses. These solutions include:

Jabu Luthuli, Transformation Manager at HP South Africa

c)

If you are going to do something of meaning and do it properly, then be sure you have sucient support and funding to do it. This has been a key success factor in HPBI, without which a programme like this will not work.

d)

e)

... continued on page 9 7

... continued from page 7

i) IT Graduates participating in a blended learning experience including learnerships containing targeted Business, Sales, Workplace and interpersonal skills, and HP Certification programmes within the SMEs Short-term skills programmes targeted at the SMEs existing employees Access (at the SME choice) to the HP Preferred Partner Programme and its benefits. Improved B-BBEE scoring

ii)

The benefits to participating Learners are: Obtaining new skills and qualifications through a balanced and structured learning experience Improved future career prospects as these skills are in growth areas of the IT industry One year employment providing on the job training experience, including mentoring and coaching, for the graduates Possible permanent employment depending on successful participation and completion of the Learnership programme, and the SME B-BBEE IT Companys business needs at completion.

iii) SME Nurturing services iv) v) vi) Coaching and Mentoring Networking opportunities Facilitation of access to finance

vii) Lead generation and market development support f) Over the 7 year duration of HPBI, the following are the planned deliverables: i) ii) Number of graduate learnership years - greater than 1000 Number of SME existing employees on short term skill programmes - greater than 800

What are the benefits of the Institute to the community and country in which HP works? The benefits of better business offerings and results through more effective use of IT, from the additional IT capacity being created Better economic prosperity for the SME owners and stakeholders as their business grows Job creation for the graduates Meaningful skills development of the graduates and learners More people into the formal economy, with the attendant social benefits that brings

iii) Number of SME IT companies engaged - greater than 300 What are the benefits of the Institute to HP and its partners? The benefits to HP are: Increased IT Industry (including HP) capacity to deliver additional business Long-term improved cost structures from a larger supply of qualified PDI IT folk The BEE credentials Overall positive brand impact

What challenges has the HPBI faced and what lessons would you pass on to others seeking to follow this model? a) The key challenges are inherent in the design of the programme, being working with SMEs and specifically previously disadvantaged SMEs, and similarly doing real meaningful skills development, and again specifically with PDI folk. Another challenge has been the lack of credible industry data as to the quantum and make-up of SMEs. Some lessons learnt and advice to others are: i) If you are going to do something of meaning and do it properly, then be sure you have sufficient support and funding to do it. This has been a key success factor in HPBI, without which a programme like this will not work. Be very clear what you can do, and do it with excellence, and similarly be very clear about what you are not going to do.

The benefits to participating SMEs are: Additional capacity in their organizations to deliver against the growth areas, comprising: Screened and tested graduates, participating in a blended learning programme for 1 year with the aim of becoming effective in the SME work environment Short term skills programmes that target some of your existing employees Facilitation of financing A range of other SME nurturing services b) c)

ii)

Lead generation and networking events and activities

iii) Seek out the experts and consult widely. Surround yourself with top talent.

Click your mouse on the page numbers to hyperlink to that heading (PDF version only)

Table of Contents
Contact Details Lists Contact details of key organisations ..................................... 011 Contact details of public FET colleges .................................. 550 National & International Bodies Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET) ........... 014 National Skills Authority (NSA) .............................................. 018 South African Qualications Authority (SAQA) ...................... 020 Umalusi ............................................................................... 022 Council for Higher Education (CHE) ..................................... 024 Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF) ............................................ 026 German Development Co-operation (GTZ)........................... 028 Sector Education & Training Authorities (SETAs) AGRISETA ............................................................................ 030 BANKSETA ........................................................................... 032 CHIETA ................................................................................. 034 CTFL SETA ........................................................................... 036 CETA ..................................................................................... 038 ETDP SETA........................................................................... 040 ESETA................................................................................... 042 FASSET ................................................................................ 044 FOODBEV SETA................................................................... 046 HWSETA ............................................................................... 048 ISETT .................................................................................... 052 LGSETA ................................................................................ 054 MAPPP-SETA ....................................................................... 056 MERSETA ............................................................................. 058 MQA ..................................................................................... 060 PSETA................................................................................... 062

Key Organisations

Key Organisations Page 010 Foundational Concepts Page 064 BEE & Skills Development Page 184 The OLS Page 218 Success Stories Page 410
National Training Directory Page 458
THE

CONTACT DETAILS OF KEY ORGANISATIONS

ORGANISATION DHET NSA SAQA QCTO Umalusi CHE & HEQC UYF GTZ AGRISETA BANKSETA CHIETA CTFL CETA ETDPSETA ESETA FASSET FOODBEV FIETA HWSETA ISETT INSETA LGSETA MAPPP-SETA MERSETA MQA PSETA SASSETA SSETA THETA TETA W&RSETA NOTES Dept of Higher Education & Training National Skills Authority South African Qualications Authority TELEPHONE 012 312 5555 012 309 4350 WEBSITE http://www.education.gov.za None available http://www.nqf.org.za/ http://www.saqa.org.za/ http://www.education.gov.za http://www.umalusi.org.za http://www.che.ac.za http://www.youthportal.org.za/ http://www.nyda.gov.za/ http://www.gtz.de/en http://www.agriseta.co.za/ http://www.bankseta.org.za http://www.chieta.org.za http://www.ctseta.org.za http://www.ceta.org.za http://www.etdpseta.org.za http://www.eseta.org.za http://www.fasset.org.za http://www.foodbev.co.za http://www.eta.org.za http://www.hwseta.org.za http://www.isett.org.za http://www.inseta.org.za http://www.lgwseta.co.za http://www.mappp-seta.co.za http://www.merseta.org.za http://www.mqa.org.za http://www.dpsa.gov.za http://www.sasseta.org.za http://www.serviceseta.org.za http://www.theta.org.za http://www.teta.org.za http://www.wrseta.org.za 49 - 51 54 56 58 60 62 48 PAGE NUMBER 14 18 20 14 and 280 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46

086 0111 673 (Helpdesk) (012) 431-5000 Quality Council for See Dept of Higher Trades & Occupations Education & Training General & Further Education & Training (012) 349 1510 Council Council for Higher Education & Higher (012) 392-9100 or 9126 Education Quality Committee Umsobomvu Youth Fund / National 08600 YOUTH (96884) Youth Development Agency (011) 651 7000 German Development Co-operation 012 3420181 Agricultural Banking Chemical Industries Clothing, Textiles, Footwear & Leather SETA Construction Education, Training & Development Energy Finance & Accounting Food & Beverages Forestry Health & Welfare Information Systems, Electronics & Telecommunications Insurance Local Government 012 325 1655 011 805 9661 011 726 4026/7 031 702 4482/3/4 011 265 5900 011 628 5000 011 689-5300 011 476 8570 011 253 7300 011 712-0600/1 011 607-6900 or 4460 011 805 5115 011 544-2000 011 456 8579

Media, Advertising, Publishing, Printing 021 910 3001 & Packaging Manufacturing & Engineering 011 551 5200 Mining & Minerals Public Sector Safety & Security SETA Services SETA Tourism, Hospitality & Sports SETA Transport SETA Wholesale & Retail SETA 011 832-1022 012 314 7533 or 7251 086 110 2477 011 276 9600 or 715 1800 011 803 6010 011 781-1280 012 430 4930

11

12

RainbowSA is grateful for the sponsored ADSL Connectivity and Internet Hosting provided by Internet Solutions in support of skills development

Key Organisations

14

Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET)

The bringing together of Higher Education Institutions, Further Education and Training (FET) Colleges, Adult Education and Training and the Skills Development Sector into a single Department of Higher Education and Training provides a powerful basis for addressing education and training in an integrated way.

The National Qualications Framework (NQF) Adult Basic Education & Training (ABET) Further Education & Training (excluding compulsory schooling) Skills development including Sector Education & Training Authorities, the National Skills Fund, the National Skills Authority and Indlela

Key Organisations

Quoted here and elsewhere in the next three pages are statements by Dr Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education and Training, Skills development within a single post-school education and training system, 10 November 2009

only the employment services, labour centres, and Productivity SA (previously the NPI) remain with the Dept of Labour out of the original responsibilities assigned to it in the Skills Development Act (1998), Skills Development Levies Act (1999) and NQF Act (2008)
Higher Education & Training

OVERVIEW Following the April 2009 elections, a new Department of Higher Education & Training was created to enable government to bring a single focus of attention to all post-school education and training. The new Ministry incorporates the skills development functions previously the responsibility of the Ministry of Labour, as well as the responsibilites of the Ministry of Education, excluding all schooling (Grades R to 12), and excluding adult literacy. The new Ministry is therefore responsible for all post Grade 12 learning including learning at any level of the NQF in the Further Education & Training sector, the SETA sector and the Higher Education sector.

Agencies and statutory bodies mentioned in this publication, and now falling under the responsibility of the new Department as of 1 November 2009, include:
The South African Qualications Authority (SAQA, pg 020) The three Quality Councils (pg 087):

Umalusi (excluding compulsory schooling, pg 022) The Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (QCTO, pg 280) The Council for Higher Education (CHE, pg 024)
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)

Our department has the responsibility to develop the countrys education and training institutional

capacity and resources into a coherent but diverse and dierentiated post school learning system, serving adults and youth within the framework of the Human Resource Development Strategy for South Africa .

The budget vote for the DHET is split into the following ve programmes, showing the scope of the Department: 1) Administration Minister, Management, Corporate Services, Property Management 2) Human Resource Development, Planning & Monitoring Coordination Planning, Information, Monitoring and Evaluation Co-ordination, International Relations, Legal and Legislative Services 3) University Education Academic Planning and Management, Financial Planning and Information Systems, Policy and Development, Subsidies

SCOPE

The Dept of Higher Education & Training has a scope that includes the following areas which were previously the responsibility of the Dept of Education or the Dept of Labour:

Skills development within a single post-school education and training system

4) Vocational and Continuing Education and Training Planning and Institutional Support, Programmes and Qualications, Social Inclusion in Higher Education and Training, Teacher Education 5) Skills Development SETA Co-ordination, National Skills Development Services, Quality Development and Promotion
KEY DEVELOPMENTS The creation of the new Dept of Higher Education & Training, while announced on 10 May 2009, has taken the remainder of 2009 to operationalise. Key developments along this route included:

on partnerships with, and capacity building for, the public FET colleges.

For more information on the QCTO, see page 280. For more information on the NSDS, see page 081.
1 March 2010 - Skills division of the Dept of Labour, including SETAs, will from this date be physically operating from the DHET oce buildings, and nanced by the DHET budget

WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG TO SET UP THE NEW DEPARTMENT? It is not a simple task to merge signicant divisions of two government departments, while at the same time separating one of those departments into two. The changes impact about 380 people from the Dept of Labour and 1,150 sta from the former Dept of Education. Issues that had to be resolved within the current funding and budgets of government included:
Organisational scoping and design The identication of posts, sta, funding and assets to be moved Logistical arrangements regarding accommodation and IT Consultations with unions and sta Change management processes Restructuring of tenders that are split across both or one of the departments A determination by the Minister for the Public Service and Administration on the transfer of functions and sta Analysis of the impact on concurrent educations functions, for example,

10 May 2009 - President Zuma announces the new Cabinet including changes to the structure of national departments 1 July 2009 Transfer of Administration and Powers and Functions (Proclamation) Splits education legislation across Basic Education and Higher Education & Training 4 September 2009 - Transfer of Administration and Powers and Functions (Proclamation) Moves skills development and NQF legislation from the Minister of Labour to the Minister of Higher Education & Training 1 November 2009 - Skills division of the Dept of Labour, including SETAs, started reporting directly to Dept Higher Education & Training
In terms of the legislation, the DHET ocially assumed responsibility on this date for the skills development functions previously under the Dept Labour. The Minister announced that NSDS 2 would be extended for an additional year, and SETAs would have their licensing extended for the same period, until March 2011. The Director General of the DHET, Professor Mary Metcalfe, was appointed Chairperson of the NSA as an interim measure until a new Chairperson is appointed. The extension of the SETAs and NSDS 2 were made in order to allow a one year breathing space before making radical changes to the national skills development machinery. During this time NSDS 3 will also continue to be shaped, and SETAs will focus

There is denitely a need for an intensive assessment of the SETAs to ensure greater

accountability, improved employment of resources, beer management of funds and streamlining and alignment of their operations in order that they full their role as a central cog of our skills training and job creation machinery.

While we respect and uphold the autonomy of institutions, we need to strike the right balance of public accountability, particularly relating to our constitutional and transformational imperatives
Continued on following pages

15

16

Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET)

Continued from previous page

examination services that cut across general, further and higher education and functions such as nance, communications and teacher education

A targetted enrolment of at least 1 million students at public FET colleges by 2015 and better mobility of FET graduates to Higher Education institutions

Key Organisations

In all our consultation meetings, we agreed that

we need a coordinated skills development strategy,

informed by an overarching industrial strategy, based on clear sectoral industrial strategies, placing particular emphasis on scarce skills. This will require re-focusing and possibly restructuring of the SETAs to be guided by this overarching objective, rather than the other way round.

In addition to these changes, the funding of the public FET colleges will be moved from provincial government to national government. FET colleges are also expected to receive more funding from the Skills Development Levy via SETA spending. PLANNED CHANGES TO THE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM During the time at which the DHET was established (April 2009), the skills development system was undergoing several important changes and developments. These included: deliberations around proposed changes to the SETA landscape, completion of the nal year of the ve year NSDS 2 (page 081), preparations for the new NSDS 3, as well as the introduction of the new Occupational Learning System (page 218). Planned changes and focus areas in skills development for the year ahead include:
Improved coordination between the SETA system and education and training institutions, particularly FET Colleges and Universities of technology Improved SETA performance, management and governance Improved strategic utilisation of funds, including reducing the high amounts of unspent or committed funds and minimising the cost of delivery of learnerships Better alignment of industry needs and skills development provision especially with regard to the supply of artisans and technicians State Owned Enterprises, the public sector and other large employers will be engaged with a view to get them more involved in training through apprenticeships, learnerships and internships
We are wasting no time in galvanizing our skills

PLANNED CHANGES TO THE PUBLIC FET COLLEGE SYSTEM The importance of the public FET colleges to the new DHET has been emphasised frequently. Amongst other things, the FET colleges give government a cost-eective means to educate and train rural and disadvantaged communities that may not have access to universities or private institutions. Some of the planned changes under the new DHET include:
Improved responsiveness to the needs of the economy Expanded programme oerings The funding of training partnerships with industry through SETAs, Improved partnerships with employers and a work-placement programme for FET college graduates Expanded workplace training opportunities for students and improved student nancial aid Improved management capacity, materials development and the introduction of formal qualications for lecturers Institutional audits at all public FET colleges to establish strengths and weaknesses

development programme. - an indication of the urgency with which the new Ministry is approaching its skills development responsibilities

... approximately 2.8 million of 18 to 24 year olds are neither in employment, nor education or training. This implies that over 40 percent of our youth are not productively engaged. This is a huge wastage of human potential and a squandered opportunity for social and economic development

 Finalisation of industrial policy action plans to guide the industry relevance of skills development eorts and ensure alignment with Sector Skills Plans A draft White Paper is planned with the purpose of proposing a range of measures to enhance and expand further and higher education and training opportunities for adults

QUOTES Below, and elsewhere in this section on the DHET, are a selection of quotations from an address to the National Assembly by the Minister of Higher Education & Training on 10 November 2009 . The quotes help to identify the strategic direction of the new ministry:
We therefore require a fundamental reform of governments skills development strategy as well as the respective roles of, and relationships between FET Colleges, Universities of Technology, other universities, the National Skills Fund and the SETAs. This requires that we think out of our boxes to develop an overarching, highly integrated and articulated system of higher education and training, but without at the same time mechanically collapsing into each other the distinctive roles, features, and contribution of each of the components of such a system. One of the rst things we need to do is re-skill. The skills sector needs to understand more about the formal institutions and vice versa. We have to beer understand the dierent sub-systems in order to forge the co-operative links

In addition a matric equivalent qualication appropriate for adults will be developed and will be facilitated by an improved policy on the recognition of prior learning
Re-invigorating and strengthening the National Skills Authority (pg 018) to, among other things, complement the HRD Council The establishment of the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations PLANNED CHANGES TO THE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM Key focus areas in area are: Social transformation of higher education institutions to overcome various forms of discrimination that were identied in the Crain Soudien Report A higher education stakeholder summit is planned for 2010 to focus on transformation issues as well as curriculum transformation, governance, funding and the strengthening of institutional forums A ministerial oversight committee on transformation will be appointed Reviewing the funding formula for higher education institutions to help change the privileged - underprivileged separation which still exists between institutions

CONTACT DETAILS
Head Ofce Contact Details

Physical Address

Sol Plaatje House, 123 Schoeman Street, PRETORIA Private Bag X893, PRETORIA, 0001 www.education.gov.za 012 312 5555 012 323 5618 Ms Mary Metcalfe 012 312 6350 Ms Sibongile Mncuabe 012 312 5555 mncuabe.s@doe.gov.za

Postal Address Web Address Telephone Fax Number Director-General Administrative Secretary

There are important potential synergies which have not achieved the necessary momentum over the last 15 years even though that was the original intention of the ANC pre-1994

The establishment of the Qualifications Council for Trades and Occupations is a significant development for the skills subsystem

17

18

National Skills Authority (NSA)

OVERVIEW The National Skills Authority (NSA) was established by the Skills Development Act (1998), and its functions and structure revised by the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008) . The functions of the NSA are to:
Key Organisations

It is also required to liaise with the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (QCTO) and the Minister does not need to consult with the NSA regarding regulations for the QCTO or Productivity SA (formerly the National Productivity Institute). An additional NSA member is added to represent the QCTO and a deputy chairperson may now be elected from amongst the NSA members representing education and skills development providers. The term of oce of NSA members is extended from 3 years to 5 years, to synchronise better with the ve year National Skills Development Strategy phases, and the period of establishment of SETAs. Members are prevented from serving more than two consecutive terms. MEMBERS The NSA consists of 24 voting and 6 non-voting members, including ve deputy chairpersons, appointed by the Minister of Higher Education & Training. There is a deputy chairperson for each of the major constituencies represented on the NSA (labour, business, community, the state, and education and skills development providers). A member of the NSA holds oce for a period of ve years and can serve a second term of ve years, but not more than two terms consecutively. The list following is not complete because, at the time of publishing, some positions were vacant. REPRESENTING THE STATE Ms. Elizabeth Thobejane (Department of Higher Education and Training): Deputy Chairperson and EXCO member Ms. Bulelwa Lusaseni (Department of Provincial and Local Government) Ms. Colette Clark (Department of Public Service & Administration) REPRESENTING ORGANISED BUSINESS Vusi Mabena: Business Unity S.A (Deputy Chairperson and EXCO Member)

advise the Minister of Higher Education & Training on a national skills development policy, a national skills development strategy, guidelines on the implementation of the National Skills Development Strategy, the strategic framework and criteria for allocation of funds from the National Skills Fund, and any regulations to be made liaise with Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) on the national skills development policy and the National Skills Development Strategy report to the Minister on the progress made in the implementation of the National Skills Development Strategy conduct investigations on any matter arising out of the application of the Act to liaise with the QCTO (pg 280) on occupational standards and qualications exercise any other powers and perform any other duties conferred or imposed on the NSA by the Act RECENT CHANGES TO THE NSA UNDER THE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AMENDMENT ACT (2008) The Skills Development Amendment Act 2008 introduced several changes to the agencies and structures of the skills development system, including the NSA. The primary change is that the NSA is no longer required to advise the Minister of Higher Education & Training on the allocation of funds from the National Skills Fund. It is now required only to advise the Minister on the strategic framework and criteria for the allocation of funds from the NSF.

Already even the lowest level workers in the workforce are having to upskill themselves in order to respond to the challenges of a changing workplace. They are being marginalised all over again, not only by global competition but also by new technology and new technology demands new skills...

 Ms. Janet Lopes: Business Unity S.A. Ms. Jeanne Esterhuizen: Business Unity S.A. Mr. Colin de Kock: Business Unity S.A. Mr. Elias Monage: Business Unity S.A. REPRESENTING ORGANISED LABOUR Mr. Sekete Moshoeshoe: COSATU (Deputy Chairperson and EXCO Member) Mr. Amon Teteme: COSATU Ms. Bonny Marekwa: COSATU Mr. Dennis George: FEDUSA Mr. Manene Samela: NACTU

REPRESENTING EMPLOYMENT SERVICES Ms. Adelaide Matlejoane: Private Employment Services (APSO) Ms. Zodwa Mabaso: Public Employment Services - Department of Labour (EXCO Member) Mr. Eubert Mashabane: Skills Expert (DHET) Mr. Hannes Hoon: Skills Expert (DHET) REPRESENTING SAQA Mr. Samuel Isaacs: South African Qualications Authority (SAQA) NSA CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER The Acting Chairperson and Executive Ocer may change in early 2010 and their details have therefore not been included SEE ALSO

REPRESENTING COMMUNITY Ms. Lulama Nare (Deputy Chairperson and EXCO member) Mr. Thulani Tshabalala: Disabled People S.A. Ms. Conti Matlakala: Womens National Coalition Mr. Dumisani Mthalane: SA National Civic Organisation Mr. Thulani Tshefuta: S.A. Youth Council REPRESENTING EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROVIDERS Ms. Rooksana Rajab: Assoc. Of Private Providers (Deputy Chairperson and EXCO member) Professor MD Rocky Ralebipi-Simela (Higher Education S.A. - HESA) Ms. Thembi E. Tsibogo: Further Education and Training (SACPO) Mr. Joe Molai: Adult Basic Education and Training Mr. Jay Ramnundlall: Association of Private Providers

The Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET), page 014 The Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (QCTO), page 280 The South African Qualications Authority (SAQA), page 020

CONTACT DETAILS
Executive Ofce Secretariat (DHET) Physical Address Postal Address Telephone Fax Email Mr. Thabo Mashongoane Laboria Building, Cnr Paul Kruger and Schoeman St, Pretoria, 0001 Private Bag X117, Pretoria, 0001 012 309 4350 012 309 4237/4844 (fax) or 087 942 3449 thabo.mashongoane@labour .gov.za

... the gaps in their knowledge and understanding need to be tackled in a way which acknowledges that they are not new entrants lacking both life and work experience. Current systems, including the current conceptualisation of the NQF, do not suffice. Innovation is required to tackle the problems.

19

20

South African Qualifications Authority

OVERVIEW SAQA is charged with overseeing the development and implementation of the National Qualications Framework (NQF), the key national policy with respect to the transformation and integration of the education and training system in South Africa. SAQAs mission in this is to ensure the development and implementation of an NQF that contributes to the full development of each learner and to the social and economic development of the nation at large. DIRECTORATES SAQA has eight Directorates with 12 operating units reporting to an Executive Oce. EXECUTIVE OFFICE The Executive Oce is responsible for ensuring the aligned development of human, nancial and infrastructural resources, to support the achievement of the organisational objectives. The Executive Oce consists of the Executive Support section and the Secretariat. The Executive Support section ensures that major stakeholders are partnered to ensure systemic coordination, coherence and resource alignment to the benet of learners in line with the national Human Resource Development Strategy. The Secretariat facilitates informed decision-making and good governance through the organisation, management and dissemination of high-quality information to the Authority and its committees. Chief Executive Ocer: Samuel Isaacs, Deputy Executive Ocer: Joe Samuels, Deputy Director (Secretariat): Carin Stoltz-Urban, Deputy Director (International Liaison): Dr James Keevy. DIRECTORATE: STANDARDS SETTING AND DEVELOPMENT This Directorate is responsible for the standards setting processes. Acting Director: Dugmore Mphuthing, Deputy Director: Eddie Brown.

DIRECTORATE: RESEARCH This Directorate is responsible for a research and development strategy, which produces and distributes up-to-date information and knowledge for the benet of SAQAs strategic partners and the education and training sector at large. Over the past few years, the unit has been responsible for a number of research projects including the development of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy. Senior Researcher: Dr Heidi Bolton, Deputy Director: Dr Ntlantla Sebele DIRECTORATE: FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION This Directorate manages the nancial aairs of SAQA including the allocation of resources and the accounting, reporting, and control of income and expenditures. It also provides contract management advisory and consultation services and manages activities involving the delivery of administrative services to SAQA. The management of the SAQA premises also falls within the responsibility of this Directorate.
Director: Mark Albertyn, Deputy Director: Ms Kasturi Kumardew, Deputy Director (Supply Chain Management): Lenette Venter. DIRECTORATE: HUMAN RESOURCES The Human Resources Directorates main responsibility is attending to human resources related issues within the organisation. This includes managing the following functions: Recruitment, selection, and placement Training and development Policies and procedures governing all HR matters Labour relations Health and safety Career counselling Personnel administration The Directorate also monitors SAQAs Employment Equity targets and reviews job descriptions and proles and Workplace Skills Plans. Director: Victor Booysen

Key Organisations

DIRECTORATE: FOREIGN QUALIFICATIONS EVALUATION AND ADVISORY SERVICES SAQA has the task of evaluating educational qualications that have been obtained outside South Africa. People with foreign qualications who wish to attend South African education institutions or who wish to enter the South African labour market apply to SAQA to have their qualications evaluated. This Directorate is responsible for this function. Director: Nadina Coetzee, Deputy Director: Shandukani Manyaka .

DIRECTORATE: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

This Directorate is responsible for the management, support and maintenance of all SAQA information technology resources. This includes the management of service level agreements that are concluded with external service providers. Director: Mr Herman Ohlho, Deputy Director: Mr Thembelane Mbolekwana DIRECTORATE: NATIONAL LEARNERS RECORDS DATABASE

and text resources. It keeps copies of all SAQA publications and SAQA-related documents. SAQA stakeholders and members of the public, such as researchers, students and government departments, are encouraged to use it for reference purposes. The Centre is also responsible for the maintenance of the SAQA Website. The Communications Sub-directorate is also part of the Strategic Support Directorate and is responsible for the development, implementation and maintenance of communications strategies to advance SAQAs aims and objectives. This includes the compilation of SAQAs annual reports to Parliament and the co-ordination of work on various SAQA publications. It is also responsible for the internal and external communications of SAQA including media, public and stakeholder relations. Director: Ntsiki Gumbe, Deputy Director (Communications): Yuven Gounden. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS SAQA continues to give intellectual leadership and ensures that the NQF is underpinned by systemic communication, coordination, collaboration and resource alignment, keeping in mind that NQFs should enable the development of relevant and appropriate qualications, which address both national and personal needs. Communicating the new NQF landscape to the public is one of SAQAs priorities. We are doing this in collaboration with the Quality Councils (see page 087) and the Department of Higher Education and Training (page 014) through the NQF Advocacy Task Team. The aim is to build public, stakeholder and media awareness and understanding of the NQF value proposition. SEE ALSO What is the NQF? (pg 066) What is SAQA? (pg 085) What is the NLRD? (pg 115) CONTACT DETAILS Helpdesk: 086 0111 NQF (673), help@nqf.org.za, www.nqf.org.za Tel: 012 431-5000 Email: saqainfo@saqa.org.za, Website: www.saqa.org.za

This directorate is directly responsible for the development and maintenance of the National Learners Record Database (NLRD). The rst version of the NLRD was launched in 1999. The NLRD provides information about:
SAQA and its sub-structures Qualications and unit standards registered on the NQF Accredited ETQAs and their providers Registered assessors Moderating bodies Learner achievements: learners are able to verify their own achievements, and aggregated trend analyses are also produced. The NLRD provides policy makers with comprehensive information to enable informed decision-making.

For more detail on the NLRD see page 115. Director: Yvonne Shapiro; Deputy Director: Ms Cleo Radebe
DIRECTORATE: STRATEGIC SUPPORT This Directorate is responsible for providing support to the other Directorates in areas that require specic attention in order to bring the systems into the regular line function of other Directorates. It is responsible for specic projects aimed at addressing particular problems within the system. The sub-directorate of Information Services provides information resources to SAQA sta and members of the Authority and its sub-structures, to enable them to carry out their mandate to develop and implement the National Qualications Framework. The resources include books, journals, access to online databases and a substantial collection of important documents

SAQA continues to give intellectual leadership and ensures that the NQF is underpinned by systemic communication, coordination, collaboration and resource alignment...

21

22

Umalusi
OVERVIEW Umalusi (also known as the Council for Quality Assurance in General & Further Education), ensures the continuous improvement of quality in the delivery and outcomes of the general and further education and training sectors in South Africa at levels 1-4 of the NQF.
Key Organisations

Umalusi is responsible for the accreditation and monitoring of the following types of providers: 781 independent schools 337 campuses of 82 private FET colleges 216 SETA ETQA accredited providers who are also required to register with the Dept Education (this has since been handed over to the Department of Higher Education & Training) 178 Adult Basic Education and Training centres Umalusi also monitors and accredits the public and private assessment bodies that are responsible for assessing the qualications it certies. DIVISIONS Umalusis work is conducted through four operational units: Evaluation and Accreditation Qualications, Certication and Curriculum Quality Assurance of Assessment

This means all institutional provision below the Higher Education band, including all schooling, vocational and adult qualications in this band. Umalusi promotes quality not only through its formal quality assurance processes but also by virtue of its stakeholder relationships, through the creation of public debate on important educational and quality issues, and the dissemination of insightful research reports. Umalusis three key functions are: Monitoring and moderating learner achievements, and issuing certicates at key points Evaluating whether providers of education and training, and assessment have the capacity to deliver and assess qualications and curricula and are doing so to expected standards of quality Monitoring and evaluating the standards of qualications and their associated curricula Umalusi currently certicates the following qualications: The National Senior Certicate (NSC) which was examined for the rst time in 2008 and replaces the Senior Certicate oered at schools; The National Certicate Vocational (NCV) which was examined at NQF 4 for the rst time in 2009 and replaces the National Technical Certicate N3 and the National Senior Certicate oered at Further Education and Training colleges; and The General Education and Training Certicate (GETC: Adults) oered in adult education and training centres and work places.

Statistical Information and Research These units operate under the leadership of the oce of the Chief Executive Ocer. Their work is supported by two additional units: Finance and Administration Public Relations and Communications PROGRAMMES CURRENT RESEARCH Maintaining standards Umalusi began a major research project in the 2008/2009 nancial year,that aims to: improve information about the current school assessment system monitor the quality of the system as it changes, and strengthen the

The most important thing any teacher has to learn, not to be learned in any school of education I ever heard of, can be expressed in seven words: Learning is not the product of teaching. Learning is the product of the activity of learners.

basis of judgments that are made about the new examinations, namely the NSC
and contribute to Umalusis systems with regard to the standardization of results. In the short term this research will address three aspects

The study will include a very small-scale investigation to determine how teachers are inducted into the use of the curriculum during their teacher training, as well as the nature of the in-service training available. RESEARCH REPORTS Learning from Africa This is a research project into educational systems of four African countries: Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Zambia, looking specically at Biology, English, Mathematics, and Science (Physical Science and Chemistry) and the structure of their 12 years of schooling, certication, syllabuses and examinations systems. The research outputs are available for download from the Umalusi website. SEE ALSO
What is the NQF? (pg 066) What is a Quality Council? (pg 087) CHE (pg 024) QCTO (pg 280)

a ve-year retrospective expert analysis of Grade 12 examination papers

a retrospective and prospective analysis of school performance per subject and analysis of the relative standards of the old and new curricula. What is best practice in the assessment of practical subjects? In this research towards a framework for the quality assurance of practical subjects, the ndings will be used to develop a set of guidelines for quality assurance of the assessment of practical subjects. It focuses on selected vocational programmes and is designed to investigate how practical tasks are thoroughly and fairly assessed, and how this assessment is moderated at various levels. Umalusi plans to use this information to develop comprehensive and clear guidelines for the quality assurance of assessment of practical work and examinations for practical subjects. Examining the foundations - Evaluating the standards of the school GET curricula

CONTACT DETAILS

This project is a detailed evaluation of the eight learning areas that make up the school GEC curriculum on a phase by phase basis, starting with the curriculum statements associated with the Foundation Phase. The study includes comparison of the South African National Curriculum Statements and associated documents (for all three phases by the end of the research) with equivalent curricula from selected high-performing education systems that achieve high rankings across international studies in general, and in international studies involving developing countries in particular.

Executive Ofce

Contact Person Physical Address Telephone Fax Email Website

Mike Khuboni (Senior Manager Public Relations and Communications) 082 200 9795 or mike@umalusi.org.za 37 General Van Ryneveld Street, Persequor Techno Park, Pretoria, South Africa 012 349 1510 012 349 1511 info@umalusi.org.za http://www.umalusi.org.za/

Our name is derived from the Nguni uMalusi meaning shepherd or, in the African context, guardian of the family assets

23

24

Council on Higher Education (CHE)

OVERVIEW The South African Council on Higher Education (CHE) is responsible for advising the Minister of Higher Education & Training on all higher education policy issues, and for quality assurance in higher education and training (levels 5 - 10 of the NQF). It was established in May 1998 and is governed by the Higher Education Act of 1997. Its four main areas of work are: quality assurance and quality promotion within higher education and training, including programme accreditation, institutional audits, national reviews, quality promotion and capacity building monitoring and evaluating whether the vision, policy goals and objectives for higher education are being realised, including reporting on the state of South African higher education generating and setting of standards for all higher education qualications and ensuring qualications meet SAQAs criteria for registration on the NQF taking initiatives to provide guidance on key national and systemic issues, producing publications, holding conferences and conducting research to inform government and stakeholders about immediate and long-term challenges of higher education advising the Minister of Higher Education & Training on all policy matters related to higher education DIRECTORATES The CHE has one permanent committee, the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC). The HEQC has executive responsibility for quality promotion and quality assurance in higher education. It is led by an Executive Director, responsible for coordinating the work of the HEQC with that of the higher education institutions and for relations with stakeholders in general. The HEQC has four directorates: Institutional Audits Directorate - responsible for conducting quality audits of public and private higher education institutions systems for ensuring good quality of provision in the three core functions of teaching and learning, research and community engagement. National Reviews Directorate - responsible for re-accrediting existing programmes in specic disciplines and/or qualication areas Programme Accreditation Directorate - responsible for accrediting the learning programmes of public and private higher education institutions. Quality Promotion and Capacity Development Directorate - responsible for implementing the HEQCs quality promotion and capacity development programme which disseminates information and knowledge about quality assurance, and prepares individuals and institutions to participate in implementing the HEQCs quality assurance system. HEQC-ONLINE ACCREDITATION SYSTEM HEQC-online is a web-based accreditation application system that allows public and private higher education providers to submit applications for the accreditation of programmes through the internet. Institutions can submit programme accreditation applications throughout the year, taking into account the dates of the Accreditation Committee meetings. In terms of the regulatory framework, all higher education programmes must be accredited by the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC), as well as meet all other stipulations set by the Higher Education Act (101 of 1997), before a public or private higher education institution may oer such a programme. HEQC-online is available at: http://heqc-online.che.ac.za FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HEQF
Q: What is the HEQF and how does it relate to the NQF?

Key Organisations

The Higher Education Qualications Framework (HEQF) is a sub-framework of the National Qualications Framework (NQF) specically denoting programmes that fall within the higher education band (NQF Levels 5 - 10). The HEQF aims to determine the qualication types, characteristics and purposes of all higher education qualications in South Africa. The HEQF denes how higher education qualications t within the NQF and also allocates the responsibility for standards generation and setting for higher education qualications to the Council on Higher Education.
Q: How and when will the HEQF be implemented?

As of 1 January 2009, all new qualications were required to be aligned with the HEQF. This policy applies to both private and public institutions. In addition, the minimum admission requirements for entry into new programmes as set out in the Gazette Notice Number 27961 of August 2005 have also taken eect. With regards to existing higher education programmes, in June 2009, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), SAQA and the CHE issued Joint Communiqu 3 which has provided interim arrangements until the nal transitional arrangements for existing programmes have been nalised. Details of the implementation of the HEQF will be made available in the course of 2010 to ensure that institutions have sucient time to make transitional arrangements in relation to existing programmes.

Q: How will the HEQF inuence the planning and development of new programmes?

New higher education qualications that are submitted for registration on the NQF and accreditation by the HEQC have since January 2009 needed to conform to the requirements of the HEQF. This rule is applicable for PQM approvals for public institutions and registration of qualications by the DHET for private providers.
Q: How is the number of credits needed for a qualication calculated?

Professional bodies will continue to work in co-operation with the HEQC and other ETQAs / QCs. Qualications must still comply with the qualicationtype requirements of the HEQF.
Q: How does the DHET plan to engage with statutory and/or Professional Bodies around the HEQF and its implementation in terms of processes and date of implementation?

The DHET has initiated work with the CHE, SAQA and HESA on the implementation of the HEQF. The purpose of the meetings will be to address all aspects of implementation and the implications of compliance by institutions. The DHET will address as many role-players on the HEQF as possible, through various forms of media.
Q: What are implications of the HEQF on the articulation between FET and HE at level 5?

Credits are the measurement of the volume of learning required for a specic qualication. Credits are based on the number of hours of study (not only contact time), known as notional hours. Ten notional study hours equal one credit. See pages 8-9 of the HEQF.
Q: How is the credit accumulation and transfer (CAT) system going to work?

Any or all credits for an incomplete qualication may be recognised as meeting part of the requirements for a dierent qualication in the same or dierent institution. Credits for a completed qualication may, within limits, also be transferred as part of another qualication. A maximum of 50% of credits from a completed qualication may be transferred to another qualication where appropriate, but these may not constitute more than 50% of the credits required for the other qualication. The DHET will develop the CAT scheme in collaboration with SAQA and CHE but these guidelines must be used in the interim. It remains the responsibility of the higher education institution to ensure that all students have the required competencies at the level of entry.
Q: Is there a standardised CAT scheme that institutions can use as a guide?

While the HEQF determines that the Higher Certicate is the only higher education qualication at level 5, there remain ongoing discussions between the SAQA, DHET and the various Quality Councils regarding the positioning of NQF level 5 qualications oered by FET Colleges and SETA ETQAs. In this interim phase, providers are requested to contact their relevant ETQA / Quality Council for further clarication on this level of study. SEE ALSO
What is the NQF? (pg 066) What is a Quality Council? (pg 087) Umalusi (pg 022) QCTO (pg 280)
CONTACT DETAILS

No. The DHET intends to undertake systematic work on the development of a national higher education CAT scheme in collaboration with the higher education community, the CHE and SAQA. In the interim, a maximum of 50% credits of a completed qualication may be transferred to another qualication, provided also that no more than 50% of the credits required for another qualication are credits that have been used for a completed qualication.
Q: How does the HEQF aect the work of Professional Bodies?

Head Ofce

Physical Address Telephone Fax Email Website

No.1 Quintin Brand Street, Persequor Technopark, Brummeria, Pretoria 012 349 3840 012 349 3861 admin@che.ac.za www.che.ac.za

Professional Bodies will continue to determine whether a particular qualication oered by a particular higher education institution meets the requirements for registration, membership or licensing of graduates.

25

26

Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF)

OVERVIEW Government created the Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF) in January 2001, and gave it the task of promoting entrepreneurship, job creation, skills development and skills transfer among South Africans between the ages of 18 and 35. It reports directly to the Minister of Labour. The UYF is dedicated to investing in things that create opportunities for young people to get good skills, nd job opportunities or even start their own successful businesses. PROGRAMMES UYF programmes include (in brackets the number of youth beneting from the programme during 2007): National Youth Service (57,298) Aimed at providing young people with skills whilst they provide community services. Graduate Development & Job Preparedness (3,300) Aimed at providing unemployed graduates with skills required for employment (job preparedness training) 1,108 unemployed graduates were successfully placed in jobs with less than 5% attrition Entrepreneurship Education (44,272) Aimed at skills geared towards a change in Entrepreneurial attitudes and behaviour Enterprise Finance (19,505) Micro Finance aimed at providing young people and women with nance ranging from R1000 to R100 000 SME Funding aimed at providing young entrepreneurs with loans ranging from R100 000 to R5 million 19,351 enterprises funded which created 24,364 jobs 154 SME loans issued which created 3,049 jobs. Repayment rates for micro nance were 85% Repayment rates for SME 90% R100m leveraged from Old Mutual for the UYF/Old Mutual Womens Fund Business Development Services Vouchers (10,534) Aimed at providing business development support to start up and existing enterprises to enable them to be more protable and sustainable. Over 11,000 jobs were created or sustained Volunteers in Action Mentorship Service (612) 612 mentees receiving mentorship support from 270 experienced mentors South African business icon, Herman Mashaba is patron of VIA Job Opportunities (1,108) Walk-ins & Outreach (485,691) Business Opportunities R270 million Beneted 803 young entrepreneurs Opportunity providers include Nestl, MTN, Cell C and Hot Dog Caf. Full Service Youth Advisory Centres 13 ACHIEVEMENTS Over 57,000 young people participated in National Youth Service projects Over 44,000 young people accessed entrepreneurship education Over 1,000 teachers were capacitated to oer entrepreneurship education. UYF is also supporting the Volunteer Programme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. UYF faced major funding issues during 2008 it had made provision for funding of R424 million, but was only allocated R5 million by National Treasury, despite UYF being one of the few organisations that never had a qualied audit report. Government spends about R130 million per year on youth in prison. Reasons forwarded by National Treasury for the massive reduction in funding was the anticipated merger of the UYF and the National Youth Commission and that UYF had sucient cash on hand to maintain

Key Organisations

The UYF and the National Youth Commission have merged into the new National Youth Development Agency which was officially launched on 16 June 2009

operations. UYF believed that with resources available it would only reach 40%-50% of planned activities for 2008/9. In the interim, UYF had embarked on an aggressive fund-raising programme. It planned to launch a website with proles of young people on the internet, asking members to sponsor them, by way of loans of money. The government of India had committed R5 million to the Fund and Old Mutual had committed R100 million for the UYF/Old Mutual Womens Fund.

Stakeholder Management The NYC aims to ensure greater interaction with the youth constituency, similar institutions and chapter 9 institutions (SA Human Rights Council, Commission for Gender Equality etc). It also convenes an Interdepartmental Committee on Youth Aairs (IDCYA) on a quarterly basis. It partners with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on youth mobilisation to participate in elections. It convenes Youth Development Forums to involve the private sector in youth issues. The NYC runs programmes grouped in the following clusters: Social Cohesion Ke Moja No to Drugs Campaign, Youth and Elections , 2010 Soccer World Cup, Young Women, Youth Dialogues, Economic Participation

The UYF website has numerous resources, guides and tools to support small business development, career guidance, job seekers, and discounts for youth.
NATIONAL YOUTH COMMISSION The National Youth Commission was established and inaugurated on 16 June 1996 by former President Mandela. It is mandated by the National Youth Commission Act to assume overall . The Commission is constituted of ve full-time members, ve part-time members and nine Commissioners, nominated by Premiers of each province and appointed at national level. Key programs by the NYC include: Advocacy and Lobbying This includes reviewing the national youth policy, developing its implementation plan and its monitoring and evaluation tools Legislation Monitoring The NYC makes youth submissions to relevant policies and legislation being developed to ensure that youth issues are integrated and participates in various clusters of government which have an impact on youth Research, Monitoring and Evaluation It co-ordinates and develops relevant research relating to youth develop, is developing a knowledge management system, hosting seminars on key topical issues aecting youth through the youth dialogue program and develops an annual report on the youth empowerment performance of the state institutions National Youth Service

Youth and ISAD (Information Society & Development ) Program, Youth Development Forum, Growth Development Summit Review, Regional Employment Summit (June 2008), Education and Training Back to School campaign, Literacy campaign, Summit on Youth and Education, Learner Retention Strategy, Campaign on Values, Schools Pledge / Youth Pledge, Focus on teenage pregnancy Local Government Batsha/ Jeugd partnership with the Flemish government, Youth Democracy Week (Youth Ambassadors Program), ID Yourself Campaign (partnership with SABC, Home Aairs and IEC), Capacity Building for local youth units The NYC received a budget allocation for 2008/9 of R24 million of which 70% is spent on salaries and sta costs. CONTACT DETAILS
Head Ofces Telephone Fax Email Website UYF - 08600 YOUTH (96884) NYC - 012 3097800 NYC - 012 324-4759 UYF - info@uyf.org.za NYC - degrootn@nyc.pwv.gov.za www.uyf.org.za www.nyda.gov.za

27

28

German Development Co-Operation (GTZ)

OVERVIEW The Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH is an international development cooperation for sustainable development with worldwide operations. GTZ promotes complex reforms and change processes in developing countries, often working under dicult conditions. Its corporate objective is to improve peoples living conditions on a sustainable basis. GTZ is a state owned enterprise based in Eschborn near Frankfurt am Main. It was founded in 1975 as a company under private law. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is with 100% shareholder. The company also operates on behalf of other German ministries, the governments of other countries and international clients, such as the European Commission, the United Nations and the World Bank, as well as on behalf of private enterprises. GTZ works on a non-prot basis. All surpluses generated are channelled back into its own international cooperation projects for sustainable development. GTZ supports the German Government in achieving its development-policy objectives. It provides viable, forward looking solutions for political, economic, ecological and social development in a globalised world. GTZ employs some 12,000 sta in more than 120 countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the New Independent States (NIS). Around 9,000 of these sta are national personnel. GTZ maintains its own oces in around 60 countries. Some 1,500 people are employed at Head Oce in Eschborn near Frankfurt am Main. GTZ IN AFRICA AND SOUTH AFRICA GTZ conducts activities in a total of 39 sub-Saharan countries and supports its partners via 488 seconded and 4,849 national employees. GTZ has been operating in South Africa on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) since 1992, when the country went towards the transition to a new political system. Bilateral Technical Cooperation between the two countries has since been continuously expanded and in 2002 consolidated into three focal areas. The three focal areas of GermanSouth African development cooperation are Local Governance & Development, Skills Development & Labour Market and Good Governance. The main programme in the focal area Skills Development & Labour Market is the Employment and Skills Development Service (ESDS) Programme. Strategic core elements of bilateral Development Cooperation strategy are supplemented by cross-cutting themes such as poverty alleviation, social development, protection and conservation of natural resources, gender equality and, in particular, the ght against HIV/AIDS. The last two themes are of key importance in technical cooperation projects in South Africa. CONTACT DETAILS
Head Ofce
Programme Director - GTZESDS Physical Address Postal Address Hans-Guenter Schroeter (Hans-Guenter.Schroeter@gtz.de) 333 Grosvenor St, Hateld Gardens, Block C, Hateld, Pretoria 0028 P O Box 13732, Hateld, Pretoria 0028, South Africa 012 423 5976 012 342 3522 Hans-Guenter.Schroeter@gtz.de www.gtz.de/en

Key Organisations

Telephone Fax Email Website

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND LABOUR MARKET EMPLOYMENT AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT SERVICE (ESDS) PROGRAMME The overall objective of the ESDS Programme is to support the South African Government and its people through employment and skills development initiatives to promote the transformation of the South African labour market. The Programme aims to achieve this by improving the skills base of the majority of the population that was denied access to quality learning opportu-

GTZ is always going an extra mile in addressing client needs and ensuring that all detailed issues and outcomes are achieved. (T.V. Pillay, Chief Director Local Government, National Treasury)

nities. That excluded them from meaningful participation in the economy. The ESDS Programme supports the implementation of the Governments key skills development and labour market strategies, i.e. the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative (AsgiSA), the Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA - see pg 083), and the National Skills Development Strategy 2005 - 2011 (NSDS II - see pg 081). The ESDS Programme has three components which are integrated on the macro, meso and micro levels through a holistic, strategic approach aimed at enhancing the cumulative results. 1. Skills Development for the rst (formal) labour market 2. Skills Development for the second (informal) labour market 3. Labour market segment for technology-based SMEs Skills Development for the rst (formal) labour market In view of the urgency of creating skills directed at specic occupations, this rst component known as the Skills Development Strategy Initiative (SDSI) Support Programme, is aiming to improve the eciency and eectiveness of the demand-led skills development system.

tion and skills development approaches such as Basic Entrepreneurial Skills Development (BESD). It allows for training to be led by the needs of emerging and would-be entrepreneurs and contributes towards increasing the prospects of disadvantaged people for self-employment in the informal labour market (second economy) through skills development. Labour market segment for technology-based SMEs The third component of the ESDS Programme is the Technology Support Programme (TSP). It is aimed at establishing a sectoral network of Technology Stations at Universities of Technology countrywide and contributing towards servicing technology-based SMEs for participation in occupational learning programmes. Currently, twelve Technology Stations and three Institutes of Advanced Tooling are supported by GTZ and the Tshumisano Trust, the implementing agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in implementing the training approach and learning programmes for entrepreneurs and sta of technology-based SMEs.

Germany and South Africa share the same values: Democracy and a state of law are the basis for the pursuit of happiness and well-being for everybody, irrespective of race, gender or colour. It is our common vision to create equal opportunities for all: i.e. by contributing to a better education and enhanced social services, by improving governance and by strengthening local authorities

GTZ supports the establishment of the National Qualications Framework, encompassing the Organising Framework for Occupations (OFO) and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) - see page 280 for more information. This new skills development career path framework supports the integration of theoretical learning, practical application and workplace-based experience to build occupational competence in order to improve the employability of learners and reduce the countrys skills shortage. Skills Development for the second (informal) labour market Within the framework of the Active Labour Market Strategy (ALMS) Programme GTZ assists the Employment Services branch of the Department of Labour in its eorts to implement a range of integrated income-genera-

Strong links have been established over the past ten years with the Government departments of Labour, Education, Science and Technology, and Trade and Industry. The GTZ team is proud of the achievements of its skills development initiatives that have contributed towards the miracle of the democratic South Africa by improving the employment prospects of individuals, reducing unemployment and improving workplace productivity. This will contribute towards economic growth, which will reduce unemployment, alleviate poverty, improve social conditions, reduce crime and contribute towards improving the lives of all South Africans, as more and more will be able to share in the wealth of the nation and the benets of democracy. This is the ultimate goal of the GTZ support to South Africa.

29

30

AgriSETA
Agricultural research Pest Control AgriSETA is the Agricultural Sector Education & Training Authority. It covers all the economic sub sectors previously demarcated to the primary agriculture and secondary agriculture. The Agricultural Sector Education and Training Authority (AgriSETA) covers all the economic sub sectors. As the list of sub sectors is identied by their Standard Industrial Code (SIC), is quite extensive, the following is a broad summary: All types of farming such as horticulture, animal husbandry, game, fish, crop and mixed farms Slaughtering and handling of meat and livestock products red meat and poultry (including egg production) Processing of fibre, tea & coffee, macadamia nuts and tobacco Packing, drying, liquefying, exporting and importing fruit Milling, manufacture, storage and handling of sugar and grain products and starch Animal feeds and pet foods Sales and distribution of agricultural raw materials and other farming inputs and requisites Seed production and marketing AgriSETA oers support to employers and employees for training and development programmes such as Learnerships, Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET), Internships, Workplace Experience and Apprenticeships. A learnership is a vocational education and training programme. It combines 30% theory and 70% practice culminating in a qualication that is registered with the South African Qualications Authority. A person who successfully completes a learnership will have a qualication that signies occupational competence and is recognised throughout the country. Skills programmes are occupational based learning programmes which focus on the actual skills required on the job. Skills Programmes may be presented as stand-alone module, or can be packaged in such a way that they may ultimately lead, over time, to a full qualication. Skills development is crucial for improving basic needs in the workplace and is imperative for economic progress in terms of increasing both productivity and the ability to compete internationally in an expert market. Extremely low levels of education in the agricultural and related sectors has lead to AgriSETA rolling out a large scale national Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) programme that reaches the most remote rural areas of South Africa.

Key Organisations

MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Name Mr Jerry Madiba PA to CEO & Managers - Farhana Rahaman Tel 012-301-5608 012-301-5608 Fax 086 556 5503 086 556 5584 Email jerry@agriseta.co.za farhana@agriseta.co.za

MANAGERS
Name Corporate Services Manager - Annetjie Labuscagne Skills Planning Manager - Johann Engelbrecht Skills Planning Admin Manager - Theuns Henning Quality Assurance Manager - Fanny Phetla Skills Delivery Manager - Gerard Mamabolo Marketing Co-Ordinator - Caren Cleinwerck Tel 012-301-5606 012-301-5628 012 - 301 5631 012-301-5625 012-301-5607 012-301-5611 Fax 086 556 5573 086 554 4717 086 554 4041 086 556 5583 086 576 9888 086 556 5575 Email annetjie@agriseta.co.za johann@agriseta.co.za theuns@agriseta.co.za fanny@agriseta.co.za gerard@agriseta.co.za caren@agriseta.co.za

CONTACT DETAILS

NSDS Objective 2: Promoting & Accelerating quality training

Head Ofce
Physical Address Postal Address

for all in the workplace 2.1. 218 large rms to receive WSP/ATR grants. 228 received grants. Some rms (a) submitted this year for the rst time and did not qualify for a Mandatory Grant Payment and (b) did not submit the ATR/WSP as required. 360 received grants. Medium rms are reluctant to submit WSP/ATR. Annual Road shows in March 2009 focused on the submission of WSPs and ATRs. 592 small rms supported. The sector has simply too many small enterprises to be served with limited funding. 2,810 workers enrolled. ABET consistently too difcult to obtain for adults who participate in learning mostly after hours and on weekends. 3,338 Target exceeded. Employed workers are a focus of AgriSETA and surplus funds are moved to this area. NSDS Objective 3: Promoting employability & sustainable livelihoods through skills development

AgriSETA House 529, Belvedere Street, Arcadia, 008 P O Box 26024, Arcadia, 0007 (012) 301 5600 (Switchboard) (012) 325 1677/24 info@agriseta.co.za http://www.agriseta.co.za

Telephone Fax Email Website

2.1. 448 medium rms to receive WSP/ATR grants. 2.2. 980 Small rms to be supported. 2.7. 4,700 workers to enrol on ABET.

BOARD MEMBERS REPRESENTING EMPLOYEES Mr Sipho Khumalo (CHAIRPERSON), Mr Atwell Nazo, , Ms Elizabeth Manoto, Mr Katishi Masemola, Mr Mbulelo Jolisa, Mr Phillip Mokwena, Ms Pulane Maine, Mr Piet du Plooy, Mr Julius Mano, Mr Michael Ntutela. REPRESENTING EMPLOYERS Mr Jack van Dyk (VICE CHAIRPERSON), Prof Daan Prinsloo, Dr Di Goodwin, Dr Gerhard Neethling, Ms Jacqueline Ambrose, Ms Jacqueline Bhana, Ms Jenny Mathews, Mr Leonard Hansen, Mr Otto Mbangula, Mr Riaan Gerritzen.

2.8 1,660 workers to have entered into learning programmes.

3.2. 20 Organisations to be supported by SETA (ie. NGOs, CBOs, Co-ops, etc.)

158 organisations supported. Target Exceeded. Unexpected large scale intervention by a large Agri Co-op which enabled AgriSETA to exceed this target. NSDS Objective 4:

ACHIEVEMENTS
Targets and achievements given below are based on the period 2008 - 2009. NSDS 2 runs from 2005 - 2011 (for more information on NSDS 2, see page 081).
NSDS Objective 1: Prioritising & Communicating critical skills for sustainable growth, development & Equity
1.1 Annual draft SSP updated and submitted to DoL on time as per guidelines issued by DoL. 1.2. Annual guide on critical skills needs for the sector developed and available to learners - 350 SDFs to be trained. Submitted by 31 August 2008 620 sector specialists trained. Target exceeded.

Assisting designated groups, including new entrants to participate in accredited work, intergrated learning and work based programmes to acquire critical skills to enter the labour market & self employment 4.1. 650 unemployed people to be supported via learning programmes. 4.2. 50 unemployed learners exposed to Critical Skills Programmes . 4.3. 50 young people to be trained in starting new ventures 3,381. Target Exceeded. Under resourced farmers were focused on.

61 earners exposed to critical skills programmes. Employers are starting to engage with workplace experience on a much larger scale. 21 young people trained. 50 were allocated to a provider in Mpumalanga and only 21 were recruited. 30 will be registered for the new nancial year.

31

32

BankSETA
OVERVIEW
South Africa has a well-developed banking sector that operates in sophisticated local and world markets, comprising a diverse range of banking operations and nancial services organisations, including micro nance organisations. It also has an emerging, relatively unsophisticated, yet highly regulated sub-sector that operates in markets where a large proportion of the population remains unbanked. Most organisations in the banking sector are small and medium-sized enterprises and comprise mainly micro nance institutions. South Africa has 84 registered banks and about 1,600 micro-nance organisations registered with the MFRC. Out of 1,331 levy-paying organisations registered with the BANKSETA, 94% are small organisations that accounts for only 6% of employment in the sector. The South African nancial sector has improved year on year in its international competitive rankings, and in 2004, the sector was rated number 8 among 30 countries with a population exceeding 20 million. The sector has undergone substantial structural change over the past decade. This is evident from the number and range of participants, changes in product oerings and changes in the institutional and regulatory environment. The banking and micro nance sectors employ mainly skilled and highly skilled workers. Managers account for only 9% of the total employment prole, with the Professionals and Associate Professionals bands jointly accounting for 38%. Clerks are the biggest occupational grouping, representing 48% of the total prole.
Physical Address Postal Address Web Address Call Centre Fax Number

More than 78% of the workforce has FET qualications (grade 12 and above) and 10% have a minimum of a three-year tertiary qualication. More than half of the banking sectors employees are under the age of 35, with only a tenth over the age of 50. There has been a noticeable change in the racial demographics of the banking sector and further changes are anticipated as organisations that have committed to the Financial Sector Charter work towards meeting their employment equity targets. Only 0.5% of the workforce in the banking and micro nance sector is comprised of employees with disabilities. CONTACT DETAILS
Head Ofce Contact Details Thornhill Ofce Park, Block No. 15, 94 Bekker Road, Midrand, 1685 P.O. Box 11678, Vorna Valley, 1686 www.bankseta.org.za 086 102 0002 or 011 805 9661 011 805 8348

Key Organisations

SCOPE
The BANKSETA serves a diverse range of companies, including the central bank, domestically controlled banking operations, an increasingly strong foreign banking contingent, development nance and leasing operations, micro lenders and other nancial operations.

MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Name Max Makhubalo Tel 011 805 9661 Fax 011 805 8348 Email maxm@bankseta.org.za

MANAGERS
Name Skills Development & SME Services Manager Trevor Rammitlwa Quality Assurance & Investors in People Manager Karen Hobbs Learneship Manager - Paulette Bourne Tel 011 805 9661 011 805 9661 011 805 9661 Fax 011 805 8348 011 805 8348 011 805 8348 Email trevorr@bankseta.org.za karenh@bankseta.org.za Pauletteb@bankseta.org.za

The SETA is primarily an enabler and cannot prescribe or enforce. It therefore facilitates and encourages skills development by: Providing a framework for quality assurance Communicating with the sector and building capacity Liaising with other SETAs and ETQAs Promoting learnerships Supporting standards and qualications generation Encouraging employer organisations to track skills levels and needs Commissioning research and benchmarking studies

NSDS Objective 2: Promoting & Accelerating quality training for all in the workplace
2.1. 62 large rms to receive WSP/ATR grants. 79 received grants. Target exceeded.

2.1. 16 medium rms to receive WSP/ATR grants. 2.2. 220 small rms to be supported.

30 received grants. Target exceeded. 238 interventions to small rms. Many small rms have either closed or merged as the requirements of the NCA have made it not as protable to trade in this space. 153 workers to enrol for ABET (all levels).

Promoting the Investors in People Standard in the sector Enabling transformation and employment equity At the core of the BANKSETAs role as an agent of social transformation is constant integration and joint eorts between government, business and organised labour. BOARD (COUNCIL) MEMBERS REPRESENTING EMPLOYERS Sipho Ngidi, Hennie Ferreira, Rais Pearson, Lawrence Mlotshwa, Shirley Zinn REPRESENTING EMPLOYEES Joe Modime Kokela, Ben Venter, Eugene Zeeman, Isaac Ramputa, Vanessa Hattingh, Eugene Ebersohn.

2.7. 50 workers to enrol for ABET (all levels).

2.8 974 workers to have entered into learning programmes and 432 to successfully complete.

2,607 workers entered learning programmes, 1,036 completed. Target exceeded.

NSDS Objective 3: Promoting employability & sustainable livelihoods through skills development
3.2. 125 Organisations to be supported by SETA (ie. NGOs, CBOs, Co-ops, etc.) 166 organisations supported. Target exceeded.

ACHIEVEMENTS Targets and achievements given below bove are based on the period 20072008. NSDS 2 runs from 2005 - 2011 (for more information on NSDS 2, see page 081).
NSDS Objective 1: Prioritising & Communicating critical skills for sustainable growth, development & Equity 1.1 Annual draft SSP updated and submitted to DoL on time as per guidelines issued by DoL. 1.2. Annual guide on critical skills needs for the sector developed and available to learners - 200 SDFs to be trained. Achieved and approved by DoL

NSDS Objective 4: Assisting designated groups, including new entrants to participate in accredited work, intergrated learning and work based programmes to acquire critical skills to enter the labour market & self employment
4.1. 600 people to have entered learning programmes, and 300 to successfully complete. 1,710 learners entered learning programmes; 748 completed programmes. Target exceeded.

4.2. 190 learners to be assisted with workplace experience.

319 learners assisted. Target exceeded.

444 SDFs trained. Target exceeded.

4.3. 20 young people trained and mentored to start their new ventures.

24 learners assisted. Target exceeded.

33

34

Chieta
SCOPE The scope of the Chemical Industries Sector Education & Training Authority includes:

CONTACT DETAILS

National Ofce Contact Details Physical Address Postal Address Web Address Customer Service Centre Number Fax Number

Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) Base chemicals (including manufacture of gas and atomic fuels) Explosives Fertilisers Speciality chemicals (including the manufacture of accumulators, primary cells and batteries) Surface coatings Petroleum Pharmaceuticals (excluding wholesalers) Glass (excluding ceramics and pottery) BOARD MEMBERS

No 2 Clamart Road, Richmond, 2090 PO Box 961, Auckland Park, 2006 www.chieta.org.za 086 024 4382 or 011 726 4026 011 726 7777

Key Organisations

Gauteng Regional Ofce

Physical Address Tel Fax Number E-mail No 19 Richards Drive, Gallagher House, Level 2 East Wing, Midrand 011 805 6743/4 011 805 6722 gauteng@chieta.org.za

Jacob Mabena (Chairperson), Robin Archer (Deputy Chairperson), J Klaasen, Gary Ray, Sarah Luthuli, Christo Swanepoel, Daniel van Rooyen, Yvette Dos Santos, Jan Smit, Andre Lamprecht, Mandla Nkabinde, Sally Jacobs, Mosehle Mampho, Johannes George, Michael Nhlapo, P H du Plooy, A Liebenberg, Brian Muir, Dan Nkotsoe, Sinah Seeletsi, Dr. M. D. Booth, Ingrid Dimo and Kelebogile Dilotsotlhe (CEO). By Invitation Ina Swanepoel (JSF Chair) and John Davis (Audit Committee).

Western Cape Regional Ofce

Physical Address Tel Fax Number E-mail Unit B2, Arden Grove, Corner Racecourse Road & Omuramba, Montague Gardens, Cape Town 021 551 1113 021 552 9376 westerncape@chieta.org.za

MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Name Kelebogile Dilotsotlhe Tel 011 726 4026 Fax 011 726 7777 Email ceo@chieta.org.za

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS & MANAGERS

Name Chief Operations Ofcer Fazel Ernest Chief Financial Ofcer Farhad Motala Group Executive: Governance & Support Services Trevor Channing Tel 011 726 4026 011 726 4026 011 726 4026 Email fernest@chieta.org.za fmotala@chieta.org.za tchanning@chieta.org.za

KZN Regional Ofce

Physical Address Tel Fax Number E-mail Suite 1603, 16th Floor, The Embassy Building, 199 Smith Street, Durban, 4000 031 368 4040 031 368 3836 kzn@chieta.org.za

NSDS Objective 2: Promoting & Accelerating quality training for all in the workplace 2.1. 80 medium sized rms receiving WSP/ATR grants. 2.2. 80 small rms supported. 82 receiving WSP/ATR grants. Target exceeded. 289 small rms supported. Target exceeded.

ACHIEVEMENTS The CHIETA believes it has measured up well to the challenges posed by NSDS 2. This past year, it must be acknowledged, has also been hamstrung through the conceptual and operational challenges of the NSDS 2- and the concomitant New SETA Landscape. This has entailed steady review of the SLA with the Department of Labour (now the Department of Higher Education and Training), changes to MoUs, changes to reporting processes and more seriously the reviewing of business plans. This occurred within the shiftingsands environment of proposed signicant amendments to the NQF and Skills Development legislation which underpins the essence of SETA delivery and performance. It is signicant to note that in the midst of all this, the CHIETA has again received an unqualied Audit - no easy task. Targets and achievements given below are based on the period 2008-2009
NSDS Objective 1: Prioritising & Communicating critical skills for sustainable growth, development & Equity 1.1 Annual draft SSP updated and submitted to DoL on time as per guidelines issued by DoL. 1.2. Annual guide on critical skills needs for the sector developed and available to learners - 250 people trained to use it. Achieved and approved by DoL

2.7. 400 workers enrolled for ABET, 200 to have achieved it. 2.8 2,300 workers to have entered into learning programmes and 1,150 to have completed them.

0 workers enrolled for ABET, 0 have achieved it. Total target for this indicator was already exceeded in previous year. 3,290 workers entered programmes, 731 workers completed programmes (various delays)

NSDS Objective 3: Promoting employability & sustainable livelihoods through skills development 3.2. 10 organisations to be supported by SETA (ie. NGOs, CBOs, Co-ops, etc.) 0 organisations supported. Total target for this indicator was already exceeded in previous year.

NSDS Objective 4: Assisting designated groups, including new entrants to participate in accredited work, intergrated learning and work based programmes to acquire critical skills to enter the labour market & self employment

401 people trained to use it. Target exceeded.

4.1. 800 unemployed people to have entered learning programmes, and 400 to have completed them. 4.2. 400 young people assisted to gain work experience

2,494 unemployed people have entered learning programmes, and 536 have completed them. Target exceeded. 170 young people assisted to gain work experience.

NSDS Objective 2: Promoting & Accelerating quality training for all in the workplace 2.1. 100 large rms receiving WSP/ATR grants. 112 receiving WSP/ATR grants. Target exceeded.

4.3. 200 young people trained on the new venture creation programmes, 100 ventures still in operation after 12 months

0 young people trained on the new venture creation programme.

35

36

CTFL SETA
OVERVIEW The CTFL SETA (Clothing, Textiles, Footwear & Leather SETA) serves four manufacturing sub-sectors, namely, Clothing, Textiles, Footwear and Leather manufacturing companies. The CTFL SETA has approximately 1250 levy paying members of which 66% are small, 19% medium and 15% large rms. The sub-sector split is as follows: Textiles 46%, Clothing 35%, Footwear, Leather and General Goods 18%.
Key Organisations

turing corporates to medium-sized factories, small family businesses and one man operations. The training needs of the SETA members are therefore wide-ranging and diverse. Factors that inuence the sector are increased imports, downsizing of manufacturing components resulting in retrenchments, increased demand for performance improvement to become globally competitive and continuous developments in technical applications resulting in a demand for high level technical skills. To assist the sector in facing these challenges, the CTFL SETA is committed to address scarce and critical skills gaps in the sector through initiatives such as learnership implementation, the development of clothing and textile technologists (through local and international programmes), performance improvement projects and skills development grants for managers and employees earmarked for promotion. The SETA operates from four oces namely the SETA Head Oce (in Pinetown, Kwazulu Natal), the KZN Regional Oce (Pinetown), the Gauteng Regional Oce (Johannesburg) and the Western Cape Regional Oce (Cape Town). Sector Skills Facilitators are deployed regionally to visit companies and assist them with workplace skills planning and implementation, applying and preparing for accreditation and implementing learnerships. The Sector Skills Facilitation service is oered to all member companies of the CTFL SETA free of charge.

The Textiles sector consists of companies that manufacture textile products through various processes, for example, the spinning of yarn from natural or man made bres, the weaving/knitting of fabrics from spun yarn, the dyeing and printing of fabrics, the manufacture of textile oor coverings (carpets), the manufacture of ock and felt products and the manufacture of industrial (performance) textiles. The Clothing sector represents companies that manufacture products such as mens-, ladies- and childrenswear, underwear, sportswear, outerwear, workwear and millinery items such as hats and caps. The Footwear and Leather sector comprises of three distinct sub-sectors, namely, tanners and dressers of leather, manufacturers of footwear (from leather or other products) and the manufacturers of general goods and handbags (including luggage/travel goods) from leather or other products. The members of the CTFL SETA are mainly concentrated in Kwazulu-Natal, Eastern and Western Cape and Gauteng. They are diverse in both their composition and manufacturing processes and vary in size from large manufac-

MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Name PK Naicker Tel 031-7024482 Fax 031-7024113 Email pknaicker@ctseta.org.za

MANAGERS
Name Regional Manager KZN - Timothy Canham Regional Manager: Western Cape Alan Taylor Regional Manager Gauteng - Ansie Nagel ETQA Manager - Lenny Paltu Project Manager - Lou Pillay Marketing & Communications Manager - Elmine Baumann Tel 031-7024482 021-4473373 011-333-25556 031-7024482 031-7024482 031-7024482 Fax 031-7024113 021-4473365 086 608 4718 031-7021148 031-7021148 031-7021148 Email manager-kzn@ctseta.org.za manager-cpt@ctseta.org.za ansien@mweb.co.za etqa@ctseta.org.za projects@ctseta.org.za elmine@ctseta.org.za

CONTACT DETAILS
Head Ofce Contact Details Physical Address Postal Address Web Address Call Centre Fax Number 3rd oor, Umdoni Centre, 28 Crompton St, Pinetown, 3601 PO Box 935, Pinetown, 3600 www.ctseta.org.za 031 - 702 4482 031 702 4113

NSDS Objective 2: Promoting & Accelerating quality training for all in the workplace 2.1. 195 large rms submitting WSPs. 195 submitted.

2.1. 196 medium submitting WSPs.

176 submitted.

BOARD MEMBERS REPRESENTING EMPLOYERS TEXTILES: Frans Barnard (Chairperson), David Bowen, Mike Wood, Jackie Bakkes. CLOTHING: Johann Baard, Graham Choice, Len Smart, Lize van Zyl. FOOTWEAR, LEATHER AND GENERAL GOODS: Jai Deepnarain, Annamarie Hiscock, Shara Singh, Paul Theron. REPRESENTING LABOUR Sactwu: Abieda Abrahams, Mary August, Wayne Jacobs, Suzan Khumalo, Cornelius Kodisang, Adeline Lipali, Thandile Maliti, Rani Naidoo (Vice Chairperson, Freda Oosthuysen, Etienne Vlok, Ntombi Yika, Nulaw: Michael Ngwenya. ACHIEVEMENTS

2.2. 318 small rms to be supported.

497 supported.

2.7. 900 workers to enrol for ABET.

952 enrolled, 109 completed.

2.8 322 workers to have entered into learning programmes and 271 to have completed them.

598 workers entered programmes, 396 workers completed programmes.

NSDS Objective 3: Promoting employability & sustainable livelihoods through skills development 3.2. 4 organisations to be supported by SETA (ie. NGOs, CBOs, Co-ops, etc.) 28 organisations supported.

NSDS Objective 4:

Targets and achievements given below are based on the period 20082009.
NSDS Objective 1: Prioritising & Communicating critical skills for sustainable growth, development & Equity 1.1 Annual draft SSP updated and submitted to DoL on time as per guidelines issued by DoL. 1.2. Annual guide on critical skills needs for the sector developed and available to learners - 70 SDFs to be trained. Achieved and approved by DoL

Assisting designated groups, including new entrants to participate in accredited work, intergrated learning and work based programmes to acquire critical skills to enter the labour market & self employment 4.1. 330 unemployed people to have entered learnerships and apprenticeships, and 265 to have completed them. 4.2. 20 young persons trained and mentored to form new ventures. 381 unemployed learners entered learning programmes; 459 successfully completed them. 23 young persons trained.

178 SDFs trained. Target exceeded.

37

38

CETA
OVERVIEW The Construction Sector Education & Training Authoritys objective is to inuence the course of training and skills development by ensuring that all training reects current and future needs in the construction sector. The construction sector is made up of three sub-sectors: Construction (Building and Civils)
Key Organisations

REPRESENTING GOVERNMENT Mr Sekotlong (Dept Housing), Mr Song (Dept Public Works). ACHIEVEMENTS For additional achievements, see our Annual Report on our website. IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS In August 2007, an implementation plan was put in place as a preparation towards refunding of the CETA bursary, skills and learnership programmes. During September 2007, CETA started to issue expressions of interest calling on employers to participate in the rollout of projects with regard to skills and learnership programmes, adult basic education and training (ABET) and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) projects. There were other strategic interventions that the authority implemented; this included oering potential candidates CETA bursaries as an intervention towards improving and availing competent and qualied artisans in the sector. More than 400 students were awarded a CETA bursary to further their studies at various institutions of higher learning in South Africa. Currently more than 200 students funded by CETA are continuing with their studies at these universities, while others have completed their studies. During the next nancial year, CETA envisages doubling the 400 target.

Materials Manufacturing Built Environment Professionals BOARD MEMBERS REPRESENTING EMPLOYERS & PROFESSIONALS Mr Moleshiwa (Deputy Chairperson), Mr Strydom, Mr van der Merwe, Mr Sibiya, Ms Uys, Mr Jordan, Ms Badenhorst, Mr Gallie, Mr van Wyk. REPRESENTING LABOUR Mr Moloto (Chairperson), Ms Ntshingila, Mr Lesibe, Mr de Castro, Mr Lekgoathi, Mr Koji, Mr Mpe, Mr Lushaba.

MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVES
Name CEO - Petros Mawuku COO - Norman Sekotlong Tel 011 265 5907 011 265 5904 Fax 011 265 5924/5 011 265 5924/5 Email ceopa@ceta.co.za coopa@ceta.co.za

MANAGERS
Name Skills Development Manager - William Ntsoane ETQA Manager - Thabang Matobako Unit Standard & Generation Project Ofcer - Lynn Alborough Researcher - Tau Malatji Finance Manager - Jonathan Mance Senior Communications Manager Tel 011-265 5900 011-265 5900 011-265 5900 011-265 5900 011-265 5900 011-265 5900 011-265 5900 Fax 011-265 5924/5 011-265 5924/5 011-265 5924/5 011-265 5924/5 011-265 5924/5 011-265 5924/5 011-265 5924/5 Email skillsmanager@ceta.co.za qam@ceta.co.za udf@ceta.co.za projectadmin@ceta.co.za research@ceta.co.za nman@ceta.co.za comms@ceta.co.za

SKILLS INTERVENTION CETA is satised with the skills hub that it has been able to provide towards the construction of stadiums to help South Africa host a successful FIFA 2010 World Cup. Through the provision of learnerships and skills programmes, and training within the related construction trades, there is clearly good progress that is evident in, amongst others, the construction of the Gautrain, roads construction and hospitality development, all of which serve as evidence of CETA having achieved 80 per cent of skills development and training in the sector. ACHIEVEMENTS
NSDS Objective 3: Promoting employability & sustainable livelihoods through skills development 3.2. 22 Organisations to be supported by SETA (ie. NGOs, CBOs, Co-ops, etc.) 0 organisations supported.

NSDS Objective 4: Assisting designated groups, including new entrants to participate in accredited work, intergrated learning and work based programmes to acquire critical skills to enter the NSDS Objective 1: Prioritising & Communicating critical skills for sustainable growth, development & Equity 1.1 Annual draft SSP updated and submitted to DoL on time as per guidelines issued by DoL. 1.2. Annual guide on critical skills needs for the sector developed and available to learners - 167 SDFs and ETD specialists to be trained. Achieved and approved by DoL 4.1. 688 people to have entered learning programmes including learnerships and apprenticeships, and 344 to have completed them. 4.2. 50 learners to be assisted to gain workplace experience. 765 learners entered learnerships programmes; 922 completed programmes. Target exceeded. labour market & self employment

167 SDFs and ETD specialists trained.

0 learners assisted.

NSDS Objective 2: Promoting & Accelerating quality training for all in the workplace 2.1. 136 Large rms to receive WSP/ATR grants. 2.1. 136 Medium rms to receive WSP/ATR grants. 2.2. 1,606 Small rms to be supported. 2.7. 833 Workers to register for ABET, and 833 to have completed it. 2.8 1,158 Workers to have entered into learning programmes. (i.e Learnerships, skills programmes, blasting certicates) and 579 to have completed them. 198 received grants. Target exceeded. 248 received grants. Target exceeded. 4,200 supported. Target exceeded. 141 Workers registered for ABET, 0 have completed it. 439 Workers entered programmes, 1,712 workers completed programmes. Target exceeded

4.3. 51 learners trained and mentored to form new ventures

0 learners trained.

CONTACT DETAILS

See web site for provincial branch contact details.

Head Ofce Contact Details Physical Address Postal Address Web Address Call Centre Fax Number Building 5, Momentum Business Park, 563 Main Road, Midrand, 1968 P O Box 1955, Halfway House, 1685 www.ceta.org.za 011 265 5900 011 265 5924

39

40

ETDP SETA
OVERVIEW The Education, Training and Development sector is key to the success of the Skills Development Act. There are approximately 56,754 institutions in the ETD sector employing an estimated 656,068 people. In relation to total employment, the ETD sector employs 6% of all employees in South Africa. The largest employer in the ETD sector is the Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET). Public schools make up the bulk (83%) of the institutions. Men are under represented in the ETD sector in general, with only a third of all employees being male. The mission of the ETDP SETA is to position the ETD practitioner, and the sector as a whole, to play a central role in the continuous transformation and development of our country. We must ensure that the ETD practitioner is equipped to deal with the challenges of a changing world of learning and work. SCOPE The ETDP SETA has two chambers, namely the Budget and the Levy Chambers. Employers in the budget chamber include the national and provincial Departments of Education (DoE), representation from public ABET and Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres and FET colleges as well as from the teacher unions such as SADTU, NAPTOSA, SAOU, NATU, PEU and NEHAWU. All the Departments of Education (national and provincial) pay over 10% of the 1% payroll contribution to assist in administration costs of the ETDP SETA. The levy chamber includes representation from all levy paying companies and organisations (excludes public sector) as well as trade unions as employers. The levy chamber consists of the following constituencies: ECD; Further Education and Training Institutions as employers; Public higher education institutions; Public schools governing bodies as employers; Independent schools; Libraries and archives; Research organisations; Political parties as employers; Trade unions as employers; Non-governmental organisations and Community-based organisations and Private education and training providers/ institutions The ETDP SETA Board has also established a Labour Forum that allows skills development debate and engagement by the Labour constituencies of the ETDP SETA. The Board comprises organised labour, employer organisations, relevant government departments and interested professional bodies in the sector. The ETDP SETA advocates high quality life-long learning and is committed to the alleviation of unemployment and poverty.

Key Organisations

MANAGEMENT CEO & COO

Name Ms Nombulelo Nxesi (CEO) Dr Burton Malgas (Acting COO) Tel 011 628 5002 011 628 5041 Fax 011 482 6419 011 482 6419 Email phyllisv@etdpseta.org.za ntobsym@etdpseta.org.za

MANAGERS
Name Marketing and Communications - Nondumiso Mabuza ETQA Manager - Valentia Mashego Human Resources Manager - Mike Watkins Chief Financial Ofcer - David Molapo Tel 011 628 5025 011 628 5128 011 628 5129 011 628 5110 Fax 011 482 6419 011 482 6419 011 482 5594 Email nondumisom@ etdpseta.org.za valentiam@etdpseta.org.za mikew@etdpseta.org.za davidm@etdpseta.org.za

Since inception of the National Skills Development Strategy 2 [NSDS II], the ETDP SETA has facilitated skills development programmes for over 19 000 workers and 9 500 unemployed people across the country. Over 28 000 learners have beneted from the ETDP SETAs learnership, skills programme, bursary, and internship programmes. The ETDP SETA skills development programmes and initiatives are mainly driven by the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS) and very much aligned to the Provincial Skills Development Growth Plans, the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) and the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA). ACHIEVEMENTS
NSDS Objective 1: Prioritising & Communicating critical skills for sustainable growth, development & Equity 1.1 Annual draft SSP updated and submitted to DoL on time as per guidelines issued by DoL. 1.2. Annual guide on critical skills needs for the sector developed and available to learners - 711 sector specialists to be trained. Achieved and approved by DoL

NSDS Objective 3: Promoting employability & sustainable livelihoods through skills development 3.2. 500 Organisations to be supported by SETA (ie. NGOs, CBOs, Co-ops, etc.) 1,186 organisations supported. Target exceeded.

NSDS Objective 4: Assisting designated groups, including new entrants to participate in accredited work, intergrated learning and work based programmes to acquire critical skills to enter the labour market & self employment 4.1. 2,000 unemployed people to have entered learning programmes and 1,000 to have completed them. 3,340 learners entered learnerships programmes; 1,656 completed programmes. Target exceeded.

917 sector specialists trained. Target exceeded.

4.2. 200 learners to be assisted to gain workplace experience.

282 learners assisted. Target exceeded.

NSDS Objective 2: Promoting & Accelerating quality training for all in the workplace 2.1. 54 Large rms to receive WSP/ATR grants. 2.1. 84 Medium rms to receive WSP/ATR grants. 2.2. 634 Small rms to be supported. 2.7. 500 Workers to enter ABET Level 1 - 4 programmes and 250 have achieved. 2.8 3,140 Workers to have entered into learning programmes and 1,570 successfully completed them. 68 received grants. Target exceeded. 196 received grants. Target exceeded. 589 received grants. Target exceeded.

4.3. 100 learners trained and mentored to form new ventures

125 learners entered new venture programmes.

CONTACT DETAILS

Head Ofce Contact Details

683 entered programmes and 759 achieved them. Target exceeded. 6,112 workers entered programmes, 4,501 workers completed programmes. Target exceeded.

Physical Address Postal Address Web Address Call Centre Fax Number

No 3 Annette Road, Curatio Building, Auckland Park, 2092 Private Bag X105, Melville, 2109 www.etdpseta.org.za 0800ETDP 73 011 482 6419

41

42

ESETA
SCOPE The Energy Sector Education & Training Authority is one of the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) created by the current South African government as delivery agents for occupational skills in the various sectors of the economy. The mandate of the Energy SETA therefore is to regulate, fund and coordinate the skills development programmes for the energy and water sectors in South Africa. All organisations that deal and trade with commodities such as energy (which in this context include electricity, gas and other alternative energy types such as solar and others) and water (which in this context include sanitation, water reticulation, potable water, steam and water purication/ treatment, etc) fall within this mandate. STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS SECTOR GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS Department of Water Aairs Department of Minerals & Energy Department of Public Enterprises EMPLOYERS Eskom, ECA (SA), Central Energy Fund, NERSA, SAAWU, WISA, SALGA. TRADE UNIONS NUM, NUMSA, SAEWA, SAMWU, IMATU, Solidarity, MEWUSA BOARD MEMBERS REPRESENTING EMPLOYERS Johnny Oliver, Martin Barnard, David Makhaya, Nomalanga Sithole, Makumu Ubisi, Rafat Khan, Anthony Bowers, Teddy Gounden REPRESENTING LABOUR Gertruida Voigt, Nkrumah Kgagudi, Lucky Mabiletsa, Helen Diatile, Ndlela Radebe, Tankiso Lengoabala, Nathaniel Kgoete, Bernard Kennedy, Thato Mohapi, Bennie Harmse, Adele van den Berg, REPRESENTING GOVERNMENT Petunia Ramunenyiwa, Dennis Mtsweni, Matthews Bantsijang, Mbulelo Kibido, Benedict Mogadirne EXECUTIVE MANAGERS Funamna Mankaye: CEO Millicent Rasekoala: Sector Skills Development & Planning Manager Tebogo Mmotla: Learning Programs Manager Catherine Kobyana: Chief Financial Ocer Nkosinathi Mkhize: HR & Marketing Communications Manager John Swanepoel: ETQA Manager Nokwanda Mpanza: Water Chamber Coordinator

Key Organisations

Will the OQF curriculum become another rod for the back of providers?
The OQF curriculum is developed at a fairly high level with the emphasis on guidance and not on conformance. This will allow some exibility, leaving space for contextualisation and specialisation and providing opportunities for innovation and the development of best practice. The Occupational Learning System offers several benets and improvements to skills development providers which are covered in the section Benets & opportunities of the OLS (pg 376).

See the Frequently Asked Questions section on page 396 of this book for more questions and answers about the new Occupational Learning System and its Occupational Qualications Framework

ACHIEVEMENTS
NSDS Objective 3:

Targets and achievements given below are based on the period 20082009.
NSDS Objective 1: Prioritising & Communicating critical skills for sustainable growth, development & Equity 1.1 Annual draft SSP updated and submitted to DoL on time as per guidelines issued by DoL. 1.2. Annual guide on critical skills needs for the sector developed and available to learners - 80 SDFs to be trained. Achieved.

Promoting employability & sustainable livelihoods through skills development 3.2. 111 Organisations to be supported by SETA (ie. NGOs, CBOs, Co-ops, etc.) 36 organisations supported. Suitable organisations in the sector are being identied

NSDS Objective 4: 93 SDFs trained. Target exceeded. Assisting designated groups, including new entrants to participate in accredited work, intergrated learning and work based programmes to acquire critical skills to enter the labour market & self employment 4.1. 650 unemployed people to have entered learning programmes and 325 to have completed them. 4.2. 200 learners to be assisted to gain workplace experience and 140 to nd placement in employment or self-employment 4.3. 45 learners trained and mentored to form new ventures, and 35 new ventures in operation 12 months after completion of programme 1,143 unemployed people have entered learning programmes and 616 have acheived them. Target exceeded. 232 learners assisted to gain work experience, learners are still on training therefore not yet placed. Target exceeded. 56 learners trained and mentored to form new ventures, 0 in operation 12 months after completion.

NSDS Objective 2: Promoting & Accelerating quality training for all in the workplace 2.1. 24 Large rms to receive WSP/ATR grants. 2.1. 16 Medium rms to receive WSP/ATR grants. 2.2. 322 Small rms to be supported. 37 received grants. Target exceeded. 16 received grants. Target achieved. 103 supported. Target not met because of the reduction in the base line number in the participation of SMMEs in the sector. 88 BEE rms were identied. 1,119 workers have registered for ABET programmes to date and 1,082 have achieved them. Target exceeded. 652 workers have entered learning programmes to date and 414 have achieved them. Target achieved.
Physical Address

2.5. 60 BEE rms to be supported. 2.7 400 workers to have registered for ABET programmes and 200 to have achieved them. 2.8 500 workers to have entered into learning programmes and 250 to have achieved them.

CONTACT DETAILS
Head Ofce Contact Details 35 Pritchard Street, 1066 Old Mutual Building, 19th Floor Johannesburg, 2000 PO Box 5983, Johannesburg 2000 info@eseta.org.za or nkosinathim@eseta.org.za www.eseta.org.za 011 689 5300

Postal Address Email Address Web Address Telephone

Real learning gets to the heart of what it means to be human. Through learning we re-create ourselves. Through learning we become able to do something we never were able to do. Through learning we reperceive the world and our relationship to it...

43

44

FASSET
OVERVIEW The Financial and Accounting Services sector consists of 6,212 levy-paying organisations that employ approximately 117,356 people. The sector contributes some 2,5% to total output and 1% to employment in the country.
Key Organisations

Similarly, most of the skilled workers in the sector are subject to professional regulations. Legislation promulgated in the past few years has tended to increase control over the functions of the sector and has thus contributed to the need for greater accountability and professionalism in the sector. SCOPE Fasset is responsible for facilitating education and training in the nancial and accounting services sector, including management consulting services, but excluding the banking services sector and the insurance sector. BOARD MEMBERS The Management Board consists of one executive member, the CEO, who has no voting rights, and sixteen non-executive members, of which: - four are trade union (employee) representatives - four are professional body (employee) representatives - eight are employer representatives The Board meets quarterly to evaluate the Setas performance, assess risks and review strategic direction. Current Board members are: Mpuseng Moloi (Chairman), Robert Capper (Deputy Chairman), Zahra Cassim, Andrew Carlsson, Christa du Plooy, Hannetjie Els, Holger Fischer, Paolo Giuricich, Samantha Louis, Witness Magoswana, Stadi Mngomezulu, Dorothy Ndletyana, Mandi Olivier, Shirley Olsen, Maryanne Trollope, Zola Williams, Cheryl James (CEO).

The vast majority (96%) of the enterprises/organisations employ fewer than 50 people; 2.7% employ between 50 and 149, and 1.3% more than 150 workers. The small organisations (fewer than 50 employees) account for 49.7% of the workforce in the sector. More than half of the people working in the sector (53.2%) are white. African workers constitute 31.4% of the workforce, Indians constitute 7.8% and coloureds 7.6%%. More women are employed in the sector than men (55% of all employees are women). A special feature of the sector is the professional associations that have played a key role in the sectors qualication structure, in the organisation of education and training in the sector, and in the professional designations used in the sector. The sector is highly regulated. Many of the functions performed by the organisations in the sector are regulated by legislation and government policy.

MANAGEMENT CEO & COO

Name CEO - Cheryl James COO - Nadine Kater Tel 011 476 8570 011 476 8570 Fax 011 476 5756 011 476 5756 Email cheryl.james@fasset.org.za nadine.kater@fasset.org.za

MANAGERS
Name Learnerships / ETQA Manager Natercia Faustino Director of Skills Planning - Lauren Derman Development Projects Manager Tania Lee Operations Manager - Gugu Moetanalo Tel 011 476 8570 011 476 8570 011 476 8570 011 476 8570 Fax 011 476 5756 011 476 5756 011 476 5756 011 476 5756 Email natercia.faustino@fasset.org.za lauren.derman@fasset.org.za tania.lee@fasset.org.za gugu.moetanalo@fasset.org.za

ACHIEVEMENTS
NSDS Objective 3:

Targets and achievements given below bove are based on the period 20072008.
NSDS Objective 1: Prioritising & Communicating critical skills for sustainable growth, development & Equity 1.1 Annual draft SSP updated and submitted to DoL on time as per guidelines issued by DoL. Achieved.

Promoting employability & sustainable livelihoods through skills development 3.2. 550 Organisations to be supported by SETA (ie. NGOs, CBOs, Co-ops, etc.) 1,102 organisations supported. Target exceeded.

NSDS Objective 4: Assisting designated groups, including new entrants to

1.2. Annual guide on critical skills needs for the sector developed and available to learners - 1,100 SDFs to be trained.

6,641 SDFs trained. Target exceeded.

participate in accredited work, intergrated learning and work based programmes to acquire critical skills to enter the labour market & self employment 4.1. 2,000 unemployed people to have entered learning programmes. 2,385 unemployed people have entered learning programmes. Target exceeded.

NSDS Objective 2: Promoting & Accelerating quality training for all in the workplace 2.1. 32 Large rms to receive WSP/ATR grants. 50 received grants. Target exceeded.

4.2. 400 learners to be assisted to gain workplace experience and 280 placed.

826 learners assisted to gain work experience and 703 placed. Target exceeded.

2.1. 78 Medium rms to receive WSP/ATR grants.

102 received grants. Target exceeded.

4.3. 200 learners trained and mentored to form new ventures

556 learners trained and mentored to form new ventures. Target exceeded.

2.2. 1,000 Small rms to be supported.

2,688 supported. Target exceeded.

CONTACT DETAILS
Head Ofce Contact Details Physical Address Postal Address Block A, Eva Ofce Park, Cnr Beyers Naud Drive & Judges Avenue, Blackheath, Randburg PO Box 6801, Cresta, 2118 www.fasset.org.za 086 101 0001 or 011 476 8570 011 476 5756

2.5. 60 BEE rms to be supported.

193 BEE rms supported. Target exceeded.

2.8 2,000 workers to have entered into learning programmes.

4,348 workers have entered learning programmes to date. Target exceeded.

Web Address Call Centre Fax Number

... through learning we extend our capacity to create, to be part of the generative process of life. There is within each of us a deep hunger for this type of learning.

45

46

Foodbev SETA
OVERVIEW The Food and Beverages Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) is tasked with the following functions: overseeing skills development and training for organisations within the sector
Key Organisations

SCOPE The food and beverages manufacturing sector is characterised by people from disadvantaged backgrounds with very low levels of skill and literacy working alongside highly educated people with more professional skills. The pace is driven by consumer demands and a competitive local and international market and is therefore fast and dynamic. Food and beverage manufacturing companies have to remain innovative in its use of technology and development of new products, whilst constantly improving standards of quality, safety and health, and developing the skills of the workforce. The sector oers a challenging mix of factory and oce experience. The food and beverages manufacturing sector sector is divided into ve subsectors: Baking, Cereals, Confectionary and Snacks Beverages Diary Food Preparation Products Processed and Preserved Meat, Fish, Fruit and Vegetables

developing and implementing the Sector Skills Plan (SSP) and scarce and critical skills research collecting skills development levies and paying grants according to sector and national priorities disbursing discretionary grants, including skills programme grants, apprenticeship grants and work experience grants designing, registering, managing and promoting learnerships performing Education, Training and Quality Assurance (ETQA) functions providing incentives to companies to develop young, unemployed people through internships, apprenticeships and learnerships running skills development projects to develop young people for potential employment in occupations that companies nd dicult to ll assisting learners in further and higher education institutions to gain work experience

MANAGEMENT CHIEF OFFICERS

Name Chief Executive Ofcer - Ravin Deonarain Chief Financial Ofcer - Rajendra Rajcoomar Tel 011 253 7300 011 253 7300 Fax 011 253 7333 011 253 7333 Email ravind@foodbev.co.za rajendrar@foodbev.co.za

MANAGERS
Name ETQA Manager - Krappie Eloff Skills Planning Manager - Blanche Engelbrecht Corporate Services Manager - Liezl Gerryts Skills Development Project Manager - Khotso Ndjwili-Potele Tel 011 253 7300 011 253 7300 011 253 7300 011 253 7300 Fax 011 253 7333 011 253 7333 011 253 7333 011 253 7333 Email krappie@foodbev.co.za blanchee@foodbev.co.za liezlg@foodbev.co.za khotson@foodbev.co.za

SCARCE SKILLS South Africa has a serious shortage of specialised skills. FoodBev SETA has responded in various ways to the skills shortages. Scarce skills have been identied and quantied, allowing the SETA and companies in the sector to align initiatives to national strategies outlined by the government. A comprehensive Scarce Skills Guide is available on request. BOARD (COUNCIL) MEMBERS Willie Prinsloo (Chairman), Andile Nkosibomvu, Attwell Nazo, Boaz Mashele, Dick Khumalo, Geo Ryding, Gerhard Venter, Hennie Kor, Katishi Masemola, Leon Roman, Mfundo Thango, Tanya Hulse. ACHIEVEMENTS The gures below are for the year 2008-9. More information on NSDS 2 on page 081.
NSDS Objective 1: Prioritising & Communicating critical skills for sustainable growth, development & Equity 1.1 Annual draft SSP updated and submitted to DoL on time as per guidelines issued by DoL. Achieved.

2.5. 24 small BEE rms to be supported

2.5. 36 small BEE rms supported. Target exceeded.

2.7. 800 workers enter ABET programmes and 600 to complete programmes

1,804 workers entered ABET programmes and 1,448 completed programmes. Target exceeded. 2,334 workers have entered learning programmes to date and 717 completed programmes. Target exceeded.

2.8 800 workers to have entered into learning programmes and 500 to complete programmes

NSDS Objective 3: Promoting employability & sustainable livelihoods through skills development 3.2. 40 NGOs / CBOs to be supported 82 organisations supported. Target exceeded.

NSDS Objective 4: Assisting designated groups, including new entrants to participate in accredited work, intergrated learning and

1.2. Annual guide on critical skills needs for the sector developed and available to learners - 100 sector specialists to be trained.

138. Target exceeded.

work based programmes to acquire critical skills to enter the labour market & self employment 4.1. 600 unemployed people to have entered learning programmes and 300 to have completed programmes 1,235 unemployed people have entered learning programmes and 381 have completed programmes. Target exceeded.

NSDS Objective 2: Promoting & Accelerating quality training for all in the workplace 2.1. 128 Large rms to receive WSP/ATR grants. 140 received grants. Target exceeded.
Physical Address Postal Address

CONTACT DETAILS
Head Ofce Contact Details 13 Autumn Street, Rivonia, Johannesburg PO Box 245, Gallo Manor, Sandton, Johannesburg, 2052 www.foodbev.co.za 011 253 7300

2.1. 140 Medium rms to receive WSP/ATR grants. 2.2. 330 Small rms to be supported.

148 received grants. Target exceeded. 450 supported. Target exceeded.

Web Address Tel Number

47

REGION
KwaZulu-Natal Gauteng Durban Prospecton

CONTACT PERSON
Mandy Ford Linda van Dijk Annelie Govender

CONTACT NUMBER
031 201 1260 011 394 0454 031 902 1341

REGION
Western Cape Eastern Cape (PE) Eastern Cape (EL)

CONTACT PERSON
Tarryn-Lea Brown Lee-Anne Pattle Megan Buhagiar

CONTACT NUMBER
021 949 6652 041 404 2429 043 731 1352

49

50

INSETA
OVERVIEW The Insurance Sector Education & Training Authority is the SETA for the insurance sector which forms part of the large and rapidly growing nancial and business services sector in South Africa. At this stage approximately 4,000 organisations in the insurance sector pay a skills development levy to the INSETA. Most of the organisations are very small businesses that are supported by INSETAs SMME support programmes. Employment in the levy-paying component of the sector is estimated at approximately 102,000. The South African insurance sector is integrated in the global insurance environment and is therefore aected by changes in the global industry. In recent years the global industry has experienced an increase in regulatory requirements and pressures to comply with these requirements. Globally, the role of the insurance broker has been changing over the past few years. The inux of direct distribution channels has resulted in independent brokers or intermediaries being bypassed. However, internationally there is an increase in the demand for specialised brokers and a change in the roles of brokers. Brokers are increasingly required to full the role of nancial advisors and to possess knowledge and skills linked to Qualications. Worldwide brokerage rms are also consolidating. One of the main drivers of change in the South African insurance industry is policy and legislation - more specically the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act (FAIS) which sets minimum qualication and competency requirements for nancial advisors. This legislation is expected to support the professionalisation process in the sector and to help to restore consumer condence. INSETA has played an important role in terms of enabling Brokers and Financial advisors to be able to obtain credits towards their licenses in terms of the FAIS Fit and Proper determination. Black economic empowerment legislation and the Financial Sector Charter drive the transformation of the sector and increase the demand for skilled black employees in all the main occupational categories, but especially in professional positions and as intermediaries or brokers. Proposed changes to the structure of commission paid to intermediaries may put this component of the sector under more pressure and may lead to a further decrease in the number of brokers. The sector is furthermore expected to change in order to access and service new and emerging markets, and to reduce inequality and exclusion from nancial services of low income groups. Other factors that are expected to inuence the sector over the next few years are technological advancements, the need to contain and prevent fraud, high levels of crime in South Africa, high unemployment and increases in the life expectancy of certain segments of the population. HIV/AIDS will impact negatively on various subsectors through increased payouts and an increase in the overall cost of insurance. SCOPE The sector includes providers of insurance products (i.e. long-term and short-term insurers and reinsurers) as well as the intermediaries or brokers who sell insurance products to the public. The sector can be divided into the following sub-sectors: Short-term insurance, Life insurance, Insurance and Pension Funding , Risk management, Health care benets administration, Unit trusts, Funeral Insurance, Reinsurance, Pension Funding and Activities auxiliary to Financial Intermediation.

Key Organisations

MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Name Sandra Dunn Tel 011 544 2000 Fax 011 484 0862 Email sandrad@inseta.org.za

MANAGERS
Name FAIS Project Manager - Glen Edwards Corporate Services Manager Vincent Mulaudzi Learnerships Manager - Tumi Peele Tel 011 544 2000 011 544 2000 011 544 2000 Fax 011 484 0862 011 484 0862 011 351 6401 Email glene@inseta.org.za vincentm@inseta.org.za tumip@inseta.org.za

BOARD (COUNCIL) MEMBERS REPRESENTING BUSINESS I.Mzimela (Chairperson), Barry Scott, Keneiloe Selamolela, R. Govenden. (Deputy Chairperson), T. Berry, J.Ramsunder, J.Mngoma. REPRESENTING LABOUR Margie Naidoo, Eugene Zeeman, Eugene Ebersohn, Isaac Ramputa, W. Hattingh. REPRESENTING GOVERNMENT J. Dixon. ACHIEVEMENTS Targets and achievements given below are based on the period 2008-2009 and only selected indicators have been published due to space
NSDS Objective 1: Prioritising & Communicating critical skills for sustainable growth, development & Equity 1.1 Annual draft SSP updated and submitted to DoL on time as per guidelines issued by DoL. 1.2. Annual guide on critical skills needs for the sector developed and available to learners - 100 SDFs to be trained. Achieved.

2.7. 200 workers to register for ABET and 200 to complete it.

38 workers registered for ABET. 38 completed it. Low uptake from workers in the sector. 7,464 workers have entered learning programmes to date. 22,364 workers have completed programmes. Target exceeded.

2.8 725 workers to have entered into learning programmes, 363 to have completed.

NSDS Objective 3: Promoting employability & sustainable livelihoods through skills development 3.2. 116 organisations to be supported by SETA (ie. NGOs, CBOs, Co-ops, etc.) 647 organisations supported. Target exceeded.

NSDS Objective 4: Assisting designated groups, including new entrants to participate in accredited work, intergrated learning and work based programmes to acquire critical skills to enter the labour market & self employment 4.1. 625 unemployed people to have entered learning programmes, and 313 to have completed them. 4.2. 200 Learners to be assisted to gain workplace. 268 unemployed people have entered learning programmes, and 979 have completed them. Target exceeded. 133 assisted to date. There hasnt been sufcient sector buy in to achieve this target. 0 learners received New Venture Creation support and 0 learners sustained. There has been a delay in commencement of the project.

266 SDFs trained and capacitated through the career guide. Target exceeded.

NSDS Objective 2: Promoting & Accelerating quality training for all in the workplace 2.1. 130 Large rms receiving mandatory grants and 43 medium rms. 57 large rms received grants and 57 medium rms received grants. 155 large rms submitted WSPs but only 57 of these were levy paying. Target exceeded. 347 supported. There has been a signicant decrease in the number of levy paying SMEs due to the R500,000 payroll threshold as well as the impact of the FAIS legislation in the sector.

4.2. 40 young people trained and mentored to form new ventures and 28 new ventures sustained.

CONTACT DETAILS

Head Ofce Contact Details Physical Address Postal Address Web Address Call Centre Fax Number Ground Floor, North Wing, Oakhurst, 11. St. Andrews Road, Parktown, Johannesburg P O Box 32035, Braamfontein, 2017 www.inseta.org.za 086 113 0013 011 484 0862

2.2. 480 small rms to be supported.

51

52

ISETT
OVERVIEW The Information Systems, Electronics and Telecommunications Sector Education & Training Authority encourages Public Private Partnerships, specically to benet SMMEs and promote BEE Enterprises. The development and implementation of the ICT BEE Charter will also contribute to the acceleration of Employment Equity in the Isett Sector.
Key Organisations

BOARD MEMBERS REPRESENTING INDUSTRY Lucky Masilela, Andile Tlhoaele, Theo Bohnen. REPRESENTING ORGANISED LABOUR Karthi Pillay, Joe Chauke, Thembani Maheneza, Richard Poulton, Chris Mgidini. REPRESENTING BUSINESS Keith Anderson, Mabore Thosago, Loraine Vorster, Mthandeki Stephen, Patricia Roper, Bonisile Gantile. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS Paul Tanton, Neville Naidoo, Malerato Nkone.

The ICT sector has approximately 210 000 employees spread across, 4,000 levy-paying companies, 80% of them small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs). SCOPE The Isett Seta is responsible for Skills Development in the following three sub-sectors: Information Systems (IT) Telecommunication Technologies Electronics These sub sectors are commonly known as ICT sector.

It is only by describing learning that is traditionally accumulated at work that it will be possible to plan for more accelerated learning by those previously discriminated against by apartheid
MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Name Oupa Mopaki Tel 011 207 2615 Fax 011 805 8459 Email oupa.mopaki@isett.org.za

MANAGERS
Name Sector Skills Planning and Research Manager Neville Nicholas ETQA Manager - Charlton Philiso Learnerships Manager - Jabu Sibeko Tel 011 207 2604 011 207 2601 011 207 2602 Fax 011 805 6833 011 805 6833 011 805 6833 Email Neville.nicholas@isett.org.za Charlton.philiso@isett.org.za jabu.sibeko@isett.org.za

ACHIEVEMENTS
NSDS Objective 4:

Targets and achievements given below bove are based on the period 20072008.
NSDS Objective 1: Prioritising & Communicating critical skills for sustainable growth, development & Equity 1.1 Annual draft SSP updated and submitted to DoL on time as per guidelines issued by DoL. 1.2. Annual guide on critical skills needs for the sector developed and available to learners - 435 SDFs to be trained. Achieved.

Assisting designated groups, including new entrants to participate in accredited work, intergrated learning and work based programmes to acquire critical skills to enter the labour market & self employment 4.1. 1,100 learners to have entered learning programmes. 1,514 learners have entered learning programmes. Target exceeded. 2,459 assisted to date. Target exceeded.

4.2. 2,000 Learners to be assisted in workplace experience grants. 537. Target exceeded. 4.3. 90 young people to have entered new venture programmes

140 young people have entered new venture programmes

NSDS Objective 2: Promoting & Accelerating quality training for all in the workplace 2.1. 89 Large rms receiving WSP/ATR Grants. 112 received WSP/ATR grants. Target exceeded. 5.1. 1 Institution of Sectoral or Occupational Excellence (ISOE) to be recognised and supported by a SETA. 5.2. 4 Institutions accredited to manage delivery of new venture creation qualication 2 Institutions recognised and supported. NSDS Objective 5: Improving the quality and relevance of provision

2.1. 110 Medium rms receiving WSP/ATR Grants. 2.2. 951 Small rms to be supported.

182 received WSP/ATR grants. Target exceeded. 1,586 supported. Target exceeded.

2.7. 2,000 Workers to achieve ABET Level 1.

2,300 Workers have achieved ABET Level 1. Target exceeded. 1,500 Workers have entered learning programmes to date. Target exceeded.

29 Institutions have been -accredited to manage delivery of new venture creation qualication

2.8 1,000 Workers to have entered into learning programmes.

CONTACT DETAILS

Head Ofce Contact Details

NSDS Objective 3: Promoting employability & sustainable livelihoods through skills development 3.2. 6 Organisations to be supported by SETA (ie. NGOs, CBOs, Co-ops, etc.) 19 supported. Target exceeded.

Physical Address Postal Address Web Address Telephone Fax Number

19 Richards Drive, Gallagher Estate, Block 2, 3rd Level, West Wing, Halfway House, Midrand PO Box 5585, Halfway House, 1685, Gauteng www.isett.org.za 011 207 2600 011 805 6833

53

54

LGSETA
Almost half of all local government enterprises are located in three provinces (KwaZulu Natal, Eastern Cape and Western Cape). Half of all district councils are also located in these three provinces. 50% of metropolitan councils fall within Gauteng. The six metropolitan councils, representing only 1.3% of all enterprises in the sector, are responsible for 52% of LGSETAs levy income, while district councils are only responsible for around 6%. SCOPE In March 2005, the Scope of the LGSETA was reduced with the removal of its Water Chamber to the Energy SETA. This resulted in a loss of approximately 20,000 employees, approximately 185 employers and approximately R 11 million p.a in levy income from the SETA. LGSETA is now responsible to facilitate education and training across the following organisations: Any utility or agency, wholly or partially owned by a municipality providing local government services under contractors or a municipality (SIC Code 50493) All functions, services and facilities provided by a metropolitan council as determined by 84 (1): (2) and (3) of Act 117 of 1998 Local Government Municipal Structure Act of 1998 (SIC Code 91201) Category B Municipalities: all functions, services and facilities provided by local council as determined by 84 (1), (2) and (3) of Act 117 of 1998 - Local Government Municipal Structure Act of 1998 (SIC Code 91202) Category C municipalities: all functions, services and facilities provided by a district council and district area management as per Act 117 as determined by 54 (1), (2) and (3) of Act 117 of 1998 Local government Municipal Structure Act 1998 (SIC Code 91203) Organised local government: a statutory or regulatory body assigned the function as per constitution of RSA, to deal with matters at an executive

OVERVIEW The Local Government Sector Education & Training Authority is the SETA for the local government sector which provides for around 5% of formal sector employment in the country, employing approximately 200,000 people. However due to the importance of this sector in servicing essential community needs, and implementing government infrastructure investment, the sector is far more important than its employment data suggests. The key stakeholder bodies within the local government sector are: 1. Dept of Provincial and Local Government 2. Provincial Department of Housing, Local Government and Traditional Leaders who are represented on the Provincial Committee structures of the LGSETA (the title of the departments vary from Province to Province) 3. SA Local Government Association ( SALGA) 4. Provincial structures of SALGA ( represented at provincial level) 5. SA Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU, represented at national and provincial level) 6. Independent Municipal & Allied Trade Union (IMATU, represented at national and provincial level) The employer organisations within the sector comprise: Metropolitan Councils, Local Councils, District Councils, Municipal utilities

Key Organisations

MANAGEMENT CHIEF OFFICERS

Name Mr Sidwell Mofokeng (CEO) Ms Ntombenhle Nkosi (CFO) Tel 011 456 8579 011 456 8579 Fax 011 450 4948 011 450 4948 Email sidwellm@lgseta.co.za ntombenhlen@lgseta.co.za

MANAGERS
Name Manager - Sector Skills Planning: Ms J Davies Manager - Learning Programmes: Ms Rosemary du Plessis Manager - ETQA: Ms VM Mashigo Tel 011 456 8579 011 456 8579 011 456 8579 Fax 011 450 4948 011 450 4948 011 450 4948 Email janetd@lgseta.co.za rosemarydp@lgseta.co.za valentiam@lgseta.co.za

level within local government - this includes traditional leaders (SIC Code 91204) Sector Industry Codes (SIC) Codes are used by the SA Revenue Service to classify employers into various categories for tax reporting, using the primary focus of organisation as evidenced by its products or services. BOARD MEMBERS REPRESENTING EMPLOYEES

2.1. 139 Local and district municipalities submit WSPs. 2.2. 19 Small local municpalities submit WSPs. 2.7. 3,000 Workers to enrol for customised ABET. 2.8 8,470 Workers to have entered into structured learning programmes.

195 Submitted WSPs. Target exceeded. 42 Submitted WSPs. Target exceeded. 2,653 Workers enrolled for customised ABET. 6,800 Workers have entered structured learning programmes to date.

NSDS Objective 3:

Ms T. Voight - IMATU, Mr D. Carstens - IMATU, Mr W. Killian - IMATU, Mr K.A. Goodsell (Chairperson) -IMATU, Ms M. Collins - SAMWU, Mr S. Maloka SAMWU, Mr W. Mabusela - SAMWU, Mrs T. Gumbi - SAMWU, Mr D.J. Khoza - SAMWU REPRESENTING EMPLOYERS Adv. M. Yawa - SALGA, Cllr Z.N. Capa - SALGA, Cllr S. Somyo (Deputy Chairperson) - SALGA, Cllr S.K. Mashilo - SALGA, Ms M. Moore - SALGA, Cllr G. Lobelo - SALGA, Ms S. Mbatha - SALGA, Ms S. Greyling - DPLG, Mr M. Seloane - DPLG ACHIEVEMENTS Targets and achievements following are based on the period 2008-2009.

Promoting employability & sustainable livelihoods through skills development 3.2. 7 Traditional leadership institutions to be supported by SETA 41 Supported. Target exceeded.

NSDS Objective 4: Assisting designated groups, including new entrants to participate in accredited work, intergrated learning and work based programmes to acquire critical skills to enter the labour market & self employment

4.1. 6,400 Unemployed learners to have entered structured learning programmes. 4.2. 300 Learners to be assisted in workplace experience grants.

1,760 Learners have entered structured learning programmes. 321 Assisted to date. Target exceeded. 0 Young people have entered new venture programmes. The programme is not well suited to the local government sector.

NSDS Objective 1: Prioritising & Communicating critical skills for sustainable growth, development & Equity 1.2. Annual guide on critical skills needs for the sector - 300 SDFs to be trained in its use. 567 SDFs trained. Target exceeded.

4.3. 70 young people to have entered new venture programmes

CONTACT DETAILS

NSDS Objective 2: Promoting & Accelerating quality training for all in the workplace 2.1. 5 Large rms (metros) submit WSPs. 6 submitted WSPs. Target exceeded.
Physical Address Postal Address Web Address Switchboard Fax Number

Head Ofce Contact Details 4 / 6 Skeen Boulevard, 4th Floor, Corporate Park Building, Bedfordview, 2007 PO Box 1964, Bedfordview, 2008 www.lgseta.co.za (011) 456 8579 (011) 450 4948

55

56

MAPPP-SETA
OVERVIEW There are approximately 7,500 levy paying organisations falling under the ambit of the Media, Advertising, Publishing, Printing and Packaging Sector Education & Training Authority, most of which are small organisations (60%), with medium sized organisations making up 30% of the total, and large organisations the remaining 10%. A signicant proportion of companies are micro enterprises, employing only one person. Although small organisations make up 60% of the employers, they account for only 10% of the employment in the sector. Half of all the companiespayrolls are between R500,000 and R5 million. Women comprise 39% of all those employed. Technology across the board is having a major impact on the sector. From broadband communication to graphic design, from computer-aided design to animation technology is precipitating major changes in organizations across all sectors in terms of services oered, products made and skills needs. The particular factors in this area are: Convergence The Internet Data Management Networks Security E-Business The challenge of technology in training is ensuring that the necessary balance is struck between training for future technology and ensuring that businesses using existing technology are not negatively aected. SCOPE The MAPPP-Sector comprises a large diversity of organizations across 8 subsectors: Advertising and Visual Arts Performing Arts Cultural Heritage Film and Electronic Media Printing Packaging Print Media Publishing Mr. Keith Keys. MANAGERS Benedict Motau Marketing and Communications Manager Mr. Linda Mngadi - Learnerships & Apprenticeships Manager Ms. Xolelwa Kashe-Katiya- ETQA Manager Mr. Augustine Leberegane- Information & Knowledge Manager Ms. Nana Mngoma- Projects Manager Ms. Dikeledi Mosalo- Skills Development and Administration Manager Mr. Bheki Zulu. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Ms. Sekgana Makhoba. CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER BOARD MEMBERS REPRESENTING EMPLOYERS Mr. Ken Leid, Mr. Nhlanhla Ngubane, Ms Ingrid Louw (Acting Chairperson), Patrick Lacy. REPRESENTING EMPLOYEES Mr. Bongani Dlamini (Chairperson), Mr. Ernest Dlamini, Mr. Keith Jacobs, Ms. Vuyi Manentsa, Mr. Phillip Myburgh, Mr. Oupa Lebogo, Mr. Derick Fredericks. REPRESENTING PROFESSIONAL BODIES OR GOVERNMENT Mr. Siphiwe Hlabangane, Dr. Fikile Dilika. MANAGEMENT Please refer to the SETAs web site (www.mappp-seta.co.za) for contact details. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Key Organisations

ACHIEVEMENTS Targets and achievements given below bove are based on the period 20072008. NSDS 2 runs from 2005 - 2011 (for more information on NSDS 2, see page 081).
NSDS Objective 1: Prioritising & Communicating critical skills for sustainable growth, development & Equity 1.1 Annual draft SSP updated and submitted to DoL on time as per guidelines issued by DoL. 1.2. Annual guide on critical skills needs for the sector developed and available to learners - 250 SDFs to be trained. Achieved.

NSDS Objective 4: Assisting designated groups, including new entrants to participate in accredited work, intergrated learning and work based programmes to acquire critical skills to enter the labour market & self employment 4.1. 2,500 unemployed people to have entered learning programmes, and 1,250 to have completed them. 4.2. 100 Learners to be assisted in workplace experience grants / internships. 3,308 unemployed people have entered learning programmes, and 3,046 have completed them. Target exceeded. 86 assisted.

0 SDFs trained. Target exceeded in 2006/7 nancial year.

NSDS Objective 5: Improving the quality and relevance of provision

NSDS Objective 2: Promoting & Accelerating quality training for all in the workplace 2.1. 50 Large rms receiving WSP/ATR grants. 2.1. 200 medium rms receiving WSP/ATR grants. 2.2. 200 small rms to be supported. 2.7. 25 workers to achieve ABET Level 4. 2.8 200 workers to have entered into learning programmes, and 100 to have completed programmes. 139 submitted WSPs. 5.1. Three Institution of Sectoral or Occupational Excellence (ISOE) to be recognised and supported by a SETA. 0 ISOEs supported - budgeted for 2008/9 scal year.

CONTACT DETAILS
269 submitted WSPs. Target exceeded.
Head Ofce Contact Details

549 supported. Target exceeded. 14 workers achieved ABET Level 4. 468 workers have entered learning programmes to date, and 185 have completed programmes. Target exceeded.

Physical Address Postal Address Web Address Call Centre Fax Number

Tuscany Park, Building 2, Coombe Place, Rivonia, 2128 PO Box 199, Rivonia, 2128 www.mappp-seta.co.za 011 234 2311 011 234 2350

NSDS Objective 3: Promoting employability & sustainable livelihoods through skills development

3.2. 112 Organisations to be supported by SETA (ie. NGOs, CBOs, Co-ops, etc.)

53 organisations supported.

South Africa cannot wait for new generations of learners to progress at a measured pace through the formal education and training system if it is to leapfrog stages of development and attain growth rates that will halve unemployment and poverty in the next ten years

57

58

merSETA
OVERVIEW merSETA is the Manufacturing, Engineering & Related Services Sector Education & Training Authority. The manufacturing sector has played a particularly important role not only in assisting good economic performance over the past ve years but also assisted in ensuring that there is greater diversity of production in the South African economy. The manufacturing sector has also played a key role in South Africas export performance particularly in the automotive industry. There are a number of factors that contribute to the performance of the manufacturing sector but of crucial concern is having the available skills. The programmes of merSETA have to address these skills gaps to ensure that the manufacturing sector continues to make a vital contribution to the economy. Historically, the manufacturing sector has had strong employer and union organisations and this strength has been converted into cooperation within the merSETA. This cooperation has to grow and deepen to enable the organisation to carry out its mandate within the broader South African economy. Infrastructure backlogs for both economic and social purposes continue, particularly engineering infrastructure. Here has been impressive delivery over the past decade. South Africa has a world class reputation in this eld. However, the backlogs still exist and are exacerbated by the massive increase in the medium-term expenditure budgets by government for infrastructure and the demands of hosting the 2010 Football World Cup. There is huge eort required by the country as a whole to ensure the success of infrastructure provision and the World Cup. The merSETAs programmes have to rise to these challenges and address them vigorously. BOARD MEMBERS Mr Urban Badenhorst, Mr Sean Beyers, Mr Pierrie Bezuidenhout, Mr Mike Bullock, Mr David Carson, Mr Dana De Villers, Ms Jeanne Esterhuizen, Mr Wickus Greyling, Mr Anton Hanekom, Mr Willie Naude, Mr Raymond Kgakgudi, Mr Mark Roberts, Mr Ben Khoza, Mr Doc Seiler, Mr Cobus Snyman, Mr Vinod Singh, Mr Elias Kubeka, Mr Gibson Lephallo, Mr Andre Hicks, Ms Janet Lopes, Mr Romano Daniels, Mr Johann Meyer, Ms Malebo Mogopodi, Mr Graham Rosenthal, Mr Thapelo Molapo, Mr Peter Mogoere, Mr Vukani Mthethwa, Ms Monica Netshandama, Mr Phumzile Nodongwe, Mr William Nsele, Ms Nomvula Nxumalo, Mr Jakkie Olivier, Mr Johan Pieterse, Mr Daniel Rayners, Mr Dave Rule, Mr Blackie Swarts, Mr Mujaahid Toyer, Mr Dirkie Truter, Mr Xolani Tshayana, Mr Thinandavha Tshikwavhavha, Mr Piet Veldtman, Mr Piet Welgemoed, Mr John Wilson, Mr Zamo Xaba

Key Organisations

MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Name CEO - Dr Raymond Patel Tel 011 551-5202 Fax 011 484-9319 Email ceo@merseta.org.za

EXECUTIVE MANAGERS
Name General Manager: LETQA Chief Operations Ofcer - Wayne Adams General Manager: Corporate Services - Moketenyana Mayongo General Manager: Corporate Governance - Tom Mkhwanazi Chief Financial Ofcer - Beaula Dziruni General Manager: Projects - Derrick Peo Tel 011 551-5202 011 551-5202 011 551-5202 011 551-5202 011 551-5202 Fax 011 484-9319 011 484-9319 011 484-9319 011 484-9319 011 484-9319

ACHIEVEMENTS
NSDS Objective 4:

Targets and achievements given below bove are based on the period 20082009. NSDS 2 runs from 2005 - 2011 (for more information on NSDS 2, see page 081).

Assisting designated groups, including new entrants to participate in accredited work, intergrated learning and work based programmes to acquire critical skills to enter the labour market & self employment

NSDS Objective 1: Prioritising & Communicating critical skills for sustainable growth, development & Equity 1.1 Annual draft SSP updated and submitted to DoL on time as per guidelines issued by DoL. 1.2. Annual sector guides on critical skills needs for each subsector of the SETA developed and available - 711 sector specialists to be trained. Achieved.

4.1. 4,500 unemployed people to have entered learning programmes, and 2,255 to have completed them.

8,023 unemployed people have entered learning programmes, and 5,104 have completed them. Target exceeded.

4.2. 1,738 Learners to be assisted in workplace experience grants / internships. 701 SDFs and sector specialists were trained. 4.3. 400 young people trained in new venture creation, and 100 of them sustained for 12 months.

1,561 assisted.

613 young people trained and 130 sustained for 12 months. Target exceeded.

NSDS Objective 2: Promoting & Accelerating quality training for all in the workplace 2.1. 533 Large rms receiving WSP/ATR grants. 2.1. 828 Medium rms receiving WSP/ATR grants. 2.2. 4,412 Small rms to be supported. 2.7. 1,978 Workers to enrol on ABET programmes and 2,250 to achieve it. 598 received WSP/ATR grants. Target exceeded. 983 received WSP/ATR grants. Target exceeded. 5,795 interventions (some rms were supported more than once). Target exceeded. 1,650 Workers enrolled on ABET training on various levels and 233 achieved it. merSETA is busy restructuring its ABET programmes based on research and will produce the required results as well as the shortfall. 15,739 Workers have entered learning programmes to date, and 6,325 have completed programmes. Target exceeded.

SEE ALSO These are other references in this publication relevant to merSETA: Success stories: The Accelerated Artisan Training Programme (AATP), pg 411 The Occupational Learning System: How are artisans developed? (pg 3674) What is RPL? The ATRAMI Project (pg 161) CONTACT DETAILS

2.8 4,675 Workers to have entered into learning programmes, and 2,337 to have completed programmes.

Head Ofce Contact Details Physical Address Postal Address Web Address Call Centre Telephone Fax Number 3rd oor, Block B, Metropolitan Park, 8 Hillside Road, Parktown, 2001 P O Box 61826, Marshalltown, 2107 www.merseta.org.za 086 163 7738 011 551-5202 011 484-9319

NSDS Objective 3: Promoting employability & sustainable livelihoods through skills development 3.2. 80 Organisations to be supported by SETA (ie. NGOs, CBOs, Co-ops, etc.) 550 organisations supported. Target exceeded.

59

60

MQA
SCOPE MQA is the Mining Qualications Authority. The scope of the MQA is the Facilitation of skills development in the following areas of the Mining and Minerals Sector:
Areas falling within the scope of the MQA

DIVISIONS SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH UNIT

Skills Development and Research Manager Mrs Meryl Plasket

Tel 011 630 3517

Fax 011 832 1041

Email

Key Organisations

MerylP@mqa.org.za

Jewellery and related articles composed pf precious metals, precious and semi-precious stones and pearls Mining of gold and uranium Thick tabular operations Mining of metal ores, except gold and uranium Mining of non ferrous metal ores, except gold and uranium Quarrying / dimension stone operations Open pit mining operations Coastal mining operations Mining of precious and semi-precious stones, except diamonds Manufacture of cement, lime and plaster Mining of coal and lignite Manufacture of watches, clocks and related articles

Extracting of crude petroleum and natural gas, service activities incidental to oil and gas extraction except surveying. Thin tabular operations Massive mining operations Mining of iron ores Other mining and quarrying Open cast / strip mining operations Marine mining operations Extraction and evaporation of salt Service activities incidental to mining of minerals Manufacture of jewellery and related articles Other precious and semi precious stonecutting and polishing Supply of Mining Equipment.
SGB Manager Thapelo Madibeng Tel

Key Facts The Skills Development & Research Units functions include: developing a 5 year Sector Skills Plan, facilitating and monitoring the implementation of its objectives, registration of skills development facilitators (SDFs), approving of WSPs and Annual Training Reports (ATRs) from companies, as well as supporting the objectives of the Mining Charter and SMME strategy in this sector. STANDARDS GENERATING BODY (SGB) UNIT
Fax 011 832 1026 Email ThapeloM@mqa.org. za

011 630 3516

Key Facts The function of the Mining and Minerals SGB (M&M SGB) is to: develop and update the M&M Sector Qualications Framework; to develop (either collaboratively or by itself) relevant qualications and associated unit standards for the Mining and Minerals Sector; to review Qualications and Unit Stand-

MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Name Mr Livhu Nengovhela Tel 011 630 3506 Fax 011 832 1044 Email LivhuN@mqa.org.za

EXECUTIVE MANAGERS
Name Chief Operating Ofcer: Dr Florus Prinsloo Chief Financial Ofcer: Mr Yunus Omar Executive Manager: Corporate Services - Mr Darion Barclay Tel 011 630 3505 011 630 3527 011 630 3534 Fax 011 832 1044 011 832 1044 011 630 3557 Email FlorusP@mqa.org.za YunusO@mqa.org.za DarionB@mqa.org.za

ards; to develop relevant Skills Programmes and Learnerships for achieving the Qualication; to ratify the technical content of developed learning material; to ratify the technical content of tools for electronic assessment; and to conduct equivalency/comparative studies on currently accepted certicates of competence with the new NQF Qualications; and on Skills Programmes, to inform on appropriate transitional arrangements to be made. LEARNING PROGRAMMES UNIT
Learning Programmes Manager Ms Sonwabile Xaba

Training Providers in the Mining and Minerals Sector are required to implement ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System together with other requirements stated by SAQA to become accredited as training providers. When learners have successfully been assessed and found competent against all unit standards that constitute a particular qualication, the MQA is responsible to issue a qualication certicate for that learner. This certicate will only be issued for qualications that are registered on the National Qualications Framework (NQF), and the credits awarded the learner will be placed on the National Learners Record Database (SAQA). STRATEGIC PROJECTS UNIT
Projects Manager Ms Lulama Manyadu Tel 011 630 3512 Fax 011 832 1044 Email LulamaM@mqa.org.za

Tel 011 630 3513

Fax 011 832 1022

Email SonwabileX@mqa. org.za

Key Facts 1. To establish, register, administer and promote learnerships, apprenticeships and skills programmes for the sector; 2. To develop Learning Material; 3. The unit is also managing the MQA graduate Development Programme project and the Critical Skills Project which is co-funded by the National Skills Fund; EDUCATION & TRAINING QUALITY ASSURANCE (ETQA) UNIT
ETQA Manager Ms Jay Moodley Tel 011 630 3544 Fax 011 838 5400 Email JayM@mqa.org.za

BOARD MEMBERS CHAIRPERSON T. Gazi EX-OFFICIO L. Nengovhela; Y.Omar; F. Prinsloo; D. Barclay LABOUR REPRESENTATIVES A. Teteme; E. Tantsi; E. Majadibodu; R. Samuel; F. Letlala EMPLOYER REPRESENTATIVES V. Mabena; G.J Brokenshire; J. Mathebula; N. Madolo; P. Ngqeleni STATE REPRESENTATIVES T. Gazi; D. Mokoboto; M. Zondi ; P.Mnisi; E. Ragimana CONTACT DETAILS
Head Ofce Contact Details Physical Address Postal Address Web Address Number Fax Number 4th Floor Union Corporation Building; 74 78 Marshall Street; Marshalltown; Johannesburg Private Bag X118; Marshalltown; 2107 www.mqa.org.za 011 630 3500 011 832 1048

Key Facts The purpose of this unit is to maintain the quality of standards, qualications and learning provision in the sector, including apprenticeships, which includes the accreditation of training providers, conducting verication of compliance audits the registration of assessors and moderators, the auditing of learning achievements, the quality of learning provision and assessment as well as the certication of learners. The Quality Assurance system maintains the quality of registered unit standards, qualications and learning provision including learnerships. This work incorporates: Accrediting Learning providers Registering assessors & moderators Auditing the Quality of learning provision and assessment Certicating learners

61

62

PSETA
BACKGROUND PSETA is the Public Service Sector Education & Training Authority. VISION To facilitate eective skills development in South Africas Public Service.
Key Organisations

Processed and distributed all outstanding learner achievement certicates Awarded certicates in Human Resources Management and Practices Support to 562 learners and in Project Management to 709 learners Developed mechanisms to improve stakeholder reporting on learning programmes Completed successful SAQA audit with provisional re-certication as the ETQA body for the public service sector Facilitated the development and registration of the National Certicate in Ocial Statistics qualication and the Strategic Sourcing Unit Standard for National Treasury Awarded full training provider accreditation status to eight (8) PSETA strategic partners Successfully updated the Sector Skills Plan Trained 340 Skills Development facilitators in the use of the Sector Career Guide Participated in a pilot project of the Department of Labour to comment on the software used in a new reporting system planned for implementation soon Completed the concept paper and work plan for a project on Capacity Development for Emerging Training Providers through a cooperative strategy Presented workshops in all provinces to provide government departments with evaluations of their Workplace Skills Plans (WSPs)
Head Ofce Contact Details Physical Address Telephone Fax Number Email Website Ground Floor, Lakeside Building A, Centurion Lake Mall, 2004 Gordon Hood Rd, Pretoria 012 641 6600 (012) 641-6602 info@pseta.gov.za www.pseta.gov.za

MISSION The PSETA aims to develop a dedicated, skilled and productive public service workforce through the eective coordination of skills development, continued education, focused learnerships and training programmes for a vibrant economy and a winning nation. SCOPE The Skills Development Act, No 97 of 1998, through the establishment of the SETAs, provides the institutional framework for delivering skills development. The PSETA stakeholders include all national government departments, all provincial administrations, as well as Parliament, provincial legislatures, organised labour and identied parastatals. ACHIEVEMENTS A selection of our recent achievements is proled here: PSETA has identied four Institutes for Sectoral Occupational Excellence against a target of two Enrolled 2,833 learners/workers in learnerships and skills programmes against a target of 2,500 Encouraged 90 government departments to spend 1% of their HR budget on training and skills development against a target f 84. 40 learners from the Department of Agriculture in Limpopo graduated in Human Resources Management Level 4 qualication. 20 learners from the Oce of the Premier in Limpopo graduated in Internal Audit, with 90% successfully placed in permanent employment

... approximately 2.8 million of 18 to 24 year olds are neither in employment, nor education or training. This implies that over 40 percent of our youth are not productively engaged. This is a huge wastage of human potential and a squandered opportunity for social and economic development (Minister Blade Ndzimande - November 2009)

Table of Contents
FRAMEWORKS & STRATEGIES What is the HRDSA? .......................................................... 065 What is the NQF? ............................................................... 066 What is the NSDS? ............................................................ 081 What is JIPSA? ................................................................. 083 INSTITUTIONS & AGENTS What is SAQA? .................................................................. 085 What is a QC? .................................................................... 087 What is a SETA? ................................................................ 088 What is an ISOE and an SDI? ............................................ 099 What is an FET college? .................................................... 103 What is an Accredited Training Provider? .......................... 106 What was an ETQA? .......................................................... 108 What is a Consultative Panel? ........................................... 109 What is an SGB? ................................................................ 111 PLANNING & MONITORING What is a SSP? .................................................................. 112 What is a WSP? ................................................................. 113 What are Critical & Scarce Skills? ...................................... 114 What is the NLRD?............................................................. 115 DELIVERY Click your mouse on the page numbers to hyperlink to that heading (PDF version only) What is a Unit Standard? ................................................... 118 What are CCFOs? .............................................................. 123 What is a Qualication?...................................................... 125 What is a Learnership? ...................................................... 129 What is a New Venture Creation Learnership? .................. 150 What is an Apprenticeship? ................................................ 154 What is a Skills Programme? ............................................. 157 What is RPL? ..................................................................... 158 What is the Skills Development Levy? ............................... 165 PRACTITIONERS What are ETD Practitioners?.............................................. 171 What is an Assessor? ......................................................... 174 What is a Moderator? ......................................................... 176 What are Facilitators? ........................................................ 178 What are Coaches & Mentors? .......................................... 178 What are RPL Advisors? .................................................... 179 What are Evidence Facilitators?......................................... 179 What is an SDF? ................................................................ 180

Foundational Concepts

Key Organisations Page 010 Foundational Concepts Page 064 BEE & Skills Development Page 184 The OLS Page 218 Success Stories Page 410
THE

National Training Directory Page 458

What is the HRDSA?

WHAT IS THE HRDSA?

Human Resource Development is critically important in South Africas development agenda. The importance of HRD demands a response that has a sense of urgency... the scope and importance of the HRD project extends beyond government: - It demands collective will and purposeful action from all stakeholders in society - It demands the determination, commitment and accountability of individuals to invest time and effort in their own development - It demands the committment of all enterprises and organisations to invest time and resources in HRD towards the public good...
Draft HRDSA November 2008, Prologue, Page 5

The Human Resource Development Strategy for SA (2010 - 2030) is an overarching plan to co-ordinate both private and public sector initiatives that help individuals reach their full potential - specically in social and economic elds that improve productivity and employment. Like JIPSA (page 083), it recognises the individual responsibility of each line ministry in the various parts of the Human Resource Development system, while ensuring a common strategic focus and integration of policies across government. The HRDSA co-ordinates education, skills development, the supply and demand forecasting for skills, employment growth, and national systems for innovation, research and development. The rst HRDSA (called the NHRDS) was published in June 2001 by the Ministers of Education and Labour. It was since revised during 2007 and a draft was published in November 2008 for public comment and further consultation (Government Gazette Notice Nr 31646). In August 2009 Cabinet announced that further work needs to be done in order to achieve greater alignment between the strategy and the electoral mandate of government, before the strategy can be nalised. The revised HRDSA will take over and formalise many of the initiatives and structures fostered under JIPSA, which expires at the end of 2010. The JIPSA Secretariat will function for at least a year after the revised HRDSA commences to help with the transition. One of its key success indicators is improvements in the Human Development Index (HDI) for the country. The HDI measures life expectancy, literacy, educational attainment, and GDP per capita. It is used as a standard assessment of human development by the United Nations Development Program and is also used to divide countries into developing and developed categories. South Africas is currently ranked 121 in the world for HDI, having been ranked 103 in 2001 at the time of the launch of the HRDSA. Some of the features of the revised HRDSA include : The Minister of Higher Education & Training is responsible for the HRDSA (previously it was a joint responsibility of the Ministers of Education and Labour) It aims to inspire multi-stakeholder participation across a twenty year planning perspective, a ve year strategic year plan, and a one year implementation plan with annual targets and time-frames

65

66

What is the NQF?

WHAT IS THE NQF? Skills are the gateway to most economic opportunities especially for people who dont have money handy to invest in making more money.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foundational Concepts

Background to the NQF ..............................067 The origins of the NQF ...................067 Setting up shop (1996 - 2001) ........069 Reviews (2001 - 2007) ...................069 Joint Policy Statement (2007).........071 How does the NQF work? ..........................073 Objectives of the NQF ....................073 Principles of the NQF .....................073 Sub-frameworks .............................076 Levels .............................................076 Level descriptors ............................078 Fields ..............................................079 Standards generation & quality assurance .....................079

It is therefore essential to ensure the fairness, quality and exibility of learning opportunities across all the dierent sites and types of learning in the country: that is the purpose of the National Qualications Framework (NQF). The NQF is the system we have developed to standardise, within certain limits, our entire education and training system right from Grade R to PhD level. It came into being in 1995 with the passing of the SAQA Act and underwent a major revision in 2008 with the NQF Act.

The NQF applies to both public and private sites of learning such as pre-schools, schools, training providers, workplaces, FET colleges, universities and universities of technology. It covers formal learning programmes such as those certicated by diplomas, degrees, doctorates and post doctoral awards, as well as work related (occupational) forms of skills development such as vocational learning, apprenticeships, learnerships and internships. South Africa is just one of several countries in the world with an NQF. For example: 12% of all countries already have established national qualications frameworks (34 countries) 53% of all countries are involved in various stages of developing of a national qualications framework (this includes the 12% mentioned above) 40% of all countries are involved in developing regional qualications frameworks (to assist in recognising qualications within broad geographical regions) The idea of a national qualications framework originated in Scotland, England and New Zealand twenty years ago and was adopted by Australia and South Africa early in the process of its development, before becoming more widely accepted by other countries. International bodies like the ILO, UNESCO and the European Commission, support the development of NQFs which they see as important vehicles for harmonising qualications within and amongst nations. Globalisation and rapid technological change have put pressure on countries to clarify their systems for recognising learning achievements. This allows for easier movement of skills across borders and regions and for more rapid adaption to technological changes and the new learning challenges they pose.

There are a variety of architectures for qualication frameworks internationally. Some frameworks only apply to vocational training, others cover all education except higher education. Some have separate NQFs for separate sectors. South Africas NQF was unique in that it covered all education sub-frameworks and learning contexts, and had one set of qualication types and level descriptions. This was one of the reasons it struggled with implementation, and a more loosely integrated NQF has recently been brought about through the NQF Act of 2008. BACKGROUND TO THE NQF The South African NQF has evolved signicantly since the SAQA Act of 1995, the most recent changes being made through the NQF Act of 2008. In order to understand why it has taken its current shape, it is helpful to look at its origins in the labour movements struggle against racial discrimination in the workplace. The origins of the NQF The principles of the NQF are revolutionary in: opening up access to education to adults and people who missed out on learning opportunities making the learning system more transparent and accountable beyond the learning institutions themselves integrating the many dierent components, and unifying them under the NQF principles allowing learners to advance to higher levels on the NQF from any starting point, at any point in their lives (lifelong learning) allowing learners to transfer credits from one course to another and from one part of the system to another recognizing skills acquired through experience rather than just formal education The essential revolution represented by the NQF was to make education learner focused rather than institution or subject focused. Workers helped us to see that while our education and training systems were good at serving and sustaining themselves, they needed to be redesigned to emphasize support for learners and to become learner centric all the way from their admission policies to their assessment procedures. The concept of a South African NQF had its roots in the living wage struggles of the 1970s and the student uprisings in protest at the education system. Employers rejected demands for wage increases by workers on the grounds that workers did not have the skills to justify higher wages. In 1989 the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) formed a research group to develop recommendations to transform the training system.

67

68

What is the NQF?

The research group linked improved skills with increased salary gradings and stressed the importance of basic education (literacy and numeracy) for workers so that they could access training. It also stressed the importance of training achievements being portable and nationally recognised so that workers would not be locked into to working for the one employer who recognised their skills. COSATU adopted the proposals
Foundational Concepts

into its formal policy in July 1991. The student uprisings of the 1970s emphasized that fact that it was the entire education system that needed to change, not just vocational training. At the same time, NGOs were leading the way in innovative responses to education and training challenges, many of which were integrated later into the NQF. The National Education Policy Initiative (NEPI) of 1992 was formulated out of education focused NGO eorts to involve a broad range of interested groups in setting out more detailed proposals for the restructuring of the formal education system. The NEPI report and framework proposed a unied system of education and training that embodied democratic principles and the redress of past imbalances. Also in 1992, the Department of Manpower (now the Department of Labour) met with trade union federations and formed a Task Team to develop a new national training strategy. Representatives from trade unions, employers, the government, providers of education and training, the ANC Education Department, and the democratic alliance were members of the Task Team, and together they agreed on a new integrated framework for education and training. Shortly after this several other documents were published showing a growing consensus on the way forward, and leading up to the SAQA Act of 1995: the ANC Policy Framework for Education and Training (1994) the Discussion Document on a National Training Strategy Initiative (1994) the CEPD Implementation Plan for Education and Training (1994) The Reconstruction and Development Programme of 1994 and the white papers on Education and Training in 1995 both emphasized the need to develop a National Qualications Framework. Finally an inter-ministerial working group was established to draft an NQF Bill which became the South African Qualications Authority Act of 1995. The organisation held its inaugural meeting in August 1996.

Setting up Shop (1996 2001) The rst ve years of the NQF required a massive amount of work to develop unit standards and register qualications as well as issue guidelines on multiple topics including: provider accreditation, assessment, ETQA audits, RPL, developing learning programmes, curriculum development, and quality management systems, etc. Twenty ve newly established SETAs needed to be supported in setting up ETQA functions and accrediting thousands of training providers. At the same time, there was a massive learnership drive taking place in the country with SETAs being under pressure to deliver large numbers of qualied learnership graduates, all of whom needed to be supported during learning, assessed, moderated and certicated. Simultaneously, an entire provider accreditation system had to be developed as part of the quality assurance of the delivery and assessment of skills development programs and learnerships. These providers too needed to be supported through accreditation, have regular site visits and monitoring, and have each of their learning programmes individually approved. Critics of the new skills development system were quick to point out failures, bureaucratic delays and bottlenecks that were inevitable given the wide scale of change being eected, and the deep level of structural change this required. With the high performance targets everyone faced, it was dicult to review and redesign policies on the y. Reviews (2001 2007) Criticism of the NQF led to two reviews starting in 2001 and only nalised in 2007 with the Joint Policy Statement of the Ministers of Labour and Education: April 2002 - The Report of the Study Team on the Implementation of the NQF July 2003 - An Interdependent NQF System Consultative Document The disagreement about NQF implementation created uncertainties and disputes that resulted in an operational paralysis for SAQA during this period. Also during this period, SAQA ran out of its European Union startup funding, which was not renewed due to the uncertainties, and was funded instead by a much smaller allocation from the Dept of Education, further limiting what it could achieve. SAQA was not invited to provide input to the reviews even though it was the legislated body responsible for NQF implementation. The disagreements at the centre of the two reviews hinged on the principle of one integrated qualications framework for both academic, vocational and occupational learning, and was energized by the traditional divides between education and business, between academics and trainers, between theorists and pragmatists, between discipline-based learning and skills development. The reasons behind this divide and the resulting disagreements about the NQF are covered in more detail in the chapter, What is the Occupational Learning System? (pg 218).

69

70

What is the NQF?

The intrinsic dierences between these polarities created a permanent potential for conict and disagreement in NQF implementation, and necessitated duplication, bureaucracy and overlap to keep conicting interests separated and content. An example of the problems this created was the overlapping and conicting roles and responsibilities of the 31 ETQA quality assurance bodies:
Foundational Concepts

In some cases, SETA ETQAs and Standards Generating Bodies ran into problems with the Council for Higher Education (CHE) when trying to design and accredit learning programmes above NQF level 4, with the CHE not recognising them. This created a glass ceiling for workers who found they could not easily progress beyond the FET sector. Within the SETA ETQA band, there were widely dierent interpretations of SAQA provider accreditation requirements, resulting in some providers seeking accreditation with more lenient ETQAs and a proliferation of Memorandums of Understanding between SETA ETQAs to allow providers accredited in one SETA to deliver programmes in another sector. A more detailed discussion of the challenges faced in the original implementation of the NQF is provided in the section, Why is the Occupational Learning System necessary? (pg 232). In contrast to the NQF reviews, a mid-term review by the European Union, which provided 80% of SAQAs funding at that stage, found that SAQAs approach to its work was appropriate, and that the overall system would be simple to understand and implement once properly communicated and embedded. The Consultative Document was based on public responses to the Study Team report and suggested several revisions to the NQF including: A 10 level NQF to extend the current 8 levels Unit standards-based qualications and whole qualications were equally valid (the former favoured in workplacebased contexts and the latter in institutions) The 12 National Standards Bodies to be replaced by standards advisory panels for the purpose of standards setting (to streamline the NQF) A smaller SAQA board It also proposed three quality councils to take over standards setting and quality assurance roles from SAQA: Umalusi, the CHE and TOP QC, a quality council for Trades, Occupations and Professions. Implementation of the NQF was proposed to be vested in both the Ministry of Labour (via the TOP QC) and the Ministry of Education (via the other two quality councils).

It proposed a more loosely co-ordinated NQF with more power given to each quality council and no clear role for an overarching body to ensure integration, as the role of SAQA was diluted in this proposal, and unique NQF level descriptors were proposed for each quality council. It also spoke of the inevitable separation between work based qualications and institution based qualications. Critics of the Consultative Document argued that these proposals would eectively create three NQFs, not one integrated NQF. Joint Policy Statement October 2007 By October 2007 SAQA had been six years in a state of semi-paralysis, and the general sentiment was that a solution was long overdue. At every national conference since the Study Team Report in 2002, there was mention made of an immanent resolution. The Joint Policy Statement expressed the intention of preserving the ideal of a single national qualications framework, while allowing greater independence for the two main streams within it: institution based learning (i.e discipline and academic learning) and work based learning (i.e. occupational and professional learning). The statement was the policy basis for the development of the NQF Bill and the Skills Development Amendment Bill that followed in 2008. In summary, the JPS proposed the following revisions to the NQF, most of which were carried through to the NQF and Skills Development Amendment Acts: The principles and objectives of the NQF would not change but the NQF would now accommodate a range of dierent learning cultures and practices while not over-emphasizing or devaluing any one of them. Unit standards were conrmed as an educationally important and socially useful way of designing learning, and unit standards based qualications together with whole qualications would be recognised on the NQF. The revised NQF would respect the fact that the purpose of a qualication would dictate dierent forms of learning, dierent approaches to delivery and dierent forms of assessment, and these dierences would be accommodated through three unique Qualications & Quality Councils (QCs) with executive authority for quality assurance and standards setting. Umalusi and the CHE were already in existence and had been operational as quality assurance bodies for levels 1 4 and levels 5 8 of the NQF respectively they would both now be directly accountable to the Minister of Education (not SAQA) The Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (QCTO) would be established to accommodate work based learning (including occupational and professional types) The QCTO would span all 10 levels of the NQF and work in collaboration with the other Quality Councils and SAQA, but with its own clear lines of accountability to the Minister of Labour (not SAQA) Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT) were armed as tools to improve learner mobility, progression and exibility. RPL would be given priority, provided with incentives and targets, and

71

72

What is the NQF?

speeded up through the simplication of the new standards setting and quality assurance arrangements. SETAs were armed as agents of the National Skills Development Strategy. Their ETQA work would be rationalized by the QCTO which would identify shared services across them and delegate selected functions for standards setting and quality assurance to them, but not the responsibility for these functions. They were encouraged to form
Foundational Concepts

closer relationships with FET colleges in support of AsgiSA. SAQA would remain a dedicated oversight body for the NQF, and be responsible for monitoring, analysis, research, advocacy and international liaison for the NQF. It would remain the custodian of the values of the NQF and report to parliament on the eectiveness and impact of the NQF It would provide advice to the Ministers of Labour and Education on how well the objectives of the NQF were being served and how to improve NQF structures and practices based on international experiences with qualication frameworks It would continue to represent South Africa in the international communities of NQF agencies and support qualication framework agencies in Africa It would give on-going assistance to the Quality Councils to resolve any emerging problems and audit their compliance with the objectives of the NQF In 2008, a suite of bills was drafted to give eect to the new direction set out in the Statement. The Bills culminated in the Skills Development Amendment Act (1 December 2008) and the NQF Act (16 February 2009). Another major development followed on the 10 May 2009, when the newly elected Zuma Cabinet announced the new Department of Higher Education & Training (pg 14) to assume overall responsibility for the NQF and to manage all education and training beyond schooling (Grade 12). This new department opened up previously remote opportunities to better co-ordinate skills development and formal education, especially in the intermediate skills band (see diagram on page 077) which cuts across both further and higher education and training. Later in this book, in What is the Occupational Learning System? (pg 221), we look at the dierences between NQF 1.0 (the original NQF mandate provided for in the SAQA Act of 1995) and NQF 2.0 (the revised NQF provided for in the NQF Act of 2008). We also cover in more detail the QCTO and its Occupational Qualications Framework. The Joint Policy Statement nally brought to an end six years of uncertainty and delay. Instead of a centralized NQF with standards setting and quality assurance vested in SAQA, there would be three interrelated and equally powerful quality councils with clearly dened scopes and a directive to get on and transform the unequal distribution of skills and education, and to supply the scarce and critical skills so urgently needed for economic growth.

HOW DOES THE NQF WORK? Objectives of the NQF The objectives of the NQF are to: create an integrated national framework for learning achievements within this framework to facilitate access to, and mobility and progression within, education training and career paths enhance the quality of education, training and skills development accelerate the redress of past unfair discrimination in education, training and employment opportunities, and thereby to contribute to the full personal development of each learner and the social and economic development of the nation at large. Principles of the NQF The NQF is based on the principles which are summarized here:
Integration To allow a unied approach to education and training across different areas and levels of learning, and between different components of the learning delivery system. Relevance To be responsive to national development needs.

The NQF puts in place mechanisms for the frequent reToo often in the past, learners were stopped from progressing vertically (to higher levels of learning) or laterally (to related elds of learning) because the dierent components of the educational system did not speak to each other. For example: graduates from FET colleges are not automatically assured entry to higher education institutions, even to this day, despite attempts to achieve integration. However within the higher education system, learners can now transfer credits from one degree to another more easily than in the past. The current massive unemployment of graduates is a symptom of the lack of this connection in the past. view of qualications and their components to ensure that they remain relevant. Economically relevant learning requires a tight interface between industry and educational designers, roleplayers who have not traditionally spent much time in each others worlds.

73

74

What is the NQF?

Credibility To have international and national value and acceptance.

there is a massive demand for IT network engineers who can adapt their networks to communicate voice and data over the existing IT infrastructure. She enjoys the eld and decides to specialize in it, as a new career direction. This is where the exibility of the NQF becomes so important. There needs to be more than one learning pathway to becoming a Voice Compression Technician, otherwise many people will be locked out of it as a career, and both the economy and individuals will suer. Learning from other disciplines that are relevant to voice compression needs to be recognized as credits toward the nal goal.

The credibility of qualications is essential, especially

Foundational Concepts

given the price paid for learning opportunities, which often makes up the bulk of a familys savings, and the value attached to qualications in the economy, which makes them into a kind of currency.
Coherence To work within a consistent framework of principles and certication.

From 1995 - 2008, provision was made by the SAQA Act for numerous quality assurance bodies, which included 23 SETA ETQAs, six professional body ETQAs and two band ETQAs. This made attempts at coherence very dicult, with SETA ETQAs often diverging from SAQA guidelines, and the situation has now been remedied in the NQF Act (2008), which provides for just three ETQAs the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (QCTO), the CHE and Umalusi. These changes are discussed in more detail later in this book (pg 218).
Flexibility To allow for multiple pathways to the same learning ends.

Progression To ensure that the framework of qualications permits individuals to move through the levels of national qualications via different combinations of learning programmes.

The principle of progression is similar to that of exibility, but relates more to the level of qualications and the end-points of learning. This principle is saying that education and training need to be exible in how specic learning ends are achieved, but also exible in allowing learners to progress upwards on the NQF through more than one combination of completed learning programmes. In other words, the system should serve the learner, not the other way round.
Standards To be expressed in terms of a nationally agreed framework and internationally acceptable outcomes.

With the rapid pace of technology change, people often have to suddenly acquire new skills and knowledge which wasnt at all planned for. Our educational system needs to be exible enough to allow multiple pathways to the learning objectives. For example: an IT network engineer may suddenly need to develop skills in voice compression for Voice Over IP purposes. She was never trained in voice compression, but now the world has changed and

The word standards, as in high standards of education, is a very emotive and powerful word often used by people trying to hold on to old approaches to educa-

tion. Change is seen as lowering standards. The NQF has to bring the change in our educational system embodied in the its principles, at the same time as maintaining and increasing standards.
Legitimacy To provide for the participation of all national stakeholders in the planning and co-ordination of learning end-points.

Portability To enable learners to transfer credits of qualications from one learning institution and/ or employer to another.

Prior to the NQF, learners who invested a great deal of time and energy studying with one employer, would often nd that the qualication was not recognised by another employer. This acted as a disincentive for them to leave and nd work elsewhere. Similarily, learners got locked into certain learning institutions when other institutions would not recognise their learning achievements.
Recognition of Prior Learning To give credit to learning which has already been acquired in different ways, through assessment.

The legitimacy of SAQA has been challenged by many stakeholders in education and training, resulting in prolonged policy paralysis that is covered in more detail in the previous section, Background to the NQF. However with the NQF Act (2008), the role of stakeholders and their respective spheres of operation have been clearly marked out and agreed on so that this does not happen in the future.
Access To provide ease of entry to appropriate levels of education and training for all prospective learners in a manner which facilitates progression.

The NQF aims to recognise learning achievements regardless of whether they were acquired by practical life experience or formal study. Many people lack the time or money to pay for a formal education, but nevertheless have built up a considerable wealth of experience which can be recognised by the NQF and serve as credits (or part credits) toward a qualication. The principle of RPL was strongly supported by the labour movement during the development of the NQF as many of their members felt locked out of promotion opportunities and further education due to the lack of formal recognition of their experience, knowledge and skills. While RPL has been used on a wide scale, it remains a costly exercise which is still beyond the reach of many workers.

Access to education is a right provided for by the Freedom Charter and conrmed again in the Constitution. It was by denying access to education that the architects of apartheid accomplished the most signicant and long-term disempowerment of black people. Education therefore has been under serious pressure to provide fair and transparent access to opportunities and to become an empowerment tool which reverses the apartheid education of the past.

75

76

What is the NQF?

Guidance of learners To provide for counselling of learners by specially trained individuals who meet nationally recognized standards for educators and trainers.

Articulation To provide for learners, on successful completion of accredited prerequisites, to move between components of the delivery system.

Guidance and support for learners is a new and relatively recent emphasis in education. It is particularly relevant in the South African context because of the need to empower previously disadvantaged learners.

In Group Areas Act fashion, the old educational system limited the progression of learners from disadvantaged educational institutions. Learners who graduated from FET colleges found themselves unable to gain entry to higher education institutions. Matriculants from certain schools could not gain access to certain universities. The ceilings put in place by the old educational system reinforced the existing social and racial dierences and kept them in place.

Foundational Concepts

Sub-frameworks From 2008, the NQF is now organized into three distinct sub-frameworks: the General and Further Education and Training Qualications Framework (GFETQF) - falling under the Department of Basic Education the Higher Education Qualications Framework (HEQF) - falling under the Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET) the Occupational Qualications Framework (OQF) - also falling under the Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET) Each sub-framework has its own quality assurance body and is required to collaborate and co-ordinate with the other frameworks to maintain the principles of the NQF. Levels Every qualication on the NQF gets registered on a specic NQF level from 1 to 10 to reect progression in learning. The levels are grouped into three sectors reecting the transition from general education to further education, to higher education. The table opposite shows each level of the NQF, the typical sites of learning at those levels, examples of learning achievements at each level, NQF sectors, and the National Skills Development Strategy categories for levels of the NQF. Prior to the NQF Act, the NQF was organized into 8 levels.

NQF Level 1

Sites of Learning

Examples of Learning Achievements Grades 0 9

Sectors (formerly bands)

NSDS Categories

Primary and Secondary Schools ABET Centres

(Standards 2 7) General Education & Training Certicate ABET 1 4 Adult National Senior Certicate General Education & Training (GET)

Grade 10 (Standard 8) National Certicate Vocational (NCV)

Entry Level Skills

Secondary Schools SETA Accredited Training Providers FET Colleges

Grade 11 (Standard 9) Further Education & Training (FET)

Workplaces

Grade 12 National Senior Certicate (NSC) (Matric) National Certicate Vocational (NCV)

Intermediate Skills

Workplaces FET Colleges University University of Technology

Higher Certicate Advanced National Certicate (Vocational)

Workplaces University University of Technology

Diploma Advanced Certicate

Workplaces University University of Technology

Bachelors Degree Postgraduate Diplomas Advanced Diploma Honours Degree Postgraduate Diploma Professional Qualications Masters Degree Advanced Skills Higher Education & Training (HET)

Workplaces University University of Technology

Workplaces University

10

Workplaces University

Doctoral Degree

NQF Levels and how they relate to different sites of learning, learning achievements, educational sectors, and NSDS skills categories 77

78

What is the NQF?

Excerpts from NQF Level Descriptors

NQF Level 1

a general knowledge of one or more areas or elds of study, in addition to the fundamental areas of study; an understanding of the context within which the learner operates; an ability to use key common tools and instruments; sound listening, speaking, reading and writing skills;

Foundational Concepts

Applied Competence

Autonomy of Learning

a capacity to apply themselves to a well-dened task under direct supervision; an ability to sequence and schedule learning tasks

a comprehensive and systemic grasp of a discipline/elds body of knowledge with expertise and specialist knowledge in an area at the forefront of the discipline, eld or professional practice (and ability to create new knowledge) a critical understanding of the most advanced research methodologies, techniques and technologies in a discipline/eld; an ability to participate in scholarly debates at the cutting edge of an area of specialisation; an ability to apply knowledge, theory and research methods creatively to complex practical, theoretical and epistemological problems

Applied Competence

NQF Level 10

a capacity to operate autonomously in specialised, complex, illdened and unpredictable contexts intellectual independence and research leadership through managing advanced research and development in a eld professionally and ethically a capacity to critically evaluate own and others work on the basis of independent criteria

Autonomy of Learning

Level Descriptors Each level of the NQF has a level descriptor which describes the kind of learning achievements qualications at that level should facilitate. An example of how level descriptors sum up the level of learning achievement is given above in the two excerpts from level descriptors at NQF 1 and NQF 10. The full list of NQF Level Descriptors is available from the SAQA website (www.saqa.org.za).

Fields There are 12 dierent elds of learning recognised in the NQF. Each eld is a major area of learning (or discipline) such as Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology, or Human & Social Studies. The generation of unit standards and qualications in these elds used to be overseen by National Standards Bodies (NSBs) until they were disbanded in March 2005 to be replaced by consultative panels. For more information, see the section What is a Consultative Panel? (pg 109).

Field Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Field Name Agriculture & Nature Conservation Culture & Arts Business, Commerce & Management Studies Communication Studies & Language Education, Training & Development Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology Human & Social Studies Law, Military Science & Security Health Sciences & Social Services Physical, Mathematical, Computer & Life Sciences Services Physical Planning & Construction

Standards Generation & Quality Assurance Standards setting and quality assurance are the two key implementation mechanisms of the NQF. Standards setting involves designing agreed qualications and their components with the input of subject matter and educational. Quality assurance is the ongoing process of monitoring learning design, delivery and assessment to ensure that it meets the intentions of the designers and the changing needs of learners. Standards generation and quality assurance used to be performed by SAQA through 31 Education & Training Quality Assurance bodies (ETQAs). These included SETA ETQAs and professional body ETQAs such as the SA Nursing Council and the SA Institute for Chartered Accountants.

79

80

What is the NQF?

Since the NQF Act, however, standards generation and quality assurance have been streamlined under three Quality Councils, one for each sub-framework of the NQF mentioned previously. Each Quality Council has executive authority for their work under the Minister of Higher Education & Training or the Minister of Basic Education. The Quality Council for Trades & Occupations is able to delegate selected quality assurance and standards setting functions to Quality Partners (pg 286 - How is a CEP formed?), but it cannot delegate responsibility of these functions to them (see table following).
Quality Council NQF Sub-framework Responsible To

Foundational Concepts

Umalusi

General & Further Education and Training Qualications Framework (GFETQF)

Minister of Basic Education

CHE (Higher Education Quality Committee) QCTO (Quality Council for Trades & Occupations)

Higher Education Qualications Framework (HEQF)

Minister of Higher Education & Training

Occupational Qualications Framework (OQF)

Minister of Higher Education & Training

SEE ALSO
What is the Occupational Learning System? (pg 218) Council for Higher Education (pg 024) Umalusi (pg 022)

QCTO (pg 280)

WHAT IS THE NSDS? The National Skills Development Strategy is a broad, stakeholder driven expression of national principles, priorities, objectives and success indicators to guide skills development. TABLE OF CONTENTS The NSDS guides the strategic planning of the Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET), the National Skills Fund, the SETAs and related agencies. SETA service level agreements with the DHET are based on the indicators of the NSDS (see What is a SETA?, pg 088).
Vision of NSDS Phase 2 .............................081 Principles of NSDS Phase 2 .......................081 Objectives & indicators ...............................082 For more information ..................................082 See also .....................................................082

It is formulated in ve year plans: the rst ran from 2001 - 2005 (NSDS Phase 1), the second was originally scheduled to run from 2005 - 2010 (NSDS Phase 2), but was extended for an additional year in November 2009 by the Minister of Higher Education & Training. This means that NSDS 2 will run until March 2011, and the third NSDS will begin in April 2011 (NSDS Phase 3). The NSDS is developed through a consultation process organised by the National Skills Authority (pg 018), a body that is set up to advise the Minister of Higher Education & Training through representatives from business, labour, government, the community and skills development specialists. A broad plan for national human resource development was issued jointly by the Dept Labour and the Dept Education in 2001, called the Human Resource Development Strategy for South Africa (HRDSA); the NSDS speaks directly to training related aspects of HRDSA and has more specic targets and principles than the HRDSA. The latest draft of the HRDSA is currently being re-aligned to reect government priorities (see pg 065). VISION OF NSDS PHASE 2

Skills for Sustainable Growth, Development, and Equity

PRINCIPLES OF NSDS PHASE 2 1. Support economic growth for employment creation and poverty eradication 2. Promote productive citizenship for all by aligning skills development with national strategies for growth and development 3. Accelerate equity in the country... o by supporting Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment and Employment Equity, aiming for representation of 85% black, 54% women and 4% people with disabilities, including youth in all categories of beneciaries o learners with disabilities to be provided with reasonable accommodation such as assistive devices and access

81

82

What is the NSDS?

to learning and training material to enable them to have access to and participate in skills development 4. Support, monitor and evaluate the delivery and quality assurance systems necessary for the implementation of the NSDS 5. Advance the culture of excellence in skills development and lifelong learning
Foundational Concepts

OBJECTIVES AND INDICATORS NSDS 2 has 5 objectives, which are listed below in a simplied way. Each indicator has at least two success indicators to help us evaluate to what extent we have achieved it. And each success indicator has a lever to indicate how it will be achieved. OBJECTIVE 1 - critical skills related OBJECTIVE 2 - general training and quality targets and incentives OBJECTIVE 3 - training of unemployed people, community organisations, NGOs and non skills levy paying organisations OBJECTIVE 4 - training in small business development skills, in scarce skills, and provision of work experience opportunities to students and graduates OBJECTIVE 5 - improvements in the quality and relevance of training and in the quality of services delivered by NSDS agents such as the SETAs FOR MORE INFORMATION The Dept Higher Education & Training (DHET) publishes NSDS Implementation Reports that were available for download from www.labour.gov.za at the time of publication, but which will be moved to the DHET web site provided on page 017. SEE ALSO
What is the HRDSA? (pg 065) What is the National Skills Authority? (pg 018) What is a Sector Skills Plan? (pg 112)

WHAT IS JIPSA? JIPSA is an initiative that identies and facilitates the achieveTABLE OF CONTENTS ment of skills priorities in support of the Accelerated and What JIPSA is not .......................................083 Shared Growth - South Africa (AsgiSA) economic growth obKey objectives ............................................083 AsgiSA ........................................................083 jectives. It was launched in March 2006 by Deputy President See also .....................................................084 Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and and has been extended twice beyond its initial expected life-span. It is currently set to expire on 31 December 2010, by which point it will have been replaced by the Human Resource Development Strategy for South Africa (HRDSA). The HRDSA (page 065) takes over many of the functions of JIPSA and provides a more thorough basis for all national human resource development. Until it expires, the JIPSA Secretariat runs parallel with the HRDSA to support its development. WHAT JIPSA IS NOT

JIPSA is not a new institution - it is an initiative

JIPSA is not set up to x the entire training and education system - it has very specic short and medium term targets limited to acquiring priority skills for economic growth - JIPSA is also mandated to look at longer-term objectives where these relate to ways in which policy and institutional environments could be improved to better develop priority skills JIPSA is not a duplication of existing institutions, structures or research - rather it encourages collaboration, synergies and solutions that cut across several government ministries, agencies and private sector bodies KEY OBJECTIVES JIPSA aims to support the many initiatives that already exist to facilitate skills development, by: 1) Identifying priority skills requirements to support AsgiSA 2) Seeking synergy across dierent initiatives 3) Facilitating improved co-operation and co-ordination between stakeholders to solve challenges 4) Providing information and analysis to empower stakeholders to tackle identied challenges

83

84

What is JIPSA?

ASGISA

For both the public infrastructure and the private investment programmes, the single greatest impediment is the shortage of skills... (Media Brieng by former Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka 6 February 2006, AsgiSA Background Document, Page 7).
Foundational Concepts

The Accelerated and Shared Growth-South Africa (AsgiSA) initiative was launched on 6 February 2006. AsgiSA is a government programme that seeks to:

Involve business, labour and the community in a combined eort to attain a 6% economic growth rate by 2010 - Economic growth rates in South Africa averaged 3% during 1994 - 2003, 4% in 2004 and close to 5% in 2005, however with the global economic recession starting 2008, the South African economy slipped backwards briey into negative growth (recession) - A 6% growth rate is believed to be required to halve the ocial unemployment rate from 30% to 15% by 2014, and to halve poverty from aecting one-third of the economy, to aecting one-sixth of the economy

Respond to six identied binding constraints that are believed to hold back economic growth: - The volatility and level of the currency - The cost, eciency and capacity of the national logistics system - Shortage of suitably skilled labour - Barriers to entry, limits to competition and limited new investment opportunities - Regulatory environment and the burden on small and medium businesses - Deciencies in state organisation, capacity and leadership

JIPSA was initially the vehicle through which AsgiSA aimed to respond to the shortage of suitably skilled labour, however it is being replaced by the HRDSA and will expire at the end of 2010. SEE ALSO
What is the HRDSA? (pg 065) What are Critical & Scarce Skills? (pg 114)

WHAT IS SAQA? SAQA is the South African Qualications Authority, the apex body responsible for monitoring and reporting on the eectiveness of the National Qualication Frameworks implementation by the three Quality Councils (QCs) who have executive authority for its implementation: Umalusi (see page 022) CHE (see page 024) QCTO (see page 280) It is also responsible for the registration on the NQF of qualications and their components, and professional bodies and their professional designations. The NQF Act 2008 revised key functions and operations of the Framework and agencies such as SAQA, that were instituted in 1995 with the SAQA Act (see the previous section What is the NQF? for more detail). SAQA had previously been responsible for the NQF at an executive and strategic level, reporting to both the Ministers of Labour and Education, with 31 quality assurance bodies underneath it, and structures for writing standards and qualications. With the revised NQF legislated in 2008, SAQA remains a dedicated oversight body for the NQF, and is still responsible for monitoring, analysis, research, advocacy and international liaison for the NQF. However the Minister of Higher Education & Training now assumes overall responsibility for the NQF. SAQA remains the custodian of the values of the NQF and reports to parliament on the eectiveness and impact of the NQF. It develops and revises an implementation plan for the NQF in consultation with the QCs, and oversees implementation. It advises the Minister of Higher Education & Training on how well the objectives of the NQF are being served and how to improve NQF structures and practices based on international experiences with qualication frameworks. It continues to represent South Africa in the international communities of NQF agencies and support qualication framework agencies in Africa. One of the key functions of SAQA is to advance the objectives of the NQF by facilitating the co-ordination of its subframeworks (see the previous section, What is the NQF?). It does this through a system of collaboration which guides the interrelationships between SAQA and the Quality Councils and settles disputes amongst them.

85

86

What is SAQA?

SAQAs functions are detailed in the NQF Act (2008), and some key elements are summarised below: NQF Levels: develops the level descriptors for each level of the NQF (see the previous section, What is the NQF?) and updates them as necessary
Foundational Concepts

Qualications: develops and implements a policy for the development, registration, and publication of qualications and partqualications (assessed unit of learning that is registered as part of a qualication), in consultation with Quality Councils registers qualications submitted by QCs that meet SAQAs criteria for registration develops policies for assessment, Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Accumulation & Transfer (in consultation with Quality Councils) Professional bodies: develops policies for recognising professional bodies and registering professional designations - in consultation with practitioners and Quality Councils recognises professional bodies and registers their professional designations Research: conducts and publishes NQF relevant research including impact studies HOW IS SAQA RUN? The SAQA Board was reduced from 28 members to 14 in 2008. Members are appointed by the Minister of Higher Education & Training. The CEO of SAQA and the three Quality Councils are automatically SAQA board members. Members serve ve-year terms and cannot serve more than two consecutive ve-year terms. In the revisions legislated in the NQF Act (2008), more detailed governance requirements are specied for the operation of the board covering areas such as vacancies, frequency and procedures for board meetings, and the recording of minutes and decisions made at board meetings, which must be available to any member of the public under the Promotion of Access to Information Act (2000). SEE ALSO
SAQA contact details - Key Organisations (pg 020) What is the NQF? (pg 066) What is the Occupational Learning System? (pg 221)

WHAT IS A QC? Quality Councils are the new executive authorities for standards setting and quality assurance, previously the responsibility of SAQA until the revisions to the NQF legislated in the NQF Act (2008). There are three QCs, two of which were already in existence and performing standards setting and quality assurance functions under the Ministry of Education: Umalusi - the Quality Council for the General & Further Education & Training sector - levels 1 - 4 of the NQF (see page 022) Council for Higher Education - the Quality Council for Higher Education - levels 5 - 10 of the NQF (see page 024) The third QC is newly established under the Ministry of Higher Education & Training, the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (QCTO), which was launched on 23 February 2010 . It will have executive authority for all work based learning (including vocational, occupational and professional types) from levels 1 - 10 of the NQF. The functions of a QC are detailed in the NQF Act (2008) and key responsibilities include: collaborating with SAQA and other QCs to advance the NQF developing and managing its NQF sub-framework, and making recommendations to its Minister advising its Minister on issues relating to its sub-framework considering and agreeing on NQF level descriptors and ensuring that they remain current and appropriate as far as qualications for its sub-framework are concerned: - qualications and part qualications development, registration and publication, as required by its sector - assessment, recognition of prior learning and credit accumulation and transfer - registering qualications or part qualications with SAQA as far as quality assurance for its sub-framework is concerned: - quality assurance policies and implementation - the integrity and credibility of quality assurance as far as information and data are concerned: - maintain a database of learner achievements and related matters

87

88

What is a SETA?

- submit the data required by SAQA for recording on the National Learners Records Database (page 115) conduct and publish research relating to the development and implementation of its sub-framework inform the public about its sub-framework
Foundational Concepts

SEE ALSO
Umalusi (pg 022) CHE (pg 024) QCTO (pg 280)

WHAT IS A SETA?
At the time of publication, SETAs have had their licensing extended for one year, until March 2011, to allow the new Dept of Higher Education & Training to evaluate the SETA system

Sector Education and Training Authorities are bodies operating in each of the economys key 23 economic or social sectors, in order to guide and encourage eective skills develTABLE OF CONTENTS opment for that sector.
The need for SETAs ....................................089 What do SETAs do? ....................................089 How can SETAs spend their income? .........090 How do SETAs allocate their discretionary grants? ................................091 How do we know which SETAs are performing? ........................................092 Drafting of the SLAs ....................... 092 Reporting requirements of SETAs ......................................093 Obligations of the DG ....................093 Performance assessment ...............094 Poor performance measures ..........094 How do I know which SETA to register with? ........................................095 The future of SETAs ....................................095 The Presidential Review .................096 Alignment of SETAs with the NIPF ...............................097 More information on SETAs ........................098

SETAs are state-owned entities and are governed by the Public Finance Management Act, but their governance is through boards that are appointed by employers (including small business), labour, government, and if appropriate, professional bodies or bargaining councils from the sector. The actions of a SETA are therefore less directly inuenced by government than is the case with other state agencies whose boards are all appointed by government.

SETA Boards are accountable to the Minister of Higher Education & Training, and SETAs are bound by service level agreements with the Department of Higher Education & Training for performance management. The Minister of Higher Education & Training has the power to establish and dissolve SETAs. There were initially 27 SETAs which were reduced to 25, and subsequently 23 SETAs after two mergers in 2005. SETA Boards and chambers must consist of an equal number of representatives from employers and labour; their governance is dictated by their constitution. The Minister of Higher Education & Training is empowered to take over the administration of a SETA if deemed necessary.

For more information on how to select and register with a SETA, see page 095. See also the Key Organisations chapter which carries contact and NSDS progress information on SETAs (page 030 - 062). THE NEED FOR SETAS SETAs arose out of the need for transformation in South Africas workforce. The labour movement had lobbied during the struggle against apartheid for better opportunities for education and training in the workplace, as improved skills were seen as a powerful tool to negotiate better working conditions. At the same time, the economic revitalisation of the country required a modern, exible and skilled workforce that could compete for global investment. SETAs were envisaged to replace old industry training boards and provide better representation for labour and greater eectiveness in driving skills development through the use of the Skills Development Levy, and learnership programmes. In the spirit of democracy, consensus building and the stakeholder principle, SETAs were designed to function as partnerships between business, labour, the state and relevant social partners. WHAT DO SETAS DO? 1 Develop a Sector Skills Plan (pg 112) aligned to the National Skills Development Strategy (pg 081) o You can nd a copy of your SETAs SSP on their web site. You will need a copy of the SSP when writing your companys Workplace Skills Plan. o SETAs update their SSP on an annual basis to take into account any recent changes in their sector o SSPs are used by the Department of Higher Education & Training to help identify critical and scarce skills at a national level 2 Implement its Sector Skills Plan by: A. establishing learning programmes including learnerships (pg 129) B. approving workplace skills plans and annual training reports (pg 113) C. allocating grants to employers, education and skills development providers and workers D. monitoring the quality of education and skills development provision in the sector 3 Promote learning programmes by: A. identifying workplaces for practical work experience B. supporting the development of learning materials C. improving the facilitation of learning 4 Assist in the conclusion and registration of agreements for learning programmes (e.g. learnership agreements)

89

90

What is a SETA?

5 Receive skills development levies and pay out mandatory grants to employers 6 Perform any functions delegated to it by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) 7 Liaise with the QCTO regarding occupational qualications
Foundational Concepts

8 Liaise with the National Skills Authority (pg 18) on national skills development policy, the NSDS and its SSP 9 Report to the Director-General of the Department of Higher Education & Training on its income and expenditure, the implementation of its SSP, and strategic plans and reports on the implementation of its service level agreement 10 Liaise with provincial oces and labour centres of the Department of Labour and any education body to improve information about placement opportunities, and to improve information between education and skills development providers and the labour market 11 Liaise with provincial skills development forums 12 Promote the national standard for people development HOW CAN SETAS SPEND THEIR INCOME? SETAs may use up to 12,5% of their income from Skills Development Levies (excluding interest and penalties) for their administration costs, without written approval from the Department of Higher Education & Training - it was originally 10%. SETAs must obtain written approval from the Department of Higher Education & Training if they wish to charge for any services they oer - since SETAs are funded by the businesses within their sector, it would not normally be fair for them put additional charges on any services they oer. SETA administration costs are dened as the following: rent, heat, light, power, insurances, bank charges, audit fees and accounting fees, legal fees, printing and stationery, documentation and books, advertising, reports, wages and salaries, travel expenses, sta training, purchase of computers and information systems, maintenance of computers and systems, general maintenance, hire costs of photocopier, telephone and fax, meetings, land, non-residential buildings and improvements thereon, furniture and oce equipment, other machinery and equipment, transport assets, consultancy fees, including institutional research, promotional items, national skills development strategy conference expenses, database development, oce relocation expenses, recruitment expenses and any other reasonable administration costs approved by a SETA Board or Council - but not including project administration costs (relating to discretionary grant projects)

HOW DO SETAS ALLOCATE DISCRETIONARY GRANTS? SETAs should use their Discretionary Grant funds for the following purposes: Research that is in the interests of the SETAs Sector Skills Plan and in line with guidelines provided by the Dept Higher Education & Training Critical skills information dissemination SETA capacity building of constituents and promotion of skills development in the sector Training and development of guidelines for sector specialists or people involved with skills development facilitation The funding of: institutes of sectoral or occupational excellence (ISOEs) providers or institutions that are implementing the NQF in support of the National Skills Development Strategy institutions that oer the new venture qualication Employment & Skills Development Agencies (ESDAs) and lead employers Support for employers or training providers who: provide ABET training to a learner help learners become competent in scarce or critical skills which have been identied in their sector, or to support stakeholders in areas of sector skills priorities oer workplace experience to learners in areas that are relevant to their sector train and mentor learners in the new venture creation qualication implement learnerships registered under a dierent SETA An organisation no longer needs to be a Skills Levy payer to receive a Discretionary Grant from a SETA. In addition to the list above, SETAs are allowed to use Discretionary Grant funds to pay for the project administration of these projects, so long as the SETA Board or Council approves a separate project administration budget that does not exceed 10% of the total value of the project. SETA Boards must also approve the specic Discretionary Grant criteria of their SETAs before any funds can be paid out for them.

91

92

What is a SETA?

Discretionary Grants can be paid to employers who are up to date with the payment of their Skills Levies, and SETA reporting requirements, as well as to non-Levy paying enterprises in the sector. HOW DO WE KNOW WHICH SETAS ARE PERFORMING AND WHICH ARE NOT?
Foundational Concepts

During NSDS 1 (2001 - 2005) SETAs and the Department of Labour came under criticism from the media for poor performance. Sometimes these criticisms were justied, and sometimes not. Some SETAs deserved approval rather than criticism, and others did not, and within each SETA some divisions performed well and others not. As a result, SETA Service Level Regulations were gazetted (18 July 2005 - Government Notice Nr 712). They give the Minister of Higher Education & Training power to performance manage SETAs, including identifying areas of poor performance so that assistance can be provided to remedy the problems. Drafting of the service level agreements The Director-General (DG) of the Department of Higher Education & Training is responsible to negotiate an annual, legally binding, Service Level Agreement (SLA) with each SETA. Each SETA is allocated a proportion of the total NSDS targets to be achieved, relative to its projected income for the period: this means that wealthy SETAs (such as BANKSETA and INSETA) have a larger share of work cut out for them than poorer SETAs such as CTFL and HWSETA a disadvantage to this approach is that sectors with large skills development needs, but low resources (such as the Clothing & Textiles sector) are bound to less demanding targets, even though their sectors are in greater need of training Timeline for drafting of the service level agreements: (months refer to the latest date of the year before the service level agreement applies to) July: the DG must give the draft SLA to the SETA September: the SETA has to submit proposed amendments to the SLA back to the DG, based on the realities and requirements of its sector (as stated in its Sector Skills Plan) each SETA can negotiate and sign o on its annual sector objectives and targets November: the SETA and the DG must have nalised the SLA

Reporting requirements of SETAs under the service level agreements Quarterly Monitoring Reports these must include both nancial and non-nancial information deadline is 10 working days after June, September, December and April each year Quarterly Self-Assessment Performance Reports same deadline as for the Quarterly Monitoring Reports SETA Board Member Database Report and SETA Sta Database Report twice a year, 10 working days after the end of September and March each year Sector Skills Plan (or its annual update) by 31 August Draft Annual Report by 31 July Proposed Strategic Plan (PFMA requirement) by 30 September In addition to this, SETAs are required to respond within 20 working days to any written enquiry from the Department of Higher Education & Training (and likewise, the Department has the same period to respond to written enquiries from SETAs) Obligations of the Director-General Under the SLA, the Department of Higher Education & Training and the SETAs have responsibilities which either side can be prosecuted for breaching. The responsibilities of the DG include: consulting with SETAs on all relevant policy and operational matters that might eect the functioning of the SETAs providing the SETA with: o required content, timeframes, and format for any report or plan which the SETA must produce under the SLA o written comments on all the plans and reports submitted by the SETA to the DG, within one month of their submission the Department is required to respond within 20 working days to any written enquiry from the SETA convening regular meetings with the CEOs, chairpersons and other SETA ocials whenever necessary to discuss policy and implementation issues

93

94

What is a SETA?

Performance assessment Each SETAs overall and annual performance measures against each objective of the NSDS are reported on under the headings below: NSDS Success Indicator & Target
Foundational Concepts

SETA Target for 2005 - 2011 (Five Year Target and Outcomes) SETA Target for 2010 - 2011 (Annual Target) Performance Assessment Criteria Projected Annual Budget per Indicator aligned to PFMA Multi-year Projections Means of Verication Required Assumptions The scale below is used by SETAs in their Self-Assessment Performance Reports, and they will also be used by the DG on an annual basis to measure its performance:

Rating 1 2 3 4 5

Percentage Score 0% - 50% 51% - 99% 100% 101% - 150% >150%

Performance Description Poor Below requirements Meets requirements Above requirements Excellent

Poor performance measures Score between 1.00 and 1.99: o the Minister of Higher Education & Training must issue a written instruction to the SETA to specify steps it must take to improve its performance Score between 2.00 and 2.99: o the SETA has 30 days to give a detailed report to the DG of reasons for its poor performance and steps it plans to take to remedy the situation

 The SLA holds both parties liable to agreed performance objectives, and empowers both SETAs and the Department of Higher Education & Training to claim damages and legal action in the event of a breach of contract this means that SETAs could prosecute the Department of Higher Education & Training for not meeting its obligations mentioned above Poor SETA performance led to major changes for the Public Service PSETA; it was de-registered as a public entity and after a process of reform has been re-instated HOW DO I KNOW WHICH SETA TO REGISTER WITH? Please refer to What is the Skills Development Levy (pg 165), for information on how to choose a SETA for the purpose of paying the Skills Development Levy. If you are a training provider needing to choose a SETA ETQA for the purpose of getting accreditation, see What is an accredited training provider? (pg 106) THE FUTURE OF SETAS
There is denitely a need for an intensive assessment of the SETAs to ensure greater ccountability, improved employment of resources, better management of funds and streamlining and alignment of their operations in order that they full their role as a central cog of our skills training and job creation machinery. (Address to the National Assembly by the Minister of Higher Education & Training on 10 November 2009)

The SETA system has constantly been criticised from various quarters for a lack of delivery based on their annual combined budget of around R5 billion, excluding National Skills Fund grants. SETA grant regulations, learnership regulations, and service level agreement regulations have all tried to improve the system. At the same time, the semi-paralysis of the NQF due to unresolved issues in the NQF reviews (pg 069), had fudged the educational context in which SETAs are meant to be achieving deliverables (though these issues have been substantially resolved in the new NQF Act 2008). There have been several reviews of the SETA mandate, including, the current NEDLAC review, the Presidency Review (which included a preliminary SETA Rating System), a Dept of Labour review, the Harvard Report (commissioned by the Presidency) and an HSRC review. The uncertainty around the mandate of SETAs stems from the fact that there was no eective over-arching plan for human resource development at the time the SETAs were formed, other than the rst National Human Resource Development Strategy (pg 065) which lacked the broad input from every sector of society that JIPSA was able to bring in 2006. Now that JIPSA is giving way to a revised HRDSA, there are broad strategic changes that may change the way we see the mandate and structure of SETAs. The drive to review the SETA system has also been given impetus by the interest in forming a single public service that consolidates national, provincial and local government, which a more centralised SETA landscape would be in tune with.

95

96

What is a SETA?

The Presidential Review (2007) A presidential review of the SETA system published in 2007 by Singizi Consulting, found that SETA performance is negatively aected by a very broad mandate needed to satisfy widely divergent interests (labour and business) while at the same time meeting the service level agreement requirements of their relationship with the Department of Higher
Foundational Concepts

Education & Training, and developing their brand new institutional capacity. Government requires SETAs to deliver on their equity and transformation objectives to give broader access to more workers for improved employment conditions (typically at the lower levels of the NQF). Business requires SETAs to support increased productivity and the development of critical and scarce skills (typically at intermediate levels of the NQF). AsgiSA and JIPSA require SETAs to focus on priority skills to support economic growth, often requiring cross-sectoral collaboration and pooling of funds which goes against the grain of the silo based sector system. Educationalists, especially from an institution based learning background, require SETAs to focus on generic competencies that can be exibly applied in a wide variety of contexts and empower learners to progress to a wide range of possible career paths. The Department of Higher Education & Training requires SETAs to meet numerical targets against set NSDS objectives, dened once every ve years, and legalised in service level agreements with the Department. Some of these objectives include small business creation, emerging provider support, youth development, and supporting the unemployed - despite the fact that SETAs were originally envisaged to serve employers and employees in their sectors, with the National Skills Fund serving vulnerable groups such as youth, the unemployed and people with disabilities. Some of the functions SETAs are now fullling are the responsibility of other institutions in government, such as the Department of Trade & Industrys Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA), the Umsobomvu Youth Fund and the Department of Public Works (EPWP). SETAs themselves are required to support all of the above agendas at the same time as providing for the skills needs identied in their Sector Skills Plans. Their budget for internal administration and salaries is limited to 12% of the levies collected in their sector. This is an extremely lean budget compared to the Department of Education, for example, where the bulk of its annual budget is consumed on administration and salaries. The presidential review of the SETA system points out that SETAs may be more eective, and stronger, if their scope was more narrowly and accurately dened than is the case at present. March 2011 is the expiry date for the registration of SETAs and it is expected that any changes to the SETA landscape will be implemented at this point.

The establishment of the QCTO to take executive responsibility for quality assurance and standards setting in workplace based learning may be one step towards reducing the very broad scope of SETAs, and other revisions to the NQF are intended to simplify their operating environment. But these developments only begin taking eect from March 2010, and this might be too late to prevent changes currently under consideration by Nedlac to reduce the number of SETAs in line with the Dept Trade & Industrys ve National Industrial Policy Framework (NIPF) clusters. Alignment of SETAs with the National Industrial Policy Framework The DTIs National Industrial Policy Framework aims to identify areas in which labour absorbing and value-adding activities can be encouraged and supported by government. The NIPF is not set in stone; it is reviewed every three years, taking into account changes in the local and international economy. The three year review cycles are linked to the three year budget cycles of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). Five sectoral groupings were identied in the 2006-2009 NIPF with especially high potential for industrial growth and employment opportunities. It identied these groupings with the warning that economic conditions can change substantially even during the relatively short three year period that the current NIPF is designed for, and that it was not attempting a denitive prioritisation of these sector groupings: 1 Natural resource based sectors e.g. steel, chemicals, aluminium, paper and pulp, bio-fuels 2 Medium technology sectors e.g. metal fabrication, machinery and equipment, plastics, jewellery, oil and gas 3 Advanced manufacturing sectors e.g. automotive and components, aerospace, energy, rail and marine 4 Labour intensive sectors e.g. agriculture, forestry, shing, mining, tourism, clothing and textiles, food and beverages, furniture, crafts 5 Tradeable services sectors e.g. Business Process Outsourcing, ICT services, engineering, construction and mining services, lm and television Following the release of initial drafts of the NIPF in 2006, the ANC published a policy discussion document in March 2007 ahead of its 52nd National Conference scheduled for December 2007. The document stressed the pivotal role of an industrial policy in setting the tone for all of the countrys other policies, such as trade, economics and skills development. The document noted that when SETA demarcations were originally discussed in the late 1990s, there was no national industrial policy in place on which to base the clustering, which is now no longer the case:

97

98

What is a SETA?

How sustainable therefore, would it be to keep the current SETA landscape of 23 SETAs in place. It would consequently only be logical to reduce the SETA landscape from the current 23 SETAs to ve institutional forms based on the ve sectoral clusters suggested in the NIPF. (page 8, ANC Policy Discussion Document on Labour, 2007)
Foundational Concepts

The document argued that such a reclustering would also answer institutional problems that SETAs had experienced and what it perceived as an over-proliferation of agencies involved in skills development and education. It commented that SETAs were meant to operate on the basis of a partnership between business and labour, which was perhaps a premature and idealistic basis on which to base the governance of these institutions. Despite the strong commitment shown in the policy discussion document, the only reference to SETA clustering that emerged from the resolutions adopted by the ANC after the conference was this one, In general, industrial policy should lead our overall approach to sector development, whilst trade policy should play a supporting role and be sensitive to employment outcomes. This suggests that the reclustering proposal did not receive endorsement. The wisdom of reforming all 23 SETAs across the current NIPF priority sectors must be questioned when the NIPF itself acknowledges that its priorities are based on a three year planning period, during which signicant economic changes can still take place which change the priorities. It has taken eight years to build the current level of institutional competence and experience in the SETA system, and now it is suggested that this system be dissolved and reformed in the shape of the sector priorities predicted for the next three years. An alternative, which recognises the short-term value of the clustering proposed by the NIPF, would be to form temporary SETA clusters for each three year period of the NIPF, to enhance synergies and improve responses to the needs of each cluster during that period. Each SETA would retain its own identity and serve its current sector, while at the same time targeting cluster-wide targets and beneting from cluster-wide strategies and support. If such a reform were undertaken, the National Skills Development Strategy should be changed to work on the same three year MTEF periods along with the NIPF, so that each strategy functions and plans on the same three year cycle and SETA performance targets can be aligned with both strategies. MORE INFORMATION ON SETAS View the list of SETA websites and contact details in the section Key Organisations (pg 11)

WHAT IS AN ISOE AND AN SDI?

An ISOE is a provider institution, or body (cluster) of provider institutions, that offers training and learning opportunities within an occupational area and, over a period of time, becomes known as a centre of excellence. The provider institution or cluster respond to specic labour market needs and demands within a particular economic sector. Draft Framework for Institutes of Sectoral or Occupational Excellence, Department of Labour (2006)

BACKGROUND Institutes of Sectoral Occupational Excellence (ISOEs) were rst proposed in NSDS 2: 2005 - 2011 (pg 81) as a means for the strategy to begin to improve the quality and relevance of learning provision. NSDS 2 requires each SETA to recognise and support at least 5 ISOEs in it sector by March TABLE OF CONTENTS 2011.
Background to the NQF ..............................099 Functions of SDIs .......................................100 Functions of ISOEs ....................................101 Types of ISOE institutions ..........................101 Criteria for ISOE institutions .......................101 Support available for ISOEs .......................102 See also .....................................................102

NSDS 2 states that ISOEs should be evaluated by the number of learners successfully placed in employment in their sector, and employer satisfaction ratings of their training.

With the passing of the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008), ISOEs became linked to the drive for artisan development, a scarce skill across several sectors of the economy. The Act contains several clauses to improve the quality and quantity of artisan training, and empowers the Minister of Higher Education & Training to establish Skills Development Institutes (SDI) in the interests of funding and supporting artisan development and training. FUNCTIONS OF SKILLS DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTES
The provision will allow for the establishment of industry and government established skills development institutes to be massively used in meeting the countrys skills requirements.
Explanatory text from the SD Amendment Bill

In earlier drafts of the Skills Development Amendment Bill, SDIs were referred to as Artisan Development Institutes and were grouped in the Bill along with ISOEs, giving the Minister of Higher Education & Training authority to establish both types of institutes. It is believed that artisan development is still the primary intention of SDIs, and that the change in naming was in order to prevent the department from being limited by the legislation to employing SDIs only for this purpose. The functions of an SDI will be eshed out in more detail when the Department of Higher Education & Training issues regulations concerning their establishment. In the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008) it is legislated that they can provide advisory services on skills development, mentoring, and RPL, and provide learning programmes. It is expected that SDIs will be established by the Department in partnership with state-owned enterprises such as Transnet, SAA, Metrorail, Eskom. Other possible SDIs could result from partnerships with:

99

100

What is an ISOE & an SDI?

Dept Education Public FET Colleges and Technical Schools Dept Correctional Services SA National Defence Force
Foundational Concepts

A refocused INDLELA Refocused Sheltered Employment Factories Minerals and Energy Provincial Governments Local Governments including Metros and Municipalities Dept Safety & Security Dept Water Aairs & Forestry Private Sector organisations, especially in artisan intensive sectors such as: - Mining, Metal, Auto/Motor, Chemical, Food & Beverage, Printing & Packaging, Construction The Minister of Higher Education & Training also has the authority to set up new SDIs from scratch, which would be a change from the past, where the Department of Labour was not directly involved in the provision of skills development. Until specic regulations or discussion documents are issued for SDIs, it may be helpful to consider the existing framework on ISOEs, which SDIs may resemble in several ways ... FUNCTIONS OF ISOES ISOEs need to be capable of at least any one of the following functions, in order to be recognised and supported by a SETA (paraphrased): training in specic sectoral or occupational areas where scarce or critical skills have been identied training which is accompanied by cutting edge or best practice and transformational objectives training which meets industry demands in terms of relevance and quality; simulating workplace application practices to give learners a seamless transition into jobs providing access to technologically advanced equipment

 providing access to emerging best practice in training (and related to specic occupations) co-operating with and acknowledged by employers or employer bodies to help increase the intake and placement rate of learners TYPES OF ISOE INSTITUTIONS ISOEs can be based on the following types of institutions: Collaboration of providers across a sector or an occupation An occupationally based teaching and learning institution, faculty, or department within the FET or HET bands, as a single entity, or consortium of providers A work-based, or college or university-based provider A centre of innovation and research that supports growth and development of skills within a sector CRITERIA FOR ISOES In order to be recognised as an ISOE, the institution must have demonstrated that they ... are or can become an industry-centred institute of training excellence have a commitment to excellence and innovation and that their practices support this have current capacity in, and engagement with, the sector or occupation provide training, preferably in those areas where scarce or critical skills have been identied and are linked to relevant economic drivers (in other words training that is economically relevant, not just theoretical) are able to deliver learning programmes against several levels in the occupation and not just a single level qualication will co-operate with a SETA or SETAs, employers or employer bodies, will function as a hub in co-operation with established partnerships in the occupation or sector, and network with other centres of excellence in support of transformation in the country have a placement strategy and mechanisms to track learners and report on learner placements, promotions and progress be accredited as a provider of education and training programmes, as well as have approval for specic programmes or qualications

101

102

What is an ISOE & an SDI?

practice good corporate governance and comply with all relevant legislation including the BEE Codes of Good Practice, Employment Equity etc demonstrate proof of implementation of a quality management system (QMS) have an ecient reporting, administrative, technological, communication and nancial system in place, including separate accounts for SETA funding have geographical reach and sustainability (sucient nancial and human resources) SUPPORT AVAILABLE FOR ISOES NSDS 2 mandates SETAs to support ISOEs with a grant to cover any or all of the following: Infrastructural Development Educator or Trainer up-skilling Curriculum and materials development Learner support initiatives Upgrading of satellite institutions (e.g. emerging providers in partnership with excellence institution) Any other purpose by mutual agreement The grant may also be used to upgrade a facility so that it can achieve ISOE status. SEE ALSO
How are artisans developed? (pg 364) What is the Occupational Learning System? (pg 221) Success stories: the Accelerated Artisan Training Programme (pg 411)

Foundational Concepts

WHAT IS AN FET COLLEGE?

In this section, FET College is an abbreviation of Public FET College and excludes Private FET Colleges

Public FET colleges are the primary tool by which the state TABLE OF CONTENTS hopes to develop the intermediate level of education required Background ................................................103 by this skills crisis. Intermediate skills fall between general The FET sector of the NQF ........................103 The Re-capitalisation process ....................104 school education and the higher education of university level The National Certicate (Vocational) ..........104 For more information .................................106 institutions. They are considered essential for economic growth, FET College contact dertails .....................550 and more eective at creating employment than higher level skills. In South Africa, we have an unusual excess of people with university level education, and a shortage of people with intermediate level skills. Public FET colleges are statesubsidised, and generally provide more cost-eective training than private training providers and higher education institutions. They are also more widely geographically spread than all other providers (other than public schools). The location of many FET colleges in rural areas makes them an ideal delivery point of the NSDS to rural people, who have often missed out on the benets of the NSDS which have tended to focus on the densely populated urban areas. Developments in the FET sector during 2010 - 2011 will include the shift in their funding to national government (previously they were funded from provincial government); a drive for closer alignment with SETAs and business training needs; and a focus on more workplace-based learning experiences in the curriculum. BACKGROUND FET Colleges provide learning in the FET sector of the NQF (see diagram on page 77). Other providers of learning in this band include secondary schools (for grades 10 to 12 only), private providers, NGOs, community organisations, and employers. FET colleges consist of what used to be called technical colleges, colleges of education, some manpower and skills centres and some former community colleges. FET colleges are administered by the Department of Higher Education & Training and their quality assurance is the responsibility of Umalusi (page 22). In 2002, the Department of Education (DoE) merged the 152 existing technical colleges with other technical colleges, colleges of education and government training sites to form 50 new FET colleges. Each of the new FET colleges consist of one to six campus sites (average of 3 campuses). THE FET SECTOR OF THE NQF See What is the NQF? (pg 66) for background information on the NQF levels. The FET sector covers NQF levels 2 - 4: This includes grades 10 - 12 in secondary schooling, short courses and workplace learning up to, but not including tertiary level qualications

103

104

What is an FET College?

It therefore excludes the General Education & Training (GET) sector (NQF level 1) the GET sector includes grades 0 - 9 in primary and secondary schooling, and ABET levels 1 - 4 It also excludes Higher Education & Training (HET) sector (NQF 5 - 8), however with the NQF Act (2008), FET colleges will now be able to oer NQF Level 5 qualications.
Foundational Concepts

the HET sector issues learning achievement awards such as includes certicates, diplomas, degrees, higher diplomas, masters degrees, etc. This band covers what has often been called Vocational Education & Training (VET) because of its focused nature of preparing learners for specic occupations, or vocations, on completion of their studies THE FET RECAPITALISATION PROCESS In the February 2005 Budget Review, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel announced an investment of R1 billion over the next three years for improved facilities, equipment and other support for FET colleges, to rightfully place them at the forefront of industrial progress and technology change. This gure has subsequently been increased to close to R2 billion and now also includes a bursary fund for FET students, who up till now, did not have access to this kind of nancial support. The goal of the re-capitalisation process has been to: Increase the number of learners on priority skills programmes that lead to employment or higher education Therefore the responsiveness of Colleges to the world of work and the integration of their learning outcomes with higher education, has been one of the key objectives of these changes. The colleges will also benet from funding to the Department of Higher Education & Training for an education management information system to integrate the ow of information from schools and colleges. Part of the recapitalisation process has included the modernisation of the FET curriculum - the new National Certicate (Vocational), or NCV, was published for public comment in August 2005 and the rst group of learners began this curriculum in 2007. THE NATIONAL CERTIFICATE (VOCATIONAL) The 11 programmes that form the National Certicate (Vocational) - NC(V) - are gradually replacing all existing FET college programmes (such as the N1 - N6 NATED programmes). However the Minister of Higher Education & Training issued a proclamation in December 2009 extending the phasing out of some of the N4 - N6 NATED programmes up until 2016 to allow for a more gradual transition to the new curriculum.

GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD OF FET COLLEGES

The NC(V) commenced in 2007 with the NQF level 2 NC(V), and in each successive year another NQF level qualication is introduced. Besides the areas of vocational specialisation, such as hospitality, the NC(V) also aims to give learners a foundation in soft skills required in the modern workplace, including communication skills, mathematics or mathematical Literacy and life skills (which includes IT). Each programme consists of six compulsory subjects and one optional one. The NC(V) programmes are also longer in duration (one year) than the NATED programmes, which were mostly trimester courses. The NC(V) was not built on unit standards, but its content was mapped against and assembled using unit standards, therefore allowing credits to be matched across similar learning programmes.

105

106

What is an Accredited Training Provider?

Key to the success of the NC(V) is recognition by Higher Education that would allow NC(V) students access to further studies through a public FET college route. The NC(V) has been designed so that a student completing the third year of their studies (NQF level 4), would be able to enter a specialised occupational eld such as the fourth subject option choice (e.g. Motor Mechanics under Automotive Repair and Maintenance), or gain access to any general work opportunity falling under the vocational specialisation they selected (e.g. bank manager after doing the Financial, Economics and Accounting programme). FOR MORE INFORMATION If you are an employer wishing to make greater use of your local FET college, and understand the opportunities for partnership, see the publication, FET Colleges: Institutions of First Choice, also published by RainbowSA. This book showcases each of the 50 colleges as well as providing background to the NC(V) and best practice case-studies that have been initiated at the colleges. See the chapter Key Organisations & Project Partners for contact details (pg 012). This book is available free on Google Books - www.google.com/books - just type the name in the search box to nd it WHAT IS AN ACCREDITED TRAINING PROVIDER?
In the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008), providers of occupational learning programmes are now called skills development providers. Occupational includes the meanings associated with trades, occupations or professions

Foundational Concepts

An accredited training provider is a provider who has registered with an appropriate Quality Council (QC, pg 087) related to the kind of learning they deliver, and is in the process of, or has completed, nal accreditation. With the revisions to the NQF brought about in the NQF Act (2008), there are increasingly clear divisions between providers in the three dierent sectors of the NQF: skills development providers refer to training providers of occupational learning programmes whose accreditation is the responsibility of the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (QCTO, pg 280), and educational institutions refer to providers of academic or discipline based learning in the General & Further Education & Training sector of the NQF (levels 1 - 4) and the Higher Education & Training sector (levels 5 - 10). Educational institutions are accredited by Umalusi (pg 22) or the CHE (pg 24). For more detailed information on the QCs and the dierent sectors (bands) of the NQF, see page 066, What is the NQF?

PROVIDER ACCREDITATION UNDER THE QCTO Prior to the NQF Act (2008), providers were accredited by any one of 31 quality assurance bodies called ETQAs (pg 108). While Umalusi and the CHE will continue to accredit providers in their sectors as normal, the QCTO, which takes over responsibility for the quality assurance work that used to be performed by SETA ETQAs, will delegate its provider accreditation and ETQA functions to relevant quality assurance partners such as professional bodies, industry associations and, in certain cases, SETA quality assurance divisions. Until then, education and skills development providers will remain accredited by their SETA ETQA unless their accreditation expires, is withdrawn by the SETA ETQA, or is withdrawn under any regulations issued by the Minister of Higher Education & Training. We are currently therefore in a transitional phase of the NQF while the QCTO sets up during 2010. Skills development providers will no longer need to choose from amongst 23 SETA ETQAs, and then nd that they require an MoU to deliver learning in other sectors, or adapt their programmes and processes to meet the diering requirements of another SETA ETQA. No longer will a provider have to get accreditation with Umalusi and the CHE to oer qualications in the Further Education sector or the Higher Education sector (unless they are delivering Umalusi or CHE qualications). The QCTO is able to register occupational qualications at all levels of the NQF and accredit providers to deliver those qualications. Providers accredited with Umalusi or CHE only need to undergo a programme approval requirement to be able to deliver a curriculum component of an occupational qualication they do not have to undergo an entirely new accreditation process. In the QCTO, there is also a completely dierent approach to accreditation from what providers experienced under SETA ETQAs. It is called light-touch accreditation and it focuses on intelligent quality assurance the assessment of key points in the learning process rather than the entire process. Data analysis and research are used to pin-point problems and raise ags in real-time, so that the QCTO can focus its site visits and investigations on areas that actually require attention. Self-evaluation and self-regulation by providers is encouraged. Provider quality assurance is prioritised according to the track record and history of the provider, with higher risk prole providers meriting more policing. More information on accreditation is in the section How are qualications delivered? (pg 336). For more information on this new Occupational Learning System, see page 218. For information regarding the planned accreditation processes, see page 339.

107

108

What is an ETQA?

WHERE DO I FIND ACCREDITED PROVIDERS? Providers of institutional learning programmes can be found through the Quality Councils for further and higher education - Umalusi (pg 022) and the CHE (pg 024). Providers of skills development programmes can be found through the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (QCTO,
Foundational Concepts

pg 280). During the transitional phase of the implementation of the NQF Act (2008), you will still visit your SETA web site to nd the providers that are accredited in their sector. Once the QCTO is fully operational, you will contact them to nd details of accredited skills development providers. Your SETA web site usually lists only the providers that are accredited in their sector. Some web sites include details on the specic learning programmes that the provider is accredited to deliver learning against, and issue NQF certicates for. You can usually also verify the current accreditation status of a provider on their SETAs web site. A list of SETA websites is available on page 11. The National Training Directory at the end of this publication advertises the services of hundreds of training providers (grouped into 52 categories for easy reference), across all 23 SETAs. WHAT WAS AN ETQA? With the implementation of the NQF Act (2008), all existing 31 ETQA bodies will be streamlined into three Quality Councils (page 087) which assume executive authority for standards setting and quality assurance, although SETA ETQAs may still perform quality assurance functions delegated to them by the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (page 280). The QCTO was launched on 23 February 2010. Provision was made for a transitional phase of operation to ensure a smooth transition for employers, providers and learners eected by the changes. WHO WERE THE ETQAS? There were three types of Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) bodies accredited by SAQA prior to the changes to the NQF: SETA ETQAs (23) These were separate divisions within each SETA. Professional Body ETQAs (6) Including: Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA), South African Nursing Council, (SANC), Professional Accreditation Body for Health and Skincare (PAB), SA Institute for Chartered Accountants (SAICA), SA Institute of Materials Handling (SAIMH), The SA Board for Personnel Practice (SABPP).

Educational and Training Sub-system ETQAs (2) - Band ETQAs These were Umalusi and the CHE-HEQC (Council for Higher Education, Higher Education Quality Committee) which were responsible for quality assurance across an entire sector or band of the NQF Umalusi and the CHE now continue their ETQA functions as Quality Councils under the NQF Act and are directly responsible to the Minister of Education, rather than to SAQA SEE ALSO
What is a QC? (page 087) Council for Higher Education (pg 024) Umalusi (pg 022) Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (pg 280)

WHAT IS A CONSULTATIVE PANEL? National Standards Bodies (NSBs) were the original standards setting authorities under SAQAs Standards Setting Directorate. Following recommendations in the 2002 Report of the Study Team (pg 69), SAQA disbanded the NSBs to replace them with Consultative Panels (also called Fit-for-purpose Panels or Standards Advisory Panels). The panels were intended to operate under a streamlined process and therefore be less administratively cumbersome than the NSBs. With the implementation of the NQF Act (2008), responsibility for the development, registration and publication of qualications and part-qualications now falls to the three Quality Councils (page 087). The Quality Council for Trades & Occupations has already expressed its intention to use Communities of Expert Practice (pg 284) to perform the role of qualications development within its sub-framework, rather than Consultative Panels. With the revisions to the NQF, SAQAs responsibility will be to register on the NQF qualications submitted to them by the QCs, that meet SAQA standards for qualications. HOW DID NSBS WORK? When the NQF and SAQA were rst established, 12 National Standards Bodies were set up to be responsible for the registration of unit standards and qualications across 12 major areas of learning such as Agriculture and Nature Conversation and Physical Planning and Construction. While standards writing itself was done by Standards Generating Bodies (SGBs), the function of the NSBs was to manage the overall process which included setting up SGBs, critiquing their output and recommending the development of new qualications and standards.

109

110

What is a Consultative Panel?

THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE NSBS The NSBs operated for ve years from 2000 to 31 March 2005. During this time they... had an average of 130 meetings per year of NSBs or their ExCos, close to 650 meetings
Foundational Concepts

participated in the evaluation and registration of close to 7,500 qualications from institutions across South Africa registered over 500 brand-new qualications and close to 10,000 Unit Standards with an increased turn-around period by 2004 of less than 4 months from submission to registration 12 AREAS OF LEARNING All unit standards and qualications were categorised across 12 areas of learning, each of which had an NSB responsible for it (see page 079 for a list of the Fields). HOW WERE CONSULTATIVE PANELS CREATED AND RUN? The rst Consultative Panel began work on 3 June 2005. The Standards Setting Directorate within SAQA was responsible for assembling appropriate panels in terms of subject matter expertise and expertise in the evaluation of qualications and standards, on the recommendation of an Organising Field Co-ordinator. The body was representative in terms of stakeholder interests from business, labour, education and learners. The actual work of standards writing was done through smaller bodies called Standards Generating Bodies (SGBs), pg 111, which were responsible for creating unit standards in the many smaller learning elds that make up each of the 12 learning areas. SEE ALSO
What is SAQA? (pg 020) What is an SGB? (pg 111) What is a QC? (pg 087) Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (pg 280)

WHAT IS AN SGB? Prior to the NQF Act (2008), Standards Generating Bodies were groups of specialists and experts in a particular skill, occupation, profession or discipline who collaborated to write unit standards and qualications for the purpose of education and skills development. With the NQF Act (2008), this responsibility now falls under the three Quality Councils (pg 087) which must develop qualications and parts of qualications for their respective sectors of the NQF. The Quality Council for Trades & Occupations will make use of Communities of Expert Practice (CEPs, pg 284) to write unit standards and qualications for the new Occupational Qualications Framework, a sub-framework of the NQF. HOW WERE SGBS CREATED AND RUN? Any group of people concerned about how the skills in a certain area of learning were dened, could apply to an NSB or Consultative Panel (page 109) for registration as an SGB. Alternatively, Consultative Panels could bring an SGB into being by recognizing the need for it. There were extensive guidelines on what a Consultative Panel had to consider when creating a new SGB or recognising an existing one. Briey, these guidelines were that an SGB must be: Representative of key education and training stakeholders Generally not more than 25 members in size Have credibility, and the experience and expertise needed to do its work Created after consultation between everyone concerned, and after the names of proposed members have been published in a government gazette WHAT DID SGBS DO? SGBs were typically involved with the following activities: Generating NQF standards and qualications in their sub-eld within their learning area Updating and reviewing those standards Recommending new standards and qualications to SAQA Recommending criteria for the registration of assessors, moderators and moderating bodies Reviewing existing unit standards and qualications to ensure their continuing relevance and eectiveness SEE ALSO
What is a CEP? (pg 284) What is an SGB? (pg 111) What is a QC? (pg 087) How are qualications developed? (pg 310)

Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (pg 280)

111

112

What is an SSP?

WHAT IS AN SSP? Sector Skills Plans (SSP) are valuable strategy and research documents produced by each SETA every ve years, and updated annually. The objectives of the SSP are to:
Foundational Concepts

understand the prole of skills in the sector predict the demand for skills understand the supply of the skills that will be in demand identify critical and scarce skills (page 114) identify opportunities to meet other NSDS priorities (such as small business support and new venture creation) This information is then used to guide the SETAs operational planning, together with NSDS targets and any other strategic priorities, such as JIPSA and AsgiSA targets. The information in the SSP is also used by the Department of Higher Education & Training to write the National Scarce Skills List, which is published annually, and presents a consolidated national snapshot of skills shortages. SETAs gather information from various sources to compile the most accurate SSP possible: Reviews of all existing data, information and published literature on the sector Analysis of existing sector strategies published by other government departments, agencies or private sector organisations Studies of Workplace Skills Plans (page 113) submitted to the SETA Surveys of businesses and labour unions Stakeholder workshops and telephonic interviews SSPs are an information source of information for the Employment Services South Africa (ESSA, pg 252). ESSA is an important component of the new Occupational Learning System which seeks to provide better linkages between skills development outputs and the needs of the labour market. It employs a database which captures accurate, real-time data from the labour market and reports on it in a language and format that facilitates the design and improvement of appropriate learning solutions.

FOR MORE INFORMATION To view your SETAs Sector Skills Plan, go to your SETA website (listed on page 11) and click on the link to Skills Planning, Sector Skills Plan, Research or Documents. Alternatively phone your SETA and ask them to email you a copy. SEE ALSO What is a Workplace Skills Plan? (page 113) What is JIPSA? (page 083) What are Critical & Scarce Skills? (page 114) What is ESSA? (page 252)

WHAT IS A WSP? A Workplace Skills Plan is the document that outlines the planned training and education interventions for a specic organisation in the coming year. It is created out of an in-depth evaluation of the organisations strategic goals, and an understanding of the challenges, and forces at work both for and against the organisation in the wider business environment. Your Workplace Skills Plan should t naturally into your HR strategy, which itself is based on your business plan as an organisation. Submission of a Workplace Skills Plan is a legal requirement of organisations wishing to claim a Mandatory Grant from their SETA. It is also a pre-requisite to claiming points for the skills development element of the BEE scorecard (pg 190). Some SETAs are combining Workplace Skills Plans and Annual Training Reports into one document, submitted to the SETA once a year - check with your SETA to see what they require of you (contact details on page 11). WHEN IS AN ORGANISATION REQUIRED TO WRITE A WSP? Any organisation wishing to claim back the full available Mandatory Grant (pg 167) from its SETA against their Skills Development Levy, will only be able to do so if they have written and submitted a Workplace Skills Plan SEE ALSO What is the Skills Development Levy? (pg 165)

113

114

What are Critical & Scarce Skills?

WHAT ARE CRITICAL AND SCARCE SKILLS? We are not alone in our accelerating need for skilled workers, this is a challenge shared by countries right across the world, in both developed and developing countries. Furthermore, it is a challenge that cuts across our entire society and every economic sector. To formulate the National Scarce Skills List, the Department of HET had to combine research inputs from 23 economic sectors (via their SETAs), then share this and amend it in discussion with ve government departments: the Departments of Education, Home Aairs, Public Enterprises, Science & Technology, and Trade & Industry. WHAT ARE SCARCE SKILLS? Occupations that have a current or anticipated shortage of qualied and experienced people. WHAT ARE CRITICAL SKILLS? Skills required by people who are already employed in the workforce, but who cannot perform at the required level of competence (in other words, skills gaps). These are further dened as top-up skills required to keep people up to date with changes in their eld of expertise, and key or generic skills (such as language, literacy, mathematical, IT and problem solving skills). WHAT ARE CORE SKILLS? Core Skills is a term used in the BEE Codes of Good Practice (pg 187) to dene skills that are central to a particular enterprise, rather than a sector or the nation as a whole. In these Codes, enterprises are encouraged to train black employees in such skills. Core skills will therefore dier from enterprise to enterprise. WHAT ARE TARGETED AND PRIORITY SKILLS? Targeted and Priority skills are terms used by the JIPSA initiative to describe skills that have been specially selected because of the impact they can have on accelerating economic growth (AsgiSA). See What is JIPSA? (pg 083) for more detail. DIFFERENT TYPES OF SCARCE SKILLS Scarce skills shortages are further divided into relative scarcity and absolute scarcity... Relative Scarcity This is when people are available somewhere in the country to ll the skills shortage, but they dont meet other employment criteria such as: 1) Geographical location - commonly felt in rural areas which many people are unwilling to relocate to

Foundational Concepts

2) Equity criteria - where skilled people are available but dont meet the employment equity requirements of employers 3) High level work experience - where qualied people exist but do not have the high level of previous work experience needed to, for instance, manage large and complex construction sites such as dams and power plants Absolute scarcity People are not available to meet a skills shortage for any of the following reasons: 1) A new occupation has arisen and training providers have not yet developed learning programmes for it 2) Learning programmes do exist for the skills shortage, but not enough learners are enrolled on them SEE ALSO
What is a Sector Skills Plan? (pg 112) What is JIPSA? (pg 083) How are artisans developed? (pg 364) Success stories: Accelerated Artisan Training Programme (pg 411)

WHAT IS THE NLRD? The NLRD is the National Learners Records Database, managed by SAQA. It is an information system to facilitate the management of the NQF with the following two purposes: 1) To provide policy makers with comprehensive information to enable informed decision making 2) To provide learners and employers with proof of qualications obtained The NLRD stores information on : Records of all the learning achievements of every learner who has received credit for an NQF registered unit standard or qualication - currently 8,9 million learners and their achievements Detailed information on all NQF-registered unit standards and qualications including their assessment criteria - currently over 15,000 unit standards, and 11,000 qualications Details of all accredited ETQAs (31), training providers (over 30,000), and registered assessors (over 40,000) Details of SAQA substructures (Consultative Panels, SGBs) and moderating bodies

115

116

What is the NLRD?

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE NLRD? As a learner, you can: 1) have access to a veried record of your own learning achievements
Foundational Concepts

2) see a full list of the available unit standards and qualications registered on the NQF for purposes of selecting a study path 3) verify the accreditation status of skills development and education providers of the qualications you are interested in learning towards To verify your own learning achievements contact SAQA on 086 010 3188 or email your full name and ID number to verications@saqa.org.za. As a provider of education and skills development, you can: 1) see a full list of the available unit standards and qualications registered on the NQF for purposes of oering a course 2) nd out which Quality Council or ETQA is responsible for the quality assurance of each unit standard and qualication for purposes of obtaining learning programme approval from them to oer courses in those areas 3) request a list of registered assessors for those unit standards and qualications for purposes of assisting in the delivery of your learning 4) nd out details about the members and areas of activity of Communities of Expert Practice so that you can add your expertise to the standards setting and reviewing process (for occupational qualications, pg 292). As a member of business and industry, you can: 1) verify the learning achievements of applicants for work, including the level of progression they have successfully completed and their elds of learning 2) see a full list of the unit standards and qualications registered on the NQF in order to choose which are relevant for your organisation and so plan your training strategy and learning programmes eectively 3) nd out which providers have been accredited to oer the learning programmes you are interested in, and which Quality Council / ETQA is responsible for the quality assurance of the unit standards and qualications, as well as the list of registered assessors for those unit standards and qualications in case you are doing on-site training and require an outsourced assessor to perform the assessment of your learners To verify your applicants learning achievements contact SAQA at verications@saqa.org.za - this is a subscription service.

To conrm the accreditation status of a provider, visit the SAQA website (www.saqa.org.za) and click on the Qualications and Unit Standards link on the middle right hand side of the page. Follow the steps oered, and use the Accredited Provider drop-down menu on the search page. Government departments can benet from NLRD information as it enables informed policy decisions regarding education and skills development and human resource development in the areas of critical and scarce skills, economic development, immigration and the better use of available resources. IS INFORMATION GENERALLY AVAILABLE? Information on registered unit standards and qualications is open for public access from the SAQA website. This is very useful if you are planning a course of study or if you want align a learning programme to existing unit standards. Sensitive information is provided on the basis that condentiality is ensured, and the security of the NLRD is ensured through a sophisticated protection system. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS One of the responsibilities of JIPSA is to look at our information systems for skills development and education and see how they can be improved to allow for better input to policy making and for more reliable predictions on skills demand and supply. For this reason, JIPSA undertook a review of the NLRD in 2008 to see if it could be expanded to become a national skills and education database. The review concluded, Given that the NLRD has been set up for a very specic purpose and the fact that national human resource planning is not part of their mandate, the national human resources database should not be created by augmenting the NLRD and subverting its prime objectives. Instead, the NLRD data should feed into the national human resources database, and the latter should have a separate institutional home. Close cooperation between SAQA and the institution housing the human resources database would be essential. The Higher Education Quality Committee of the Council on Higher Education (CHE, pg 024) has a contract with SAQA, to provide an information system for the approximately 100 private higher education providers it is responsible for monitoring. The system, called HEQCIS, is hosted within the NLRD. WHERE DO I FIND MORE INFORMATION ON THE NLRD? Visit the SAQA website and click on About SAQA - Directorates and Divisions. SEE ALSO
What is ESSA? (pg 252) What is JIPSA? (pg 083) CHE (pg 024)

117

118

What is a Unit Standard?

WHAT IS A UNIT STANDARD? IMPORTANT NOTE ON UNIT STANDARD RELATED CHANGES Please see the section, The Occupational Learning System: How are qualications developed? (pg 310), to learn about the new approach to unit standards in the Occupational QualTABLE OF CONTENTS ications Framework. This includes three new types of unit Important note on unit standards standards that are being introduced to describe occupational related changes ........................................118 What are the different types of related learning and replace all existing unit standards: knowledge and theory unit standards, practical skills unit standards and work experience unit standards.
unit standards ..........................................119 What is an outcome? .................................119 What ISNT a Unit Standard? .....................120 The need for Unit Standards ......................121 How were unit standards created? .............122 Where to nd a list of registered unit standards? ........................................123

Foundational Concepts

However this is not a case of completely re-designing from scratch all unit standards - existing unit standards and qualications only need to be adapted in so far as they dier from the curriculum and assessment specications of an occupational qualication. Traditional unit standards are still relevant to the design of qualications under Umalusis qualications sub-framework and the CHEs qualications sub-framework, as well as during the transitional phase of operation of the QCTO. The process of writing unit standards is also changing under the new system and is described in the section, How are qualications developed? (pg 310). DEFINITIONS Unit standards are the building blocks of qualications, learnerships, skills programmes, and approved learning programmes. A unit standard is the description of the expected end points (or outcomes) of learning for which a learner will get credit. The NQF was created to be a framework of qualications, because qualications, not parts of qualications or unit standards are the most economically and socially useful way to measure peoples abilities to get things done. However unit standards are the components that together describe the skills that make up a qualication. A unit standard is the smallest learning achievement that can be credited to a learner on the NQF. Unit standards are both the essential, embedded knowledge needed to do something, and the outcomes which a learner must demonstrate to gain a credit on the NQF.

Unit standards can stand alone, be grouped in clusters to form skills programmes or be combined observing SAQAs Rules of Combination into qualications that are registered on the NQF. WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF UNIT STANDARDS To help create qualications out of unit standards, unit standards have been split into three distinct types (fundamental, core and elective) which are explained in more detail on page 123. WHAT IS AN OUTCOME? Outcomes are the demonstrable and measurable end products of a learning process. They are statements regarding the parts that make up competence in something. Outcomes can include reference to the learners achievements in the following areas: Actions that are performed Roles that are acted out Knowledge that is evidenced Understanding that is shown Skills that are demonstrated Values and attitudes that a learner has to demonstrate Outcomes also refer to: The criteria against which the learners achievements will be assessed; the particular contexts of these achievements (e.g. a hair salon). There are two types of outcomes: Critical cross-eld outcomes that are broad and the same across all elds of learning; (cross-eld refers to the fact that these outcomes apply across all learning elds) Specic outcomes that are specic to certain occupations and elds of learning; (a specic outcome is the ability to use knowledge, skills and values specic to a particular learning eld or occupation) See What are Critical Cross-eld Outcomes? (pg 123) for a closer look at the eight Critical Cross-eld Outcomes. These outcomes expect the learners to demonstrate certain life skills which will not only enhance their learning but will also be transferable to their private lives. These skills are expressed as critical cross-eld outcomes in each unit standard.

119

120

What is a Unit Standard?

Foundational Concepts

WHAT ISNT A UNIT STANDARD? This is an important question to ask, as people often think a unit standard is one of the following, which it isnt: A syllabus topic from a curriculum saying what must be learned; A course or module of a learning programme; A description of a task such as how to read an instrument or prepare a piece of equipment for a specic function; An activity that you have to demonstrate (although this can be part of what a unit standard is); or A score, grade or percentage

A unit standard is simply a description of the evidence someone will be able to demonstrate having mastered a skill. Unit standards dont give any idea of how you get a learner to the place where they can show the evidence that is up to the training and education provider to decide on. Unit standards just describe the evidence that will be accepted as proof that someone has arrived at a certain level of skill.

THE NEED FOR UNIT STANDARDS Unit standards make it possible for qualications to exist in such a way that they can be described clearly, compared with other qualications and ranked at dierent levels of skill (such as NQF levels 1 to 10). As a learner, this is important because it means that you know clearly what learning outcomes you must achieve to get a qualication. Also, because unit standards are common across many dierent qualications, each time you achieve a unit standard, you are one step closer to realising several possible qualications that may contain the same unit standard. You dont have to duplicate the same learning should you switch to a dierent qualication. As a business, training employees in specic unit standards enables you to build towards clusters of unit standards that will make your business more eective. Should you need to adapt the skills prole of your workforce to deal with a new challenge or advance in technology, you can describe the current skills prole in terms of unit standards, and the

121

122

What is a Unit Standard?

desired skills prole in terms of unit standards, and know immediately what the dierence, and therefore the training intervention needed, is. You also give your employees the gift of unit standards which they can eventually combine to achieve a qualication so none of their learning needs to be wasted. As a labour union, you can negotiate more eectively the value of your union to the business when you can describe in terms of unit standards what skills and what level of skills your members are adding to the value of the business. Wage
Foundational Concepts

and benet agreements can be reached which spell out clear and specic learning targets in terms of unit standards. As a training and education provider or materials designer, you know clearly what learning outcomes you are working towards in designing the materials or learning programmes for that particular unit standard. As an assessor of learners achievements, you have objective and clear statements as to the evidence the learners need to show to receive credit for the unit standard. As a recruitment agency or HR manager, unit standards give you a practical and objective way to describe what skills you are looking for in a potential candidate, and they make promotions more realistically tied to competence, and therefore more objective. And so the benets go on. Ultimately, unit standards make learning organised, ecient and eective. They also make the measuring of learning an objective task, rather than a subjective one. HOW WERE UNIT STANDARDS CREATED?
The process of creating unit standards for all occupational related learning is changing. See the section What is a CEP (pg 284) and How are qualications developed? (pg 310) to understand the changes. The information below is still relevant during the transitional phase of the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (pg 280).

Previously unit standards were created by Consultative Panels (pg 109) in conjunction with ETQAs (pg 108). There were three phases in creating unit standards: 1) Firstly, a Consultative Panel (pg 109) would analyse its eld of learning and plan the following: A) the number and types of priority unit standards and qualications that needed to be developed (otherwise the danger of getting lost in the huge scale of the task is present) B) how unit standards would be developed in their eld C) a timetable for the development of the unit standards and qualications, in consultation with the relevant ETQA 2) Secondly, the panel would co-ordinate the development of the desired standards and qualications through its ETQA , and 3) Lastly, the panel would assist the ETQA in the quality assurance for the standards and qualications by:

A) getting and implementing recommendations for new standards and qualications or changes to existing ones from the ETQA B) deciding what the moderation procedures for their standards and qualications should be across the ETQA C) continually updating the standards and qualications within their sub-elds SAQA itself performed the nal step in that it acted as the moderator of the panels by auditing their standards setting work. WHERE TO FIND A LIST OF REGISTERED UNIT STANDARDS A list of the currently registered Unit Standards is available from the SAQA web site (www.saqa.org.za), derived from the National Learners Records Database, or NLRD (pg 115). You can browse all unit standards and all registered qualications. You can search the database by keywords such as qualication or unit standard ID number, the title of the standard, eld of learning, etc. Having found a unit standard or qualication, you can read and print the entire set of information belonging to that entry. For instance, for each unit standard thus found, all the outcomes, assessment criteria, relevant dates, etc can be instantly accessed. WHAT IS A CCFO? IMPORTANT NOTE ON CHANGES RELATED TO CCFOS
See the note at the start of the What is a unit standard? section (pg 118) to understand the changes that are now taking place in the way that unit standards are conceptualised and developed. Critical Cross Field Outcomes for the Occcupational Qualications Framework will now be incorporated into the specic curriculum requirements of occupational qualications where necessary and where relevant to that occupation. However CCFOs may still be used in the further and higher education qualication sub-frameworks in the way they are described below.

WHAT ARE THE CCFOS? Critical Cross Field Outcomes are the foundation stones upon which other skills are built. Regardless of the qualication, the development of these critical outcomes is vital to: eective performance in the workplace developing the capacity for life-long learning Every unit standard incorporates at least some of the CCFOs and they must be addressed at an appropriate level for the qualication proposed. For example, if the Qualication is at NQF level 3 then the CCFOs need to be assessed at NQF level 3 The CCFOs are about developing people in a holistic way

123

124

What is a Unit Standard?

The assessor should be able to collect evidence that proves the candidate has demonstrated competence in the CCFOs, whilst demonstrating competence against the occupational standard as well These are the eight Critical Cross Field Outcomes that have been identied: 1. Identifying and solving problems
Foundational Concepts

2. Working eectively with others 3. Organising and managing oneself 4. Collecting, analysing, organising and critically evaluating information 5. Communicating eectively (numbers and words) 6. Using science and technology and showing responsibility to the environment 7. Understanding the world as a set of related systems 8. Learner and societal development through awareness of: a. How to learn more eectively b. How to be a more responsible citizen c. How to be culturally and aesthetically aware d. How to explore education and career opportunities e. How to develop entrepreneurial opportunities WHAT MUST I CONSIDER WHEN ASSESSING THE ACHIEVEMENT OF CCFOS? If you are responsible for the assessment of learners, these are key points to consider when assessing if they have achieved competency in CCFOs: Ensure CCFOs relate back to the occupational skills being assessed (integration) Create measurable criteria to assess the CCFOs Assess against the criteria created for each CCFO (see www.saqa. org.za for more details)

 Ensure that there is an increase in the complexity of skills demonstrated according to the NQF levels you are assessing the CCFOs at Make sure candidates produce CCFO evidence in a portfolio format Top up training of learners to ensure CCFO content is covered FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact SAQA (page 020) for more information and guidelines supporting the use of CCFOs. SEE ALSO
How are qualications developed? (pg 310) What were the problems with NQF 1.0? (pg 239)

WHAT IS A QUALIFICATION? TYPES OF QUALIFICATIONS Since the enactment of the NQF Act (2008), each subframework (pg 76) of the NQF is allowed greater latitude in the nature and design of its qualications than was originally catered for under the SAQA Act (1995) and subsequent guidelines issued by SAQA. The Higher Education Qualications Framework (HEQF) outlines the features and criteria for qualications delivered in the higher education sector (NQF 5 - 10), and the Occupational Qualications Framework (OQF, pg 272)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Types of Qualications ................................125 Denition ....................................................126 Why are Qualications needed? ................126 How are Qualications created? ................126 What is the difference between Fundamental, Core & Elective Unit Standards? .......................................127 Where can I nd a list of all the available Qualications? .........................................128

does the same for the occupational sector. The General & Further Education & Training Qualications Framework (GFETQF) is currently being drafted. The information that follows is based on the standard guidelines issued by SAQA for all qualications development up until 2008. This information will still be valid during the transitional phase of the setting up of the QCTO (pg 280), and various principles of this process may still be used within the HEQF and the GFETQF after that period. See the section, The Occupational Learning System (pg 218) for more information on the OQF and occupational qualications.

125

126

What is a Qualification?

DEFINITION
A qualication is a planned combination of learning outcomes with a dened purpose or purposes, intended to provide qualifying learners with applied competence and a basis for further learning
SAQA Guideline Document: The Quality Assurance of Fundamental Components of Qualications (2005)

Foundational Concepts

A qualication is also a socially and economically meaningful learning achievement - this makes it dierent from a unit standard or part qualication which can be building blocks of a qualication. Successful assessment and the achievement of qualications are tangible proof for learners and employees that the learning has taken place, not just paper certication that a learner was spoon-fed a certain amount of knowledge. There are several ways to get a qualication besides formal study at a further or higher education institution. These include learnerships, skills programmes and the recognition of what people already know (RPL, pg 158). To ensure that the quality of qualications is consistently high, the NQF outlines the ways in which various aspects of the training and assessment process are checked - through Quality Councils (pg 087). These bodies accredit providers of training and assessment, register assessors, moderate assessment, certify learners and report to SAQA on learners achievements. WHY ARE QUALIFICATIONS NEEDED? The unit standards described in the previous section are great at describing small learning achievements, but they need to be combined together into packages of qualications that people nd useful in the real world for purposes of employment and education. HOW ARE QUALIFICATIONS CREATED? Each Quality Council has its own qualications design process which conforms to the principles of the NQF and SAQA criteria. Occupational Qualications are developed by Communities of Expert Practice (CEPs, pg 284). Prior to the NQF Act (2008), qualications were created by Quality Councils through Consultative Panels in a similar way to the creation of unit standards, but also follow SAQAs Rules of Combination in the grouping together of unit standards. The rules of combination for each sector on the NQF diered slightly from what is explained below. SAQAs Rules of Combination and the Credit System One credit equals 10 notional hours of learning. Notional time is the time it would take the average learner to acquire the skills and knowledge required for that unit of learning. This time period includes the theoretical component (study, lectures, projects, homework etc.) as well as the practical component (on-the-job demonstration).

Some learners may take longer than others to achieve the credits. However, as long as the outcomes are met, credit should be given to the learner regardless of the time the learner takes to demonstrate competence. Unit standards may also vary in size. One unit standard may be worth one credit while others are worth three credits or ten credits (see the example of the National Certicate in Conservation following). In order for a qualication to be registered as: A certicate: it must have 120 credits. A diploma: it must consist of 240 credits. A degree: it must consist of 360 credits. For the certicate, at least 72 credits must be obtained at the level of the qualication (e.g. NQF level 2) or above the level of the qualication. 20 of the credits must be in language and communication at the level of the qualication, 16 credits must be in mathematics at the level of the qualication, and 20 credits must be in a second language, language and communication at the level of qualication or one level below it. These rules of combination, with slight variation, apply to all NQF registered qualications up to NQF level 4, and their intention is to ensure that NQF qualications are not narrow job based qualications, but rather, career based qualications that provide access to further learning. Without communication and numeracy skills, most people would get stuck and not be able to improve their skills any further. In the Higher Education and Training (HET) sector (NQF level 5 onwards), the SGB is able to chose the number of communication or maths credits depending on the type of qualication that is being developed. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FUNDAMENTAL, CORE & ELECTIVE UNIT STANDARDS? Fundamental Unit Standards are the basic knowledge people need to know in order to do their work better. All qualications from levels 1 - 4 must have at least 36 credits here of which 16 credits must be from mathematics and 20 credits from communication and languages. Basic computer skills are included as fundamental unit standards in many qualications. Core Unit Standards are the knowledge you need in order to perform the job and be seen as competent. Dierent functional areas or jobs will have a dierent set of core units. Elective Unit Standards include all the units that you want to give the learners some choice over. In the diagram overleaf, the learner has the choice to learn terrestrial or marine and coastal conservation. The example on the page following is taken from the National Certicate in Conservation: Natural Resource Guardianship (NQF level 2) worth 121 credits. In the diagram below, L indicates the NQF level of the unit standard, and C indicates the number of credits the unit standard is worth.

127

128

What is a Qualification?

Foundational Concepts

WHERE CAN I FIND A LIST OF ALL THE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE QUALIFICATIONS? As mentioned in the previous section on Unit Standards, SAQA has made all registered unit standards and qualications available on a searchable online database at their site. You can search the database by keywords such as qualication or unit standard ID number, the title of the standard, eld of learning, etc. Having found a unit standard or qualication, it is possible to read and print the entire set of information belonging to that entry. For instance, for each unit standard thus found, all the outcomes, assessment criteria, relevant dates, etc is instantly accessed. SEE ALSO
What is the OQF? (pg 272) What are occupational qualications? (pg 292)

WHAT IS A LEARNERSHIP? During NSDS 1 (2001 - 2005), Dept Labour set and exceeded a target of putting 80,000 South Africans through learnerships. During NSDS 2 (2005 - 2011), there is less emphasis on quantity of throughput, and more emphasis on quality of delivery. DEFINITION
TABLE OF CONTENTS

A learnership is a route to an occupational or professional NQF qualication with a strong emphasis on work place experience. Learnerships have the following dening features: there is a formal contract between the employer, the learner and the training provider the learning achievements are formally assessed by an accredited skills development provider

Denition .....................................................129 Purpose ......................................................129 Learnerships and the new OLS ..................129 Benets of learnerships...............................131 Designing a learnership .............................133 Roles and responsibilities ..........................133 Tax incentives & grants ..............................134 Learnerships and BEE ...............................136 Using a learnership in your organisation ....136 Where can I nd more information on learnerships? ...........................................149 See also .....................................................150

learning includes supervised, structured, experiential learning in the workplace PURPOSE Learnerships were introduced in the Skills Development Act (1998) in order to give government a tool to invest massively in skills development for empowerment and economic purposes. Learnerships combine both knowledge and work experience components of learning. This is believed to be the most time and cost-eective way to empower learners with economically relevant skills that give them better employment prospects than traditional knowledge-heavy qualications, or work experience-heavy trades. Learnerships therefore are an important tool in the hands of a government which seeks to reduce unemployment and poverty. LEARNERSHIPS & THE NEW OCCUPATIONAL LEARNING SYSTEM (OLS) The new Occupational Learning System (see page 218), is specically designed to improve the design, assessment and delivery of work related learning programmes such as learnerships. With the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008), apprenticeships are now dened as a form of learnership in order to benet from the support and incentives for learnerships. Furthermore, learnerships will only be registered against the new occupational qualications of the QCTO - see page 336 (How are qualications delivered? - Redening learning programmes). Other changes in the OLS that are relevant to learnerships are given on the page following.

129

130

What is a Learnership?

Change in emphasis The OLS corrects an overemphasis on learnerships to the exclusion of valid other learning programmes such as apprenticeships and skills programmes. Apprenticeships now qualify for the same tax incentives and SETA grants as learnerships. All references in the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008) to learnerships are now changed to
Foundational Concepts

learning programmes. Learnerships now become one of four possible routes to qualifying as an artisan (see pg 372 for more detail). Change in denition In the OLS, a learnership is a type of learning programme that: (1) includes the three curriculum components of knowledge skill work experience, and (2) is governed by a contractual agreement that leads to a National Occupational Award (pg 293) or a National Skills Award (pg 294) that forms a distinct but recognised portion of an occupational award. the Dept of Higher Education & Training will regulate what forms a distinct but recognised portion of an occupational award, acceptable for registration of a learnership. Learnerships should result in much better employment prospects for graduates because of the tight link between labour market needs and qualication design (see pg 310). Change in registration Learnerships will usually be registered by the Communities of Expert Practice (pg 284) responsible for developing the National Occupational Award or National Skills Award they are linked to. Change in design and delivery Learnerships pre-2010 often gave a learner competence in only part of an occupation. For example, it would require three learnerships to become competent in some trades (NQF 1, NQF 2 and NQF 3 level qualications). The Occupational Qualications Framework denes each occupation as having only one qualication leading to it. This simplies the number and nature of learnerships. Each qualication is designed along with its curriculum specications. This gives

more support and guidance to providers in the development of learning materials for the learnership. Where higher education providers oer learnerships, the learnership design will now need to be approved by the QCTO, which is responsible for the design of all learnerships. Existing learnerships will be re-aligned to OQF qualications. Learnerships will not be oered against qualications on the further or higher education frameworks. Providers who deliver learnerships will therefore need to re-align their programmes with the curriculum published for the occupational qualication that the learnership is based on, as well as their assessment practices. Change in assessment and impact evaluation Certication of learning achievements will be speeded up by improved and streamlined quality assurance requirements (pg 354). The QCTO will have a statistics and research unit that will run tracer studies on learners entering learnerships but dropping out, and those completing learnerships successfully. For more information on the OLS and the changes it brings to the design, delivery and assessment of learning see these sections: Benets & opportunities of the OLS: for providers (pg 386) and for employers (pg 376) How are qualications developed (pg 310), delivered (pg 336) and assessed? (pg 348) How are artisans developed? (pg 364) BENEFITS OF LEARNERSHIPS For learners Learners need learnerships because they cannot aord the loss of income that full-time study would cost, and they cannot aord to be on learning programmes that are not directly and practically related to their eld of work and better career prospects. Learnerships provide a launch pad for further learning: because they are based on unit standards, which are the building blocks of all NQF qualications, it becomes easy to expand your career path and build on what you have already achieved. Learnerships are not limited to technical trades: any occupation or profession registered on the OFO (pg 256) can have a learnership designed for it. For employers Employers need learnerships because they cannot aord to lose employees for long periods of training during o-site learning programmes. They also benet from the work relevant features of learnerships which means that graduates

131

132

What is a Learnership?

are better equipped to hit the ground running when they arrive in the work place. The skills development element of the BEE Codes of Good Practice incentivise employers to train black employees on learnerships (see pg 187 for more information). The benets of learnerships to employers are summarised in this table:
Foundational Concepts

CHALLENGE TIME

EXPLANATION
Training takes my people away from doing their work which is what gives me a business in the rst place? Learnerships involve a high proportion of on-the-job training so your productivity is not impacted as much as with traditional learning methods

MONEY

Training costs my business too much Learnerships carry tax incentives and grants to make them more nancially attractive Your business can improve its competitiveness by earning additional points on the BEE scorecard that are reserved for learnership training

RELEVANCE

Training is just theory - my people need real skills Learnerships are practical and can only be registered if they relate to existing skills needs in an economic sector

MOBILITY

Training is a dead-end game; Ive done plenty of courses but it goes no-where! Learnerships are plugged into the National Qualications Framework so that they give access to further learning and are nationally recognised

For unemployed people Unemployed people can embark on learnerships that will both give them the theory and the work based experience which makes them much more employable than before. Often the single greatest hindrance to employment is the lack of education and work experience. Learnerships provide both. A portion of the Skills Development Levy collected from companies every month goes into the National Skills Fund for purposes such as training the unemployed. SETAs also oer learnership grants for section 18.2 learnerships which are targeted at unemployed people.

DESIGNING A LEARNERSHIP

The QCTO will ultimately be responsible for the design and registration of the learnerships on the National Occupational Pathways Framework (NOPF, pg 264).

If you are interested in creating a learnership, rst contact your SETA and see what learnerships are already in existence, or in development. Also, make contact with the learnership manager at the SETA to discuss your plans. SETAs have a brief to create learnerships guided by the skills shortages in their economic sector. Every learnership created must have the following three key features: 1) Have structured (planned) theoretical learning 2) Include practical work experience of a specic type and duration; 3) Lead to an NQF qualication which is related to an occupation with the introduction of the Occupational Learning System in 2010, the occupation must now be listed on the Organising Framework for Occupations, pg 256 4) Delivered by an accredited training provider with the introduction of the Occupational Learning System in 2010, the provider must now be accredited with the QCTO, pg 280 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The QCTO may issue revised roles and responsibilities for learnership implementation - see the section Changes to learnerships in the OLS (pg 218).

A Learnership Agreement is entered into and registered with a SETA whenever a learnership is implemented. The learner will need to be in employment - even if temporarily - in order to undertake a learnership. The purpose of the learnership is to provide a legally binding description of the rights and responsibilities of each party in relation to the other parties. As partners in the learnership, each party would need to agree on the following: The content and range of the learnership The nature of the learning on each of the sites (training provider and workplace sites) The division of the learning on each site The roles that each party will play with regard to research, planning, development, implementation, learner support, assessment, administration and funding

133

134

What is a Learnership?

The key Employer responsibilities are: Employ the learner for the period specied in the agreement Provide the learner with structured practical work experience based on the desired learning outcomes of the learnership
Foundational Concepts

Release the learner to attend the training specied in the agreement Provide the learner with assessment as specied in the agreement These are the key Learner responsibilities: Attend the specied education and training Implement theoretical learning in the workplace Ensure readiness for assessment as agreed with the assessor The skills development provider has these key responsibilities: Provide the training specied in the agreement Provide learner support specied in the agreement Provide the learner with assessment as specied in the agreement TAX INCENTIVES AND SETA GRANTS Tax Incentives are deductions on your taxable income that you can claim for each learnership (or apprenticeship) candidate that you have in your employment, once at the start of the learnership, and once again at its completion. They are legislated in section 12H of the Income Tax Act, 58 of 1962 (as amended) and are in place till 2011, after which time they may be renewed again as they were in 2006. In addition to SARS Tax Incentives, Learnership Grants are also oered by most SETAs as a further incentive. Tax Incentives (SARS) There are two categories of tax incentives, the highest incentive being paid for learnership candidates that were unemployed when you signed the learnership agreement with them. You can deduct o your taxable income, given certain conditions: Existing Employees (also called 18 (1) learners) - 70% of the annual wage (to a maximum of R20,00) when the agreement is entered into, and a further R30,000, or the value of the employees remuneration, whichever is the lesser,

when the learner has completed the learnership. Learnerships vary in duration but are not shorter than one year for a certicate level learnership and sometimes three years for a diploma level learnership. Previously unemployed (also called 18 (2) learners) - the value of the learners annual wage (to a maximum of R30,000) when the agreement is entered into, and when the learner has completed the registered learnership, another tax deduction equivalent to the value of the learners current annual wage (again to a maximum of R30,000) As an incentive to employ disabled people on learnerships, a disability learnership allowance was introduced in 2006 to help oset the additional costs to employers of accommodating disabled learnership candidates. It is valued at the lesser of either R40,000 or 150% of the employed learners annual wage at the start of the learnership for employed learners; and the lesser of R50,000 or 175% of the unemployed learners wage, at the start of the learnership. At the end of the learnership the deduction is valued at the lesser of either R50,000 or 175% of both types of learners wages. Learnership Grants (SETAs) Many SETAs oer learnership grants ranging from R4,000 to R40,000 per learner. However the grants are subject to availability and are oered on a rst come, rst serve basis, so you will need to plan ahead and get your grant application in to the SETA as early as possible to stand a chance of getting the additional help.

Example:
Mr Naidoo is expanding his retail business and hires two new, previously unemployed workers and puts them each through a two year certicate learnership in merchandising. Their monthly wages are R2,400 each or R28,800 per year. Since they were unemployed at the start of the learnership, he can deduct the value of their annual wages (to a maximum of R30,000) at the start of the learnership and the same value again at its conclusion. The learnership is two years in duration. Employer Naidoo can therefore claim a total tax deduction of (R28,800 X 2) = R57,600 off his taxable income for the year in which the learnership begins, and the year in which the learnership ends (assuming their wages are still the same). The cash value of the saving to his business is (R57,600 X 2) X 29% = R33,408 This is in addition to the fact that the cost of training these employees is also a tax deductible business expense, and his SETA may offer him learnership grants in addition. Mr Naidoo will also benet on his BEE Scorecard from implementing learnership training for his black employees (see BEE & Skills Development (pg 184) for more detail).

The calculation of benets for year 1 of the learnership would look like this:

135

136

What is a Learnership?

Scenario A No Learnership Gross Turnover Less Expenses Less Tax Deduction R1,000,000 R350,000

Scenario B Learnership R1,000,000 R350,000 R57,600

Foundational Concepts

Net Taxable Prot Tax at 29% Savings due to learnerships (Year 1 only)

R650,000 R188,500

R592,400 R171,796

R16 ,704

LEARNERSHIPS AND BEE Learnerships are among a certain category of learning programmes that can earn your organisation additional BEE Scorecard points if you implement them for your black employees. There is a target of 5% of an organisations workforce to be on learnerships or similar programmes. Employers can also claim the salaries of employees on such programmes as part of their qualifying BEE training spend. See the section BEE & Skills Development: The Learning Programme Matrix (pg 199) to understand how this works. USING A LEARNERSHIP IN YOUR ORGANISATION
The QCTO may revise and update learnership implementation guidelines when it comes into full operation during 2010. Please check with your SETA or the Dept of Higher Education & Training to conrm any changes that take place to the following information.

People wanting help in implementing learnerships would benet from rst reading the rest of this chapter (Foundational Concepts, pg 064) to get a basic idea of concepts that underlie learnerships, such as unit standards, NQF levels and qualications. This section covers the main areas of learnership implementation; for more advanced help, see Other Resources to help with Implementing Learnerships at the end of this section. Learnerships are worth seriously considering as a cost eective way of getting the skilled people your organisation needs in order to be eective, and in improving your competitiveness through earning points on the BEE scorecard. These are the four steps to implementing learnerships in your business: 1) Preparation 2) Planning 3) Implementing 4) Evaluating

Establish the need Identify learnerships that meet the need Communicate the learnership decision Identify the required resources Identify provision options Dene the evaluation strategy

Establish the need

The need to implement a learnership in your business should be based on a Training Needs Analysis and should be reected in your Workplace Skills Plan (nd providers for a needs analysis in the Training Management and Strategy section in the National Training Directory at the back of this publication). Having a clear business plan will make this part of the job easier and will guarantee that every cent you spend on training is getting you closer to the objectives of your business plan.

Identify learnerships that meet the need

See the Dept of Higher Education & Training website for a list of all currently registered learnerships. Work out how many people you would like to put through the learnership. Decide whether you will be using unemployed people for the learnership, pre-employed, or your current employees. Unemployed and pre-employed learnership candidates will qualify you to receive a higher tax incentive (for section 18.2 learners), but will require you to sign employment contracts with them, and specify a minimum wage.
Communicate the learnership decision

1
Preparation

Any new idea in an organisation naturally meets with resistance, so your planning above will help you at this point to show how learnerships will meet genuine business needs in your organisation. We recommend you consult with some of the providers in the Learnerships section of National Training Directory at the back of this publication, for sound business related reasons that may help to win the case for implementing learnerships in your organisation.
Identify the required resources
Please read the note on the changes to workplace accreditation requirements (pg 339) that will take place under the new Occupational Learning System

You are going to need resources in the following areas to make learnerships work in your organisation: Administrative: systems to record and report training information Financial: money for salaries, training and related expenses - note that tax incentives and learnership grants from your SETA are paid out after deliverables or completion of the learnership, so you will have to nd a way to

137

138

What is a Learnership?

cashow the expenses in the interim Physical: a suitable environment for learning to take place in, including teaching aids, and standard Occupational Health and Safety compliance Human: people who can do the training such as coaches, mentors, facilitators, assessors, moderators (dont worry
Foundational Concepts

there are many qualied people to do this for you if your own organisation does not have them) Partnership Resources: liaison people, and agreements on the contributions each partner (employer, provider, learner) will make
Identify provision options

Provision options refer to who is going to train your employees. Since this is high quality NQF aligned training, this is not just a straight forward matter of getting anyone o the street. Only a QCTO accredited skills development provider is legally allowed to deliver learnership training, and the learning programmes that are used to achieve the outcomes of the learnership must be QCTO approved (until the QCTO is fully operational, SETAs and SETA accredited providers will continue to perform this role). Training provision for a learnership has responsibilities in four key areas: 1. Learning delivery 2. Learning assessment 3. Learning administration 4. Learnership management 5. Workplace learning and learnership monitoring In most SETAs, your ETQA has made it possible for you to outsource some or all of the responsibilities above, the QCTO is likely to continue with this practice. However, you as the employer would still need to take overall responsibility for the learnership, and you would therefore need to put in place clear contracts and roles to make sure that the learnership is responsibly dealt with. Your choice to oustource or not to will obviously depend on how large your organisation is. It will be more cost-eective to develop delivery, assessment or management skills amongst your own employees if you are going to be training large numbers of employees in learnerships. This means becoming an accredited provider. To give you more exibility in the extent to which your organisation gets involved as an accredited provider, there are three categories of accreditation, each requiring dierent amounts of re-

sources and therefore commitment (note that these categories are likely to change under the new Occupational Learning System - see How are qualications delivered? (pg 336) for more details): A. Delivery Site B. Assessment Centre C. Full Provider As a Delivery Site, you will not need to meet the quality assurance requirements of assessment. As an Assessment Centre, you will not need to meet the quality assurance requirements relating to the delivery of learning. Full Providers need to meet all of the quality assurance requirements required of accredited providers. One example of how you can use the categories above to your advantage is to apply for accreditation as a Delivery Site, do your own training in the learnership, and outsource your assessments to an accredited Assessment Centre.
Dene an evaluation strategy

We suggest that you clearly lay out how you are going to evaluate the eectiveness of your learnership programme before you start (i.e. in the Preparation phase). We give you some more ideas around how to evaluate the impact of a Learnership in the section Evaluating, later on.

Prepare the implementation budget Submit a letter of intent to your SETA Develop a roll-out strategy Establish learning material Establish roles for role-players Dene the evaluation strategy

Prepare the implementation budget

We suggest that you include in this budget the obvious direct costs such as the provision of training and learning materials, and that you also include possible sources of funding such as Discretionary Grants from your SETA, internal sta development funds, social investment funds, BEE implementation funds and others, and that you do a cashow projection to ensure that you have sucient resources to sustain the learnership programme for its full duration. Learnerships are not usually shorter than one year in duration, and sometimes three years or longer. A typical learnership budget would include the following direct costs:

2
Planning Provision Costs

Provider contract fee ETD sta training (assessors, moderators)

139

140

What is a Learnership?

Course and other resource material (development, printing and distribution) Assessment Moderation
Foundational Concepts

Workplace Costs Contact time of learners, (i.e. subsistence, travelling, o the job) Time of the (workplace) assessor Learner allowances Training Aids, equipment, stationery Management Costs Coordination and administration Launch, certication Communication and awareness From the total expenses listed here, you can create a total cost per learner per month gure which shows you the direct costs of implementing the learnership. There are also hidden costs of learnerships. Check with your SETA, or some of the providers in the Learnership section of the National Training Directory to see what these are and how you can minimize them by planning before-hand how to deal with them.
Submit a Letter of Intent to your SETA

You will need to write an ocial letter from your organization to show that you intend running learnerships in your organization. These are only accepted during certain times of the year so check when these are so that you are not delayed by missing the next intake.
Develop a roll-out strategy

Work out what unit standards the learnership needs to cover, and what kind of workplace experience is linked to each unit standard. Then schedule a programme to have learners being trained in related unit standards, and being exposed to workplace experience related to those unit standards, within a similar time period. Also, schedule assessments against the unit standards and workplace experience at the end of these learning periods.

Establish learning material

Note that under the new Occupational Learning System, learning materials for learnerships will be derived from the curriculum specications which are registered with the qualication. See page 310 for more detail.

The learning programme you use will need to be: Unit standard aligned ETQA / QCTO approved Delivered by an accredited provider Assessed by registered assessors There are many ways of approaching these requirements creatively and cost-eectively that we do not cover in this basic guide. For example, existing material can be re-aligned to meet unit standard specications, instead of designed from scratch, or your SETA may have pre-prepared courseware that you can use. Many SETAs have commissioned the production of high quality courseware which is available free of charge to accredited providers in their sector, especially in the area of critical or scarce skills. For assistance with re-aligning existing material to unit standard specications, look for providers under Skills Development and NQF Services in the National Training Directory. The checklist following helps you to ask some good questions around this decision
Establish roles for role players

LEARNING MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT CHECKLIST

Do I have the staff and subject matter expertise to design and develop my own programmes Do I have the time to align or develop my own programmes? Do I have a budget to contract out the alignment or development Is it in the best interests of the organisation to develop new materials or align existing ones Does the roll-out strategy or type of qualication require me to develop new materials or align existing ones? Is it our long term goal as an organisation to become an accredited provider, or to contract training to outsiders

In the situation where you are outsourcing the delivery and assessment of the learnership to an ETD provider, the roles of Facilitator (trainer), Assessor and Moderator will be their responsibility, but the Coaches and Mentors will ideally be drawn from your organization, as they will bring a wealth of personal workplace experience specic to your organization to the workplace part of your learners experience.

The following pointers suggest what to look for in selecting employees to function as coaches and mentors:

141

142

What is a Learnership?

The Coach This would ideally be a line manager or supervisor that has daily contact with the learner, as well as subject matter expertise and eld experience in the area of learning.
Foundational Concepts

Some kind of exposure to ETD practice is helpful, but does not need to be formal. Some of the best coaches are naturals. Good communication and feedback skills are essential in a coach. They need to be able to empathise with learners and exercise patience so that the learner feels they are in a positive and safe learning environment. Coaches should have a fairly systematic and structured way of working, otherwise they may confuse learners in the early stages. The Mentor Mentors are similar to coaches, but are able to train in more of a strategic sense than in the operational sense of a coach. Their ability to be objective and share their observations with sensitive but accurate feedback makes them an important part of high quality workplace learning. A mentor will be able to listen well, and probe and question in order to oer perceptions and feedback to learners. Like a coach, they have subject matter expertise, and eld experience, but they also have some kind of management and strategic expertise as well.

Identify, select and place learners Complete the learnership agreements Launch the learnership Manage the learnership Provider learner support Assess the learners

Identify, select and place learners

This is a key success factor in a learnership. Placing learners at levels of learning that are too dicult or too easy for them is a sure way to demotivate them and waste everyones time. Most SETAs have developed learnership placement tools to help place learners at the most appropriate level. Contact your SETA and ask for the Learnership or Skills Development section to see what help they have.

3
Implementing

Literacy & Numeracy Assessment

Note that under the new Occupational Learning System, access to occupational qualications requires Foundational Learning Competence. Literacy and numeracy components of qualications are removed except in as much as they relate to the core competencies required by the particular occupation. See page 300 for more detail.

It is really important that the people your select for the learnership meet its minimum literacy and numeracy requirements. Failure to check this could cause disappointment and unnecessary failure, as well as cost you in wasted training time. Many of the early learnership projects took in matriculants in the expectation that they would have at least the equivalent of Grade 9 literacy. Although on paper they had a matriculation certicate, their literacy levels were well below the minimum requirement for the learnership, causing serious diculties for the learners. To nd out what the learnership literacy and numeracy requirements are, look at the unit standards that are used in the learnership. Each unit standard normally has a list of the learning assumed to be in place. You could use an ABET provider (see the ABET section of the National Training Directory) to test their existing literacy and numeracy levels. The ABET tests usually cost approximately R150 per learner and last +/- 2 - 3 hours. Pre-Assessment A pre-assessment or a base line assessment should be done on all the potential learners. This should be an assessment in the workplace of learner skills and knowledge. The purpose of the pre-assessment or a base line assessment is two-fold: (1) to ensure that you dont train people that already have skills & knowledge, and (2) to identify gaps where training is most needed. Learners that are mostly competent should be given the opportunity to have an RPL assessment (see below) rather than be re-trained. Determining the existing skill levels of your learnership candidates in this way will enable you to accurately group learners with similar levels of prior learning when running the learnership, and therefore save yourself time and money in wasted training (more experienced learnership candidates can be given exemption from some of the components of the learnership, or at least fast-tracked through less learning requirements).
TIP: Ensure that the pre-assessment covers knowledge as well as skills as many employees are very competent on the practical skills but lack the underpinning knowledge that will enable them to progress further.

Once the assessment results have been processed, the training provider should document this in a report for you.

143

144

What is a Learnership?

RPL Assessment
RPL is discussed in detail in What is RPL?, pg 158. Note that RPL evidence requirements will change under the new Occupational Learning System - see page 351 for detail.

RPL Assessments will be more costly than regular pre-assessments, which is why it is wise to start with the pre-assessment.
Foundational Concepts

Pre-assessment results can also be used as an indication of areas in which the learner is already competent and can gather a portfolio of evidence for RPL assessment. Learners should be advised on what to collect for their portfolio of evidence. An RPL assessment can then be arranged and (provided that the learner supplies sucient evidence and proves competence during the assessment) they can be awarded credit. No formal recognition can be given when the learner only gets credit for part unit standards but informal recognition can be given by excluding certain modules from the individual learning plan. If you have selected unemployed learners, then this phase also involves placing the learner in employment in your organization, including writing a signed contract with them and paying them the minimum allowances required by the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.
Complete the learnership agreements

You need to enter into a Learnership Agreement with each learner you put through a learnership programme. The Learnership Agreement protects the rights of all three parties in the learnership programme the employer, the learner and the skills development provider. Your SETA will often provide you with help in completing learnership agreements and provide you with sample Learnership agreements. This table gives a brief summary of the rights and responsibilities of each party in the learnership:
The learner has the right to... Be educated and trained Have access to training resources Have performance assessed and access to the assessment results Receive a certicate on completion of the learnership Raise grievances in writing with the SETA concerning any shortcomings in the training The employer has the right to require the learner to... Perform duties in terms of the agreement Comply with the rules and regulations concerning the employers business operations The skills development provider has the right to... Access to the learners books, learning materials and to the workplace if required

What about terminating a learnership?

Your SETA must give its consent to the termination (ending) of any learnership if: both the learner and the employer agree to end it if the learner has terminated their employment with the employer if either the learner or employer has had good cause to terminate the learnership and the other party has had a fair opportunity to respond
Launch the learnership

Properly launching the learnership gives you an opportunity to set realistic expectations about the road ahead, provide clear communication on everyones roles in the process, and answer questions and concerns of all involved.
Manage the learnership

Three distinct areas of the learnership need to be managed: A - The SETA This requires implementing the quality assurance policies of the SETA with regard to the delivery of learning, assessment and workplace experience, providing the reports the SETA requires, and claiming the grants and allowances that you are allowed to help oset the cost of the learnership. B - General Operations This is the management of the human, nancial, physical and information resources relating to the learnership. C - Learning Management This is making sure that the learning schedules created in the roll-out strategy are stuck to, or modied when necessary, and that the learning happens eectively, both the theoretical component, and the workplace experience component.
Provide learner support

This is about creating the kind of learning environment that challenges the learners while making them feel safe enough to ask questions and learn from their mistakes. At the same time it needs to be high quality learning that meets all the requirements of the unit standard, and is intelligently structured.
Assess the learners

Assessment is the answer to the question of whether the learners are competent are not in the learning area.

145

146

What is a Learnership?

Competence, as dened by the NQF, involves both what the learner knows and can do. Assessments can be formative (done during the learning experience to help guide further learning), or summative (done after a learning experience to arrive at a decision about whether the learner can now receive credit for the learning, or not).
Foundational Concepts

The basic steps in an assessment are: Plan assessment Prepare candidate Conduct assessment Make assessment judgement Provide feedback Review assessment See the section What is an Assessor? for a more detailed look at this topic (pg 174).
Monitoring, record keeping and reporting

Most SETAs will require organisations running a learnership programme to submit a Quarterly Learnership Report. The report states the number of learners currently enrolled on learnerships, how many summative assessments have already been completed, assessments in progress and assessments planned for the next quarter. Your SETA will provide you with an example of their specic format for the Quarterly Learnership Report. To help you implement the learnership programme, your SETA will usually visit your organization at least once every quarter to check on the progress of the programme and provide feedback that will assist you. Some SETA visits, such as those organized by the Wholesale & Retail SETA will involve Focus Groups (joint meetings with all key role players), Learner Interviews, and Report Reviews (reviews of your quarterly reports). Proper record keeping of the Learnership programme will enable you to manage it eectively and evaluate its effectiveness.

Claiming grants and tax incentives

Most SETAs oer Learnership & Apprenticeship Grants, in addition to the learnership tax allowances that the South African Receiver of Revenue allows. SETA Grants are usually paid out in a series of installments, depending on how your particular SETA has arranged it. The sample below shows how a SETA will encourage employers to stick it out to the end before getting the nal 30%.
Instalment 1 2 3 4 By when Implementation First Quarter Report Third Quarter Report Certication Portion of grant 30% 20% 20% 30%

The Receiver of Revenue also oers tax deductions for each learnership (or apprenticeship) candidate that you take on. See the heading previously in this section, Tax Incentives & Grants (pg 134) for details.
Verication and certication

This is done directly by the quality assurance division of your SETA or the moderating body for a particular occupation or trade (pg 350). They will verify the moderation results for your organization and then certify the learners if everything is in order.

Formulate a strategy and conduct the evaluation Compile a report Report on the evaluation

Earlier in the Preparation process, we mentioned the need to decide on an evaluation strategy before you begin to implement the learnership programme.

At the nish of a learnership programme, you can now evaluate whether the programme achieved the success requirements that you decided on then, and how eectively.

Formulate a strategy & conduct the evaluation

An evaluation should be asking questions like:

4
Evaluating

147

148

What is a Learnership?

PROGRAMME IMPACT Is the learning programme sound ? Does it achieve its purposes ? Does it allow for knowledge, behaviour and attitude change ?

BUSINESS IMPACT Is there a business impact ? Is there evidence of skills transfer ? Does the benet of training outweigh the cost ?

Foundational Concepts

Compile a report

Your Learnership Report is a valuable document to leave behind for others who will implement learnerships in your organization in future, as it will provide recommendations and highlight pitfalls that can save them from repeating the same. A typical Learnership Report would contain the following headings: Report Summary (for those who will not have time to read the full report) Purpose of the Report Description of overall evaluation strategy (evaluation areas, methods used) Summary of evaluation results Summary of costs Summary of recommendations
Report on the evaluation

The eectiveness of your Report may very well decide the future of learnerships in your organization so plan and execute this nal part of your programme with this in mind. Other Resources to help with Implementing Learnerships
Accreditation

See the section How are qualications delivered? (pg 336) for information on provider and workplace accreditation for learnerships.
Guides for ETD sta

See the section What is an Assessor? (pg 174), What are Facilitators? (pg 178), and What are Coaches and Mentors? (pg 178) for help relating to each of these roleplayers.

Other sources of help

Ask the Learnerships Division of your SETA for any guides they have to help you implement learnerships. Indlela, a division of the Department of Higher Education & Training, may also be able to assist you questions concerning learnerships and apprenticeships. They can be reached on 011 206 1000. Employers Frequently Asked Questions What if there are disputes? Since the learnership candidate is employed by you, you can treat any disputes or problems in terms of the Labour Relations Act, which allows for an organisations internal disciplinary and grievance procedures to be followed, and the CCMA (Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration) to be used when outside intervention is required. When can an employer terminate a learnership? If you dismiss a learnership candidate on fair grounds, then you can also terminate the learnership agreement. Alternatively both you and the learner can agree to terminate the agreement. For unusual circumstances, your SETA is allowed to terminate a learnership agreement and you will need to approach them and explain the circumstances. If I put an unemployed person on a learnership program, must I employ them after they nish the learnership? No. Their employment with you is only for the duration of the learnership (usually between 1 - 3 years). I want to put my employees on a learnership that is registered with FASSET SETA, but I pay levies to SERVICES SETA. Will I still be able to claim a learnership grant from my SETA? Yes. This is often the case when you implement a learnership. However be sure to check with your SETA how this works before you plan your learnership further, otherwise you may not follow the correct procedure. WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFORMATION ON LEARNERSHIPS? Each SETA has the responsibility to ensure that relevant learnerships are available for their sector. There are currently 1,023 registered learnerships available. The full list is available from www.labour.gov.za. Contact your SETA to check what grants are in place for making use of learnerships in your company (see page 011 for SETA contact details).

149

150

What is a NVC Learnership?

SEE ALSO Learnerships can recognise the prior learning of learners, therefore fast tracking learners who already have signicant experience in the eld of study and avoiding duplication and wastage in learning programmes. See What is RPL (pg 158) for more detail.
Foundational Concepts

See the section BEE & Skills Development: The Learning Programme Matrix (pg 199) to understand how learnerships are incentivised in the BEE Codes of Good Practice See the section How are artisans developed? (pg 364), for more information on trade and scarce skills related learnerships See the section What is a New Venture Creation Learnership? (pg 150) for details on this specic type of learnership programme What is an apprenticeship? (pg 154) WHAT IS A NEW VENTURE CREATION LEARNERSHIP?
Here and elsewhere the terms new venture, entrepreneurship and small business are used to refer to the same concept.

WHY IS NEW VENTURE CREATION SO IMPORTANT? To reduce current unemployment South Africa has a total population of about 43 million people, of which only 12 million are economically active (physically able to take part in work). However 40% of these people are unemployed The impact of this is even more powerful when you realise that every income earning person in South Africa is supporting 7 other people Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) provide about half of the total employment opportunities in our country, and about 30% of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Why is New Venture Creation so important?............................................150 Purpose of the NVC Learnership ...............151 What is a learnership? ................................151 How did the NVC Learnership come about? ............................................152 Principles of NVC training ..........................152 What does the NVC Learnership look like? .................................................152 Key organisations in the NVC Learnership ...........................154 New Venture Creation and BEE .................154

in most countries with a strong SME sector, SMEs contribute 50 - 60% of GDP and our SME sector is therefore a huge potential source of future job creation and wealth creation

In general large businesses are decreasing the number of people they employ - the highest success in creating employment comes from small businesses. New Venture Creation is seen as a key to starting new, small businesses, which will increase employment, and in turn reduce poverty seven times, for each person employed To provide employment for new school leavers About 800,000 persons are leaving school every year. Of these only 28 percent continue to further learning, or employment The rest (392,000) remain unemployed - and are joined every year by another similar number of school leavers Every year there are less work opportunities due to increasing business eciency and technological improvements Those jobs that are available require increasingly skilled people to ll them To develop the level of entrepreneurship in the country According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report (2003 - www.gemconsortium.org), SAs Total Entrepreneurial Activity (TEA) index is 6.54 (out of a possible 10) Thus, just over six out of every 100 adults in SA are classied as being entrepreneurs The average TEA rate for all the GEM countries is 7.99, showing that South Africa falls below the average of all countries tested South Africa has the lowest TEA rate of all the developing countries surveyed and therefore is unlikely to see new business ventures grow and prosper unless there is training and support in this area PURPOSE OF NEW VENTURE CREATION LEARNERSHIP The creation of entrepreneurs with the right mix of skills, knowledge and attitudes that will enable them to initiate and sustain viable business ventures WHAT IS A LEARNERSHIP? This is covered in the section What is a Learnership? (pg 129). A learnership is an ideal method of training people in entrepreneurship because it focuses on real life experience (about 70% of the learning is workplace-based rather than theoretical).

151

152

What is a NVC Learnership?

Entrepreneurship is a skill where experience is a key success factor. All learnerships result in qualications for successful learners. This means that learners who successfully complete the New Venture Creation Learnership are qualied at a nationally recognised level of skill and therefore have easier access to further learning if necessary.
Foundational Concepts

HOW DID THE NEW VENTURE CREATION LEARNERSHIP COME ABOUT? DANIDA, the Danish International Development Agency, worked together with the Dept of Education and the Dept Labour to do much of the foundation work that resulted in the NVC Learnership, through the Support to Education and Skills Development (SESD) Programme. PRINCIPLES OF NEW VENTURE CREATION TRAINING An entrepreneurial person is not the same as a small business manager, although there are some similarities Emphasis on identifying candidates for the learnership who have an "entrepreneurial prole", including entrepreneurial personality traits Emphasis on the personal development of the entrepreneur (motivations, attitudes, responses) Practical experience is crucial Three key questions the entrepreneur has to continually ask herself: 1. Can I? - external factors 2. Should I? - internal strengths and weaknesses 3. Will I? - process issues WHAT DOES THE NEW VENTURE CREATION LEARNERSHIP LOOK LIKE? Themes The 8 stages of development of a new business form the basis of the Learnership: 1. Identify an opportunity 2. Plan the business 3. Access nance 4. Set-up the business 5. Operate the business 6. Improve the business 7. Maintain the business 8. Expand the business

Methods of learning Practical - 62% Made up of Self learning, Workplace learning and Mentoring. Theoretical - 38% Made up of institutional learning (entrepreneurial skills, business skills and life skills) and other group contact sessions (workshops, seminars etc). Unit Standards The New Venture Creation Learnership is an NQF 4 level qualication (164 credits). Unit standards that comprise the qualication are: Apply innovative thinking to the development of a small business Demonstrate an understanding of an entrepreneurial prole Demonstrate an understanding of the function of the market mechanisms in a new venture Determine and manage the human resource needs of a new venture Research the viability of new venture ideas/ opportunities. Produce business plans for a new venture Develop, implement and monitor a quality policy for a new venture Plan strategically to improve business performance Implement an action plan for business operations Finance a new venture Manage nances of a new venture Manage time productively Apply the principles of costing and pricing to a business venture Develop, implement and evaluate a marketing strategy for a new venture Monitor productivity in a business venture Negotiate in a new venture

153

154

What is an Apprenticeship?

Tender to secure business for a new venture Practise eective team work in a venture Costing
Foundational Concepts

Over R70,000 per learner. KEY ORGANISATIONS IN THE NEW VENTURE CREATION LEARNERSHIP Dept of Higher Education & Training (pg 14) - supply funding through the National Skills Fund and SETAs, as well as prioritising it in the 2005-2011 National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS) Dept Higher Education & Training (Further Education & Training) - supply training through the FET colleges Dept Trade & Industry - support to the new businesses after start-up through the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) SETAs - the third party in learnership agreements within their sectors Dept Public Works - an employer in the some NVCL Learnership agreements Umsobomvu Youth Fund (pg 26) - co-ordinates, funds and supports some NVC Learnerships Commercial Banks - supply start-up nancing National Productivity Institute - assists with productivity advice NEW VENTURE CREATION AND BEE Enterprise Development forms a signicant portion of the Generic Scorecard for Black Economic Empowerment. This brings an additional source of funding and support to new ventures, which should be explored by anyone seeking to implement the NVC Learnership. See the section BEE & Skills Development for more information (pg 184). WHAT IS AN APPRENTICESHIP? DEFINITION
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prior to the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008), apprenticeships were dened as qualications based on the Manpower Training Act (1981), detailed in a gazetted apprenticeship schedule and registered on an interim basis on the NQF.

Denition .....................................................154 Types of apprenticeships ............................155 Background .................................................155 Changes to apprenticeships in the OLS .....156 The need for apprenticeships .....................157 See also ......................................................157

The new denition for an apprenticeship is that it is a type of learnership which culminates in an occupational award that is registered by the Dept of Higher Education & Training as a trade. Apprenticeships now also qualify for the same SARS tax incentives as learnerships. For a list of all registered trades go to www.saqa.org.za and click on the Qualications & Unit Standards icon on the right of the page. TYPES OF APPRENTICESHIPS Traditional apprenticeships consisted of employment contracts registered in terms of the Manpower Training Act (1981) which specied minimum and maximum training and work experience requirements for apprentices as well as working condition and wage requirements. The duration of a traditional apprenticeship was time-based rather than outcome based, typically taking anywhere between three and four years to complete and resulting automatically in certication as an artisan on passing a nal trade test. In 1990 the Manpower Training Act was ameneded to allow for Competency Based Modular Training (CBMT) apprenticeships, which abolished the strict time-based progress of apprenticeships and focused more on practical training and institutionally based theoretical learning. Certication as an artisan could only take place after demonstrated competence at the end of each stage of a structured modular training route and a nal trade test. ArcelorMittal, then Iscor, began developing the CBMT model of apprenticeships to further improve the exibility and responsiveness of the apprenticeship model. As the scarce skills crisis grew, ArcelorMittals work drew interest from merSETA (pg 058), which was seeking to facilitate a more exible approach to the training of apprentices throughout its metal, engineering and manufacturing related industries, all of which were struggling to source suciently skilled artisans. A SEIFSA pilot in 2007 established that the principles developed by ArcelorMittal and merSETA could successfully be applied in smaller organisations as well. Armed with experience from ArcelorMittal, SEIFSA, and its own research, merSETA began to formalise an Accelerated Artisan Training Programme (ATTP) to make these breakthroughs available to all its member companies. The AATP reduces artisan training time from three or four years (depending on the trade) to between 80 and 110 weeks. For more information, see the section Success Stories: The AATP (pg 411). BACKGROUND In March 2000, SETAs took over the functions of the industry training boards in relation to contracts of apprenticeships. The Skills Development Act (1998) repealed and replaced most of the provisions of the Manpower Training Act except those relating to contracts of apprenticeship which remained in force for a transitional period under the Skills Development Act.

155

156

What is an Apprenticeship?

The intention of the legislation was to allow apprenticeships to continue on a transitional basis until a period in time when they would be deemed to be learnerships and trade qualications would be deemed to be NQF qualications. That change is now marked by the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008) which repeals the remaining provisions of the Manpower Training Act, and aligns conditions of employment for apprentices with other labour legislation such as the Labour Relations and Basic Conditions of Employment Act.
Foundational Concepts

The Skills Development Amendment Act also provides for transitional arrangements for contracts of apprenticeship that were in force immediately prior to its commencement. These contracts continue as if the Manpower Act had not been repealed. The Act also allows employers and apprentices to convert their apprenticeship contracts into learnership contracts. CHANGES TO APPRENTICESHIPS IN THE OLS The Occupational Learning System represents a major shift in the design, delivery and assessment of work related learning, including trades. It is covered in detail on page 368 and some of the key changes relating to apprenticeships are summarised here. Relationship to learnerships Apprenticeships are now considered a form of learnership. This qualies them for the tax allowances, SETA grant incentives and SETA support benets normally oered for learnership programmes. Multiple routes to certication as an artisan , but single qualications There are now four routes to qualifying in a trade: the apprenticeship route, a learnership route, an FET College route - through the National Certicate (Vocational), and an RPL route. More information on this on page 372 - Artisan skills development routes. While there is now more than one ocial route to qualifying as an artisan, there will always only be one qualication for each trade in the new Occupational Qualications Framework. This is a welcome streamlining of the existing situation of multiple qualications potentially leading to a single trade. For example, the occupation of a plumber has 6 apprenticeship schedules under 6 dierent SETAs, 1 SETA qualication at NQF 3 and two FET College qualications (at NQF 2 and 3). Artisan professionalisation The professionalisation of the artisan occupation is an important strategy in improving the attractiveness of the occupation to new entrants, and to ensuring the career development of existing artisans. The establishment of a National Artisan Moderating Body, and a National Register of Artisans are two of the ways in which artisans are professionalised. For more information see page 368 - Changes to the artisan learning landscape.

THE NEED FOR APPRENTICESHIPS See the section Artisan skills required for economic growth (pg 366) for information on why apprenticeships are such important learning programmes. SEE ALSO
Apprenticeships are a type of learnership. See What is a Learnership? (pg 129) for information on features and benets of learnerships that apply to apprentices See How are artisans developed? (pg 364) for information on artisans See Success stories: the AATP (pg 411) for information on the accelerated artisan training programme

WHAT IS A SKILLS PROGRAMME? CHANGES TO SKILLS PROGRAMMES IN THE OLS Denition The denition of a skills programme is currently being reviewed leading up to the implementation of the new Occupational Learning System starting early 2010. Prior to the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008), skills programmes were typically dened as part qualications, or learning programmes that provided one or some credits towards a full qualication. They would usually contain just the core outcomes needed to make the learner competent at his/her job and therefore be narrower and more job focused than a full qualication. Skills programmes were not regulated by the Department of Labour in the same way as learnerships and apprenticeships. Registration of skills programmes was required by some SETAs where this involved payment of SETA grants. They were often used on an informal basis by industry for learners not governed by learnership contracts or for training in ad hoc collections of unit standards not linked to a qualication. The new denition of a skills programme is still under discussion. The options being discussed are: 1) A type of learning programme that consists of relevant curriculum components of an occupational qualication (see How are qualications developed? pg 336), culminates in the award of an occupational qualication such as a National Skills Award (pg 294) and is not governed by a regulated contract this denition is identical to a learnership except that there is no contract between the learner, provider and employer, and the programme does not lead to a full occupational qualication (a National Skills Award is a skill set smaller than a full qualication)

157

158

What is RPL?

2) As above plus including the learning programmes for the Foundational Learning Competence (pg 300) and for work experience components of qualications on the further or higher education sub-frameworks this denition would be useful for plugging on to qualications from the further and higher education qualications sub-frameworks to convert them into occupational qualications or occupationally relevant skills sets
Foundational Concepts

3) Skills programmes could be left unregulated so providers and employers can negotiate their own programme components with the only possible requirement being that the programme includes a work experience component Reduction in proliferation Skills programmes, and the unit standards they were based on, were registered in an out of control and disordered way during NQF 1.0 (1995 - 2008). Should the new denition of skills programmes be option (1) or (2) discussed previously, skills programmes will consist of a dened range of skills sets, or specialisations, of a limited number of occupations, or a skills set that is required for licensing purposes or other legislative requirements (for examples see What is a National Skills Award? pg 294). SEE ALSO
What is the Occupational Learning System? (pg 221) What is a Foundational Learning Competence? (pg 300) What are occupational qualications? (pg 292) How are qualications developed? (pg 310)

WHAT IS RPL?
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) implementation should be accorded priority, provided with appropriate incentives and targets and speeded up through the simplication of standards setting and quality assurance arrangements.
Joint Policy Statement by the Ministers of Labour & Education October 2007

TABLE OF CONTENTS
The need for RPL ........................................159 Business benets of RPL ............................160 Personal benets of RPL ............................160 Assessing RPL ...........................................160 Examples of implementing RPL ..................161 I want to assess for RPL as part of my training provision ................162 Using RPL to get credit for skills youve gained ...........................................162 Where can I get more information on RPL? ...................................................164

RPL is the Recognition of Prior Learning. It is one of the most innovative features of the NQF and was originally based on the need to provide access to learning for workers who had informal skills and knowledge that could never be recognised formally, unless they went back to school. Many learners come to a learning programme already in possession of skills

and knowledge that they have no formal certicate for. They have gained these skills and this knowledge through practical work experience. RPL is the recognition of this prior learning and the awarding of NQF unit standards, skills programmes or qualications as a result. People of all ages and backgrounds can now achieve formal recognition for the experience, skills and knowledge that they have gained in the following learning environments, but not received recognition for: At school (some learners did not receive adequate formal certication for their school learning achievements); In casual work; In the workplace; Through short training courses; Through apprenticeships RPL follows from the thought that competence should be recognised no matter how it is achieved. The labour movement lobbied during the 1990s for inclusion of the principle of RPL in the NQF and although they were successful in getting it embedded, RPL did not reach a point where it could provide easy and cost-eective access to further learning and recognition. The Joint Policy Statement by the Ministers of Labour and Education in 2007, re-emphasised the importance of RPL, and made it central to the revisions to the NQF that were legislated in 2008. The new Occupational Learning System represents a signicant breakthrough for RPL due to the Three Forms of Learning approach to qualication design (see How are qualications assessed: Recognition of Prior Learning, pg 351). THE NEED FOR RPL Formal Learning = learning done at universities, schools and colleges where you receive some kind of written recognition (such as a certicate) which is accepted throughout the country as accurately representing your abilities and knowledge; Non-formal Learning = learning that happens through work or home experience that you have not received any kind of certicate or recognition for, but it is nonetheless just as real and eective as skills gained through formal learning (also called informal learning). RPL the brings to the benet of us all the wealth of Non-formal learning that already exists in our country. It makes it possible to measure the extent of that learning and give credit where possible to learners. It saves the wastage of time and duplication of eort that would happen if people had to be trained from scratch based on their lack of formal training or education. It also inspires adult learners to carry on learning because it recognises what they already know and can do and enables them to plan their training and education goals with a career focus rather than a narrow

job focus.

159

160

What is RPL?

BUSINESS BENEFITS OF RPL Reduces the cost of training and development; There is no wastage and duplication where learners are having to cover ground that they are already competent in, but not formally certied for. This also reduces time away from the workplace.
Foundational Concepts

Skills Inventories can be created showing what informal skills exist in your organization;

Once you have a skills inventory you can plan properly for your training needs. Knowing of the existence of informal skills may open more options to you in terms of developing the skills prole of your workforce. Career and succession planning can be more accurately and widely used with the input gained from RPL; Knowing formal and informal skill levels within your organization may open up a whole new world of career and succession planning. Better motivated employees because access to further learning and employment opportunities is now easier and transparent PERSONAL BENEFITS OF RPL You will have access to learning and employment opportunities that you didnt have before; You will be able to plan a career development path so that you are not just doing a dead-end job everyday; You will see clearly what skills gaps you must cover through learning in order to get to a qualication; Your RPL assessment (test) may show that you need to still learn in one or two areas before you can get a certicate or qualication, but at least it will now be clear to you what you need to learn. ASSESSING RPL RPL is assessed by providers oering RPL services which are accredited by ETQAs in their sectors. Assessors are also trained to conduct RPL assessments to decide how much prior learning a learner has already achieved. RPL can be assessed in a variety of ways. These include observation of the candidates performance, questioning the candidate, and evaluating their handiwork or achievements. Just like in any form of NQF assessment, the RPL candidate will have to meet the requirements for unit standards and qualications, and credits awarded for RPL will have the same recognition as other credits awarded on the NQF. Briey, the process of recognising prior learning is about: Identifying what the learner knows and can do;

 Identifying the learners skills, knowledge and experience in relation to specic unit standards, specic outcomes and assessment criteria; Assessing the learner against those specic unit standards, specic outcomes and assessment criteria; Crediting the successful learner for skills, knowledge and experience built up through formal and non-formal learning.

EXAMPLES OF IMPLEMENTING RPL

Thandis Example:
Thandi had been working for a long time at the same hairdressing salon in Rosebank. It was her job to sweep up the cut hair, and to wash clients hair before and after treatments. However, she also got involved in other things which made her job far more interesting. She now mixed the hair colours, applied simple treatments, passed curlers and foils and even sometimes wrapped the hair in foils when the hairdressers were overloaded. When new staff started, Thandi explained how the ordering system worked and how the treatments were stored. She also showed the new apprentices how to wash hair and massage the scalp. One day the salon manager called Thandi to one side and asked her if she would like to get recognition for the things that she knew. Thandi shook her head.

The Atrami Project

The Atrami project is an example of RPL being used on a massive scale to fastrack learning achievements. Atrami candidates have worked in the metal and plastics sectors for several years and have gained enough practical skills to qualify as artisans, but lack the knowledge and theory competency of a qualied artisan. They therefore undergo an RPL assessment to determine their existing skills levels and are then have six months of theoretical training before taking their trade tests. Atrami is a merSETA agship project and its budget for 2008/9 was R148,5 million. Approximately 1,650 people were targeted to participate in the project during this period. For more information see www.merseta. org.za.

She did not think that she could write an exam and she did not think that she knew very much - all she was doing was her job. Her manager showed her the unit standards that make up the learnership in hairdressing and Thandi was surprised. She realised that she was actually doing that job already. She agreed to be assessed. The RPL assessor assessed Thandi and she found out that she needed to complete only two additional theory unit standards. After these she was awarded the full hairdressing learnership qualication. She was delighted. Her manager appointed her as a fully qualied hairdresser and her salary was increased accordingly. Now her children were able to enjoy a better quality of life and she decided to learn to drive so that she could get a car. She was really amazed. She had no idea that she could get recognition for her learning even though she had not gone to college like the apprentices. A new lady was hired to learn how to wash hair now that Thandi had been promoted. Thandis promotion had created a gap at the lowest level in the salon - for a new learner.

161

162

What is RPL?

I WANT TO ASSESS RPL AS PART OF MY TRAINING PROVISION As a training provider you can greatly increase your value to your clients by being able to oer RPL where necessary, inFoundational Concepts

Sallys Example:
Sally had been working since she left school. She started as a girl Friday in a human resources department when she was 18 and she soon found that she liked dealing with people. Staff seemed to like her and they often sought out her advice on basic HR issues. Soon Sally was managing the condential staff typing and she learnt how to manage the payroll. One day her manager told her to sit in on few job interviews and Sally soon took over the initial screening for all new job applicants. Then she started compiling the job descriptions and placing them with the personnel agencies. It was very exciting. She soon learnt how to take a job reference on a prospective candidate and she developed a good feel for stafng. When the recruitment ofcer left, Sally wanted to apply for her job, but the job specication stated that a national HR certicate was required. Sally knew that she could do the job, but she did not have a certicate. Her manager made her an appointment to be RPL-ed and Sally discovered that not only was she able to prove her competence on a number of recruitment unit standards, she was also nearly three-quarters of the way competent at a national diploma in human resources management. Sally enrolled and completed her qualication formally. She enjoyed her new position immensely and is now studying towards a NQF level 6 qualication. Her RPL experience had given her the condence to move up in her career and embark on more studying - something she felt she would never have done if she had not considered RPL. RPL gave her the condence and gave her a chance to get credit for what she knew. She would have been very bored if she had to start at the low levels and she would not have been able to afford the studies if she had to start at the very beginning.

stead of full training interventions. Your Quality Council (pg 087), is the best place to start, as they will have mapped out the specic requirements for RPL assessment in your sector (until the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations is established, you should refer to your SETA for assistance with RPL). Each Quality Council has RPL guidelines to help providers implement it. Very often they will also oer training in RPL assessment, sometimes free of charge. In brief, you can expect to follow these steps in implementing RPL: Conduct an audit of your current practice to see where you are not implementing RPL and where you need to implement it Develop detailed plans to implement RPL based on your QCs or SETAs RPL policy and strategy Build RPL capacity with your sta and make sure that you have RPL resources and materials Design and moderate appropriate assessment instruments and tools (these may already have been developed by your QC or SETA) Review the RPL process to feed back improvements and changes based on experience USING RPL TO GET CREDIT FOR SKILLS YOUVE ALREADY GAINED Below are a series of steps that can be followed to gain credits on the NQF through RPL assessment. Each organisation that

oers assessment should have an RPL policy that gives information on how to apply for RPL. Below are a series of generic steps that may help you.
Tip: Ask your SETA if there is any funding available to cover the costs of your RPL assessment as there are some initiatives, depending on your sector, that may be able to assist you with costs.

Step 1

You must identify the learning you want to have evaluated. This would include the qualication, skills programme or unit standards that you want recognition for. Step 2 Find an RPL Assessor. How do you nd an RPL assessor? If you belong to a business organisation, ask the Skills Development Facilitator for help. If you do not belong to an organisation, contact your SETA or QC (pg 011 or 087) and ask them if they can assist you in selecting an assessor or an assessment centre that could conduct your RPL assessment. Assessors must be competent at the same level or above that of the person being assessed for RPL. They must also make applicants aware that there is an Appeals Process, which can be followed, should the applicant be unhappy with the assessment decision. The assessor must explain to you the dierence between learning and experience. Experience does not necessarily equate to competence. You must be able to show not only that you have been performing a task, but also, that you are procient at all the aspects relating to that task. The assessor must work through all the relevant unit standards with you and identify the areas in which you can produce supporting evidence. You and the assessor must agree on the assessment process and you must be given the opportunity to prepare for the assessment. Step 3

You need to collect evidence (portfolio of evidence) that includes as much evidence as possible of experiences and learning that are relevant to the RPL process and that show that you have the skills in the areas you are seeking recognition for. Note that requirements around the assessment of RPL will be streamlined under the new guidelines established by the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations.

163

164

What is RPL?

4
Foundational Concepts

Step 4 The assessor will evaluate your portfolio of evidence and will assess your competence in accordance with the agreed assessment process. Step 5 The assessor will give you feedback and will make a recommendation to the QC about the learning and the amount of credit that should be given based on the assessment and the evidence that was produced.

5 7

6 8

Step 6 The assessor will write a report recommending whether you should be given the credits or qualications you were seeking recognition for. Step 7 If you are successful, the assessor will complete the relevant QC documents which are submitted to the Internal Moderator for moderation. Step 8 Relevant documents should be submitted to the QC and a certicate will be issued to you. WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION ON RPL?

Contact your Quality Council or SETA to nd out what steps are being taken to recognise prior learning in the economic sector that you work in. Each SETA usually has a specic person to deal with RPL. You could also contact Indlela (a division of the Department of Higher Education & Training) on 011 206 1000, as they use RPL extensively in their technical training programmes. To understand how RPL will be achieved in the new Occupational Qualications Framework, see How are qualications assessed: Recognition of Prior Learning (pg 351). SEE ALSO
What is a Quality Council? (pg 087) The QCTO (pg 280) What is the Foundational Learning Competence (pg 300) Benets and opportunities of the OLS: For providers (pg 386), For labour (pg 390)

How are qualications assessed: Recognition of Prior Learning (pg 351)

Artisan skills development routes: RPL Skills Programme Route (pg 373)

WHAT IS THE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT LEVY?

This section is a summary and paraphrase of key information about the Skills Development Levy - please refer to the Skills Development Levy Guidelines available at www.sars.gov.za for detailed information and requirements

The SDL gives companies an incentive to engage in the training and education of their employees, as 70% of the levy funds can be reclaimed by organisations against proof of training related interventions. 20% of the remaining levy is used by the National Skills Fund (NSF) to nance training for the unemployed, youth and people who would otherwise have no hope of improving their skills. Between 10% and 12% of the Levy can be used

TABLE OF CONTENTS
The need for the levy ..................................165 Who pays the levy and how much is it? ......165 How can the levy be reclaimed? .................167 How many organisations are currently paying the levy, and how much do they pay per month?.................................170 Labour Court ruling on mandatory grants ...170 See also .....................................................171

for the administration and running costs of your SETA. This is why your SETA is not normally allowed to charge you for standard services that they oer. THE NEED FOR THE LEVY Many countries (including Belgium, Greece and France to name a few) have seen the need for a training and education incentive, given the growing global importance of a skilled workforce. In South Africa the need is even greater as we rank low on the global rankings for human resource development, and we have an extremely high unemployment rate. We also have a history of not investing in people. Many leading countries voluntarily spend upwards of 5% of payroll on training (in Japan and the USA the gure varies between 5 and 10%). In South Africa, government has had to regulate spending on training through the Skills Levy because business was not voluntarily moving in this direction: in 2000, the average expenditure on training in South Africa was 1,3% of payroll. WHO PAYS THE LEVY AND HOW MUCH IS IT? All organisations that have a payroll in excess of R500,000 per annum have to pay the Skills Development Levy to SARS every month, calculated at 1% of payroll

Some examples of what is counted as remuneration for working out your payroll are:
... the skills and education system form a fundamental pillar for the success of industrial policy. There is currently insufcient integration between industrial policy objectives and skills and education systems. There is therefore a need for much closer alignment between industrial policy and skills and education development, particularly with respect to sector strategies. National Industrial Policy Framework, pg 43, DTI (2007)

165

166

What is the Skills Development Levy?

salary, money paid to directors of a private company for services rendered, overtime wages, leave gratuities, bonuses, emoluments, allowances, gratuities, commissions, stipends, voluntary awards, lump sum payments, any amounts received or accrued in commutation of an amount owed in terms of a contract of employment of service, any amounts received or accrued in respect of the relinquishment, termination, loss, repudiation, cancellation or variation of an oer of employment or of an appointment, 50% of any allowances paid or advance given to an employee or holder of a public oce in respect of the expense of travelling for business purposes (excluding any allowances paid for actual distance travelled for business purposes, at a rate not exceeding the rate per kilometre xed by the Minister of Finance in the Government Gazette), 50% of an allowance paid to a holder of a public oce, fringe benets received in terms of the Seventh Schedule to the Income Tax Act, a gratuity received by or accrued to a person from his employer because such person obtained a university degree or diploma or had been successful in some examination

Foundational Concepts

Some examples of what is not counted as remuneration for working out your payroll are:

independent contractors (subject certain restrictions), pensions or allowances (in terms of the Aged Persons Act, Blind Persons Act, Disability Grants Act, or Childrens Act), amounts paid to an employee to reimburse them for actual business expenses incurred by them, any annuity under an order of divorce or decree of judicial separation or under any agreement of separation, any amount paid to a labour broker who has a certicate of exemption from SARS, an amount payable to a learnership candidate in your employment When calculating your payroll to see what you owe for the Levy, you should also include all salaries paid to employees who are below the Income Tax threshold The only organisations exempted from registering and paying the levy are: organisations below the R500,000 per annum pay roll any organisation exempted from registering as an employer for PAYE (under the 4th Schedule of the Income Tax Act) any religious or charitable institution (as dened in section 10 of the Income Tax Act), or a fund set up solely to support such organisations any national or provincial government organisation (if 80% or more of its expenditure is voted by Parliament) government bodies are now required to budget specic amounts for internal training in the spirit of the Skills Development Levy, with a target of 80% of government bodies to be spending 1% of payroll on their internal training This denition means that approximately 73,800 South African organisations pay the Skills Development Levy.

HOW CAN THE LEVY BE RECLAIMED? You can claim 50% of your Levy back from your SETA through what is called a Mandatory Grant - it is mandatory because your SETA has to pay you back the full 50% if you full the conditions below. Mandatory Grants are paid out by your SETA on a quarterly basis. If you are late with your grant application your share of the Mandatory Grant will be moved by your SETA to its Discretionary Grant Fund. SETAs keep the remaining 20% of the levies they collect in a Discretionary Grant Fund to incentivise sector specic or national training priorities. If you plan your training to integrate with these priorities, and if you submit your applications in time, you will be able to access additional funding through Discretionary Grants. Discretionary Grants are issued according to the availability of funding, so dont just assume that because you qualify for a Discretionary Grant that your SETA will have the funds available to pay you out. Requirements for employers wishing to claim Grants You will need to do the following things before your SETA is allowed to pay you a Mandatory Grant... ... be registered with SARS for payment of the Skills Levy and up to date with all Skills Levy payments to SARS during the period for which the claim is made, and during the period in which the claim is made ... submit your Grant Claim by 30 June, along with your Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) showing intended training for the following year, and your Annual Training Report (ATR), showing training achieved in the previous year (these are usually provided by your SETA as one combined form) the WSP must contribute to sector skills priorities identied in the SETAs sector skills plan the ATR must be veried by the SETA Board or Council as having contributed to the implementation of that organisations previous WSP SETA Boards are allowed to grant up to one months extension to employers but rather be on time because they seldom do so if you have registered a new business, it has 6 months in which to register for the Levy with SARS and submit its WSP / ATR and Grant Applications a new enterprise will not be able to submit an ATR, since it cannot report on training for a previous year of business, but it will still be required to submit a WSP within 6 months of registering for the Levy

167

168

What is the Skills Development Levy?

How do SETAs determine what kinds of training their discretionary grants will support? The criteria for funding Discretionary Grants will dier from SETA to SETA according to the changing sector priorities of each. However broad criteria for Discretionary Grants are established by the Dept of Higher Education & Training:
Foundational Concepts

SETAs should use their Discretionary Grant funds for: Research that is in the interests of the SETAs Sector Skills Plan and in line with guidelines provided by the Dept of Higher Education & Training Critical skills information dissemination SETA capacity building of constituents and promotion of skills development in the sector Training and development of guidelines for sector specialists or people involved with skills development facilitation The funding of: institutes of sectoral or occupational excellence (ISOEs, pg 099) providers or institutions that are implementing the NQF in support of the National Skills Development Strategy institutions that oer the new venture qualication (pg 150) Employment & Skills Development Agencies (ESDAs) and lead employers Support for employers or training providers who: provide ABET training to a learner help learners become competent in scarce or critical skills which have been identied in their sector, or to support stakeholders in areas of sector skills priorities oer workplace experience to learners in areas that are relevant to their sector train and mentor learners in the new venture creation qualication is implementing learnerships registered under a dierent SETA An organisation no longer needs to be a Skills Levy payer to receive a Discretionary Grant from a SETA. In addition to the list above, SETAs are allowed to use Discretionary Grant funds to pay for the project administration of these projects, so long as the SETA Board or Council approves a separate project administration budget that does not

exceed 10% of the total value of the project. SETA Boards must also approve the specic Discretionary Grant criteria of their SETAs before any funds can be paid out for them. Discretionary Grants can be paid to employers who are up to date with the payment of their Skills Levies, and SETA reporting requirements, as well as to non-Levy paying enterprises in the sector.
TIP: Regardless of the criteria your SETA has established for Discretionary Grants, they are subject to availability of funding, so always take this into account with your planning.

How do I register for the Skills Development Levy (SDL)? You must register with the South African Revenue Service for the SDL on the EMP101 form. This will require you to select a SETA which will receive your levies, and from which you can claim your Mandatory Grant. How do I know which SETA to register with for the SDL? The basic principle here is that you should choose a SETA whose economic sector most closely matches your core business. Visit the SETA web sites (pg 011) and note which sectors they serve and get a sense of how well they do so. For example if you are an insurance broker, you would register with the Insurance SETA (INSETA). If your business activities span more than one sector, you must make your own decision as to which SETA you would like to register with. It is important to note that you can only register with one SETA.
TIP: If your business activities span more than one sector and you are facing a choice of SETAs, it is worth researching a little to nd out which is the best SETA to join, as some SETAs are more effective at serving their sectors than others. Contacting members of both SETAs and asking them about their experiences will reveal their level of customer satisfaction. An even better technique would be to interview the Skills Development Managers of the SETAs you are considering to see which SETA is most closely aware of your needs as a business. The ease with which you get an appointment with someone at the SETA will in itself tell you something about how effective the SETA is. Also, bear in mind that many SETAs have responsibilities that are broader than their name may suggest, so do not base your choice on their name alone - also check out their scope statement.

SETAs establish chambers to represent properly the diverse interests of each grouping within their sector. Look for a SETA that has a chamber specically dedicated to the sub-sector your business operates in.
An example of this is the merSETA (Metal Industries and Related Services SETA). This SETA has ve chambers covering Auto Manufacturing, Metal & Engineering, Motor Retail & Components, New Tyre and Plastics. Thus a company that manufactures plastic products will register with the merSETA under the plastics chamber.

The EMP 101 Form You reect your choice of SETA, and chamber, on the EMP 101 form. You download the EMP101 form from the SARS website (www.sars.gov.za) or any regional oce of the Receiver.

169

170

What is the Skills Development Levy?

SARS will redirect the SETA portion of your Skills Development Levy to the SETA that you have nominated on the application form; they will also forward your registration and contact information to your chosen SETA. HOW MANY ORGANISATIONS ARE CURRENTLY PAYING THE LEVY, AND HOW MUCH DO THEY PAY PER MONTH?
Foundational Concepts

During NSDS 1 (2001-2005), there were 368,254 companies that were required to pay the Skills Levy, of which about 181,000 were registered to pay it. This resulted in approximately R21 bn in payments to the Levy, of which of which about R16,8 bn was transferred to the SETAs, and R4,2 bn to the National Skills Fund. During NSDS 2 (2005 - 2011) the Dept of Finance raised the qualifying threshold for companies to pay the Levy from R250,000 payroll per annum to R500,000 per annum. This left only 73,800 medium and large companies still paying the Levy. However the bulk of Levy payments originated from these companies, and with the increased economic growth rate in the country during the rst part of NSDS 2, the amount collected for the Levy increased. Projections were that the Levy would collect R34 bn during NSDS 2, of which R27,2 bn would be available to SETAs. During NSDS 1, the average Mandatory Grant claim rate was 75% for large and medium companies; this has now increased to 93% during NSDS 2. LABOUR COURT RULING ON MANDATORY GRANTS A ruling in March 2007 ended a debate that has raged in and out of court since 2003. The court rejected an application by a skills development facilitation consultancy that the Services SETA could not legally withhold payment of mandatory grants to companies that did not comply with quality assurance and compliance processes during workplace skills planning and training implementation reporting. The implications of the judgment are important because they establish the mandatory grants as a nancial incentive for proper enterprise resource planning in terms of developing the skills of employees, rather than a companys entitlement. Getting back these grants should be seen as a reward for a job well done by the companys skills development facilitator and everyone else involved in the enterprise resource planning process. The ruling means that the Department of Higher Education & Training can insist that all SETAs follow similar quality assurance procedures. While this will add to their workload as well as the bureaucracy SETA stakeholders contend with, it will help reinforce the contention that the National Skills Development Strategy is a quality-driven initiative and not just a numbers game. The court found that it was not logical that the payment of a large amount of money can be dependant solely upon the timeous submission of a mere form.

It would not be unreasonable, said the presiding judge, to introduce criteria to achieve the purpose of the countrys skills development legislation. This purpose was to develop skills of the South African workforce to improve the quality of life of workers, improve productivity in the workplace and to ensure the quality of education and training in the workplace. The quality assurance criteria enabled the SETA to full its functions properly, as required by the legislative framework against which it operates, he ruled. The criteria are reasonable and without them there can hardly be eective and ecient quality control of trainers. SEE ALSO
What is a Workplace Skills Plan? (pg 113)

WHAT ARE ETD PRACTITIONERS?

With the NQF revisions legislated in the NQF Act (2008), and the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008), the Minister of Higher Education & Training is expected to publish new regulations in 2010 to cover the registration of occupational assessors and moderators (Occupational Assessment Practitioners). This may include changes that affect all ETD practitioners. See the NQF (pg 66) and the QCTO (pg 280) for more information about the changes.

WHAT IS AN ETD PRACTITIONER? ETD Practitioners are professionals involved in the delivery, assessment and moderation of learning across all levels of education. The NQF recognises six distinct types of ETD Practitioners (listed below): Early Child Development Practitioners (ECD) School Teachers Adult Basic Education & Training (ABET) Practitioners Higher Education and Training (HET) Practitioners Occupation-Directed (OD) Practitioners Community / Workplace Practitioners Religious Education Practitioners The OD ETD Practitioner, is mostly responsible for the training, assessment, moderation, coaching & mentoring and Skills Development Facilitation of South Africas adult workforce.

171

172

What are ETD Practitioners?

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ETD PRACTITIONERS BEFORE THE NQF In the past, educators were provided a School Teacher Qualication no matter which of the above seven elds they worked in. They were often required to function as assessors without having specic training in assessment. This gave
Foundational Concepts

them little preparation to deal with workplace ETD problems, especially in an adult education. Educators gave learners information without really getting involved in their education or considering what their needs were, and even the assessments of learners competence was according to standards that were not nationally uniform or agreed upon. This approach gave very little consideration to what the learner would do with the acquired qualication after training, including whether or not the qualication would enhance the learners employability and long-term personal development. Learners coming out of this experience had the following typical problems: a qualication that they could only use in one specic economic sector a qualication that they could not use globally credits that they could not transfer to other qualications if they had a change in career direction lack of recognition for the skills and knowledge they have acquired over a period of real experience in the workplace The NQF was developed in order to solve these problems by transforming education and training. Now there is a clear shift from ETD Practitioners concentrating only on what they want to and can provide, often to the detriment of what learners, the labour market, the economic sector, the country and the international community nd as relevant and important. The NQF refers to this shift as meeting Fitness For Purpose and Fitness Of Purpose requirements, meaning that the practitioner is serving the appropriate educational purpose, and is qualied to do so. Workplace trainers traditionally emerged from school teacher stock or from technical specialists that became trainers. Through the emerging HR profession over the years, many passionate individuals wanting to make a dierence also joined these ranks. Workplace trainers today need ETD expertise, industry expertise as well as contextual expertise, thus shaping a new prole for qualications for these workplace trainers. In trying to align themselves with the requirements of the NQF, most skills development providers in the dierent disciplines have run courses such as Train the Trainer and the Assessor course.

Although benecial, these courses are not comprehensive enough to deal with the problems encountered within education and skills development (especially in adult education) and fall short of preparing the ETD Practitioner to be relevant to education and training in South Africa. Education and training specialists realised the need for a more comprehensive generic ETD learning program that would equip ETD Practitioners in all sectors to face the challenges they encounter, and hence developed ETD Qualications. HOW TO CHOOSE ETD PRACTITIONER TRAINING If you are an ETD Practitioner wanting to develop yourself professionally, look for an organisation that actually specialises in vocational trainer development across multiple-sector contexts, locally and internationally. Areas the provider of OD-ETDP Qualications should cover in their program includes: Developing a Quality Management System (QMS) Skills Development Facilitation (helping organisations with the strategic development of their workforce, and for compliance with the Skills Development Act) Assessment, Moderation, Assessment Design and Evaluation Designing and Developing a Learning Program and Training Materials Coaching and Mentoring An ETD Practitioner who is competent in all these areas, qualies for a Certicate in Occupation-Directed Education and Training, a useful and respected qualication for any ETD Practitioner. See the section ETD Practitioner Training in the National Training Directory (pg 458) at the back of this book for providers oering training an education in this eld. SEE ALSO See the following sections for details on each of these ETDP Practitioners covered in this book:
What is an Assessor? (pg 174) What are Facilitators? (pg 178) What is a Moderator? (pg 176) What are RPL Advisors? (pg 179) What are Coaches & Mentors? (pg 178) What is an SDF? (pg 180)

What are Evidence Facilitators? (pg 179)

173

174

What is an Assessor?

WHAT IS AN ASSESSOR?
With the NQF revisions legislated in the NQF Act (2008), and the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008), the Minister of Higher Education & Training is expected to publish new regulations in 2010 to cover the registration of occupational assessors and moderators (Occupational Assessment Practitioners). This may include changes that affect all ETD practitioners. See the NQF (pg 66) and the QCTO (pg 280) for more information about the changes.

Foundational Concepts

An Assessor has the role in the NQF of being responsible for measuring whether a learner has achieved the outcomes required by the unit standard, skills programme, learnership or qualication that they are seeking credit for. An assessor may be a teacher, trainer, or lecturer who has assessed learners in a learning situation. Assessors may also be a workplace supervisor, manager or team leader, provided that they have technical expertise in the eld in which they want to assess, are skilled in the process of assessment and are registered as an assessor with the relevant Quality Council (QC, pg 087). SAQA (pg 020) has dened unit standards laying out the kind of competencies that an assessor should have. THE NEED FOR ASSESSORS Assessors are the ngers on the arm of quality assurance. They make sure that quality training and education is taking place. THE ROLE OF ASSESSORS Assessment has changed to an activity in which the learner actively participates. The role of the assessor is to be supportive and guide the learner to achieve competence and access further learning. The role of the assessor is to: Inform the learner about the requirements of the qualication, skills programme or unit standard Support and guide the learner during the assessment process Help the learner plan for the assessment and reach an agreement with the learner about how the evidence of their abilities is going to be collected and presented (this is a real signed agreement) Inform the learner about the timing of the assessment Conduct the assessment and provide feedback to the learner; In order to meet these requirements an assessor should: Be familiar with the qualication, skills programme or unit standard being assessed

 Plan and design the assessment or source appropriate assessment tools Collect evidence of the learners performance Evaluate and judge the evidence from the assessment Make an assessment decision as to whether the learner is competent or not yet competent based on the assessment evidence Assessors are also responsible to the Quality Council (QC, pg 087) that they are registered with for ensuring that: The assessments are conducted in accordance with the relevant QC principles and policies Assessments are recorded and relevant documentation is forwarded to the QC The assessment process is reviewed regularly and changes are implemented when necessary They comply with the moderation requirements of their QC SKILLS REQUIRED BY AN ASSESSOR SAQA has compiled a booklet, Criteria and Guidelines for Assessment of NQF Registered Unit Standards and Qualications which provides detailed information on this topic. The document can be accessed on the internet at the SAQA website (www.saqa.org.za). See also the section How are qualications assessed? (pg 348) to understand how assessment changes in the new occupational approach to skills development, under the QCTO. Assessors need skills in the following areas: Interpersonal skills Good interpersonal skills are essential for an assessor to be able to eectively communicate with learners. The assessor needs to be able to establish an open relationship with learners to enable them to be able to perform optimally during the assessment. The assessor has to take the responsibility for conducting the assessment in a manner that is fair and to behave with integrity. This includes condentiality and implementing the principles of good assessment. Subject matter expertise Assessors must be procient in the subject matter in which they are assessing. They should also be experts on the NQF denitions of the unit standards, skills programmes or qualications for which they are registered to assess. Preferably the assessors expertise should be at a level that is higher than that of the learner. An assessor cannot assess against any standard, outside his/her eld of expertise. Assessors should have both occupational and contextual expertise in their eld of assessment.

175

176

What is a Moderator?

Occupational expertise is the skill that comes from having worked in a similar occupation as the eld in which the assessment is taking place. Contextual expertise is a familiarity with the industry in which the learner is being assessed in order to make a sound judgement, in terms of industry specic norms, codes of practice etc.
Foundational Concepts

SEE ALSO The Education, Training and Development Practitioners SETA (ETDP SETA) - pg 040 - has overall responsibility for the registration of assessors throughout the country, and will have detailed information on assessors. The ETDP SETA works closely with all the Quality Councils when it comes to the registration of assessors. Your rst stop for more information on assessors should be your own QC (or the quality assurance division a SETA which they have delegated to be responsible for this) , and if you require more information, then contact the ETDP SETA. Their contact details can be found at www. etdpseta.org.za. You should also take a look at the ETD Practitioner section in the National Training Directory (pg 458) at the end of this book, in order to contact providers that can oer training or consulting advice in this eld. WHAT IS A MODERATOR?

With the NQF revisions legislated in the NQF Act (2008), and the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008), the Minister of Higher Education & Training is expected to publish new regulations in 2010 to cover the registration of occupational assessors and moderators (Occupational Assessment Practitioners). This may include changes that affect all ETD practitioners. See the NQF (pg 66) and the QCTO (pg 280) for more information about the changes.

A Moderator is everything that an assessor is, plus more. Moderators monitor the quality of the assessment process, the competence of the assessors and the competence of the learners at training sites in the sector covered by their Quality Council (pg 087). They must ensure that assessment is a fair, valid and reliable measurement of the learners competence. THE NEED FOR MODERATORS Without moderators, there is no third party outside of the assessment process to determine its eectiveness. It would be too easy for assessors to wander from the quality procedures required of them (intentionally or not), if moderators werent there to help, advise and intervene when this happened. Moderators operate as a check and balance system for the assessors.

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL MODERATORS There are two types of moderators. There is the internal moderator who will moderate the quality of assessments completed within the training organisation. There is also an external moderator who will be sent to accredited training organisations at regular intervals to conduct a quality audit, which will include the moderation of the internal assessment process of the organisation. THE ROLE OF MODERATORS These are the main tasks a moderator will perform: Sample a minimum percentage of each assessors documents to ensure that there is suciency of evidence in accordance with the requirements of each unit standard (this percentage is dependent on the moderation policy of the organisation; 10% - 20% of each assessors documents should be sampled); Check that the documents have been completed in accordance with Quality Council (QC, pg 087) requirements; Interview assessors to conrm how assessments were conducted; Interview learners and ask questions to conrm competency; Review assessors administrative systems (ling and tracking); Document all ndings; Complete and submit all paperwork in line with QC requirements if the learner is competent; Set up a further moderation appointment if the learner/s are not yet competent; Set up a meeting with the assessors and person responsible for assessment within the organisation to provide feedback on the moderation visit; Send a written report to the organisation after each moderation visit; Review the moderation process and document changes based on identied strengths and weaknesses. Moderators are not allowed to moderate their own assessments, if they are performing the role of assessor as well.

177

178

What are Coaches & Mentors?

WHAT ARE COACHES & MENTORS? Anyone who has ever applied for a job will know the importance placed on experience in the business world. Experienced job seekers have much better opportunities and can command better salaries and benets. This is because their employer has to spend less time preparing them before they can start to generate income for the company, and
Foundational Concepts

their job performance is usually higher than inexperienced employees because their experience guides them in more eective ways of getting things done. This is why the National Qualications Framework places a lot of emphasis on the workplace experience part of learning and Coaches and Mentors are the champions of workplace learning. They are a required part of any Learnership Programme (see What is a Learnership, pg 129) and can play a very eective role in facilitating almost all types of learning within an organisation. Coaches and Mentors are drawn from within a company where learning is taking place, unlike the training provider, who is often an outside organisation. Because they work within the organisation, Coaches and Mentors are the ideal guides to help learners put their training into practice during everyday work. Coaching is about an inexperienced person learning from an expert performer. This can take place through shadowing, organised learning sessions, and a mix of both. Coaching can be quite short term in that the necessary skills needed to perform a task are passed on to the learner, and the learner is then capable of doing the tasks. Mentoring is about helping learners (also called protges) recognise and understand their personal needs, values, problems, alternatives and goals in their work context. It places an emphasis on the part the learner plays in the organisation as a whole and is more long-sighted than coachings narrow focus on training competence in a set of skills. More detailed information on Coaches and Mentors is available in the section Coaching & Mentoring (page 178). Also see the National Training Directory at the end of this book for service providers in this eld.
TIP: Coaching and Mentoring forms an important part of the Learning Program Matrix for BEE related training; see the section BEE & Skills Development (pg 184) for more detail

WHAT ARE FACILITATORS? Facilitator is a new term that covers the roles that used to be called trainer, educator, teacher, and so on. Why the change in term? It reects the modern view of learning, that to learn something is not a passive process where the learners absorb knowledge that is thrown at them by an expert, but rather where the learner actively gains understanding by planned learning experiences that a trainer or educator helps them through.

The current view of training is that it is more important for the trainer to be an expert at assisting others to learn for themselves the required knowledge, than for the trainer to be a knowledge expert in the eld they are training. Facilitators oer planned and organised learning experiences whereas Coaches and Mentors are merely assisting to implement such learning in a work or practical context, often in an unplanned and spontaneous way. If you are looking for providers that specialise in the training of Facilitators, see the section, ETD Practitioner Training in the National Training Directory at the end of this book (pg 458). The term ETD Practitioner is an umbrella description of all people involved in delivering training and related services, such as Coaches, Mentors, RPL Advisors, Facilitators, Assessors, Moderators etc. The term Occupational Instructor refers to a facilitator of occupational qualications, see The OLS (pg 218). WHAT ARE RPL ADVISORS? Recognition of Prior Learning has been explained previously in What is RPL? (pg 158). They key role-players in RPL are the RPL candidate (the person wanting to get formal recognition for their skills), and the Assessor who has to test and certify that the RPL candidate is indeed competent, or in what areas they need to still develop their skills before they can be certied competent. An RPL advisor is sometimes also used in this processes to free up the Assessor from some of the tasks involved in RPL. This makes the RPL process less expensive, because the Assessors time is usually costly, given their experience in the skills they are assessing. An RPL advisor helps out in the RPL process by having the rst meeting with the RPL candidate and either getting them to a stage (1) where they can go straight ahead and do a formal assessment of their RPL claimed skills, or (2) where they know what further learning they need to do in order to be ready for such an assessment. If the candidate is ready for the RPL assessment, then they can also help the candidate to gather suitable evidence of their abilities for presentation to the assessor, acting as an evidence facilitator (see below). WHAT ARE EVIDENCE FACILITATORS? Evidence Facilitators assist Assessors during the assessment process . Evidence Facilitators support Assessors in their work, streamline the assessment process and make it more cost-eective (by dealing with aspects that do not require the Assessors input) and also provide a stepping-stone for people interested in training to be Assessors themselves. The table following shows the dierent phases of the assessment process, and where the Evidence Facilitator can t in.

179

180

What is an SDF?

Phase Planning and preparation for the assessment Preparing learners for the assessment Conducting the assessment and documenting the evidence of the learners abilities Checking the evidence Evaluating the evidence and making assessment judgements Providing feedback to relevant parties (learners, employers, ETQA, providers) Reviewing assessments where necessary

Performed by.. ASSESSOR EVIDENCE FACILITATOR ASSESSOR EVIDENCE FACILITATOR ASSESSOR EVIDENCE FACILITATOR ASSESSOR

Foundational Concepts

WHAT IS AN SDF? An SDF is responsible for the planning, implementation, and reporting of training in an organisation, with specic SETA related duties. In larger organisations, a currently employed training or HR manager will be appointed as an internal SDF. In smaller organisations there are often no dedicated training or HR professionals fullling this role, and so a manager or company owner will take it on. Sometimes the role is outsourced to professional external SDFs who serve many organisations in this role. The need for an SDF was identied because of the fact that many small organisations have no-one fullling training related responsibilities. Appointing someone within the organisation to this role had the eect of elevating the importance given to training in even small organisations. WHAT SKILLS SHOULD AN SDF HAVE? There are currently no legal minimum educational requirements for SDFs. SAQA has published unit standards relating to skills development facilitation that map out the basic competencies of an SDF, summarised below. A good understanding of the National Qualications Framework (NQF) The ability to conduct a Training Needs Analysis and develop the enterprises Workplace Skills Plan The ability to compile reports on the enterprises implementation of its Workplace Skills Plan - the Annual Training Report The ability to prepare, submit and steer the companys application for accreditation as a training provider (if necessary), or to manage the contracting out of training and development to accredited providers The ability to advise on and monitor implementation of the Workplace Skills Plan, relating to training delivery, assessment and quality assurance

 Good communication and negotiation skills, as well as the ability to do basic research Knowledge of national & sectoral skills development trends, including critical and scarce skills Ability to deal with diversity of learners, needs and employment contexts Many SETAs oer free training for their SDFs. The professionalisation of the role of the SDF has resulted in attempts to raise SDF competencies to a much more strategic, and business-focused level, rather than the perceived administrative level they are perceived to be at. The Association for Skills Development Facilitation in SA (ASDFSA - www.asdfsa.org.za) and Services SETA , for example, encourage SDFs to obtain the SAQA registered National Certicate in Business Consulting Practice (Enterprise Resource Planning) NQF Level 5. If possible, apply for an RPL process to determine your existing skills against the SDF unit standards and the ERP unit standards. WHEN IS AN ORGANISATION REQUIRED TO APPOINT AN SDF? It is not compulsory to appoint an SDF, although most SETAs require you to appoint an SDF as part of your Workplace Skills Plan / Annual Training Report (pg 113) submission. An existing employee within your company, such as a training or HR manager, can take on the role of SDF, so there is not necessarily a need to pay out an additional salary. SETAs are required to simplify the skills development reporting requirements of companies with less than 50 employees in view of that fact the smaller companies may not have a professional SDF available. Even though your SDF may complete your organisations Workplace Skills Plan, Annual Training Report and Mandatory Grant Application, the reports must still be signed o by the Chief Executive Ocer or the Managing Director. In the public sector, they must be signed by the Director-General or Head of Department, and contain the contact details of the Chief Financial Ocer. WHO APPOINTS AN SDF? The SDF may be appointed by management or by the training committee. HOW DO I REGISTER AN SDF? 1. Choose a person from within your company, or an external consultant, to full the tasks of an SDF described in this section 2. Contact the SETA you have chosen to represent your organisation and request the SDF registration forms to be sent to you (if you have not yet chosen a SETA from an economic sector which best represents your core business then

181

182

What is an SDF?

see the section What is the Skills Development Levy (pg 165) 3. Fill in the forms and submit them to the SETA. Some SETAs allow the on-line, electronic submission of SDF registration forms.
Foundational Concepts

Consultants who will perform the role of SDFs for your organisation can be found in the National Training Directory at the back of this publication, under the section Skills Development and NQF Services. SEE ALSO Each SETA (pg 088) is responsible for the registration of SDFs in its sector - contact the Skills Development or Skills Planning division within the SETA SAQAs SDF unit standards are clustered under the category of Standards and Qualications for Occupationdirected Education, Training and Development Practitioners; use these unit standards as a guide to the minimum requirements for SDF training programmes Visit the NQF Gateway, a web site oering online training on the SAQA SDF unit standards - www.nqf.org.za Contact the Association for Skills Development Facilitation in SA (ASDFSA), the professional body for SDFs and anyone else involved in facilitating skills development - www.asdfsa.org.za What is a Workplace Skills Plan? (pg 113) What is the Skills Development Levy? (pg 165)

Order Form
INFORMATION EMPOWERS Order our National Handbooks and Directories to empower yourself and your organisation

The National Agricultural Directory 2010 / 2011 Die Nasionale Landbougids 2010 / 2011

The National BEE Handbook 2010 / 2011

The National Skills Development Handbook 2010 / 2011

Please ll in this form and fax back to 088 011 485 1963 (a fax to email service - please use the full number) or contact us on 011 485 2036, or theteam@RainbowSA.co.za. On receipt of your order we will send you an invoice and your book will be delivered to you on receipt of your payment. TITLE BOOK PRICE eBOOK PRICE* QTY TOTAL

Organisation Name Position Contact Nr Email Fax VAT Nr Postal Address

Notes:

National Skills Development Handbook (including the National Training Directory) National Agricultural Directory (English) Nasionale Landbougids (Afrikaans) National BEE Handbook*

R399 R285 R285 R399

R299 R150 R150 R299 Sub-total VAT @ 14% Total

Physical Address

1) You can order telephonically instead by dialing On the Dot on 0861 668 368 2) The eBooks are delivered on CD-ROM as interactive, page ipping digital versions of the printed books. They include additional functions such as searching, bookmarking and printing. 3) Please contact us for bulk pricing for orders of 100 or more copies 4) The National BEE Handbook will be available in early 2010 5) The National Training Directory is now incorporated into The National Skills Development Handbook as one book.

BEE & Skills Development

Table of Contents
Introduction .......................................................................... 185 Who should read this ............................................................ 186 Denition ............................................................................... 186 Who qualies as a black person ........................ 187 Which version of the codes? ................................................. 187 Why do we need BEE? ......................................................... 189 How does BEE work? ........................................................... 190 BEE Status levels .............................................. 190 Exempted Micro-enterprises ............................. 192 Qualifying Small Enterprises ............................. 193 Medium & Large Businesses & Government ..... 193 The Skills Development Element .......................................... 194 Pre-qualifying conditions ................................... 195 The skills element on the Generic Scorecard .... 197 The Learning Programme Matrix ....................... 199 Learning Programme Matrix Table ........................................ 196 Disability Empowerment & Skills Development..................... 203 Youth Empowerment & Skills Development .......................... 206 Frequently Asked Questions ................................................. 206 Example calculations of your score....................................... 211 Other resources & support .................................................... 217

Click your mouse on the page numbers to hyperlink to that heading (PDF version only)

Key Organisations Page 010 Foundational Concepts Page 064 BEE & Skills Development Page 184 The OLS Page 218 Success Stories Page 410
THE

National Training Directory Page 458

INTRODUCTION
This chapter is written by William Janisch of Empowerment Services, the author of RainbowSAs National BEE Handbook. More information on the Handbook is available on page 217.

BEE is probably one of the most misunderstood concepts in South Africa today. It is so much more than just about getting black business partners or legal compliance. BEE is a completely new way of doing business and of dening and measuring the role of organisations in society. BEE encourages (and sometimes enforces) changed behaviours - asking organisations, departments and individuals to play a greater role in including everyone in the economy. As with all systems, it has its pros and cons, but it is very much here to stay and needs to be tackled proactively by people who are looking for win-win solutions. BEE is going to have a major impact on organisations doing business in South Africa over the next ten years, and longer. This is the most serious, most widely consulted and well thought-out attempt by government thus far, to transform business in South Africa onto a sustainable footing. South African managers should do everything they can to assist its transformation goals, because if it fails, the business environment in this country is likely to fail with it, as it has in other African countries that have failed to transform their economies to match their political systems. However, managers and owners of businesses are faced with considerable obstacles in achieving real BEE transformation, and this is just one of what we hope will be many resources to make it easier for them. RainbowSA also publishes The National BEE Handbook, which goes into even more detail around every element of BEE implementation and best practice (see page 217 for more information). Managers and owners of businesses now nd themselves on the frontline of implementation of what is perhaps the most ambitious and yet potentially workable, socio-economic engineering plan of the 21st century. Eager for us to succeed are not just disempowered people in our own country, but also people left behind by the race for rst world development in Eastern Europe, Asia, South America and the rest of Africa. Governments across these continents have watched with interest our development of our BEE strategy, and begun to take similar steps themselves. These developments are not therefore unique to South Africa, but are part of a global transformation in business where bottom line prot is no longer only measured in terms of cash in the bank, but also in terms of nett loss or prot to the environment, and nett loss or prot to society. This is known globally as triple-bottom line accounting, and in the European Union, it is now compulsory for large listed corporations to report on all three levels of their prot / loss in their annual nancial reports. In the next 10 - 15 years, the EU hopes to establish agencies to tax companies which report a loss to their environment or society. Similarly, in an eort to protect emerging Eastern European economies from exploitation by well established businesses in Western Europe, this form of reporting will be used to award government procurement contracts to emerging businesses, or businesses that support them.
185

186

BEE & Skills Development

WHO SHOULD READ THIS Training and HR managers and Skills Development Facilitators have often complained that they are relegated to the administration seat in their companies and left out of strategic boardroom planning.
BEE & Skills Development

The level of deep and lasting transformation that companies doing business in South Africa will need to achieve to meet BEE targets, will now give HR people the opportunity to become much more strategic and much more important in relation to improving their organisations bottom-line protability. When CEOs are losing large contracts to their competitors because of their neglect of employment diversity and development, it will be their HR managers that they turn to for answers. Other CEOs will be doing this proactively. This chapter should also be read by training providers and government agencies responsible for skills development, as they should understand the national framework of transformation which their eorts need to be aligned to. Other people who should read this chapter are those who are indirectly aected by BEE including business owners, and managers responsible for any of these processes in an organisation: BEE, Transformation, Employment Equity, Labour Relations, Legal Compliance.

In this document, we abbreviate broad-based black economic empowerment to BEE, rather than B-BBEE for the sake of brevity. The ocial denition of BEE is:

a system to dene and measure what organisations are doing to undo the wrongs of the past and create a society where everyone can participate meaningfully in the economy
From the BB-BEE Codes of Good Practice Booklet, Dept Trade & Industry (6 December 2006)

A simpler way of dening BEE would be to say it is:

an integrated and coherent socio-economic process that directly contributes to the economic transformation of South Africa and brings about signicant increases in the numbers of black people that manage, own and control the countrys economy, as well as signicant decreases in income inequalities.

WHO QUALIFIES AS A BLACK PERSON? Under the BEE legislation, the following criteria are used:
Black people are African, Coloured or Indian persons who are citizens of South Africa by birth, by descent, by naturalisation prior to the commencement date of the Interim Constitution (27 April 1994); or by naturalisation after the Interim Constitution commenced, but were prevented from becoming naturalised citizens by Apartheid policy prior to that date

In other words, to be dened as black, a person needs to have... ... been born in South Africa, or ... one of their parents needs to have been born here, or ... become a citizen by April 27, 1994, or ... proven that they could have become a citizen before 1994, but chose not to, or were denied the opportunity to do so by the previous government White women, white disabled people, and Asian people (such as Chinese and Koreans) are not considered black for the purpose of the BEE Codes. There are many reasons for this which would be too lengthy for this chapter, but are based on ensuring that the objectives of BEE are attained without people taking the path of least resistance. WHICH VERSION OF THE CODES? Since the signing into law of the BEE Act in 2003, several versions of the Codes have been released for public comment and then released again after incorporating changes, resulting in misunderstanding and inaccurate media reports. What many people fail to understand is that BEE could not become law and be measured uniformly by an accredited group of verication agencies until the Codes were gazetted on 9 February 2007. This is because the BEE Act of 2003 gave no BEE scorecard, but left this up to the Codes, which were still to be developed. Many people have used the draft Codes, or other sectors transformation charters, as guidelines over the years. However all these eorts must now fall into line with the dtis Codes of Good Practice. On the following page is a timeline showing how BEE developed and when dierent versions of the Codes were released. The Phase 2 Codes were nally gazetted in February 2007, incorporating some signicant changes from the version released for public comment the year before: The number of indicators on the generic scorecard were reduced to save time and eort for organisations The thresholds for Qualifying Small Enterprises and Micro Enterprises were raised, with a single national threshold based on turnover rather than sector specic or employee number related thresholds

187

188

BEE & Skills Development

Timeline of key developments in the design and implementation of BEE

YEAR BEE Equity (ownership) deals 1990s Focus on ownership Accusations of the creation of a Black elite

EVENT

BEE & Skills Development

1998 2001 2002

BEE Commission appointed BEE Commission report First Charters (Mining & Petrochemical) Broad Based BEE Strategy published BEE Act (Dec) Sector charters begin in earnest

2003

2004

Phase 1 Codes released for comment (Dec) Focus on ownership and management issues and the general framework for managing BEE Phase 1 Codes approved by cabinet (Oct)

2005

Phase 2 Codes released for comment (Dec) Focus on remaining areas of the scorecard (employment equity, procurement, skills development, enterprise development and socio-economic development) as well as proposals for a separate score card for small enterprises

2006

Phase 2 Codes approved by cabinet (Dec) Final Gazetting of the Codes of Good Practice (Feb)

2007

A one year transitional period announced during which organisations could still be scored on just the ownership dimension of the scorecard (not broad-based) Extension of the transitional period till 31 August 2008 (Feb) DTI releases the BEE Verication Manual to guide the work of Verication Agencies (Jul) End of the transitional period (Aug) Launch of the DTI BEE portal at http://bee.thedti.gov.za (Sep) Establishment of Ministry for Women, Youth, Children & People with Disabilities (May) and the establishment of National Youth Development Agency as a merger of the Umsobomvu Youth Fund and the National Youth Commission (June)

2008

2009

Publication of the Draft PPP Regulations (Aug) Extension validity period of verication certicates by non-accredited verication agencies (Aug) Appointment of the BEE Advisory Council (Dec)

Upcoming developments still expected in the near future include: the nalisation of draft legislation for the alignment of the Public Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA), which currently regulates government spending, to the Codes a national BEE Summit during 2010 hosted by the Dept Trade & Industry

WHY DO WE NEED BEE?

DID YOU KNOW? The Native Land Act of 1913 followed by the Group Areas Act of 1950 prevented black people from owning land or operating businesses in white areas - which included all signcant economic centers. Until their repeal in 1991, these laws prevented the development of black business and wealth.

BEE is an essential intervention by government to ensure that our business environment becomes sustainable. No business environment is sustainable when 95% of the wealth in the country is owned by 9% of the population (whites), or where over 70% of all management decisions are made by the same 9% of people (State of the Nation Address of the President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, 2007). The real need for transformation however is seen in the negligible rate of transformation to date. After 13 years of democracy since 1994, black people have only increased their ownership of wealth by 2% (as measured by market capitalisation on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange), and their share of management decisions by 3%. The 2007/8 Commission for Employment Equity report showed slight increases in black participation in management, and a decrease of 9% in the Professionally Qualied and Middle Management level, while white people increased their participation at this level by 8% during the same period. BEE also attempts to increase the participation of black disabled people in the workplace. Between 2003 and 2007, disabled people halved their representation in the workforce (from 1% to %) . The BEE codes target a participation of 3% disabled people in the workforce. Disabled people according to the most recent national census, make up 5% of our population. However these gures are disputed, with international consensus putting the average international prevalence of disability at 10%. Many people believe that the prevalence of disability is greater than 10% in developing countries like South Africa where due to illiteracy and ignorance, it is not reported as accurately.

189

190

BEE & Skills Development

HOW DOES BEE WORK? The BEE Codes of Good Practice dene how to measure the contribution of an organisation to the transformation of this country, and are used to reward BEE contributors directly through government procurement, the issuing and renewal of licenses in regulated industries (mining, banking, telecomms etc), and indirectly through the knockBEE & Skills Development

on eect. The knock-on eect is how most of the country will come under pressure to get a competitive BEE rating. Since each organisations BEE score is partially based on the BEE scores of their suppliers (through the procurement dimension of the BEE Scorecard), you will put pressure on your suppliers to get good BEE ratings in order to improve your own BEE rating. This eect will impact almost every business in South Africa. But public pressure is probably the most powerful driver of change in the world today, and is already becoming the most powerful force driving BEE competitiveness to every level of the economy. An organisations BEE score is public domain information (free for all to see), and as such, will be displayed on the National BEE Database (a national website where any person can log on and see an organisations score). This will enable the media, for example, to name the most and least transformed entities in a particular economic sector or geographical region. Linked to this, powerful consumer support for products displaying BEE Labels is expected to impact the retail, franchising and manufacturing sectors, which do not otherwise have a direct incentive to participate in BEE. The kind of shareholder activism seen in 2007 by the Public Investment Commission, in exerting pressure on Sasol and Barloworld because of their slow rates of transformation, was a sign of government committment to BEE. BEE STATUS LEVELS BEE is often mistaken as a compliance issue, and as such, generates a lot of resentment. In truth, BEE has nothing to do with compliance. Compliance is a term applied to legal regulations where one either has either complied, or not. BEE is dierent. It is a multi-tiered system ranking one organisations transformation performance against others by allocating a BEE Status Level to each band of points achieved, as shown in the table following. In this regard, it can be likened to matric. Whats a good score in matric? Well, that will depend on the individuals capabilities and aspirations. For some its a pass. For others its a university exemption. For others its As. Just as you cannot be Matric Compliant, you cannot be BEE Compliant. The ultimate objective is for all organisations to score as high as possible and to become damn good corporate citizens. How quickly they get there will depend on a host of factors including: 1) Their competitive environment (what is their competitors score?) 2) Their own pro-active decision to be seen as a leader in their eld as regards transformation 3) Public perception pressures (BEE labels, shareholder activism, National BEE Database, SRI indexes etc)

4) Regulatory pressures (the need to obtain / renew licenses) 5) The need to access government funding (incentives, grants etc) 6) Entry into PPPs, or purchase of state-owned assets These are the nine levels of BEE status by which organisations are ranked relative to each other:
Points on the BEE Scorecard 100 points 85 but < 100 points 75 but < 85 points 65 but < 75 points 55 but < 65 points 45 but < 55 points 40 but < 45 points 30 but < 40 points < 30 points BEE Status Level Level One Level Two Level Three Level Four Level Five Level Six Level Seven Level Eight Non-compliant Recognition Level 135% 125% 110% 100% 80% 60% 50% 10% 0%

We will take a look at the BEE Scorecard just now and explain how points are awarded on it. The Recognition Level is used in many areas for awarding transformation performance, but it is best explained by seeing how it is applied in procurement related elds. For example, how much procurement spend can you claim and calculate for BEE purposes when you use a specic company as a supplier (remember that your organisations can boost its own BEE score by buying from suppliers who have high BEE scores).
For example, the value of your purchases from Supplier A with a BEE Level of One, can be multiplied by 135% when calculating your BEE spending. Whereas your purchases from Supplier B with a BEE Level of Five, must be multiplied by 80% to arrive at a new value that you must use in calculating your BEE spending. This could look as follows: Supplier A - Purchased R100,000 X 135% = R135,000 spending for BEE purposes Supplier B - Purchased R100,000 X 80% = R80,000 spending for BEE purposes

Relative ranking also helps to introduce a fairness that would not otherwise be possible when it comes to measuring sectors with unique transformation challenges. For example, all organisations in the manufacturing sector may struggle

191

192

BEE & Skills Development

to meet the gender targets for BEE, due to the masculine type of working environment required. The lack of female employees in their sector is therefore an obstacle which applies across the whole sector and uniformly reduces the absolute scores of all organisations within the sector. Relative to each other, the organisations are not therefore penalised for their unique obstacles. Yet they still have the incentive to try and get a better BEE score relative to their competitors,
BEE & Skills Development

regardless of the low base both they are both starting from. HOW DOES BEE JUDGE BOTH LARGE AND SMALL ENTERPRISES FAIRLY? Transformation of any kind will have both positive and negative impacts. A lot of thought has gone into reducing the negative impact on business that BEE transformation may have. Businesses have been split into three categories allowing softer requirements to apply to businesses that may have more diculty in implementing transformation. These categories are: 1) Exempted Micro-Enterprises (EMEs) and Start-up Businesses 2) Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs) 3) Medium and Large Businesses (also called Generic) EXEMPTED MICRO-ENTERPRISES AND START-UP BUSINESSES Organisations with a turnover below R5 million per year are dened as Exempted Micro-Enterprises for BEE purposes and do not have to be measured: they are considered to have an automatic BEE score of Level Four (65 74%). This eectively makes them black empowered companies. However if a micro-enterprise is more than 50% black owned, it automatically gets promoted to a Level Three contributor. As an owner of a micro-enterprise, you can still decide that you want to push for a Level One, or Two, or Three score, and choose to be measured under the Qualifying Small Enterprises scorecard (discussed later). This may be more dicult to achieve, but the reward would be that you would out-perform your competitors and win business from them. What about your rst year of business in a brand new company? Dont want the head-ache of having to survive nancially and also act as an agent for socio-economic transformation (James Bond didnt have to do that!). New businesses get a break in that they are measured as Exempted Micro-Enterprises for the rst 12 months from their inception. However if you tender for a contract of more than R5 million during this period, you have to be measured on the QSE Scorecard, or the Generic Scorecard (explained later) for contracts greater than R35 million. This is not as dicult as it sounds. Since your targets on both scorecards are related by percentages to metrics such as payroll (projected annual payroll in the case of a start-up), you can project conservatively and end up with relatively easily achievable targets.

QUALIFYING SMALL ENTERPRISES Organisations with a turnover of between R5 million and R35 million per year are dened as Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs) for BEE purposes, and they are measured on a softer scorecard than the one for large and medium businesses. Each element on the QSE scorecard is weighted as 25%, compared to the scorecard for larger organisations, where elements are worth anything from 5% to 20%. A QSE must select any 4 of the 7 elements of the scorecard to get a score out of 100, so you could choose your four best elements and only be measured on those. Take a look at the QSE scorecard below. We will explain the Skills Development element in more detail later.
Element Ownership Management Control Employment Equity Skills Development Preferential Procurement Enterprise Development Socio-Economic Development Weighting (%) 25% 25% 25% 25% 25% 25% 25%

TOTAL 100% from four selected elements

MEDIUM AND LARGE BUSINESSES AND GOVERNMENT The third category of BEE contributors are measured using what is called the Generic Scorecard. This is for businesses with an annual turnover exceeding R35 million.
Element Ownership Management Control Employment Equity Skills Development Preferential Procurement Enterprise Development Socio-Economic Development Weighting (%) 20% 10% 15% 15% 20% 15% 5% TOTAL 100%

193

194

BEE & Skills Development

In this document we will not look at all the elements, but will summarise key issues around the Skills Development element. THE SCORECARD FOR ORGANISATIONS WITHOUT NORMAL OWNERSHIP Some organisations will not be able to calculate their ownership score properly because they are state-owned, owned by a trust or governed by ownership regulations that make it impossible to calculate their BEE status. These include any government department (national, provincial or local), and all public entities (commissions, funds, regulators, and tribunals such as Armscor, Council for Higher Education, ICASA, Land Bank, SABC, SAQA, Sentech, Telkom, and the Post Oce) as well as higher education institutions like public universities, non-prot organisations, section 21 companies and public benet companies. These organisations use either the Adjusted Generic Scorecard (sometimes called Specialised Enterprise Scorecard), or the Adjusted QSE Scorecard, depending on their turnover size as determined for normal organisations above. On the Adjusted Generic scorecard, ownership is replaced by boosting Skills Development to 20%, Socio-Economic Develpment to 15% and Management Control to 15%. The Adjusted QSE scorecard is identical to the QSE scorecard except that any 4 out of 6 available elements must be selected for measurement. THE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT The Skills Development element is worth 15% on the Generic scorecard, 20% on the Adjusted Generic scorecard and 25% on the QSE scorecard. Besides being worth at least 15% in itself, Skills Development can also be planned in such a way as to improve an organisations score in the Employment Equity (15%), and Management Control (10%) elements. Skills Development also forms an important part of Enterprise Development (15%) and Socio-Economic Development (5%). It is therefore directly and indirectly related to 60% of the Generic scorecard. Besides improving your overall BEE score, developing the skills of your employees is a known way to improve the productivity and quality of your products and services. Human Resource Development is a well established business discipline in its own right, unlike some of the elements on the scorecard, with research and techniques available to help you get a measurable return on investment for your training spend. It therefore makes a lot of sense to focus time and energy on planning your skills development initiatives carefully and integrating them with the rest of your transformation initiatives, and your overall business growth strategy, to get the maximum benet. But before we look in more detail at this element, note the following conditions you have to meet before your eorts can be counted legitimately towards your BEE score.

BEE & Skills Development

PRE-QUALIFYING CONDITIONS
To understand some of the technical terms and abbreviations mentioned below, such as SETA, WSP, Skills Levy, Mandatory Grant and learnerships, please refer to the Foundational Concepts chapter of this publication (page 064).

Both QSEs and all other enterprises wanting to claim marks for the Skills Development element must rst satisfy these pre-conditions: You must be compliant with the requirements of the Skills Development Act (SDA) and Skills Development Levies Act (SDLA). The Codes of Good Practice specically mention that this includes the following requirements: o You are registered with the applicable SETA o You have developed a Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) However should you claim a Mandatory Grant from your SETA, you will then become responsible to comply to additional conditions under these Acts, including: o Your Workplace Skills Plan must be submitted on time and it must contribute to your SETAs Sector Skills Plan (the overall skills planning requirements researched by the SETA in your economic sector) o You must have submitted an Annual Training Report to your SETA that meets their verication requirements for integration your previous years WSP (in other words you delivered training based on what your WSP committed to) Note that if you are a newly established business, you have a six month time-frame, from the date of your registration for the Skills Development Levy with SARS, in which to submit your rst WSP to your SETA, and you do not have to meet the Annual Training Report requirement above for your rst year of operation o You must be up to date with the payment of your Skills Development Levy All organisations with an annual payroll of R500,000 or more are eligible to pay the levy (excluding NGOs, charitable and religious organisations and government departments) and must register with SARS for this purpose; the Levy is calculated at 1% of payroll (including members drawings in a closed corporation) Furthermore, should you enter into learnership agreements with your SETA or implement skills programmes through them, you will also need to be in compliance with your obligations under those agreements, or following the dispute resolution process required by the Skills Development Act have implemented a program for black employees targeting the acquisition of Core, Critical and Scarce skills (collectively called Priority skills by the Codes)

195

196

BEE & Skills Development

Category

Narrative description

Delivery mode

Learning site

Learning achievement

BEE & Skills Development

Institution-based theoretical instruction alone formally assessed by the institution

Institutional instruction

Institutions such as universities and colleges, schools, ABET providers

Recognised theoretical knowledge resulting in the achievement of a degree, diploma or certicate issued by an accredited or registered formal institution of learning

Institution-based theoretical instruction as well as some practical learning with an employer or in a stimulated work environment formally assessed through the institutions Recognised or registered structured experiential learning in the workplace that is required after the achievement of a qualication formally assessed by a statutory occupational or professional body Occupationally directed instructional and work based learning programme that requires a formal contract formally assessed by an accredited body Occupational-directed informal instructional and work-based learning programme that does not require a formal contract formally assessed by an accredited body

Mixed mode delivery with institutional instruction as well as supervised learning in an appropriate workplace or simulated work environment

Institutions such as universities and colleges, schools, ABET providers and workplace

Theoretical knowledge and workplace experience with set requirements resulting in the achievement of a degree, diploma or certicate issued by an accredited or registered formal institution of learning

Structured learning in the workplace with mentoring or coaching

Workplace

Occupational or professional knowledge and experience formally recognised through registration or licensing

Institutional instruction together with structured, supervised, experiential learning in the workplace

Institution and workplace

Theoretical knowledge and workplace learning, resulting in the achievement of a South African Qualications Authority registered qualication, a certicate or other similar occupational or professional qualication

Structured information sharing or direct instruction involving workshops, seminars and conferences and short courses

Institutions and meetings

Credits awarded for registered unit standards

Occupationally directed informal instructional programmes

Structured information sharing or direct instruction involving workshops, seminars and conferences and short courses

Institutions, conferences and meetings

Continuing professional development, attendance certicates and credits against registered unit standards (in some instances)

Work-based informal programme

Informal training

Workplace

Increased understanding of job or work context or improved performance of skills

The Learning Programme Matrix for BEE (Source: DTI)

o Critical and Scarce Skills are skills researched and listed by your SETA, or those published by JIPSA or the secretariat for the HRDSA (Human Resource Development Strategy for South Africa, pg 065) o Core Skills refer to those skills which add value to your business in line with its core business, such as skills in areas of your business that you are not able to outsource, or which are part of the production / operational side of your business as opposed to the supply side, secondary services, or downstream operations side of your business
For example, if you are an accounting rm, then accounting skills are core to your business. But if you are a manufacturer, they are non-core.

In order to qualify for your rst skills points, you will need to have done all the above. The program to develop scarce, critical and core skills probably means you need a written policy identifying which of these skills your organisation needs, or can be involved in developing, and who you identify as needing these skills (the emphasis is towards black individuals), and how you will roll out the development of these skills. This document will show the verication agency that your organisation has thought through these issues and has a program in place. THE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT ON THE GENERIC SCORECARD
applies to large and medium sized businesses (with an annual turnover of more than R35 million)

There are three targets on the Generic Scorecard, presented here in a simplied format. See the notes below the table to get further explanation.
Measurement Criteria Worth EXPENDITURE BASED TARGETS (1) Spending on learning programmes for black employees (2) Spending on learning programmes for black employees with disabilities 6 marks out of 15 spend 3% of your total payroll on this Target

3 marks out of 15

spend 0,3% of your payroll on this

EMPLOYEE NUMBER BASED TARGETS (3) Percentage of your total employees who are black and on learnerships or similar programmes (described below) 5% of your total employees on this type of training

6 marks out of 15

In addition to these general points, there are specic limits as to what can be calculated as legitimate training spend...

197

198

BEE & Skills Development

Legitimate training spend The following items can be claimed as part of your training spend when they form part of your claimed training spend for black employees, and when you can prove them by an invoice or other appropriate internal accounting record such as training registers, assessment results or course manuals.
BEE & Skills Development

In keeping with the spirit of the BEE Codes, when claiming BEE training expenditure for any of the items below, you should adjust the total amount claimed by the extent to which it is used for training of black employees.
For example, your total training facility cost per year is R340,000, however only 64% of its usage is related directly to the training of black employees, therefore you claim R340,000 X 64% = R217,600 legitimate BEE training spend

cost of training materials such as books, manuals, e-Learning courseware and learning toolkits cost of trainers Internal training costs may not include the opportunity cost to your business caused by the lost working time of a manager who delivers the training. cost of training facilities including the costs of catering course fees accommodation and travel required for the training administration costs required for training including the cost of employing a Skills Development Facilitator or training manager the salaries and wages of employees who are on learnerships or similar programmes (category B, C and D on the Learning Programme Matrix) scholarships and bursaries oered by your organisation - subject to certain limitations which we discuss below lastly, you are allowed to multiply by 1.25 your training spend on Adult Basic Education & Training (ABET) programs for BEE purposes
For example, if you spend R10,000 on ABET training, you can claim R12,500 BEE training spend.

not more than 15% of your legitimate BEE training spend can be claimed from oering uncertied learning programmes to your black employees or from informal training in the workplace - we will look at these categories of learning programme later under the heading Learning Programme Matrix
Legitimate scholarships and bursaries training spend

Scholarships and bursaries are normally counted under the Socio-Economic Development scorecard. However they can count towards your BEE training spend if the recipient is an employee on your payroll and so long as you do not require

the learner to pay back nancially the funding they received, and so long as it is not conditional in any way. However the two conditions below are allowed for BEE training spend purposes: the learner can be required to successfully complete their studies within a certain time period the learner can be required to work for your organisation after completing their studies for a period of time (not more than the same period of time they studied for)
Legitimate disability training spend

Training spend on black disabled people is worth a signicant 3 marks out of 15 on your BEE scorecard and the spending target is set at 0,3% of total payroll. Note that this expenditure is included in your 3% of payroll BEE training spend, and is not in addition to it. Refer to the Dept Labour Code of Good Practice: Key Aspects on the Employment of People with Disabilities (Govt Gazette Nr 23702 issued in 2002) for an understanding of the legal aspects and denitions related to disability in the workplace. This document can be downloaded from www.labour.gov.za. Another helpful document also published by the Dept Labour is the Technical Assistance Guidelines on the Employment of People with Disabilities which provides guidelines on the employment of people with disabilities by using best practices and examples. THE LEARNING PROGRAMME MATRIX (SIMPLIFIED) Shown overleaf is a simplied presentation of the Learning Programme Matrix showing its key features. We have deliberately left out more detailed aspects of the information to make it easier to understand at a glance. Please refer to page 196 for the full version. The Matrix shows seven dierent categories of allowable training for the calculation of BEE training spend. Categories B, C and D are required forms of training if you want to access marks for measurement criteria 3 on the Skills Development scorecard: These three categories of training alone are able to earn you 6 marks out of 15 on the Skills Development scorecard You may also count the salaries and wages of employees undergoing training in Categories B, C and D as part of your BEE training spend The new Occupational Qualications which will be delivered under the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (pg 292) will by their very nature automatically meet the denitions for either Category B, C or D programmes You cannot count more than 15% of your BEE training spend on Category G types of training on the Matrix, or on uncertied learning programmes. Uncertied Learning Programmes are dened by the Codes as programmes that have no independent certication of learning achievements, or independently issued enrolment certication. However there is no denition of just how independent the certication must be.

199

200

BEE & Skills Development

For example, if learning achievements of employees that are certied by a learning division within their own company (such as a corporate university), would it still be considered independent? Please check with your verication agency if you are in doubt as to whether a programme qualies under the Codes as an uncertied learning programme or not.

BEE & Skills Development

Category

Formal Delivery of Learning?

Workplace Experience in Learning?

Full qualication or registration with professional body?

Some Typical Examples (many other non-typical examples not listed here) A university qualifcation A National Senior certicate QCTO Occupational Qualications FET College Qualications Business School Qualications Internships Articles QCTO Occupational Qualications Learnerships Apprenticeships Skills programmes Seminars, Workshops, Conferences Casual on the job training

YES

NO

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

E F G

YES NO NO

YES NO YES

NO NO NO

Why are category B, C and D programmes, and learnerships so strongly favoured on the Learning Programme Matrix? Learnerships (which include apprenticeships), and category B, C and D programmes provide learning with the highest combination of both economic and social benets. The social benets come from the benet to the learner of the formal assessment and formal delivery related aspects of these programmes which means they can get access to further learning opportunities. The economic benets come from the vocational and workplace experience aspects of the programmes, which makes the learning more relevant to the business world than purely theoretical learning.

not more than 15% of your legitimate BEE training spend can be claimed from offering uncertied learning programmes to your black employees or from informal training in the workplace

How do I know if a training course is a category B, C or D programme, or a learnership? There are over 1,000 learnerships registered with the Dept of Higher Education & Training (see www.education.gov. za). Learnerships also attract SARS tax deduction incentives, as well as learnership grants from your SETA (see What is a Learnership? on pg 129 for more detail). With the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008), apprenticeships are now considered a type of learnership, and SETA funding incentives are aligned to support apprenticeships and learnerships. Training providers will usually advertise that their programmes qualify as one of these categories in terms of the Codes, but otherwise you can use the following criteria to identify if they are category B, C or D programmes. Categories B, C and D on the Matrix feature all of the following characteristics and get you the most points towards your overall score:
1) Learning with a practical workplace experience component

This component of learning is variously called practical learning, learning in a simulated work environment, experiential learning, and work-based learning - it aims to equip learners for the workplace in a much more relevant way than the traditional lecture-hall environment with written exams, which only equipped learners in a theoretical sense. The importance of the workplace in categories B, C and D is also emphasised in their support for occupationallydirected forms of learning, which simply means training towards competence in a specic job. The newly legislated Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (pg 280) is specically established within the NQF to develop and quality assure this kind of learning, and to register Occupational Qualications which meet the criteria for Category B, C and D programmes.
2) Formally assessed learning

This means that your learners have been assessed by a professional education and training practitioner. For South African learning, SAQA requirements would mean that the assessment is carried out by a registered Assessor and conforms to the assessment and moderation process of whatever Quality Council (QC, pg 087) is responsible for that learning area. For occupational focused learning achievements, this will be the QCTO (pg 280). For non South African learning, the assessment would need to conform to the formal quality assurance requirements of the international provider. An example of an international body which accredits the quality of training delivery and assessment is City & Guilds (www.cityandguilds.com). SAQA also has a Centre for the Evaluation of Educational Qualications for the evaluation of foreign learning achievements which could help you work out if any type of international learning meets these requirements (pg 020).
3) Learning delivery or certication by a formal training provider

This includes professional or occupational bodies which recognise learning achievements by licensing or registration, any statutory bodies authorised to certify learning achievements, international providers who are formally registered as such within their own countries, and of course, NQF accredited training providers.

201

202

BEE & Skills Development

Note that "NQF accredited" is synonymous with "SAQA accredited" and includes universities, FET colleges and all other public and private higher, further and general education providers registered in terms of the South African Qualications Authority Act. Short courses by the way would fall under Category E of the Matrix if they are oered by an accredited provider, deliver learning against a full unit standard and are formally assessed, otherwise they would fall under CatBEE & Skills Development

egory F. THE ORIGINAL LEARNING PROGRAMME MATRIX The simplied learning programme matrix provided in this chapter is based on an understanding of the a matrix of learning programmes issued by the Dept of Labour in 2005. It was created for use by SETAs in identifying learning solutions for critical and scarce skills and it formed the basis for the DTI Learning Programme Matrix. However the DTI has reserved the right to change and update their version of the Matrix whenever necessary, so it is unclear if there will be any future link between the two matrices. The original Dept Labour matrix is shown below to assist with the interpretation of the DTI matrix:
Code Type of Learning Programme Generic Diplomas Degrees Certicates Technical Qualications or Technical Programmes Internship Articles Licensing requirements Description Learning Site

Ed

Theoretical knowledge provided by an institutional provider

Classroom based

TQ TP

General theoretical knowledge provided by an institutional provider and experiential learning with an employer / simulated environment A workplace or practical component is required in addition to a general theoretical knowledge based Qualication (institutional provider) in order to obtain registration as a professional or licensed to practice An occupationally directed programme resulting in a registered Qualication and that requires an agreement and/or contract An occupationally directed programme, registered by a SETA, which is presented by an accredited provider and when completed will constitute a credit towards an NQF registered qualication Any learning or development programme that may or may not lead to credits towards an NQF registered qualication

Mainly classroom based but includes simulation and may include workplace learning

I A L

A compulsory / statutory workplace component of a Qualication

Ls Ap

Mainly workplace based but includes classroom learning

SP

Skills Programmes

Workplace and classroom

SC CPD

Short Courses Continuing Professional Development Work experience for unemployed graduates (in scarce skills)

Classroom or simulated or classroom and simulated

WE

Work experience provided by a workplace for unemployed graduates (in scarce skills)

Workplace only

THE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT ON THE QSE SCORECARD The QSE scorecard has already been discussed under the heading How does BEE Work? As far as pre-qualifying conditions go, the QSE must also meet the same requirements as for large and medium sized organisations, and the same limitations apply to a QSE in determining their legitimate training spend. There is some confusion at the moment in how QSEs with a payroll of less than R500,000 per annum will meet the requirement to have submitted a Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) to a SETA. SETAs are not required to accept WSPs from such small entities. Also, such entities are not required to pay the Skills Development Levy which is used by SETAs to cover (among other things) the cost of processing WSPs. Until clarity is provided, it is recommended that these QSEs register with a SETA as a non-Levy paying member and produce WSPs and Annual Training Reports according to their SETAs guidelines for use by their verication agency. There is only one target for the QSE skills element:
Measurement Criteria Worth EXPENDITURE BASED TARGETS (1) Spending on learning programmes for black employees 25 marks out of 25 spend 2% of your total payroll on this Target

DISABILITY EMPOWERMENT AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT If your organisation is to meet its Employment Equity disability targets equitably across levels of employment, it will need to use its BEE training spend to leverage the upskilling of disabled employees, and the successful induction and integration of new disabled employees into your workforce. The necessity to train people with disabilities is all the more essential because of the discrimination and lack of access experienced by most disabled people in the educational system leading to the workplace. The National Skills Development Strategy began implementation in 2001 and set equity targets for disabled learners at 4% of all beneciaries training through employers, SETAs and the Dept of Labour. However the only instance where this target has yet been met, was in National Skills Fund spending on training of people with disabilities. Despite this there was steady progress from 2001 - 2005. For instance, during the 2001/2 period, disabled people comprised only 0,1% of all skills development beneciaries under the strategy, quadrupling to 0,4% in 2002/3, and reaching 2% during 2003 through to 2005. Data from the 2005/6 period indicate however that training of disabled people is falling back to levels below 1% of all beneciaries. The National Skills Fund has a funding window for Special Projects to provide supplementary support for people with disabilities requiring assistive devices to access training materials. The massive turnaround in representation of disabled people in the workplace requires signicant skills development expenditure. This is provided for in the Skills Development scorecard, where the target is for 10% of targeted black train-

203

204

BEE & Skills Development

ing spend to be on people with disabilities, 0,3% of total payroll. This makes up 20% of the total available points for skills development on the generic scorecard. Signicantly, skills development spend is broadly dened which gives HR departments some leeway needed to change their training environments to facilitate the training of disabled people with reasonable accommodation and
BEE & Skills Development

assistive devices as specied in the Code of Good Practice for the Employment of People with Disabilities. The following expenses can change a training environment to make it disability friendly, and may at the same time qualify as BEE training spend: Training materials special adaptive technologies and assistive devices for training disabled people Accommodation and travel special training related accommodation and travel arrangements for disabled people Administration costs special support services and personnel required to help with the administration or management of the training of people with disabilities While planning for the training of disabled employees, dont forget to budget some money to train non-disabled employees to assist in the integration of disabled employees into the workforce. Disabled employees who are well integrated into your workforce can help catalyse a change in your working environment that benets all employees. A more caring, inclusive and helpful working environment can be fostered throughout your workforce if the integration of disabled people is treated as an opportunity for all your employees to change and become more aware of their co-workers. Failing to invest time and energy in your non-disabled workforce could result in a negative impact to your working environment, as employees treat disabled co-workers with patronizing attitudes, or rejection. The adaption of the working environment to provide access to disabled people is another important change to plan for. This may require building ramps, adapting toilet facilities, desks, computers and phones. If these costs are built into your BEE skills development spend then they do not have to be budgeted and paid for later in a way that wont give you points on the scorecard. Learnerships can be used for skilling disabled people at the same time as achieving your learnership targets as an organisation, and scoring more points for BEE skills development purposes. They may also attract SARS tax incentives as well as grants from your SETA. SARS oers standard learnership tax deductions of a maximum of either R20,000 or R30,000 per learnership candidate at the start of the learnership (depending on whether the learner was employed or unemployed prior to signing the learnership contract), and up to R30,000 on completion of the learnership However the learnership tax deduction for disabled employees is the lesser of either 150% or R40,000 of the previously employed learners wage at the start of the learnership, and the lesser of either 175% or R50,000 of the

previously unemployed learners wage at the start of the learnership, plus the lesser of either 175% or R50,000 of the learners wage for both types of learners at the completion of the learnership. In addition to learnership grants, some SETAs oer disability grants to assist employers partially oset the additional costs of hiring disabled employees; these grants have varied from R4,000 to R8,000 per disabled learner. Some employers will prefer to make use of category B programmes, which allow for simulated workplace experience, in order to avoid the physical access challenges of training people with a disability in a real workplace, which is required by category C and D programmes. Typical challenges you could face in a training environment when trying to include disabled people could include: Inaccessibility of training venues given the diculty with transport and access that some disabled people face Course material and content may be irrelevant for disabled people without changes and adaptations For example, training material may need to be translated into Braille, or sign language interpreters may be needed to facilitate the training Assessment methods, teaching methodologies and curriculum may need to be customised ETD practitioners have responded to these challenges with solutions such as these: Adding greater exibility and modularity to training courses to allow courses to be adapted to special needs Providing individualised support and counselling for disabled learners Designing special job readiness programmes for disabled people to smooth the transition into the workplace Using distance education to overcome many of the physical access challenges faced by disabled people (although distance education drop-out rates are usually far higher than for contact forms of learning) Note that your disabled workforce prole will need to match a 50:50 gender parity as closely as possible in order to score the maximum points for the disability related skills development elements, due to the modication of the Adjusted Recognition for Gender. QSEs do not have a disability empowerment target for skills development.

Signicantly, skills development spend is broadly dened which gives HR departments some leeway needed to change their training environments to facilitate the training of disabled people with reasonable accommodation and assistive devices

205

206

BEE & Skills Development

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT & SKILLS DEVELOPMENT With the average age of artisans in South Africa currently sitting between 50 60 years of age, industry itself has realized the importance of creating opportunities for youth to enter this eld and there are many industry and government attempts to open up training and employment opportunities for youth in this intermediate level of skills development,
BEE & Skills Development

especially in the manufacturing, and construction industries (see the list of SETA websites for details on page 011, and see the sections, How are Artisans Developed, pg 364, and Success Stories, pg 410: ). The Skills Development scorecard assists this drive by strongly incentivising work-based experiential learning for black employees (learnerships, apprenticeships and category B and C programmes). Not only does artisan training and education fall within this grouping, but this is also exactly the type of learning of most benet to youth who are often unable to access employment because of a lack of work experience. All SETAs are required by the National Skills Development Strategy to incentivise work-experience opportunities for youth. So contact your SETA to see if you can access grant funding to provide more internship or on-the-job experience opportunities for young people, and to reduce the costs of employees on Category B, C and D programmes. The Skills element also provides for qualifying BEE training spend to include scholarships and bursaries for employees. Many black youth have not had funds to get a higher education qualication, and this is therefore another aspect of the Skills element which can be turned to their benet. In concert with SETA grants, tax incentives and the BEE scorecard, organisations can impact youth unemployment by means of their skills development eorts. For more help contact the National Youth Development Agency / Umsobomvu Youth Fund (pg 026). FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS This section covers questions we are frequently asked measuring the Skills Development element of the scorecard:
Currently some of the IT qualications (National Diplomas) have a practical component that the learner needs to complete in order to obtain a qualication. If I understand correctly, this will fall in category C?

Category B is more accurate. The way category B is described it would cover most oerings of the previously called technikons and the current FET Colleges, both of which emphasise either simulated workplace experience or an actual period of internship with an employer as a pre-requisite to graduation.
In category C, typical examples include mentoring and coaching. I am not a 100% sure what is meant by this (mentoring and coaching). My understanding of this is, the formal and accredited coaching programme that a person can complete.

They are not incentivising people to go and study as coaches and mentors. The matrix says, structured learning in the workplace with coaching and mentoring as the Delivery Mode. Typically category C programmes are internships, arti-

cles, pupilages and cadetships that must follow a qualication. Registration or licensing is a requirement for a category C programme. Professional bodies and occupational associations typically require this.
Spend on skills development for the black disabled as a percentage of payroll - in order to achieve this target, you would need to send disabled employees on category B, C or D programmes. Correct?

No, you can count all skills spend. B,C & D programs simply mean you get to count their salaries as skills spend too.
This could however prove to be challenging as people are not willing to declare disabilities (as you well know). Any good stories on how we can overcome this?

Some companies have incentivised declaration of disability by committing to extra training for disabled sta. One company, which I thought was quite innovative, oered to donate R5,000 to the charity of choice of each sta member who was brave enough to declare their disability. Obviously good communication is key so that sta realise there will be no stigma and no discrimination, purely the ability for an organisation to meet the needs of ALL their sta. In certain cases (eg. epilepsy, diabetes or asthma), people in the same team as an epileptic, diabetic or asthmatic need to be trained on how to deal with attacks. Thus their declaration is potentially life-saving and saves their fellow sta from feeling helpless or guilty in the event of an attack which they couldnt deal with.
Currently we have a number of learners on learnerships in the IT space (previously unemployed). They are not permanent employees as they have been appointed on a contract basis for the duration of the learnership. They are however paid by us. If we had a disabled learner on one of these learnerships, would it contribute to achieving this target? If yes, would we be able to claim for the items listed as legitimate training spend?

Yes, all learnership candidates count as sta because there is a contract of employment - albeit for only a year or so. Thus you count the total cost of the learnership, including salaries / stipends, materials, travel, venues etc. (obviously, they must be black).

If we provide scholarships for disabled students from e.g. grade 12 through university, does this fall within this category or Social Development?

This is social development unless they are employed. Some companies employ the disabled students and then send them on full-time study leave in order to ensure their retention, include work-based experience and get the BEE points.

Why can you not count bursaries and scholarships towards your BEE training spend in the event that learners are required to pay back nancially the funding they received and so long that they are not conditional in any way?

The clause refers to bursaries which are required to be repaid. In that instance, they say it is not skills spend - but a loan to an employee. Obviously, if they pay it back, you have not actually paid anything - just helped cashow.

207

208

BEE & Skills Development

Does this mean that if the learner (staff member) leaves the organisation whilst on the bursary or in the bursary work-back period, we cannot claim for training spend? Does that not indirectly then mean that we are unable to claim training spend for all internal bursaries as they have a payback clause in the event of a staff member leaving the organisation whilst on the bursary or in the bursary work-back period?

As we understand it , you can have the clause in and claim the skills spend, you just have to deduct it in future if they
BEE & Skills Development

leave and end up paying it back (like adjusting an account for a returned item). Check with your verication agency in case a clear interpretation of this is provided in future by the DTI.
In our area we have an eLearning department that develops e-learning interventions for a number of the clusters within the bank. If I understand the Learning matrix correctly and because the programmes are not formally assessed it could either fall within a category F or G. In the event that an eLearning intervention is linked to unit standards but not assessed by an accredited body it will fall into category F. If not linked to a unit standard it will fall into a category G. Is this correct?

eLearning typically falls into categories A, E, F or G, depending on the features of the programme. It is obviously worth the eort to see how many G type programmes can be easily upgraded into E and F programmes. G type programmes have no formal assessment or delivery. In contrast, F programmes are structured and result in CPD points, attendance certicates or credits against unit standards. If you have a professional body that is willing to review the e-learning and credit it for CPD points (even if its just a few), that could upgrade the programmes. If the attendance certicates were somehow independently issued this would also qualify it as an F programme. Some of the online IT assessments one can write globally, issue independent attendance and assessment certicates (from an ocial testing centre). Establishing a relationship with a formal eLearning testing centre may be expensive but at least you and your learners know that their learning achievements are that much more credible than if they just run through a course half-asleep at their PC. Getting credit against a unit standard is expensive because there would need to be unit standard alignment of the materials plus assessment, moderation etc - this makes upgrading a G programme to an E programme a less desirable route. Also, unit standards cannot be registered on the NQF unless they have a certain minimum amount of learning time (notional hours of learning) so that excludes many of the really short eLearning programmes.

In category F it states under learning achievements credits against registered unit standards (in some instances). What is meant with in some instances?

They mean it is not a pre-requisite that a category F program results in credits against a unit standard. Some category F programs will and others will result in CPD attendance certicates.
What is the most accurate source for stats on EAP?

EAP refers to the population prole of South Africas Economically Active Population by the four major population groups. The aim of the Employment Equity Act and the EE element of the BEE Codes is to mirror in the workforce the EAP prole of

each population group. So if black people make up 90,4% of the EAP, then they should ideally have 90,4% representation at all levels of employment in the average organisation in South Africa. Stats SA does the EAP research and reports on it once a year but it is not always easy to nd on their site. The Department of labour (www.labour.gov.za) also usually lists it in the latest Commission for Employment Equity report (click on Documents| then Annual Reports then scroll down to Commission for Employment Equity Report). As at the 2007/8 report (published 16 September 2008), the EAP for blacks is 87,9% (59,6% male and 40.4% female) and for whites is 12,1% (6,7% male and 5.4% female).

Which denition of employees is relevant in this regard? Is a learner that is not on our payroll but that has signed an employment contract with us regarded as an employee?

The moment an employment contract is signed, and the date for them to begin work arrives, that person is deemed to be an employee.

Will a learnership always fall in category D? My reason for asking is that on one of our IT learnerships, the learners are in residence at the University for 12-months and only thereafter complete the 6-month workplace component. So Im looking at category C and wondering if it could t there also.

If the learners enter into a learnership contract with you prior to the university learning commencing, then it is denitely a category D. If not, then it would be a category C so long as the learners receive registration or licensing recognition from a professional body on completion. If not a category C then it would be a category B if the learners get a certicate, degree or diploma as a result of the course. If your SETA recognises this programme as a learnership I dont think any verication agency will argue with you, and then category D is the simplest categorisation route for BEE purposes.
Category C is then when you need to complete a practical or workplace element to receive the qualication?

Yes PLUS there must be formal recognition or licensing with a professional or occupational body at the end-point of learning

Some of our coaches are busy going through a formal coaching programme where they will be accredited and registered as a coach of others. They need to complete and hand in a Portfolio of Evidence as part of the qualication. In what category would this fall?

Category C if there is formal recognition or licensing with a professional body at the end-point of learning. If not, then Category B if a certicate, diploma or degree are awarded. If not, then Category E.

209

210

BEE & Skills Development

Will organisations be measured on an annual basis from Jan Dec? I am really not sure what this period is.

The period of measurement for BEE Verication can be selected by each organisation - but it is quite often the same as your nancial year.
BEE & Skills Development

Depending on which element of the scorecard you are measuring can also depend on what information you measure. Skills development is measured over the preceding 12 months from the date of verication or from the nancial yearend (if you have chosen that as the period you want to be measured up to). Whereas, Employment Equity or Ownership would be a snapshot at the time of rating and Enterprise Development or Socio-Economic Development would look back cumulatively over 5 years! So, put practically, if you have a nancial year which ends 31 Dec, you might rate yourself based on 1 Jan to 31 Dec even if you only get the rating in May the next year. Or you might choose 1 May from the previous year to 30 April of the current year and choose to have a more current rating? There are pros and cons to both options.
Spending on learning programmes for black employees: what constitutes an employee in this situation (permanent, contractor, off-payroll temp)?

There is debate around who is included as an employee, but currently most verication agencies will include anybody from whom PAYE is being deducted. This includes most independent contractors, but excludes people hired and paid through a labour broker. The reasoning behind this is that the target is a percentage of the leviable amount. If the person is included in the leviable amount then their training should be included, if not then it shouldnt be. However the matter is not as simple as that. Employee in the Codes refers to the denition in the Labour Relations Act. Yet the data to validate employee information should come from the EEA2 forms where the denition of employee is based on the Employment Equity Act. Please check with your verication agency what interpretation they are applying currently. DTI will issue a clear statement on this in future.

The Skills Development scorecard strongly incentivises work-based experiential learning for black employees (learnerships, apprenticeships and category B and C programmes). Not only does artisan training and education fall within this grouping, but this is also exactly the type of learning of most benet to youth who are often unable to access employment because of a lack of work experience.

EXAMPLE CALCULATIONS For calculating BEE scores, we suggest you follow these steps each time so as to avoid confusion: 1) Write down the target you are trying to calculate your score for e.g. target of 3% of payroll = R300,000 2) Write down what your unadjusted status is against this target e.g. actual spending of = R150,000 or 50% of target 3) Write down indirect enhancements or adjustments to your score Previously in this chapter we have discussed these enhancements: ABET training qualies as a +125% enhancement Salaries of employees on learnerships or category B, C and D programmes count as BEE training spend Spending on uncertied learning programmes or category G programmes is capped at 15% of your total claimable spend Certain categories of expenses related to training can count as BEE training spend Adjusted Recognition for Gender (ARG) is a modication that reduces your claimable points if you trained less than 50% black females for any of your Skills Development targets - explained below 4) Calculate your nal adjusted score claimable CALCULATING ARG Adjusted Recognition for Gender (ARG) is calculated using this formula: ARG = % Black (B) + % Black Women (BW) 2 Note that % BW can be calculated at a maximum of 50% of any target, so if the target is 3% of payroll on training of black people, % BW can be a maximum of 1,5% for purposes of calculating the ARG. ARG is calculated uniquely for every measurement category. For example, if your target is to spend 3% of a R10 million payroll on training of black people (R300,000), and you spent 1,5% (R150,000), but only 0,3% (R30,000) of it on black females, then your ARG would be calculated as follows: ARG = 1,5% + 0,3% = 1,05% 2 Simply by failing to train an equal amount of black men and black women, you have therefore lost 0,45% of your potential score (equivalent in this case to R45,000 of spending). You therefore need to either spend even more money

211

212

BEE & Skills Development

on training of your black male employees, or bring more black female employees into the training, to o-set this adjustment. CALCULATING YOUR POINTS AWARDED
BEE & Skills Development

Once you have followed all the steps above, you calculate your claimable points awarded for the target using this formula, which rewards you on a pro-rata basis for your achievement (points relative to your achievement): Points = Adjusted Recognition for Gender (ARG) X Weighting (W) Target (T) Using the same example under ARG above, you would calculate your Marks Awarded as follows: Points = 1,05% (ARG) X 6 marks (W) 3% (T) Points = 2.1 marks out of 6 (35%). However if R75,000 of the spend was on black female employees, your ARG would look like this: ARG = 1,5% + 0,75% = 1,5% 2 Your points would then look like this: Points = 1,5% (ARG) X 6 marks (W) 3% (T) Points = 3 marks out of 6 (50%). EXAMPLE 1 - FRANKLY FIRST FERTILISERS In the examples which follow, we look at how to calculate the BEE score on the Skills Development element for Frankly First Fertilisers, a company with a turnover of R45 million per annum which therefore qualies to be scored on the Generic Scorecard. To keep the calculations easy to follow we have sacriced realism slightly. The company therefore has only 20 employees, and an annual payroll of R1 million. Ten of the employees are black, and ve of them are black females. Measurement Criteria 1 reads like this:

Measurement Criteria

Worth EXPENDITURE BASED TARGETS

Target

(1) Spending on learning programmes for black employees

6 marks out of 15

spend 3% of your total payroll on this

Calculating the claimable marks awarded would look like this:

STEP 1 2 Variable Target Unadjusted Status Adjustments & Enhancements ABET enhancement Adjust Recognition for Gender Formula ARG = % B 2 ARG = 1 % 2 4 Points Formula 2 points Points = ARG T Points = 1 % 3% XW R8,000 X 1.25 = R10,000 adjusted for ABET incentive (multiply by 1.25) R5,000 spent on black males, and R5,000 spent on black females + % BW =1% Value R30,000 R8,000 NOTES 3% of annual payroll BEE Training Spend on ABET Programmes (category E)

+ 0,5 %

See calculations below

X 6 = 2 points

Notes: If Frankly First Fertilisers had trained their black employees on ABET Category F training, they would only have been able to claim R8,000 of BEE spend, resulting in 26% of the target achieved, or 1,6 marks out of 6

If your organisation is to meet its Employment Equity disability targets equitably across levels of employment, it will need to use its BEE training spend to leverage the upskilling of disabled employees, and the successful induction and integration of new disabled employees into your workforce... because of the discrimination and lack of access experienced by most disabled people in the educational system leading to the workplace

213

214

BEE & Skills Development

EXAMPLE 2 - FRANKLY FIRST FERTILISERS SENDS A SUPERVISOR TO AN FET COLLEGE Instead of training all 10 of their black employees in ABET, Frankly First Fertilisers decides to enrol their senior black
BEE & Skills Development

supervisor on a Chemical Industries SETA learnership which will improve his technical expertise and give him some management skills. This will impact both measurement criteria 1 and measurement criteria 3. The learnership is a Category D learning programme on the Matrix. It costs the company R16,160 in course fees to the provider, R1,250 for course materials, and R2,800 for a travel subsidy for the year. All of this can be claimed as training spend and works out to R20,210. In addition, the company can claim the salary of the employee for the year, since this is a Category D learning programme. This works out at R2,000 per month X 12 = R24,000. The total BEE training spend for criteria 1 is therefore R44,210, although the company has only directly spent half of this on training, and the calculation for their score would look like this:
STEP 1 2 Variable Target Unadjusted Status Adjustments & Enhancements Adjust Recognition for Gender Formula ARG = % B 2 Only one black male employee was trained + % BW = 2.2105% Value R30,000 R44,210 NOTES 3% of annual payroll on Learnership, Category D, including salary of employee during programme

ARG = 4,421% 2 4 Points Formula 4,4 points Points = ARG T

+ 0%

See calculations below XW

Points = 2.2105% 3%

X 6 = 4,4 points

However Frankly First Fertilisers can also claim points under measurement criteria 3 of the scorecard, which calls for training of black employees on Category B, C and D programmes. The calculation would look as follows:

STEP 1 2 3

Variable Target Unadjusted Status Adjustments & Enhancements Adjust Recognition for Gender Formula

Value 1 employee 1 employee

NOTES 5% of total employees MALE

Only one black male employee was trained ARG = % BP 2 ARG = 5% 2 + % BW = 2,5%

+ 0%

Points Formula

3 points Points = ARG T Points = XW

See calculations below

2,5% 5%

X6

= 3 points

Notes: In addition to the BEE score benets of the training, Frankly First Fertilisers can also benet from learnership incentives oered by the SA Receiver of Revenue, and his SETA. These include: A learnership grant from his SETA of R12,000 towards the cost of the learnership A tax deduction from SARS of R16,800 - equal to 70% of the employees annual salary (to a maximum of R20,000) at the start of the learnership, and R24,000 at the end of the learnership Following is a table comparing the costs and benets of the two dierent approaches to training. The drastic dierence in cost-eectiveness between the two approaches illustrates the importance of thinking through and projecting the costs and benets of dierent options available to you before you begin your BEE training.

BEE is the most serious, most widely consulted and well thoughtout attempt by government thus far, to transform business in South Africa onto a sustainable footing. South African managers should do everything they can to assist its transformation goals, because if it fails, the business environment in this country is likely to fail with it, as it has in other African countries that have failed to transform their economies to match their political systems

215

216

BEE & Skills Development

Cost - Benet Employees beneting Direct Cost of Training People hours lost

ABET Training 10 R8,000 10 X 96 = 960 hrs 960 X R7,50 = R7,200 R15,200 R15,200 1,98 for criteria 1 0,5 for criteria 2 0 for criteria 3 TOTAL = 2,48 points 16,5%

Learnership Training 1 R20,210 1 X 512 hrs 512 X R12,50 = R6,400 R26,610 R26,610 - R12,000 - (29% X R40,800) = R2,778 4,4 for criteria 1 0 for criteria 2 3 for criteria 3 TOTAL = 7,4 points 49%

BEE & Skills Development

Rand Value of people hours lost TOTAL DIRECT COST DIRECT COSTS LESS GRANTS & TAX DEDUCTIONS

BEE Points gained

Other Benets / Risks

Wider workforce satisfaction

How long will this single employee stay in your business? New knowledge and management skills Potential BEE partner in the future? 7,4 points cost R2,778 = R375 per point

Improved quality of life for 10 people and their families

EFFECTIVENESS RATIO (Rands per Point)

2,48 points cost R15,200 = R6,129 per point

Notes: The cost per point cannot and should not be the only determining factor in selecting training; the purpose of illustrating it here is to emphasise the importance of planning ahead and taking into account dierent options and their eects before beginning any training Since the learnership is 70% practical and 30% theoretical, the business eectively only loses the supervisor for four months of the year, spread out evenly across the year at about 1 week per month Learnership grants from SETAs are only available if there are sucient funds, and this may change on a yearly basis; you may also need to plan and prepare well in advance to ensure your application gets in early enough to access the grant The business will still have to carry the cashow cost of the learnership, since the grant is usually paid out in tranches based on the learnership progress, and the SARS tax deduction benet only hits your bottom line at the end of the year (and only if you were going to make a prot) Running a learnership will require an investment of time and energy to ensure that it is properly administered; since a learnership is a legal contract between yourself, your SETA and a training provider, you may run into legal problems if you dont keep to your side of the agreement. For more information on learnerships, see What is a Learnership? (pg 129)

OTHER RESOURCES AND SUPPORT The publishers of this Handbook are also responsible for producing The National BEE Handbook which is a detailed 600+ page guide to every aspect of BEE implementation and best practice - you can order it from www.rainbowsa. co.za. Download the Codes of Good Practice from www.thedti.gov.za or contact the dti on 0861 843 384 Visit the DTI BEE Portal at http://bee.thedti.gov.za. This is a publicly accessible central database that houses all BEE related information and oers the following services: Promoting business opportunities to benet empowered companies Reporting fronting oences (false representation of your BEE status) Interactive self assessment tools (BEE Calculator) to assist companies in gauging their BEE performance Our thanks to Empowerment Services for writing this chapter. Empowerment Services can be contacted on 011 485 2036 or at www.empowermentservices.co.za. Their adverts are listed in the advertiser index at the end of this book.

217

CREDIT & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To the QCTO Task Team, GTZ consultants and skills development staff who have worked hard on creating a more relevant system for learning, and to everyone who laboured under NQF 1.0 out of which the insights for NQF 2.0 were born.

Table of Contents
(THE OCCUPATIONAL LEARNING SYSTEM)
What is the OLS? ............................................................... 221 How it all started - the scarce skills crisis .......... 221 Why is the OLS necessary? ............................................... 232 What is the Labour Market? .............................................. 250 What is ESSA? ................................................................... 252 Who will benet from ESSA?............................. 254 Benets of ESSA .............................................. 254 What is the OFO? .............................................................. 256 Background to the OFO .................................... 258 What the OFO looks like ................................... 260 What is the NOPF? ............................................................ 264 What does the NOPF look like? ....................... 266 Why is the NOPF needed? ................................ 268 Benets of the NOPF ........................................ 269

Table of Contents
What is the OQF?............................................................... 272 Why is the OQF needed? .................................. 273 What is the purpose of the OQF? ...................... 273 What are the components of the OQF?............. 274 How does the OQF integrate with the NQF? ..... 275 What qualications fall within the scope of the OQF? ............................... 275 What qualications fall outside the scope of the OQF? ..................................... 277 What is the QCTO? ............................................................ 280 Background and assumptions of the QCTO ...... 282 Functions of the QCTO ...................................... 283 What is a CEP? .................................................................. 284 Why are CEPs needed? .................................... 285 How is a CEP formed? ...................................... 286 How do CEPs work?.......................................... 287 What are occupational qualications? ................................ 292 The National Occupational Award ..................... 293 The National Skills Award .................................. 294 What qualies as a National Skills Award? ........ 296 What is to stop everyone registering National Skills Awards? .............................. 297 Steps to follow if you want to register a National Skills Award ............................... 298

Click your mouse on the page numbers to hyperlink to that heading (PDF version only)

The OLS

Key Organisations Page 010 Foundational Concepts Page 064 BEE & Skills Development Page 184 The OLS Page 218 Success Stories Page 410
THE

National Training Directory Page 458

IMPORTANT NOTE - MARCH 2010

The topics covered in this chapter are still under development as at the date of publication (above). Although the enabling legislation underpinning them (NQF Act 2008 and Skills Development Amendment Act 2008) have been enacted, regulations, policies and procedures to describe the detailed functioning of the system are still in the process of being developed. This chapter is made available in the interests of preparing people in advance for the changes, and encouraging their participation in the remaining areas awaiting public comment. For more detail on the areas of the system which must be nalized, see the section Why is the OLS necessary?: The way ahead.

Table of Contents
What is Foundational Learning Competence? ................... 300 Why is the FLC needed? ................................... 300 What was wrong with fundamentals in NQF 1.0? ................................................ 300 How does the FLC solve these problems? ........ 302 How does the FLC work? .................................. 303 Limitations of the FLC........................................ 303 Foundational Communications .......................... 304 Framework for Foundational Communications .. 305 Foundational Mathematical Literacy (FML) ....... 306 How are qualications developed?..................................... 310 Key features of occupational qualications design ......................................................... 310 The development process for qualications ...... 313 Developing the Occupational Prole ................. 313 Identify the development pathway for each occupational task ............................... 324 Designing the Learning Process........................ 327 Developing unit standards and qualications specications ........................ 332 Developing qualication assessment specications .............................................. 333 Registration requirements ................................. 334 Click your mouse on the page numbers to hyperlink to that heading (PDF version only)

Table of Contents
How are qualications delivered?....................................... 336 Redening learning programmes ...................... 336 Provider accreditation and workplace approval . 339 Learning implementation agents ....................... 343 How are qualications assessed? ...................................... 348 Assessments ..................................................... 349 Assessment Sites .............................................. 350 Recognition of Prior Learning ............................ 351 Certication of learning achievements ............... 352 How does quality assurance work? .................................... 354 Major shifts in the approach to quality assurance in the OQF................................. 354 Quality assurance of design, delivery and assessment ......................................... 359 Quality assurance through impact assessment . 362 How are artisans developed? ............................................. 364 Economic growth and scarce skills .................... 364 Artisan skills required for economic growth ....... 366 Changes to the artisan learning landscape ....... 368 Artisan skills development routes ...................... 372 Benets & opportunities of the OLS ................................... 376 For business ...................................................... 376 For providers ..................................................... 386 For labour .......................................................... 390 Frequently Asked Questions .............................................. 396

DID YOU KNOW? The development of the OLS reached a public milestone at the Q-Africa 2005 Conference, where SAQA called for papers on the topic of including professional bodies in the NQF. Chris Vorwerks Communities of Mistrust paper revealed the progress made by the Department of Labour and GTZ to date in developing a brand new framework for professional and occupational learning. Four years later, the NQF Act and Skills Development Amendment Act have been legislated and the system began operations with the establishment of the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations on 23 February 2010.

We need a parallel framework for occupations, based on a new logic for the acquisition, recognition and codifying of skills. The new framework should accelerate the description of the learning that stands behind the term work experience at all levels of work. This is necessary because South Africa has a deeply rooted societal and economic problem: it has to achieve employment equity and black economic empowerment targets at a rate which is faster than the slow and informal pace at which experience is normally accumulated for progression at work. It is only by describing learning that is traditionally accumulated at work that it will be possible to plan more accelerated learning by those previously discriminated against by apartheid. South Africa cannot wait for new generations of learners to progress at a measured pace through the formal education and training system if it is to leapfrog stages of development and attain growth rates that will halve unemployment and poverty in the next ten years... Current systems, including the current conceptualisation of the NQF, do not sufce. Innovation is required to tackle the problems. Chris Vorwerk, Occupational Qualications on the NQF: Communities of Mistrust? Paper presented at SAQA Q-Africa Conference, November 2005

219

220

What is the OLS?

Imagine for a moment...
The Occupational Learning System
Imagine for a moment a South Africa where education and training are living up to our expectations: South Africa has successfully pioneered an approach to skills development which sustainably drives a more even spread of its wealthy heritage, and which makes the gains of economic empowerment, permanent. Generational poverty has been disrupted because youth can access learning opportunities that make them valuable in their economy. There is a seamless learning system from cradle to grave, linked directly to a seamless framework of career pathways. After getting a solid foundation through Basic Education, learners can either enter the job market directly, or embark on any one of three types of qualications: 1) a job-specic occupational qualication designed by industry, including coveted work experience and valuable in terms of job and professional advancement 2) a broader vocational qualication intended to prepare the learner for a range of occupations spanning an entire economic sector 3) a more theoretical higher education qualication giving the learner access to advanced theory and research in preparation either for an academic career, or as a basis for entry into several occupations The qualications all form part of a single revised National Qualications Framework so that learners can change their choice mid-stream, and carry with them credit for whatever they have achieved so far. You may be very surprised to learn that this imaginary vision Intellectual snobbery is not as prevalent or black and white as it used to be. People value each of the three types of qualications for their unique strengths and are aware of the inherent limitations of each. University degrees are no longer the only access point to high earning careers, and occupational qualications are the preferred learning pathway for many professions. The new NQF Act (2008) and Skills Development Amendment Act (2008) actually provide the legal framework for everything described so far in this article, and the rest of this chapter will explain in more detail how the new Occupational Learning System will work. is on the verge of its initial implementation. Gone are the arguments about which occupations are scarce. We are no longer shooting in the dark when it comes to knowing what skills our labour market must supply, and exactly what our capacity is to meet that demand. A business intelligence system for the labour market tracks, in real-time, the demand for each and every occupation, as well as which provider institutions are most effectively supplying the need. Government can channel its resources to incentivise qualications and work experience opportunities in areas of national need, and learners and work seekers can be given accurate career guidance which maps out multiple related career options and the linked employment prospects of each. The knowledge contribution of universities through advanced theory and research is valued but also recognised as only a component of the applied knowledge which is so crucial to industry and business. Communities of professionals, industry associations and networks of practitioners, crossing local and international boundaries, are all able to contribute to the body of knowledge and experience that is expressed in an occupational qualication. The education delivery system is uid, exible and competitive. No single college or provider institution can dominate provision for long, because government support and funding is available on transparent criteria to any delivery mechanism that meets national needs in a credible and efcient manner.

...now open your eyes

WHAT IS THE OLS?

The Occupational Learning System is a new approach to skills development focusing on job-related qualications and their relevance to employment requirements.

Underlying South Africas new approach to skills development is a fundamental realisation of the need for a much closer and more mature skills partnership between government and industry. Put simply, government has accepted that it will never achieve substantial success in driving down unemployment, unless it tightly links its skills development efforts with the needs of employers. This translates into a job-focused approach to skills development that potentially unlocks vast reserves of motivation and buy-in from industry that have up till now been buried under a complain and comply mindset.

HOW IT ALL STARTED THE SCARCE SKILLS CRISIS

The beginnings of this new approach were in fact economic in nature and rooted in the global economic boom which started around 2003. Very early on in the boom, South Africa began to experience a skills shortage that slowed down its ability to keep up with the many growth opportunities that were available. The Department of Labour (DoL) urgently began identifying scarce skills - occupations in the economy where competent practitioners were needed to underpin growth in key sectors such as the networking industries (transport, communications, water and energy), construction, and manufacturing. Once scarce skills were identied, the DoL planned to fast-track the development and delivery of learning programmes to meet the demand for these jobs. As a result of the distinctly economic focus of the learning needs, DoL researchers took off their education and training hats, and looked at the problem from the viewpoint of the labour market: specically using the language of occupations.

THE LANGUAGE OF THE LABOUR MARKET

They rapidly began to develop a new classication system (the Organising Framework for Occupations) to describe the skills demands of the labour market, having found that the education and training language of the NQF was not suitable for this context.

221

222

What is the OLS?

These scarce skills researchers were laying the foundation for an occupation-focused methodology of skills reporting which differed fundamentally from the learning

The Occupational Learning System

elds structure of the NQF at the time. Learning elds resemble the academic disciplines of higher education. For example, the NQF learning elds include: Agriculture & Nature Conservation Physical Planning & Construction Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology.

In contrast, the scarce skills researchers were using the language of occupations and talking about (for example): Farm Managers Veterinary Technicians Earthmoving Plant Operators Mine Engineers, and Millwrights.

The separation of the world of education and training (skills supply) from the world of employment (skills demand) was therefore the rst barrier that needed to be crossed in developing a more effective approach to skills development. Once the skills researchers had developed a classication system to describe accurately the skills needs of the labour market, the next step was to identify qualications to match the needs. Here they came up against several problems linked to the fact that the NQF at the time was insufciently geared to accommodate workplace learning which is, of course, critical when dealing with occupations. At this point another mindset shift was made: the researchers attempted to design learning interventions around specic occupations, rather than trying to select from a vast library of over 15,000 unit standards and more than 11,000 qualications registered on the NQF, and try and t them to a specic occupation. The process was very simple, and mirrored what many organisations already intuitively do when designing their own in-house learning: The purpose of the occupation was analysed: what unique contribution does this occupation make to the world of work?

The occupational tasks were identied: what tasks does a person perform to full the purpose of this occupation?

Each occupational task was then broken up into the three forms of learning General knowledge and theory (typically provided by schools and universities outside of real working conditions) Practical skills (typically provided by FET colleges and private providers under simulated working conditions) Work experience (usually provided by a workplace in real working conditions, generating real products and services).

Having unpacked the occupational tasks into these three components, the next step was to design a learning process to develop the required skills. This became a curriculum. As a nal step, the assessable outcomes of the curriculum were converted into a unit standards format suitable for registration on the NQF (the new format for unit standards differs from the current one and reects the three forms of learning). Designing the curriculum around the prole of an occupation may not seem like a radical step, but crossing this bridge makes learning signicantly more relevant to employers, and is a key step in ensuring that our graduate learners are more valuable in the labour market, and are therefore much more likely to be employed and promoted. It is therefore a signicant step towards reducing unemployment and under-employment, and, at a higher level of impact, it also makes us better equipped to benet from economic boom times and more effective at weathering economic recessions. By the end of this process, the skills researchers had built the rst occupational qualication and crossed at least two signicant mindset boundaries: (1) adopting a labour market language to describe skills needs, and (2) designing a curriculum around the needs of an occupation.

LINKING LEARNING AND LINKING OCCUPATIONS

The skills researchers now stepped back from their work on the occupational qualication and looked at the labour market landscape with fresh insight. No longer were they seeing a vast and confusing labour market with tens of thousands of different job needs and trying to guess which of the thousands of NQF qualications would best match them. They could now see a clearly structured labour market, with just over 1,300 distinct occupations, and the prospect of a specic qualication for each occupation. This approach reduces the duplication of qualications

223

224

What is the OLS?

for cross-sectoral occupations, and further rationalisation results from the fact that some occupations will not require a qualication development will only take place where demand for a nationally recognised qualication is demonstrated. A much neater landscape had emerged and they were now armed with tools to make learning more relevant to employment. However one more critical shift was required: linking up related occupations in some kind of framework to allow learners mobility, progression and exibility in their choice of careers. From the beginning, the NQF had attempted to make transparent the relationships between different learning achievements so that learners could move seamlessly from one achievement to the next. This aim was never fully realised. At this point the labour market skills researchers saw the possibility of achieving the same kind of transparency between related occupations and they realised how valuable it would be to map links between one occupation to another in vertical (promotional) directions, and in sideways (re-skilling) directions. Work therefore began on a career pathing framework to identify relationships between occupations. This framework immediately showed up new and innovative ways of fullling scarce skills shortages by showing us relationships between occupations that were not always immediately obvious (such as farming and botany-related occupations). The researchers could begin to trace out the skills pipelines for scarce skill occupations, identifying important feeder occupations to take learners from an elementary occupation to a higher skilled one as well as opportunities to re-skill learners into occupations with better employment opportunities.

The Occupational Learning System

QUALIFICATIONS FOR OCCUPATIONS AND KEY SKILLS SETS

As companies and SETAs started reporting back on the skills needs within the labour market, it quickly became apparent that qualications could not only be dealt with at an occupational level. Embedded within the occupations were skill sets practised by employees who did not need a full occupational qualication to perform a particular job (for example, Bank Tellers do not need to be qualied in the full range of Bank Worker skill sets that would make up a Bank Worker qualication). At the same time, once a person is qualied in an occupation, he or she might want to specialise in a particular aspect of that occupation and practice that specialisation at an advanced level of the same occupation. Furthermore, to achieve progression to the next level of the occupational pathway or to articulate into another occupational pathway (for example from technical expert to trainer), an additional qualication might be required to recognise such specialised skill sets.

The skills researchers recognised that these skill sets were also occupational qualications, but of a highly focused kind. In many cases these skill sets were also linked to a large number of occupations, rather than one occupation in particular, and could be used across a variety of industries and sectors without being tailored to a particular context. Thus a generic supervisory, training or quality assurance qualication could be combined with a range of technical qualications to qualify practitioners to specialise in the context of their own occupation. By the time the skills researchers reached this point they realised that what started as an exercise to identify occupations that were a binding constraint on our economic growth, had nished as a new approach to skills development that could be applied to any of the approximately 1,300 occupations in the labour market, and that could change our entire approach to skills development for the better. At the 2007 QAfrica Conference organised by SAQA, the skills researchers on the DoL team delivered a series of presentations outlining the progress made up till that point, and this ignited interest and debate around the new approach. By the end of 2007, the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Education had issued a Joint Policy Statement which opened the way forward for the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008) and the NQF Act (2008), both of which established the legal framework that made the new occupational approach a reality. Now that you have a sense of why this new approach to skills development was developed, lets take a more detailed look at how it works...

COMPONENTS OF THE OLS

See diagram overleaf
In this book we refer to the rst implementation of the NQF (SAQA Act, 1995) as NQF 1.0, and the revised implementation (NQF Act 2008) as NQF 2.0. This is intended to draw attention to the similarity in the evolution of the NQF and the internet, from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0. Both shifts feature a strong collaborative, community and social-networking emphasis. NQF 2.0 does not imply a new NQF but rather an evolved NQF.

There are several components of the OLS, with the labour market at the centre. NQF 1.0 placed the learner at the centre of its framework, and struggled to meet competing agendas of all the other stakeholders on the edges. The Occupational Qualications Framework of NQF 2.0 places the labour market at the centre of its framework and so is able to achieve broad socio-economic improvements that have a greater impact on a broader number of individual learners, and achieve the primary socio-economic goal of reducing unemployment and therefore poverty. Each of the components of the OLS is dealt with in more detail later in the book.

225

227

228

What is the OLS?

THE LABOUR MARKET

The Occupational Learning System

The labour market this is where the demand for skills comes from, and this is the destination of occupational qualication graduates This is also where we become aware of the decline in occupations and changing skills needs within an occupation, all of which are important signals to be aware of if we want to invest in relevant learning opportunities

REPORTING SYSTEMS AND FRAMEWORKS

These are used to capture accurate, real-time data from the labour market and report on it in a language and format that facilitates the design and improvement of appropriate learning solutions. They include: Employment Services for SA (ESSA, pg 252): All employers and private employment services agencies will be required to register vacancies here on a daily basis ESSA will also consolidate sector based information coming from SETAs which is itself consolidated from individual workplace skills plans of participating organisations within each sector Organising Framework for Occupations (OFO, pg 256): The OFO is a framework for categorising all occupations and groups of occupations from entry level to advanced levels of competence it is cross-sectoral so that snapshots of occupational supply and demand can be analysed at a national level it clusters specialisations within an occupation which allows broad occupational problems and solutions to be more easily identied and made sense of

PLANNING & MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

These are used to interpret the information gathered and structured by the reporting systems and frameworks so that matching learning interventions can be designed National Occupational Pathways Framework (NOPF, pg 264): The NOPF is used to take the analysis provided by the OFO data and translate it into appropriate skills development strategies and interventions while the OFO interfaces with the labour market and helps us understand

what is happening, the NOPF interfaces with the NQF and seeks to respond to what is happening the NOPF is a mapping of the OFO data onto NQF levels, and the clustering of skills related occupations, so that vertical progression (within occupations) and horizontal progression (across occupations) can be made simpler Occupational Qualications Framework (OQF, pg 272): This is a sub-framework within the NQF which provides a structure for designing, delivering and assessing learning that is highly responsive to the needs of workplaces and the social development sector Sector Skills Plans (SSPs, pg 112) developed by SETAs: SSPs combine the training reports of individual member companies within their sectors, consolidate them into a sectoral snapshot and add research to arrive at a strategic skills development plan for their sectors, including analysis on skills supply, skills demand, critical and scarce skills, and challenges and opportunities that lie ahead

LEARNING SYSTEMS
These are used to take the data on skills needs and develop appropriate learning solutions to match them. They include: Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (QCTO, pg 280): The quality assurance and standards setting body responsible for occupational qualications and reporting to the Minister of Higher Education & Training It assumes overall responsibility for the quality assurance functions that were previously given to SETA ETQAs (in some cases it may delegate some of these functions back to SETA quality assurance divisions) It must collaborate with the other two Quality Councils so that learners can move across the three sub-frameworks of the NQF Communities of Expert Practice (CEP, pg 284): These are groups of expert practitioners who are currently practising in occupations and who will be convened to contribute to the development and quality assurance of occupational qualications Occupational qualications (pg 292): These are work relevant qualications which encapsulate the response of the OLS to the labour market needs

229

230

What is the OLS?

They are designed by expert practitioners currently practising the occupation and are registered on the NQF

The Occupational Learning System

They combine knowledge, practical skills and work experience skills into a meaningful, integrated description of what it means to be competent in an occupation

They include more detailed information relating to curriculum, delivery and assessment than previous kinds of NQF qualications and therefore promote a more consistent and credible kind of qualication

Delivery programmes and agents: Regulated and unregulated learning programmes are accommodated in the OQF, although special incentives and requirements will apply to regulated programmes (learnerships, apprenticeships, skills programmes and other prescribed learning programmes) pg 336 SETAs, public FET colleges, higher education providers, private providers, Skills Development Institutes and ISOEs are among the range of delivery agents which can operate in the OLS and which are accommodated through the multiple learning pathways available for occupational qualiciations pg 292 All of them are required to put their learners through a nationally standardised, nal integrated assessment before the QCTO will certify them, to ensure consistent, credible achievements

Engineering students at ORBIT FET College adapt an environmentally-friendly solar cooker Photo Credit: DHET (FET Directorate)

Of all the challenges facing an emerging economy such as South Africa (emerging in the formal sense of the word, and emerging in the sense of the re-creation of a nation), the greatest, surely, is the integration of the previously excluded into the normal activities of a market economy. This is the challenge that the NQF set itself. But by simply re-creating the systems derived from European tradition we will not succeed.

See full citation on page 219

231

232

Why is the OLS necessary? The Occupational Learning System

WHY IS THE OLS NECESSARY?
The Occupational Learning System
What are we trying to achieve? If we are trying to raise the level of education of all our people, that is one thing. It is a human rights and a social issue. If we are trying to get people into employment, that is another thing. This is a human rights issue of an even higher order. If people do not have employment, they do not have food in their stomachs, and education is then a luxury. You cant eat an education. We have made the mistake of assuming that just because people have a high level of education, they will automatically nd employment. Therefore we have not focused on linking education to employment. The phenomenon of unemployed graduates is evidence of this mistake. For it to happen in the face of a skills shortage makes it more unusual. When we understand that we have growing numbers of unemployed graduates even though our high failure rates at our universities is shutting out many more potential graduates, it is a sign that the situation is even worse than we thought. Finally when we understand that all of this is happening in the face of one of the highest government investments in education in the world, then the situation is even more absurd. It is a crisis. And it is a crisis that our current thinking has failed to solve something more radical is required: A more realistic link between education and employment. A closer relationship between these two worlds that have lived happily independent and parallel lives for so long. That is what the Occupational Learning System is designed to achieve.

Quality assurance needs to be addressed very carefully. When it becomes an impediment to achieving the systemic purpose then it is not worth a candle. We cannot afford to have a quality assurance system which prevents learners from being certicated for trivial reasons, or is in itself so inefcient that learners have to wait for fourteen months to receive their certicates.

See full citation on page 219

THE ANALOGY OF THE CURRICULUM VITAE

The CV is a good example of the relationship between education and employment. It is commonly referred to as a passport to employment. The two key pieces of information in it are: education and experience. What is the highest level of education this candidate has achieved, and how much experience does this candidate have in the eld they want to work in? Five years experience in the same eld may in some cases substitute for three years of education in the same eld in other words experience may replace the need for education, but seldom the other way around. In fact employers often refer to people with years of education and no experience as ivory tower theorists. But if this is true then a national war against unemployment would take the form of putting people through workplace experience which could take a long time. The table below shows typical exchange rates between the currencies of education and experience. It illustrates how education can reduce (not remove) the need for experience. A combination of education and experience is therefore the fastest way to empower the unemployed.

NQF Level of Qualication

Typical Qualication

Work Experience

7 10

Masters Degree Bachelors Degree

5 Years experience might substitute for some part of formal qualication

56

Diploma

3 Years experience might substitute for some part of formal qualication

45

National Senior Certicate

3 Years experience might substitute for some part of formal qualication

23

National Certicate Vocational

1 Years experience might substitute for some part of formal qualication

Grade 9 (General Education & Training Certicate)

On the job training might be sufcient

The exchange rate between education and experience. The column showing how many years of work experience may be equivalent to some part of a formal qualication has caused much confusion. This does not mean that if you have worked for ve years you should now get a qualication. It is not an RPL policy of the QCTO. Rather it is used to work out at what skill level an occupation should be listed on the OFO, taking into account the amount of work experience and formal learning, or combination of both, are required for that level of the occupation.

233

234

Why is the OLS necessary? The Occupational Learning System

It is this combination of education and experience that was the idea behind learnership programmes, when initially introduced in 1998, and which has now resulted in the OLS after 10 years of experience has shown little progress to achieving this desired result. The logic behind this approach could be summarized like this: 1. 2. 3. 4. We are trying to give employment to large numbers of people The best way of doing this is to give people work relevant education Work relevant education must include work experience Work experience combined with education is the fastest and cheapest route to minimize both the amount of education and the amount of experience required

The Occupational Learning System

WHY HAS IT BEEN SO DIFFICULT TO PROVIDE WORK RELEVANT EDUCATION?

Some people have said that a turf war between the Dept Labour and the previous Dept Education was the reason for the failures of NQF 1.0, with the Dept Education wanting to hold on to a pure approach to teaching that was not hijacked by commercial and industrial interests that sought to reduce learning to economic outputs. That may seem true on a supercial level, but the real explanation is less simplistic. It has more to do with the need for integration between and co-ordination of the multiple stakeholders that must be involved in any relevant, modern educational system which has targets as ambitious as ours. No single government department has the capacity or scope to solve our learning solutions on its own. The Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA) illustrates this new approach to our countrys Human Resource Development co-ordination. Initiated in 2006, it signaled a frustration at the highest levels of government at our failure to solve the skills crisis. It was also an acknowledgement that an approach was needed that united business, labour and government, as well as the various line ministries which shared responsibility for different aspects of education and training. The JIPSA joint task team was made up of 28 leaders in business, labour, education and civil society including 9 Cabinet Ministers, 5 private sector CEOs, 2 State Owned Enterprise CEOs, 2 labour leaders, and others. The government departments alone included:

Dept Education responsible for formal, institutional education including general theory and knowledge and advanced research

Dept Labour responsible for the labour market, the workplace components of education, the supply and demand of skills and employment services

Dept Public Enterprises able to offer mass work experience opportunities such as internships and apprenticeships

Dept Defence able to offer mass work experience opportunities such as internships and apprenticeships

Dept Science & Technology responsible for maximizing the social and economic benets of science and technology

This diagram shows the splintering of educational initiatives across the spectrum of formal and informal types of knowledge and skills.

235

236

Why is the OLS necessary? The Occupational Learning System

Dept Trade & Industry responsible for enhancing the employment environment and supporting self-employment

The Occupational Learning System

Dept Home Affairs responsible for allowing immigration of scarce skills Dept Public Affairs & Administration the countrys largest employer, and directly responsible to national government, it has the potential to implement employment, education and training related reforms that have a large impact

JIPSA also had representatives from the Presidency (the Deputy-President), Anglogold Ashanti, BHP Billiton, Standard Bank, Sasol, WBHO Construction, Transnet, Eskom, Higher Education South Africa, the SA College Principals Organisation, National Research Foundation, CSIR, FEDUSA, Umsobomvu Youth Fund, Unilever, COSATU, a student representative, and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. This broad attack on our skills problems was a far cry from efforts that were previously led by only the Dept Labour and the Dept Education. It is signicant that the phasing out of JIPSA was announced in 2008, shortly after the approval by parliament of the legislation that brought in the revised NQF and the OLS. In essence, it had achieved its purpose in bringing about changes that no individual line ministry or social partner could have achieved. It is also signicant that JIPSA is being replaced by the HRDSA, the Human Resource Development Strategy for South Africa, pg 065, an overarching plan to co-ordinate both private and public sector approaches to education and skills development. Like JIPSA (page 083), the HRDSA seeks to maintain the individual responsibility of each line ministry in the various parts of the HRD system, while ensuring a common strategic focus and an enabling policy framework. The rst HRDSA was published in June 2001 by the Ministers of Education and Labour. It was since revised during 2007 and while Cabinet did approve a draft in August 2008, it is now being realigned before a nal draft will be issued. So while it is true that a lack of co-ordination and synergy between the Dept Education and the Dept Labour was one of the reasons for failures in NQF 1.0, it is simplistic to say that this was a mere turf war or institutional power-play. A variation of the turf war theory is that there is a fundamental rift between the actual practitioners of discipline based learning (primarily in the Dept Education), and work based learning (primarily in the Dept Labour), and that in fact this kind of rift is visible all over the world in approaches to learning and knowledge.

Different terms are used to describe this rift, including:

Academic vs Practical Theoretical vs Experiential Teaching vs Learning Inputs vs Outputs Institution vs Workplace Discipline vs Occupation It is in fact a feature of modern society that increasing levels of specialisation across all elds is resulting in a fragmentation of knowledge from the perspective of knowledge consumers (students, businesses, workers, governments). The need for integration and connections between these silos of specialised knowledge becomes very apparent when we try and apply knowledge to solve human problems. It is then that we realise that although we have reached an advanced level of specialisation in a particular eld of knowledge, it is the ability to holistically combine and apply all the relevant elds of knowledge that really results in effective solutions. And most specialists only want to stay with the familiar environment of the eld of their specialisation, seeking deeper levels of truth deeper within their eld. Few specialists have the breadth of vision and courage to nd links between their domain and other domains. So while there is obviously a rift between discipline based learning and work based learning, what is not so obvious is that there are rifts even within the various subelds of each of these approaches. A humorous example is available in the eld of particle physics which could be considered an extreme branch of a discipline based approach to knowledge. Particle physicists are looking for the ultimate truth about what matter is and how it works, on a level that is invisible to the human eye. The Large Hadron Collider in Europe was built by them, but what few people know is that even within this group, there are sharp divisions, also across theory - practical elds: the theoretical particle physicists and the experimental particle physicists. The experimentalists build machines to apply the ideas that the theorists construct. And they hate each other and ght about who gets credit for the breakthroughs. I am happy to eat Chinese dinners with theorists, but to spend your life doing what they tell you is a waste of time. (Nobel Prize winning experimentalist Samuel C. C. Ting)

237

238

Why is the OLS necessary? The Occupational Learning System

If I occasionally neglect to cite a theorist, its not because Ive forgotten. Its probably because I hate him. (Leon Lederman, also a Nobel Prize winning experimentalist)

The Occupational Learning System

There is a sense among many experimentalists that theorists are a bunch of irresponsible little spoiled brats who get to sit around all day, having all these fun ideas, drinking espresso and goong off, with next to no accountability. Meanwhile, theyre out there, nose to the grindstone, for ten years; theyve built this damn detector, and damn it if theyre not going to be the ones to gure it out!

Its a general fact about physics that the people you tend to remember are the theorists. At least in the mythology, experiment plays a less central role. And theres a natural reason for that, because the ultimate goal isnt to observe things about nature; the ultimate goal is to understand and explain things about nature. So, for that reason, its a chicken-and-egg problem. But denitely you want to be the chicken. (Nima Arkani-Hamed, theoretical particle physicist, Harvard)

Source: Crash Course by Elizabeth Kolbert,

www.newyorker.com (2007) To an outside observer it may seem absurd that within such a specialised eld there is such diversity and division, and people who believe that there is a fundamental rift between practitioners of the discipline based approach to learning and the work based approach are usually making that observation from within one of those divisions. If they were able to see more closely into the other eld, they would see just as much division inside it, as they see outside it. If there is anything that can be learned from this, it is that our continuing desire to pursue more and more specialised knowledge carries with it a responsibility to see that specialisation in the context of all the other valid specialisations that exist. And when we apply knowledge to a human challenge, to give appropriate place to each relevant eld of specialisation, without applying the stakeholder principle so broadly that it defeats the purpose. NQF 1.0 idealistically attempted to do this without the wisdom of the hindsight we now have. We now recognise that to meet labour market needs we need to explicitly put the labour market in the centre of the solution. Then we need to assign different values to the knowledge based and workplace based components of learning, and not try to democratically equalise them in this particular context.

In a school context, much more value is given to knowledge than is given to work focused application, and that is appropriate in that context, but not in a labour market context.

WHAT EXACTLY WERE THE PROBLEMS WITH NQF 1.0?

Now that we have looked at the why part of this problem, here is a summary of the actual problems, which many role players will be familiar with from their own experience. Note that not all of these problems are directly a result of the SAQA Act of 1995, i.e. of the NQF. Some of them are the result of the skills development system as it was designed in the Skills Development Act (1998). Neither are all the solutions embodied only in the NQF Act (2008) some of them are legislated in the Skills Development Amendment Act, and other regulations such as those dealing with ESSA (pg 252). Some of the issues shown in the table below are explained in more detail later in this chapter.

NQF 1.0 Problem THE LABOUR MARKET

Disconnect between the labour market and the qualications development system

NQF 2.0 Solution THE LABOUR MARKET

The OLS sets up a ne level of reporting and analysis connecting the labour market with learning solutions. It also provides a close link between career pathing and learning solutions.

ETQAs
ETQAs were complex and numerous with differing and sometimes conicting implementation 31 Education & Training Quality Assurance bodies (ETQAs) were responsible for the accreditation of providers and workplaces, and the quality assurance of their delivery

ETQAs
One quality council - the QCTO - now takes overall responsibility for the quality assurance functions of all workplace related learning that was previously under the SETA and professional body ETQAs. It may delegate some of these functions back to the original bodies

239

240

Why is the OLS necessary? The Occupational Learning System

NQF 1.0 Problem
The Occupational Learning System

NQF 2.0 Solution SGBs

One quality council - the QCTO - now takes overall responsibility for the standards setting and qualications development of all workplace related learning. Since it is also responsible for the quality assurance of those standards, there is a tighter link between the development of qualications and measuring their actual impact.

SGBs
SGBs were complex and too numerous. Standards setting was previously the responsibility of 12 National Standards Bodies (subsequently Consultative Panels), and 266 Standards Generating Bodies. However they had nothing to do with the quality assurance of the standards and qualications, sometimes resulting in learning failing to meet the intentions of its designers.

QUALIFICATIONS - IRRELEVANCE
A qualications model which does not effectively deal with occupational learning needs or reect the need for workplace experience.

QUALIFICATIONS - IRRELEVANCE
The OQF has three components: 1. Knowledge and theory 2. Practical skills 3. Work experience It ensures that these components are incorporated into learning delivery by including curriculum development into the qualications design process, and involving active practitioners of the occupation in both processes.

QUALIFICATIONS - IMPEDING WORK RELATED LEARNING

Qualication design requirements which impeded the uptake of occupational qualications such as the SAQA Rules of Combination, especially the fundamentals and the padding of qualications to achieve minimum credits.

QUALIFICATIONS - IMPEDING WORK RELATED LEARNING

Foundational Learning describes the communication and maths literacy requirements to participate in occupational learning (pg 300) Additional communication and maths requirements are included as part of the core curriculum. The OQF allows certication of smaller than qualication learning achievements which are meaningful skill sets that are less than an occupation but have currency in the labour market.

NQF 1.0 Problem QUALIFICATIONS - COMPLEXITY

Qualications were complex and duplicated or overlapped each other. SGBs evaluated and registered close to 11,000 qualications, and over 15,000 unit standards. Qualication design was time-consuming (several months) and expensive. Workplace related qualications were associated with a particular SETA on the NQF, causing a proliferation of similar qualications for multiple sectors. For example the occupation of a plumber has 6 apprenticeship schedules under 6 different SETAs, 1 SETA qualication at NQF 3 and two FET College qualications (at NQF 2 and 3).

NQF 2.0 Solution QUALIFICATIONS - COMPLEXITY

Under the QCTO, there is a maximum of one qualication per occupation, which translates into approximately 1,300 qualications. A standardised approach to occupational qualications design is based on: aligning qualications to occupational titles reducing the number of qualications required to achieve occupational competence an occupational classication system, common terminology and differentiating between occupations, specialisations and alternate job titles

Occupational progression (e.g. NQF 5 7) is incorporated into a single qualication, and specialist knowledge is not treated as a separate qualication, but an elective type component of a qualication (e.g. hake classier should be a specialisation within a qualication, not a stand-alone qualication). One sector combined 30 currently registered unit standards based qualications into three occupational qualications. A typical trade qualication takes approximately 5 days to design using this new approach.

UNIT STANDARDS
There was a proliferation of unit standards with over 15,000 unit standards registered on the NQF, and an increasing variety of unit standards were written to try and capture learning outcomes accurately.

UNIT STANDARDS
Unit standards are streamlined to reect only three types: knowledge practical skills work experience

241

242

Why is the OLS necessary?

NQF 1.0 Problem
The Occupational Learning System

NQF 2.0 Solution PROVIDER ACCREDITATION

Providers accredited elsewhere do not need to be re-accredited to operate in the OQF. They must get programme approval for the particular curriculum components they wish to deliver (for regulated programmes only, pg 336). Provider accreditation for all workplace related learning is done by one body the QCTO, and is based on light-touch principles. These principles focus on key points in the design and assessment process and use intelligent data systems to identify problem areas requiring further attention. Self-regulation is facilitated with established providers being allowed to submit self-evaluation assessments for accreditation. Quality monitoring will ensure that there is a quick response to complaints, appeals or other problems.

PROVIDER ACCREDITATION
Provider accreditation was complicated, and very time consuming often excluding small and emerging providers from being able to break into the big learnership and training contracts. A provider accredited by one ETQA had to have an Memorandum of Understanding in place between their ETQA and any other ETQA in whose sector they wished to offer training. This meant in essence, 31 X 31 (961) MoUs to be set up and monitored.

PROGRAMMES - NARROW EMPHASIS

An over emphasis on large programmes (qualications and learnerships) to the neglect of shorter less theoretical programmes such as artisans and trades. Quality assurance that focused on accreditation and programme approval while neglecting the impact of learning.

PROGRAMMES - NARROW EMPHASIS

The OQF makes space for a range of regulated and non-regulated programmes as well as several routes for artisan training. Quality assurance based on feedback from the labour market ensures more than mere rubber stamp effectiveness.

Learning is the goal of education, and the product of experience.

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Learning

NQF 1.0 Problem DELIVERY - INCONSISTENT QUALITY

NQF 1.0 was criticised for its inconsistency in approaching learning programmes and assessment across sectors and among providers

NQF 2.0 Solution DELIVERY - INCONSISTENT QUALITY

The OQF includes curriculum development in qualication design to guide the development of matching learning programmes and assessments It also provides for the establishment or recognition of centralised national assessment sites where appropriate.

LEARNING ACHIEVEMENTS
Learning achievements were marred by poor portability and limited progression options. Getting recognition for learning achievements across SETA ETQAs and band ETQAs (especially from higher education) was difcult or impossible. RPL was not facilitated.

LEARNING ACHIEVEMENTS
The OQF will develop a credit accumulation and transfer system based on the three qualication and curriculum components: 1. Knowledge 2. Practical skills 3. Work experience This facilitates RPL as well as upskilling (vertical progression) and re-skilling (horizontal progression)

accelerate the redress of past unfair discrimination in education, training and employment opportunities; and thereby

contribute to the full personal development of each learner and the social and economic development of the nation at large

SAQA Act 1995

Principles of the NQF relating to transformation

243

244

Why is the OLS necessary? The Occupational Learning System

HOW DID THE OLS COME ABOUT?
The Occupational Learning System
See the section, What is the NQF? (pg 066) for background on the development of the NQF. The NQF was originally intended to formalise both the education and experience dimensions of learning, with the intention of giving learners the best of both worlds and minimising the learning time needed to reach competence. As we mentioned in the previous section, The Analogy of the Curriculum Vitae, combining education with experiential learning reduces the time and therefore cost of both components, and makes it more achievable to reach national economic growth targets and transformation at the same time. From 1995 to 1998 the NQF was in its earliest development phase and few educational stakeholders understood its purpose or the consequences of its principles. When the Skills Development Act was passed in 1998 this signalled the beginning of greater demands on the framework and new role-players in the eld such as 25 Sector Education & Training Authorities that were established in 2000, each with their own quality assurance body accredited by SAQA. The National Skills Development Strategy would seek to deliver massive training interventions using the NQF to certify learning achievements and give workers access to further learning opportunities and formal recognition of skills gained informally in the workplace (through work experience).

THE HEQF
Up until 2004, frustrations and criticisms of the NQF and the NSDS were dealt with by SAQA in the form of improvements to the system. However in 2004, the Dept of Education published the draft Higher Education Qualications Framework (HEQF) in which it clearly assumed total control of learning from NQF level 5 upwards. This crystallised the gap between learning that serves the needs of the labour market, and learning that had an academic or institutional focus. The Higher Education & Training band described in the SAQA Act had become the Higher Education band, with its own qualications framework, tenuously linked to the rest of the NQF. As far as its relationship with the labour market was concerned, the HEQF stated that higher education institutions may work with professional bodies (and therefore may also not work with them). The nal version of the HEQF simply excluded professional bodies (who represent occupational competence in practice) all together from its ambit:

Professional bodies determine whether a particular qualication offered by a particular higher education institution meets the requirements for registration, membership or licensing. This policy does not deal with such matters, which fall outside the responsibility of the Ministry of Education.

Page 6, Higher Education Qualications Framework, Dept Education (2007)

The HEQF conrmed the suspicions of many that tertiary institutions intended to lock out transparent access to the higher education sector of the NQF (levels 5 10). Current legislation in South Africa empowers tertiary institutions with the right of access, meaning that they can decline admission to their courses as they wish, effectively making null and void the principles of access and progression which the NQF is founded on. The NQF Act (2008) also has a special clause to exempt the HEQF Act from its provisions in the event of a conict in interpretation. This despite the fact that the NQF was designed to serve the interests of learners in having transparent articulation (linkages) between the different parts of the learning delivery system, to facilitate progression and access to learning.

THE SKILLS CRISIS

By 2004, the skills crisis and the drive for equity in the workplace had put the Dept of Labour in a position where they needed to urgently respond. They therefore partnered with the GTZ (pg 028) and specialists in the elds of labour market policy and occupational learning to come up with a solution. The crux of their solution was simple: place the labour market in the centre of the solution and design an approach to learning which served occupations. The thinking was that if the needs of the labour market were understood, and the solutions provided in a form usable by the labour market (occupations), then learning could be provided that would by denition be relevant and lead to employment opportunities. This was in contrast to the earlier approach by SAQA which placed the learner in the centre of the NQF and designed an approach which tried to satisfy a broad range of competing stakeholder interests such as academics, institutions, employers, labour unions, government strategies, international and local training providers and others.

245

246

Why is the OLS necessary? The Occupational Learning System

Q-AFRICA 2005

The Occupational Learning System

In November 2005, Christoph Vorwerk presented a paper at the November 2005 QAfrica conference entitled, Occupational Qualications on the NQF: Communities of Mistrust?. It laid out the work to date that had been made by the DoL-GTZ partnership, now at an advanced conceptual stage, and shocked the NQF community, which up till then had accepted its role of watering-down the NQF in response to each new ministerial review (see What is the NQF?: Reviews 2001 2007, pg 069). The presentation was in response to SAQAs call for papers on the inclusion of professional bodies in the NQF, which in itself was an admission of the NQFs failure by that point to bridge the realities of education and the realities of the labour market. The paper outlined how the Dept of Labour already had an occupational categorisation system in use by SETAs for Sector Skills Plan reporting, the Organising Framework for Occupations (OFO, pg 256). This proved an ideal and simple basis with which to report on skills demand and skills supply, and select occupations for skills development interventions. It classied about 1,300 occupations into groups and related clusters, and was already in international use with several variations. By mapping the OFO to the NQF levels, a career pathway framework could be established to clarify horizontal and vertical progression options the National Occupational Pathways Framework. The NOPF also allows qualications and unit standards to be developed strategically for groups and clusters of related occupations, therefore maximising synergies and minimising waste. In response to the domination of standards setting and quality assurance work by academics, providers and bureaucrats, the OLS conceptualised Communities of Expert Practice (CEPs) to develop learning solutions using the NOPF. CEPs are practitioners currently active in a profession and typically active in professional or occupational bodies, in regulatory boards, as employers, as providers, or in trade unions. SGBs were often weakened by competing interest groups and required massive investments in time to reach consensus on the nal version of the standards. In contrast, the CEP is process-driven, not stakeholder driven, and an expert facilitator or team of facilitators, guides the CEP operations along known processes. Members of the CEP are convened to participate in specic activities without the need to gazette their names; membership is more uid and less time intensive.

While the academic focused institutions often operate in isolation of their applied elds, the OLS admits its reliance on the general theory and knowledge provided by the general and higher education sectors. The OLS is built on the understanding that there is a knowledge threshold between each stage of progression within an occupation, and therefore an essential component of curriculum design in the OFO is general knowledge and theory. This could be provided outside of the QCTO, by providers falling under Umalusi or the CHE, or it could be provided within the QCTO. It therefore has the potential to provide a far more integrated approach to learning than is currently offered in the further and higher education sectors of the NQF.

JIPSA, AND ASGISA

Bringing about the kind of change discussed in Vorwerks 2005 paper would normally take several years and be resisted all the way. Even the NQF had faced stiff resistance and two ministerial reviews just to be allowed to implement watered-down principles. However the drive for skills development and transformation had reached beyond crisis proportions and had escalated to the Presidency where an initiative called JIPSA was being conceived, to support the Accelerated and Shared Growth-South Africa strategy. ASGISA had stiff economic targets to achieve and JIPSA was intended to respond to one of ASGISAs six binding constraints: the shortage of suitably skilled labour. The country had not heard a senior ofcial speak like this before, when in March 2006, the Deputy President said: If we fail in the human resource and skills development sphere, AsgiSA fails The most fatal constraint to shared growth is skills, and it should be noted that skills are not just one of the constraints facing AsgiSA, but a potentially fatal constraint. That fact should be admitted with emphasis. We have to overcome the shortage of suitably skilled labour if our dreams for this economy are to be realised; the task is huge. And JIPSA is only one of the interventions which seek to address the skills challenges. The delay in nalising the NQF review was one of the specic bottlenecks that JIPSA identied. As previously noted, JIPSA consisted of 28 leaders in business, labour, education and civil society including 9 Cabinet Ministers, 5 private sector CEOs, 2 State Owned Enterprise CEOs, 2 labour leaders, and others. It brought a desperately needed overarching framework to the NQF debates, and a solid responsibility to the labour market that was previously absent. Even with all this re-power, it took a year and a half to reach a resolution on how the NQF should work, and how it should accommodate the different approaches to learning.

247

248

The Occupational Learning System Why is the OLS necessary?

In October 2007, the Joint Policy Statement of the Ministers of Labour and Education was released (see, What is the NQF?, pg 066). The JPS expressed the intention

The Occupational Learning System

of the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Education to set up a new sub-framework of the NQF dedicated to occupational learning, in which the Occupational Learning System rst announced at Q-Africa in 2005 could now become a reality.

NEW LEGISLATION, A NEW DEPARTMENT, AND A NEW QUALITY COUNCIL

Less than a year later the NQF Act (2008) and the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008), had made their way through parliament and the QCTO Task Team (a unit within the Dept of Labour) had issued initial discussion documents to stakeholders to begin eshing out the technical details of the new system. These documents helped form the draft Occupational Qualication Regulations which structure the workings of the QCTO and which are not publicly available at the time of publication. On the 10 May 2009 President Zuma announced the new Cabinet including changes to the structure of national departments. This included the creation of a new Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET) out of the Dept of Education and the skills development section of the Dept of Labour. It took the remainder of 2009 to operationalise this new department, and move the skills development and NQF legislation to the new Minister. From the 1 November 2009 the Skills division of the Dept of Labour, including SETAs, started reporting directly to the DHET, and NSDS 2 and SETA licenses were extended for another year. For more information on these developments see page 014. For more information on the NSDS, see page 081.

The Quality Council for Trades & Occupations board was announced on 23 February 2010, and it is now busy establishing operational capacity.

The following section of this chapter describes in more detail the individual components of the OLS and how they work together.

At the end of this chapter we take a look at what the OLS means to different groups of people such as employers, professions, providers, and labour.

Students at ORBIT FET College literally climb inside their work Photo Credit: DHET (FET Directorate)

249

What is the labour market?

WHAT IS THE LABOUR MARKET?
Unlike the other sub-frameworks of the NQF, the success or failure of the OLS is measured by its impact on the labour market, not in pass rates or throughput rates. The OLS is a learning system with a mission to impact the labour market by: generating employment, and improving the quality of existing employment, by providing people with skills that are in demand this creates direct employment for those receiving the training and creates indirect employment by stimulating the economy and therefore creating more job opportunities The OLS denes labour market broadly as encompassing the rst and second economies as well as the public service and the development market. It is not just the formal economy where people exchange wages for work. It includes the informal economy where street hawkers and survivalist entrepreneurs sell their wares. It also includes the social development sector, where youth volunteer to assist the elderly and the sick, receiving training and work experience opportunities in return, and the public service sector, where local government councilors are trained to better serve their communities. This expanded denition of the labour market enables the OLS to speak directly to critical national issues such as employment equity, the war on unemployment and poverty, and the delivery of basic services, while still being relevant to the formal economy and traditional learning role-players such as HR managers, shop stewards, training committees and skills development providers. Despite the broad and diverse nature of this labour market, it speaks the common language of jobs, trades, occupations, and professions. Whether it is a small business entrepreneur, a chain saw operator in a forest, or a stock-broker working the JSE, people in the labour market need skills relevant to their specic purposes and the specic contexts they work in.

An engineering student at Tshwane South College for FET Photo Credit: DHET (FET Directorate)

251

252

What is Learning The Occupational ESSA? System

WHAT IS ESSA?
The Occupational Learning System
ESSA is Employment Services South Africa a government employment agency and database.

Once the labour market is established as the focal point of the OLS, an information system is needed to capture data on the supply and demand of skills so that the OLS can respond with relevant learning solutions.

Such a system has never existed in this country, and is one of the many reasons why skills development under NQF 1.0 was unsuccessful at solving the skills crisis.

ESSA not only tells us what skills are in demand, and how well those skills are being supplied, it also tells us which occupations are dieing out or changing shape equally important information for planning purposes.

Since it is based on real-time feedback from the labour market, it will also be able to tell us on a daily basis how successful our learning interventions are.

This will enable the OLS to more rapidly adapt learning solutions based on objective feedback from the labour market, and to justify investment and expenditure in those areas which are effective.

ESSA Regulations were published for public comment in 2007, and comments from stakeholders were incorporated and presented to the NSA (page 018) for adoption after which they will be sent to the Minister of Labour for approval.

It is expected that ESSA will be operational during 2010.

One of the clauses in the regulations makes it compulsory for employers to register all vacancies they have on the ESSA database to enable more effective skills planning and understanding of labour market demand.

The ESSA regulations also dene the work of private employment services agencies with regard to fees they charge, daily record-keeping and reporting to ESSA of vacancies and work-seekers. Besides capturing data from the labour market, Employment Services SA offers free public employment services.

WHAT SERVICES WILL ESSA OFFER?

REGISTRATION SERVICES
These include the registration of individuals, employers, employment opportunities and skills development providers The registration of individuals includes the development of a skills prole where the persons qualications and experience are recorded according to the Organizing Framework for Occupations (OFO) (page 256)

CAREER INFORMATION & GUIDANCE SERVICES

Career Guidance, or employment counselling, includes providing career, labour market and scarce and critical skills information and guidance on accessing placement opportunities

RECRUITMENT & SELECTION SERVICES

These include the proactive identication of opportunities through networking with stakeholders, the matching of individuals on the database to opportunities, recruitment and selection for a particular opportunity, and placement

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

These include identifying scarce and critical skills, registering training courses with the National Skills Fund, allocating funding for skills development, selecting skills development providers, contracting providers, monitoring training, processing provider claims and scheduling assessments at INDLELA.

INFORMATION SERVICES
These include producing information such as brochures, pamphlets, career packages, and advocacy for accessing employment and skills development services

SPECIAL SERVICES
Special services include services provided for vulnerable groups, such as people with disabilities, youth, retrenched employees and ex-offenders.

253

254

What is Learning The Occupational ESSA? System

WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM ESSA?
The Occupational Learning System
Other than being the key communication link to labour market supply and demand, ESSA benets several user groups: Unemployed people including those who are actively looking for employment and those who have become discouraged Underemployed people who are in unsuitable employment and whose skills and expertise are not being used in their job they will be able to nd more appropriate employment Learners who are ready to leave school and those needing further education & training they will be able to identify Providers of placement opportunities such as employers (public and private sector), ESDAs, professional bodies, community organisations and selfemployment projects.

BENEFITS OF ESSA
ESSA will be an integrated data management system able to provide the following: a skills prole of all work-seekers and an accurate register of who they are, where they live, etc. an accurate record of scarce and critical skills based on day to day labour market demand although information on scarce and critical skills is currently compiled by the Dept Higher Education & Training via Sector Skills Plans (page 112), ESSA will have the additional advantage of details of all registered placement opportunities, and will therefore be even more accurate in terms of current (day to day) labour market demand this data will be used to develop the National Scarce and Critical Skills List

an effective career information and guidance service an accurate register of placement opportunities placement opportunities are any opportunity for work or learning that could be offered to an individual and includes a vacancy for employment, an opportunity for self-employment, a learning programme, and community service

matching individuals to placement opportunities (supply and demand)

an accurate record of placement of individuals into opportunities, allowing progress indicators and targets to be set

an accurate record of public and private education and skills development providers and programmes and of learners participating in the interventions this will include a register of all learnership candidates and programmes

linkages with relevant stakeholders to facilitate the delivery of integrated and efcient services by government

access to the system by beneciaries at a variety of sites, with secure access to condential data

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact the Employment Services division of the Department of Labour on 012 309 4217 or 012 309 4000 (ESSA has not moved across to the Department of Higher Education & Training as other divisions of the Department of Labour have done).

Will occupational qualications compete with other qualications registered on the NQF?
Occupational qualications have a distinct work related purpose in that sense they do not compete with traditional qualications which often have a theoretical or academic progression purpose. Where universities or universities of technology award qualications recognised by professional bodies this practice can continue. Where professional bodies and occupational associations require work experience learning in additional to traditional qualications and a nal external assessment, they can develop and register a qualication through the QCTO to allow for the award of the occupational title or professional designation. Professional bodies and occupational associations are therefore free to choose between working on the Occupational Qualications Framework or the Higher Education Qualications Framework which should have the effect of encourage each framework to be more effective and useful in meeting the needs of its end-users.

More answers to Frequently Asked Questions on page 396

255

256

The Occupational Learning System What is the OFO?

WHAT IS THE OFO?
The Occupational Learning System
Getting data from the labour market on the supply and demand for skills is one thing. Being able to interpret and analyse it is another thing. What is needed is a common language to report, classify and describe related sets of jobs (occupations) so that the vast amount of data collected on a daily basis by ESSA can be easily interpreted, patterns can be understood and responded to, and the impact of skills development interventions can be measured at a meaningful level of organisation. This common language used by the OLS is the Organising Framework for Occupations or OFO. The OFO enables us to categorise and group all related occupations and groups of occupations from entry level to advanced levels of competence. It is cross-sectoral so that snapshots of occupational supply and demand can be analysed at a national level. It clusters specialisations within an occupation which allows broad problems and solutions to be more easily identied and made sense of. An example of how useful the OFO is comes from an HSRC analysis of skills demand as reected in newspaper advertisements over a three year period. Three national newspapers were analysed and 125,000 job advertisements found, advertising 28,000 unique job titles. Using the OFO, the HSRC could isolate 1,200 unique occupations from the 28,000 job titles and 125,000 advertisements.

On what NQF levels will occupational awards be pitched?

Elementary occupations, generally requiring only on-the-job training, will be registered at NQF level 1 and will be registered as National Skills Awards. Semi-skilled and skilled occupations such as artisans will be registered from levels 2 to 5 on the NQF. Technical, professional and other higher level occupations will be registered from level 6 to 9 on the NQF. At this stage no occupations have been identied which will be registered at NQF level 10, though there are one or two instances of proposed professional qualications, which because of the range of knowledge and the extensive experience required, could be considered. National Skills Awards can be registered at all ten levels of the NQF. Skills Awards could be linked to any other education or university qualication on the NQF for the purposes of registration or occupational recognition.

More answers to Frequently Asked Questions on page 396

257

258

What is the OFO? The Occupational Learning System

BACKGROUND TO THE OFO
The Occupational Learning System
HSRC research in 2003 identied multiple challenges around trying to forecast skills demands using current data sources and models. It recommended the development of a new occupational model for use as part of a national skills forecasting tool. At the same time, Dept Labour was trying to improve SETA skills planning and reporting and was nding that the 9 broad categories of reporting used by employers in their Workplace Skills Plans and Annual Training Reports, were simply too vague to allow for strategic planning and interventions.

SOUTH AFRICAN STANDARD CLASSIFICATION OF OCCUPATIONS (SASCO)

GTZ, the Department of Labour and SETA Skills Planning managers began work on an alternative occupational classication model in February 2005. The obvious starting point was SASCO the South African Standard Classication of Occupations the most commonly used model for labour market statistics and research in South Africa. SASCO is based on ISCO, the International Standard Classication of Occupations of the International Labour Organisation and is used by the Dept Labour in labour market analysis for employment equity. It classies occupations into 10 major groups: 1. Legislators, senior ofcials and managers 2. Professional 3. Technicians and associate professionals 4. Clerks 5. Service workers and shop and market sales workers 6. Skilled agricultural and shery workers 7. Craft and related trades workers 8. Plant and machinery operators and assemblers 9. Elementary occupations 10. Armed forces, occupations unspecied and not elsewhere classied and not economically active persons. It further breaks down these 10 groups into 30 sub-major groups, 153 minor groups, 448 unit groups, and approximately a thousand sub-unit group occupations (many of which were actually specialisations, not stand-alone occupations).

However SASCO had limitations for the skills focused purposes of the OLS. It was outdated (based on an ISCO release in 1988) Since 1988 there have been various shifts in occupations, such as from manufacturing to service industries, new IT related occupations and jobs related to social development challenges such as HIV / AIDS It had only 625 occupational groups (too few to be useful in a learning context) There was not enough detail at levels 2 4 of SASCO for effective skills development planning and interventions It offered little detail on each occupation (this is needed to help esh out tasks, duties and activities which are useful in a learning context) It offers little detail on the intermediate stages of occupational development (other than for apprentices)

OFO (BASED ON ANZSCO)

A more suitable model had just recently been developed through extensive stakeholder collaboration since 2001, by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Statistics New Zealand. The Australian New Zealand Standard Classication of Occupations (ANZSCO) was also based on ISCO, but was more up to date with recent developments, and had extensive data on tasks, duties and activities for each occupation. It was essentially skills and career focused evolution of ISCO, reected in the fact that the Australian Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs was one of the contributors to its development. The nal version of ANZSCO was released in July 2006 but from 2005 2007 a local adaption of ANZSCO was used by SETAs to collect and report on scarce and critical skills information, moving through six versions based on experience and renements. This adaption was called the Organising Framework for Occupations (based on ANZSCO). It kept the logic and structure of ANZSCO, but occupations and occupational groupings were adapted to suit local circumstances. SETAs found the OFO useful not only for skills reporting purposes, but also for matching job seekers to vacancies, providing career information and registering learnerships. The OFO has also recently found uses outside the SETA system in conducting performance reviews and skills audits.

259

260

What is the OFO? The Occupational Learning System

WHAT THE OFO LOOKS LIKE
The Occupational Learning System
See the diagram, What the OFO looks like (pg 257). All occupations are grouped using both skill level and skill specialisation Skill level reects the typical range and complexity of the set of tasks required to perform an occupation. It is calculated using the amount of formal education, experience and on the job training required For example: NQF Level 2 education required plus 2 years work experience in the same eld) The OFO contains ve skills levels Skill specialisation is decided by the particular specialist knowledge, or tools and equipment used, or materials worked on, or goods and services provided within a particular skill level For example, the following specialisations all fall under the occupation General Fitter: Diesel, Fitter-Mechanic, Maintenance Fitter, Mechanic, Plant Mechanic) Job and occupation are treated as different things: An Occupation is a grouping of similar Jobs (e.g. General Clerical Workers) A Job is a set of roles or tasks that a person does in return for payment by an employer, or as an act of self-employment (e.g. Data Entry Operator) Using skill level and skill specialisation, occupations are divided into Major, Sub-Major, Minor, and Unit groupings. Within the current OFO there are 8 Major Groups, 44 Submajor Groups, 100 Minor Groups, 366 Unit Groups and 1413 Occupations (see following diagrams for a visual representation).

Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.

Oscar Wilde

GET READY FOR THE NEW SKILLS DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM

CUTTING EDGE INFORMATION SESSIONS OVER 1,000 PEOPLE HAVE PARTICIPATED
Prepare your HR team, Learning & Development staff and Education & Training practitioners for the new Occupational Learning System (OLS) with this leading edge information, offered in-house at your organisation. A one day overview session, plus a more practical second day, covering course and qualication design. Over 1,000 people from the following organisations have already benefted from these sessions:

A of Cape Town, The CCMA, Cedara College (KZN Depatment of Agriculture & Enviromental Affairs), Central Karoo District Council, C Independent Newspapers, The Institute of Bankers in South Africa, Irvin & Johnson, JD Group, MERSETA, Metropolitan, The City of uMhlathuze, Molsaf, NECSA (Nuclear Energy Corp of SA), Northlink College, PSETA, Pick n Pay, Pioneer Foods, Rand Water, SASSETA, SA Reserve Bank, South African Petroleum Industry Association (SAPIA), SABC, Sanlam, SITA, Spar, State Theatre, Telkom, Transnet National Ports Authority, Trident Steel, Umgungundlovu FET College, Unisys, Vodacom, Wits University.

DAY 1 : OVERVIEW
A one day overview session covering the entire span of the new occupational learning system, and its individual components. After attending this session you will understand why there is a need for a new learning system to specically serve the labour market and how the changes can benet you as an employer, training provider, government agency or labour union. Is an essental summary of the key changes introduced in the new Skills Development Amendment Act (2008) and the NQF Act (2008).

DAY 2 : COURSE & QUALIFICATION DESIGN

The new OLS raises many questions for learning and development practitioners. What will happen to currently registered qualications and unit standards? Will course materials have to be re-written? Will accreditation requirements change? Having a curriculum will provide greater guidance to supervisors and trainers. But will it mean more prescription? Will course materials have to change? Will portfolios of evidence get bigger or smaller? This workshop seeks to answer these questions by looking at the likely impact of the OLS on training and assessment. Participants will workshop an example from conceptualisation through curriculum development to assessment to get a rst-hand feel. This workshop provides a hands-on opportunity to get a feel for the way things could work.

A live presentation from RainbowSA

FACILITATORS INCLUDE: MIKE STUART - B.A (Hons) Head: Skills Development Unit, Editor: The National Skills Development Handbook - RainbowSA. CHRISTOPH VORWERK - B.A, B.A (Hons); UED Director, Xasa Facilitating (Pty) Ltd
DAY 1, and DAY 2 can be booked separately if required. Book in-house sessions by contacting us on 011 485 2036 or visit www.RainbowSA.co.za.

261

262

The Occupational Learning System What is the OFO?

HOW DO QUALIFICATION LEVELS ON THE NQF COMPARE WITH OCCUPATION GROUPINGS ON THE OFO?
The Occupational Learning System
Opposite is an estimated match between the major groupings of occupations on the OFO and the NQF levels. It also shows the link between OFO skills levels and NQF levels. The table below shows the skills levels of occupations on the OFO, based on their major groupings:

OFO Major Group 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Managers Professionals Technicians and Trades Workers Community and Personal Service Workers Clerical and Administrative Workers Sales Workers Machinery Operators and Drivers Elementary Workers

Skill level 5, 4 5 4, 3 4, 3, 2, 1 4, 3, 2, 1 4, 3, 2, 1 2 2, 1

The diagram on page 257 shows how the OFO breaks down groups of occupations into more detailed levels of skill specialisation, with its end-points in actual occupations.

Employers used to report on scarce and critical skills using the simplied occupational categories in their Workplace Skills Plan. Now SETAs require employers to report using the OFO categories.

One of the most important benets of the OFO is that it forms the basis of the National Occupational Pathways Framework covered in the next section

263

264

The Occupational Learning System What is the NOPF?

WHAT IS THE NOPF?
The Occupational Learning System
The National Occupational Pathways Framework is a career based occupational framework which shows upwards and sideways career pathway options and linkages within and across related occupational families. It is a mapping of the OFO onto NQF levels as well as a clustering of occupations by related purposes and skills requirements. It allows for the simple translation of the data from ESSA (pg 252) into appropriate skills development strategies and interventions. Whereas the OFO interfaces with the labour market and helps us understand patterns of occupational change there, the NOPF interfaces with the NQF and helps us respond to the patterns with matching skills interventions. The purposes of the NOPF are to: ensure that learning interventions are coherently and efciently developed in line with labour market needs minimise duplication and overlaps in the design of learning interventions facilitate recognition of prior learning (pg 158) and fast track skills development initiatives help identify members for participation in Communities of Expert Practice (pg 284)

NOTE TO THE DIAGRAM OPPOSITE

This diagram shows an example of how occupational progression is mapped out on the NOPF - based on its relationship to the OFO and the NQF. In this example, the route from a mining support worker to a mining technologist is mapped out. The path takes the worker from the Labourers & Elementary Workers occupational group to the Professionals occupational groups. The column showing how many years of work experience may be equivalent to some part of a formal qualication has caused much confusion. This does not mean that if you have worked for ve years you should now get a qualication. It is not an RPL policy of the QCTO. Rather it is used to work out at what skill level an occupation should be listed on the OFO, taking into account the amount of work experience and formal learning, or combination of both, required for that level of the occupation.

265

266

What is the NOPF? The Occupational Learning System

WHAT DOES THE NOPF LOOK LIKE?
The Occupational Learning System
The NOPF is clustered into the following occupational clusters based on related skills requirements and occupational purposes:

1. Accommodation, Cleaning and Food Preparation related occupations

2. Arts and Design related occupations

3. Business Administration, Information and Human Resources related occupations

4. Electrotechnology and Telecommunications related occupations

5. Extraction, Construction, Demolition and Civil Engineering related occupations

6. Farming, Horticulture, Nature Conservation, Environment and related Science occupations

7. Financial and Insurance related occupations

8. Installation, Maintenance and Repair related occupations

9. Medical, Social and Welfare related occupations

10. Production related occupations

11. Sales and Marketing related occupations

12. Security and Law related occupations

13. Teaching and Training related occupations

14. Transportation and Materials Moving related occupations

Each Occupational Cluster will be, the responsibility of a Qualication Research Manager. The manager will, after receiving a request or when a qualication comes up for review: 1. Research the occupational context, identify key role players, interested groups, association qualications, licensing and regulatory requirements, international certications etc 2. Where possible appoint a body to manage the development process 3. Appoint and brief a facilitator to drive the process 4. Monitor progress and, after internal checks, submit the curriculum, qualication assessment specications for publication and the qualication and unit standard documents to SAQA for the registration process. Within each career, two distinct pathways of progression can be identied: one which leads to increasing levels of specialisation and mastery of skills, and another which leads to broader and far-reaching levels of management and control of other people, resources and activities. Here these pathways are shown against NQF levels:

NQF Levels 10 9 8

Descriptor

Specialisation Career Path Research professional

Management Career Path Strategic management

High-level occupations and professions

Professional Para-professional Support professional, technologist, master artisan

Senior management

7 6 5 4 3 Skilled, administrative and service level occupations and trades Mid-level occupations

Middle management

Technician, specialised sales, master artisan

Supervisory management Work group management

Trades, technical, clerical, service, assistants, general sales

Support level occupations

Entry level worker, elementary occupations

267

268

What is the NOPF? The Occupational Learning System

The content of the NOPF includes the OFO occupations and occupational clusters, skills levels, occupational specialisations and tasks as well as the following additional

The Occupational Learning System

information for each occupation: Curricula, assessment guidelines, qualication assessment specication, and assessment sites or assessment arrangements Licensing or registration requirements Occupational pathways entry, progression and articulation (linking) options exemptions for prior learning and experience

Developmental qualications which link to the occupation Registered unit standards and qualications that are required for competence in the occupation

Information on providers accredited to offer learning programmes against the curricula

Learnerships, apprenticeships and skills programmes relevant to the occupation

WHY IS THE NOPF NEEDED?

The OFO on its own is insufcient to make decisions about suitable learning interventions to meet the labour market needs that it has identied. The OFO provides analysis like this: We have identied a growing skills shortage in the ICT sector of ICT Quality Assurance Engineers (OFO Code 263201), OFO skill level 5 The NOPF provides several possible skills development responses to this problem: We can re-skill ICT Support Engineers (263202), at OFO skill level 5, so that they can perform the work of ICT Quality Assurance Engineers (sideways progression), or We can upskill ICT Hardware Technicians (313101) from OFO skill level 4 to skill level 5

In either case the precise tasks and skill differences between the options are detailed on the OFO and the resulting educational and work experience components can be calculated and the most effective solution chosen.

For the re-skilling option the QCTO would develop one or more National Skills Awards. For the up-skilling option the QCTO could develop an award.

BENEFITS OF THE NOPF

FOR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROVIDERS & WORKPLACE LEARNING SITES
Design and deliver relevant learning interventions that meet the needs of distinct occupations and occupational families Generic curricula are provided on the NOPF to guide providers in developing their own context-specic curricula and learning programmes Assessment guidelines help to promote a standardised approach across a wide variety of learning sites and across economic sectors Adapt learning interventions accurately to different occupations by knowing exactly what the differences are in terms of tasks, skills levels and specialisations Providers can offer more useful career counselling and support to their students

FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGERS AND SDFS

Link personal proles to job proles, and job proles to occupational proles so that workforce planning is streamlined and unpacked down to the level of personal development plans This is particularly helpful for employment equity and transformation related challenges Align their internal training interventions where possible to assist in meeting national skills priorities, in conjunction with their SETA

269

270

The Occupational Learning System What is the NOPF?

FOR SETAS, POLICY MAKERS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
The Occupational Learning System
Develop sectoral career paths The OFO is not sector based, it is occupation based, however the NOPF allows us to trace sector-specic career paths and even cross-sectoral career paths Design learning interventions to upskill or re-skill entire occupations and groups of occupations in response to changing needs of the labour market Align new and existing skills development strategies to meet the learning interventions suggested by the NOPF Communicate labour market needs to the education and skills development providers who can use the information for to design, improve or align their learning programmes, curricula and qualications Communicate career guidance information to youth and unemployed people so that they can make more informed career choices Evaluate the impact of learning interventions on occupations and occupational families, at a single employer, within or across economic sectors, and nationally over time periods

Service Station Operations training at ORBIT FET College - a partnership with MERSETA Photo Credit: DHET (FET Directorate)

If there is an occupational award registered on the NQF at level 6 or 7, for example, will it be called a diploma or a degree?
No. The three linked frameworks all have their own special naming systems (nomenclature). The OQF only certicates National Occupational Awards and National Skills Awards. So, although the OQF spans all 10 levels, there can be no confusion between its qualication and, for example, a National Senior Certicate or a Degree issued on the GFETQF and the HEQF.

More answers to Frequently Asked Questions on page 396

271

272

What is the OQF? The Occupational Learning System

WHAT IS THE OQF?
The Occupational Learning System
The function of the OQF is to provide greater clarication of and support for Objective 2 of the NQF: facilitate access to, and mobility and progression within education, training and career paths with particular emphasis on career paths. The OQF builds on the experiences of the past 12 years of developing occupational qualications within the NQF.
Draft Policy OQF, Dept Labour (2008)
The Occupational Qualications Framework is a new sub-framework of the NQF (for more detail on the NQF and its principles, see page 073). The OQF is focused on providing a structure for designing, delivering and assessing learning that is highly responsive to the demands of the workplace, in contrast to the other two qualications frameworks, which are focused on learning for foundational knowledge and skills, and academic or discipline based knowledge and research. The other two sub-frameworks of the NQF are: 1. The General and Further Education & Training Qualications Framework (GEFETQF) which spans levels 1 4 of the NQF Designed to provide all youth with a basic education up till grade 9 (Std 7) Designed to provide youth with access to higher education (grades 10 12) or access to broad job areas (vocations, NC(V) 2 4) 2. The Higher Education Qualications Framework (HEQF) which spans levels 5 10 of the NQF Designed to serve academic and discipline based knowledge and theory including research The OQF spans levels 1 10 of the NQF with regard to all occupational qualications and related skills sets. There is a need for the three sub-frameworks to articulate (link and join to allow movement), because many people will need to move from one framework to the other during the course of their lives. For example, youth typically move from the GEFETQF to the HEQF but youth exiting public FET colleges are sometimes unable to gain access to higher education because of articulation problems between the qualications frameworks.

During NQF 1.0, the uniform, centralised and rigid approach to the development of qualications across the NQF failed to properly meet the skills needs of the labour market and the career planning needs of learners. This was seen in the growing critical and scarce skills crisis, the unemployed graduate syndrome, the decline of apprenticeships and issues relating to inconsistent delivery of learnership programmes. By adopting a uniform approach to standards setting and quality assurance, the NQF did not accommodate or recognise that learning needs to vary according to the purpose and context of learning, the age, previous learning and experience of the learner. A need was therefore identied for a new qualications sub-framework to allow for more relevant workplace focused learning to be developed.

WHY IS THE OQF NEEDED?

Qualications on the NQF must be registered on one of the three qualications subframeworks. The naming systems for each of these sub-frameworks must be distinct and appropriate to the relevant sub-framework and international practice. This prevents confusion from the issuing of qualications with similar names but representing different learning achievements such as a Doctorate in Bricklaying.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE OQF?

The OQF is designed to achieve the following purposes, either directly or in the role of a facilitator together with other role-players: Be simple, clear, easy to understand and user-friendly for labour market role players and education and skills development providers Develop qualications relevant to the labour market and promote responsiveness to its changing skills needs Accommodate innovative learning and teaching strategies to address skills needs Develop competent practitioners who will contribute to the social, cultural and economic development of South Africa and participate successfully in knowledge creation and the global economy Enhance the acquisition of relevant skills in a responsive occupational learning system

273

274

What is the OQF? The Occupational Learning System

Ensure international recognition and comparability of standards on the OQF by being compatible with international occupations

The Occupational Learning System

Accommodate the development of new occupations and specialisations of occupations

Facilitate articulation: across education and training systems with the other qualication sub-frameworks to help learners identify potential articulation and progression routes, particularly in the context of lifelong learning (i.e. to support adult learners)

WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF THE OQF?

The OQF consists of: The QCTO (pg 280) which is responsible for developing and managing the OQF Types of occupational qualications & certicates National Occupational Award (pg 293) National Skills Award (pg 294) Foundational Learning Competence (pg 300)

The National Occupational Pathways Framework (NOPF) (pg 264) Communities of Expert Practice (CEPs) (pg 284)

Occupational qualications are dened later in this section under What is an occupational qualication?

The function of the OQF is to provide greater clarication of and support for Objective 2 of the NQF: facilitate access to, and mobility and progression within education, training and career paths with particular emphasis on career paths. The OQF builds on the experiences of the past 12 years of developing occupational qualications within the NQF.

Draft Policy OQF, Dept Labour, 2008

HOW DOES THE OQF INTEGRATE WITH THE NQF?

See the diagram How the QCTO ts into the NQF, pg 281. To retain the integrity of a national qualications framework, each of the three subframeworks needs to speak to each other and support the principles of the over-aching national framework (see pg 073 for the NQF principles). SAQA plays a key role in ensuring that this co-ordinated approach works. It is the apex body of the NQF and is mandated to ensure that the three qualications subframeworks achieve the necessary degree of co-ordination to maintain the integrity of the NQF. This is achieved through information sharing, linked board memberships, the requirement for prior consultation and the right of SAQA to decline the registration of qualications on the NQF that do not meet its criteria. The OQF spans all ten levels of the NQF, whereas the GEFETQF spans levels 1 4 and the HEQF spans levels 5 10.

WHICH QUALIFICATIONS FALL WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE OQF?

The OQF is the framework for the design, delivery and assessment of learning programmes for occupational qualications or related skills sets. In the past, occupational competence routes were limited to a few occupations, such as trades (via apprenticeships) and professions (via internships, articles, pupillages etc). In South Africa, occupational qualications have typically been learning programmes regulated by the Skills Development Act such as learnerships, apprenticeships, and skills programmes. However with rapid technological and economic change there is an increasing need for occupational competence to be extended to more occupations to meet the need for a relevant and exible workforce. Like any other qualication, an occupational qualication is the achievement of a planned combination of learning outcomes that meets the SAQA requirements for registration on the NQF. In addition to this, it has the following features: It is intended to provide learners with the applied competence to: practice an occupation Occupations are dened in the OFO (pg 256) which is updated to reect the changing prole of the labour market. perform occupationally related skills sets

It is intended to provide learners with a basis for further learning

275

276

What is the OQF? The Occupational Learning System

Applied competence is achieved through three components: 1. Knowledge and theory a. general knowledge and theory b. specialised and occupational knowledge and theory 2. Practical skills 3. Work experience Qualications falling within the scope of the OQF include: Full occupational qualications Applied competence must be demonstrated in all of the above three components Examples: Learnerships or apprenticeships registered against an occupation or trade such as: tter and turner, Hair dresser, electrician, bank worker Stage 2 qualications Applied competence is not assessed for the General knowledge and theory component Examples: Learners who have already achieved a relevant, general qualication in the other qualications frameworks such as a BCom acquired in the HEQF The articles and board exam would be delivered within the OQF and the learner certied as a registered Charted Accountant Work experience qualications Applied competence is not assessed for the General knowledge and theory component and the practical skills component Examples: Learners who have already completed a vocational or occupationaldirected feeder qualication such as a the public FET college National Certicate (Vocational) The OQF would deliver the additional skills programme and trade test required to certify the learner as a competent artisan Note that a combination of public and private skills development providers and workplace providers could deliver different aspects of the occupational qualications listed above.

The Occupational Learning System

This means that different components of occupational qualications may often be quality assured by two or more quality councils.

However the QCTO would only award an occupational designation (e.g. Chartered Accountant) if the learner had successfully completed an integrated summative nal assessment quality assured by the QCTO, and met any other legal or professional body requirements for registration.

The differences between these qualications are illustrated in the diagram below: Qualications falling within the scope of the OQF.

WHAT QUALIFICATIONS FALL OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THE OQF?

The creation of the OQF makes it possible for practitioners to now develop models for occupational competence that improve on the past.

See this diagram in full size on page 345

277

278

The Occupational Learning System What is the OQF?

However there are several professional and occupational qualications that are already being delivered on other qualications frameworks and they do not need to

The Occupational Learning System

migrate to the OQF. They include: Qualications which lead to professional designations and are subject to specic legislation such as medical practitioners, engineers, architects, and town planners Qualications which include work-integrated learning and are registered on one of the other qualication frameworks such as B.Tech Degrees and National Diplomas for chiropractors, radiology operators, nurses, surveyors etc Yet there is nothing stopping professional or occupational bodies from migrating their qualications to the OQF if they feel it would enable more effective learning. Bodies could decide to leave the general knowledge and theory components of their occupation on the HEQF, and migrate only the work experience, practical skills or specialised occupational knowledge and theory. However the QCTO would only award an occupational designation (e.g. Chartered Accountant) if the learner had successfully completed an integrated summative nal assessment quality assured by the QCTO, and met any other legal or professional body requirements for registration. Any professional body or QC wanting to deliver a learnership or apprenticeship would need to do so under the QCTO. The OQF is intended to support the work experience and occupational dimensions of the NQF, not to compete with other qualications frameworks for control. Seen in this light, it is an enabling framework that can be used in conjunction with the HEQF and the GEFETQF to deliver the most efcient and effective occupational learning we can design. Ultimately it will be practitioners within their own occupations who will vote with their feet and choose the most effective qualications framework, or combinations of frameworks, for their needs. For more information on qualications on the OQF, see the section What are occupational qualications? (pg 292)

Sparks y as welders work at ORBIT FET College in Rustenberg Photo Credit: DHET (FET Directorate)

279

280

What is the QCTO?

WHAT IS THE QCTO?
The Occupational Learning System
The QCTO is one of three Quality Councils established by the NQF Act (2008). The names of each of the councils is given below, along with their areas of responsibility:

Name

Area of Responsibility

NQF Levels

Typical learning sites

Responsible to:

Umalusi

General & Further Education & Training sector

14

Schools & FET Colleges

Minister of Basic Education

Council for Higher Education (CHE)

Higher Education

5 10

Universities & Universities of Technology

Minister of Higher Education & Training

Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (QCTO)

Occupational related learning

1 10

Workplaces (FET Colleges & Universities may contribute knowledge & theory and practical skills components)

Minister of Higher Education & Training

Under NQF 1.0, Umalusi and the CHE were ETQA bodies (pg 108) for the same sectors of the NQF, so the QCTO is the only new quality council. Occupational related learning was previously the quality assurance responsibility of SETA and professional body ETQAs now these bodies can have aspects of the quality assurance process delegated to them by the QCTO. Quality Councils are not only responsible for quality assurance of their NQF sectors, but also for standards setting a function previously located under SAQA and delegated to National Standards Bodies (NSBs, later called Consultative Panels) and Standards Generating Bodies (SGBs, pg 111). For more information on NQF 1.0 and the changes brought about by the NQF Act (2008), see page 239. The responsibilities of the QCs are set out in the NQF Act (2008) and summarized in the section, What is a QC? (pg 087). They include developing and implementing their qualication sub-frameworks and researching and advising their Ministers. See the diagram opposite for a visual explanation of their elds of responsibility. The Higher Education Qualications Framework was put into effect in October 2007. Umalusi is busy developing the GEFETQF and the OQF (still in draft format at the time of publishing this book) is explained on pg 272.

281

282

What is the QCTO?

BACKGROUND AND ASSUMPTIONS OF THE QCTO
The Occupational Learning System
The QCTO was born out of the struggle to effectively include occupational related learning in the NQF which is explained in the section, What is the NQF? (pg 066).

The following assumptions guide many of the processes and structures that fall under the QCTO that are covered elsewhere in this section:

If we have a coherent system then we can ensure responsive and relevant skills development interventions see What is the OLS?, pg 218

If we clearly identify labour market skills needs then we can design relevant qualications and standards see What is the Labour Market?, pg 250

If we provide guidelines for the implementation of skills development interventions then we will have a more consistent and better quality learning programmes see How are qualications developed?, pg 310

If we provide guidelines for the assessment of occupational competence then we will have more consistent and credible assessments see How are qualication assessed?, pg 348

If we focus the quality assurance system on the design of relevant qualications and on the validity of the assessment then the implementation partners will align their programmes to meet those objectives AND if they align their programmes then there will also be an improvement in education, training and skills development programmes see How does Quality Assurance work?, pg 354

If the quality of programmes improves then we will nd an increase in productivity, employability, mobility and progression see Benets of the OLS, pg 376

If we monitor and evaluate various skills development interventions both for quantity and quality then we will be able to measure the impact of the skills development strategy see What is ESSA, pg 252

FUNCTIONS OF THE QCTO

The primary function of the QCTO is to establish and manage its sub-framework (the OQF) to ensure quality in (1) the design, and development of occupational qualications, and (2) the delivery, assessment and certication processes required to develop occupational competence. Both functions must be met in support of labour market skills needs. The Skills Development Ammendment Act (2008) spells this out in more detail (paraphrased): Advise the Minister of Higher Education & Training on policy for occupational standards and qualications Establish and maintain occupational standards and qualications Quality assure occupational standards and qualications and workplace learning Design and develop occupational standards and qualications and submit them to SAQA for registration on the NQF Promote the objectives of the NQF Liaise with the National Skills Authority on the suitability and adequacy of occupational standards and qualications and on the quality of workplace learning Liaise with the SAQA, other QCs and professional bodies Fulll the standard functions of a QC explained on pg 087. Establish and maintain a register of Qualication Development Facilitators (see What is a CEP, pg 287)

SEE ALSO
For information on the Occupational Qualications Framework (OQF) which the QCTO is responsible for, see page 272. For information on types of occupational qualications, the qualication development process, and quality assurance under the QCTO, see pages 292, 310, 336 and 354.

283

284

What is Learning The Occupational a CEP? System

WHAT IS A CEP?
The Occupational Learning System
A Community of Expert Practice is a group of practitioners currently active in a specic occupation and knowledgeable about its current practice. Where there is a professional body for the occupation, they will be the membership. Practitioners are involved in the quality assurance and standards setting responsibilities of the QCTO in order to ensure that occupational qualications remain relevant and responsive to the labour market skills needs. Together with skills development providers and facilitators, they design and develop occupational qualications, curricula and qualication assessment specications. They replace the functions of a Standards Generating Body under NQF 1.0, and members of a CEP can be drawn from Standards Generating Bodies (SGBs, pg 111) still operating under the GEFETQF and HEQF. The qualication development process is designed to be more uid, less time-demanding and more efcient than the SGB qualications development process, the consultation process (consultative panels, government gazettes) and registration processes of NQF 1.0. For example, rather than have a wide range of stakeholders active in the development work, the focus is on working groups composed of those who actually practice or supervise the occupation. Other stakeholders are included through consultation processes rather than direct representation in the working groups. This makes the whole design process more uid and less time-consuming (i.e. cheaper), while increasing its credibility to the skills consumers (i.e. employers and the marketplace). The QCTO involves expert practitioners by contracting directly with an industry body which has an interest in the qualication in order to establish a national standard and to manage and moderate the external assessment processes. Such a body is called a Quality Partner and there is typically one for qualication development (the Development Quality Partner) and one for external summative assessment (the Assessment Quality Partner), although both roles can be performed by a single body. The Quality Partners can be professional bodies, occupational institutes and associations, employer associations, trade unions, research institutes, or, where appropriate, a SETA.

WHY ARE CEPS NEEDED?

The assessment of learners in isolation from the workplace contexts in which they will perform their new skills, was one of the key problems with NQF 1.0. The process of breaking learning up into individual unit standards and then assessing learners on each of them individually resulted in disintegrated learning achievements. Graduates could not perform the skills required in their workplaces in an integrated way because they had not been taught or assessed in an integrated way. Not only were assessment tasks treated in isolation of each other, but assessment itself was seen as separate from the act of learning and was therefore not integrated into the overall learning process. While NQF 1.0 sought to improve our understanding of integrated assessment, it did not take the integration of the learning process to the next logical step the integration of learning into the communities of practice which the aspiring learner was ultimately seeking to join. This next layer of integration is especially important in South Africa, where the inclusion of the previously excluded, is one of our most important social and economic challenges. Communities of practice were rst studied in the context of the apprenticeship relationship, where an expert demonstrates competence to a novice, supports them in modeling their behavior, and then progressively gives more responsibility to the novice. Lesser known is the complex set of relationships between advanced apprentices known as journeymen and master craftsmen, and how the apprenticeship relationship included an initiation into this broader social and occupational club. In fact the ancient equivalent of our modern professional bodies and trade unions, lies in the guilds and merchant unions of ancient history. Such bodies ercely protected the communication of their skills, elevating their competence to the level of magic and shrouding it in inaccessible mystery to deliberately exclude outsiders from participation. This social dimension of workplace competence has been mostly excluded from our formal learning institutions with their focus on knowledge and theory. It is one of the reasons for the frustrating mismatch between the needs of the labour market and the skills of graduates from our formal learning institutions. It is one of the factors contributing to the accusations of racism as a reason for the unemployed graduate syndrome So exactly how do communities of practitioners inuence learning? The Institute for Research on Learning proposed the following seven principles of the social dimension of learning in their study of communities of practice: 1. Learning is fundamentally social

285

286

What is Learning The Occupational a CEP? System

2. Knowledge is integrated in the life of communities 3. Learning is an act of participation 4. Knowing depends on engagement in practice 5. Engagement is inseparable from empowerment 6. Failure to learn is often the result of exclusion from participation 7. We are all natural lifelong learners In recognition of the importance of this social dimension to learning and competence, the Occupational Learning System involves communities of expert practice in several areas of its quality assurance and standards setting functions. The major shift from NQF 1.0 to NQF 2.0 is the realization that the standard is embedded in the practices of the community and in the context where the occupation is practiced. While NQF 1.0 was a brave attempt to capture practices, its implementation did not achieve that purpose.

The Occupational Learning System

HOW IS A CEP FORMED?

The QCTO is responsible for identifying suitable expert practitioners. It makes use of the National Occupational Pathways Framework (NOPF, pg 264) to identify industries employing such practitioners to establish where they should be drawn from. The NOPF clusters occupations by their related purposes and skills sets, and maps out career pathways and linkages between occupations. This makes it easier to identify relationships between occupations that may not be immediately obvious (e.g. botanical occupations and agricultural ones). Registered learnerships and apprenticeships also provide an indication of which industries use such practitioners. The scope of a CEP may range from one occupation to a cluster of related occupations. Where a professional body, institute or occupational association relevant to the occupation is already in existence, they would be the most suitable body to manage the curriculum and qualication development process - this body becomes known as the Development Quality Partner (DQP). Where competing bodies are in operation, or where no bodies exist, the QCTO will appoint a suitable body, which has an interest in the occupation, to act as the DQP. A SETA may be appointed as a DQP since this role is largely about co-ordination and managing resources, especially where there is no single body which represents the occupation.

The DQP will build a database of practitioners able to serve on the CEP. Such qualied practitioners could come from professional or occupational bodies, regulatory boards, employers, providers, or trade unions. Practitioners can also be drawn, where appropriate from Standards Generating Bodies, other Quality Councils, relevant education or skills development providers and assessment experts. This helps to promote the portability and articulation of the qualication with other parts of the learning system and the validity of its assessment design. Once all possible participants have been identied, an inaugural meeting is convened by the QCTO and the functions and operations of a CEP and the roles and the responsibilities of the Quality Partners are explained to them. An agreement is reached at this inaugural meeting about which organisation will full the role of Development Quality Partner. A service level agreement between the QCTO and the DQP is drawn up to reect the roles and responsibilities of each body. Many SETAs currently fund SGB operations and may therefore contribute funding to CEP processes relevant to their sectors (but the DQP must essentially have a selfsustaining funding model). A Qualication Development Facilitator (or team of facilitators in the case of an occupational family) is then appointed and the practitioners can be convened for their rst meeting. Rather than involve the entire CEP at every stage of development, a representative working group is constituted out of the broader CEP and at distinct points in the development, the working group outputs are circulated to the broader community for comment, input and ratication. The QCTO continues to monitor the process and provide support where needed. To promote greater consistency of quality across a range of skills development providers, the QCTO has introduced an external element into the assessment of all occupational qualications, and this external assessment is the focus of the Assessment Quality Partner. Both the Development Quality Partner and the Assessment Quality Partner sign a formal contract with the QCTO which governs their relationship. It is possible for one Partner to full both the development and assessment roles. See the section on Assessment Quality Partners (pg 351) for more details.

HOW DO CEPS WORK?

The CEP process is different in several ways from the SGB driven process: It is process driven (not stakeholder driven) It is highly structured (even though the participation itself is uid) It is practice focused, not theory focused, and t for purpose

287

288

What is Learning The Occupational a CEP? System

It is expert driven, not academic or education practitioner driven It is guided by an expert, registered facilitator (Qualcations Development Facilitator) who ensures the structured process is efciently followed and whose own skills are certied by a QCTO skills award (pg 294) Membership of the CEP does not have to be gazetted CEP members can participate in all, some or none of the operational processes A core, or working group, of practitioners is involved in each step of the Communitys workings, and a broader group of CEPs is given the opportunity to review their work, make comments and suggest improvements. the practitioners with all the work In the case of skill level one occupations (labourers and elementary workers), a team leader or supervisor qualied in that occupational eld would represent the expert practitioner A CEP database will be developed by the DQP to: request nominations of practitioners to participate advise CEP members on progress within working groups act as a mailing list to distribute outcomes and receive comments list practitioners who are registered assessors or veriers list expert facilitators qualied to do CEP facilitation This ensures the continuity and consistency of the process while not burdening all

The Occupational Learning System

STEPS IN THE QUALIFICATION DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

The following steps show the different parts of the CEP process and what kind of practitioner is needed at each step in the process. The qualications design process is unpacked in more detail in the section How are qualications developed? (pg 310). Note that the learning delivery practitioners only get involved after the qualication has been scoped and its occupational prole developed by occupational practitioners. This ensures that the purpose and tasks of the occupation are developed by people working in the industry itself, and not by those who are a step removed from it. Likewise, the knowledge and theory practitioners only get involved once the knowledge requirements of the occupation have been categorized into subjects and topics, thus keeping these components tightly focused on the occupational purpose.

1 2 3

SCOPING THE OCCUPATION Done by practitioners who are currently active in the occupation ACTIVITY Validate or update unit group descriptors and tasks Validate, add or remove occupations, specialisations, and alternative titles OUTPUT

Memorandum to Dept Higher Education & Training

OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE Done by practitioners who are currently active in the occupation ACTIVITY Develop each occupations purpose and the related occupational tasks using the unit group descriptor and tasks Identify the key skills and knowledge bases, and develop internal assessment guidelines OUTPUT

Occupational prole

OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE VALIDATION Done by practitioners who are currently active in the occupation

Education that consists in learning things and not the meaning of them is feeding upon the husks and not the corn.

Mark Twain

289

290

What is Learning The Occupational a CEP? System

The Occupational Learning System

DESIGN OF THE LEARNING PROCESS

Done by trainers and instructors who are currently actively training

ACTIVITY Develop practical modules and assessment requirements Categorise the knowledge requirements into subjects and topics and develop internal assessment guidelines Develop work experience modules, identify specialised knowledge requirements and develop assessment guidelines

OUTPUT

Practical component

Knowledge specications

Work experience component

Done by trainers, lecturers and teachers who are currently actively engaged in teaching the relevant knowledge and theory subjects

ACTIVITY

OUTPUT

Develop subjects and topics, and assessment requirements Specify exemption requirements for existing courses, qualications or other offerings

Knowledge component

Exemption requirements

CURRICULUM VALIDATION

Done by practitioners who are currently active in the occupation.

ACTIVITY Validate the learning process design Develop criteria for the nal summative assessment of occupational competence

OUTPUT Approval Assessment criteria

6 7

QUALIFICATION ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES Done by trainers AND instructors who are currently training actively and assessment experts where possible ACTIVITY Develop examples of good assessment tasks for the integrated assessment with clear evidence requirements and exemplars of competent/ not yet competent responses Design a system for decentralisation, promoting ease of access and time and cost effective delivery OUTPUT

Sample assessment tasks with exemplars

QMS for the nal assessments

QUALIFICATIONS AND UNIT STANDARDS Done by the Qualication Development Facilitator. The outcomes and other details would be derived from the curriculum. ACTIVITY OUTPUT

Develop the qualication

Sample assessment tasks with exemplars

Develop the unit standards

Knowledge, practical and work experience unit standards

Note that the writing of unit standards and the qualication comes at the end of the design process, not the beginning. This makes the focus of the qualication the occupation and not the tools for its teaching. This nal task is done by one person, the Qualication Development Facilitator, to ensure consistent and focused expression of the components of the qualication. Once the CEP has completed its initial work, the outputs are submitted back to the QCTO. Here it will be reviewed by the relevant qualication design manager. After the incorporation of any changes or adaptions required, the curriculum and assessment guidelines will be published to the NOPF, and the qualication and unit standards will be registered on the NQF via SAQAs NLRD.

SEE ALSO
For more information on qualication, curriculum and assessment design, see page 310.

291

292

What are occupational The Occupational Learning System qualications?

WHAT ARE OCCUPATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS?
There are two types of occupational qualications issued in the Occupational Qualications Framework: the National Occupational Award and the National Skills Award.

The Occupational Learning System

WHAT IS AN OCCUPATIONAL QUALIFICATION?

In the past, occupational competence routes were limited a few occupations, such as trades (via apprenticeships) and professions (via internships, articles, pupillages etc). With rapid technological and economic change there is an increasing need for occupational competence to be extended to more occupations to meet the need for a relevant and exible workforce. So as we seek to apply the new occupational approach to learning for developing new occupational qualications and reviving existing ones, what kind of features will the qualications have? Like any other qualication, an occupational qualication is the achievement of a planned combination of learning outcomes that meets the SAQA requirements for registration on the NQF. In addition to this, it has the following features: It is intended to provide learners with the applied competence to: practice an occupation Occupations are dened in the OFO (pg 256) which is updated to reect the changing prole of the labour market. perform occupationally related skills sets

It is intended to provide learners with a basis for further learning

Applied competence is achieved through three components: Knowledge and theory Practical skills Work experience

More information on occupational qualications is covered in the section on qualications design in How does quality assurance work? (pg 354).

THE NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL AWARD

The National Occupational Award certies that a person is competent to practice an occupation not just that they understand the knowledge and theory of the occupation, nor that they have mastered some of its practical skills. People with a NOA have experienced working in the occupation and proven competent in its workplace experience component, as well as its theory and practical components, in order to get the qualication. NOAs are named like this: National Occupational Award: [Occupational title] + [NQF Level]+ [Specialisation or Context]. For example: National Occupational Award: Ships Master Level 6 Specialisation: Harbour Pilot

National Occupational Award: Metal Fabricator Level 3 Specialisation: Boilermaker Context: Mining and Extraction National Occupational Award: Environmental Health Ofcer Level 5 Specialisation: Health Inspector

How many credits the NOA is registered for on the NQF will depend on the range, content, duration (inclusive of work experience), and the complexity of the learning processes.

A learning experience is one of those things that says, You know that thing you just did? Dont do that.

Douglas Adams

293

294

What are occupational The Occupational Learning System qualications?

THE NATIONAL SKILLS AWARD
The National Skills Award certies that a person is competent in an occupationally relevant skills set (not an entire occupation). The need for a smaller unit of competence than an occupation is evident in the labour markets need for a quick response to emerging skills needs. The National Skills Award provides this kind of exibility. Some examples of the uses of National Skills Awards are: Some occupations have several specializations. To avoid having to incorporate all of them into an occupational award the specialisation is built into a National Skills Award and an access requirement created requiring the completion of the occupational award that leads to the specialisation (see type 2 in the table following). New technology may require new occupational skills sets, but may not yet be wide-spread enough to justify building the specialisation into the occupational award. Once the technology is widespread, the specialisation can be built into the occupational award (see type 1 in the table following). Lower level occupational tasks are better written into National Skills Awards to make it easier for people to complete them and in doing so be able to assist a higher skilled person by freeing them up from those specic tasks. For example, the administrative tasks of a Training Manager could be written into a National Skills Award so that support staff can be easily qualied in it and free the Manager from that range of tasks (see type 3 in the table following). Regulatory authorities often require some demonstration of competence in order to license a person to perform a set of occupational tasks this can be issued in the form of a National Skills Award which is de-linked from the legal requirements of the license (see type 4 in the table following). Some occupations can be described as a series of individual jobs (being a smaller set of tasks and responsibilities than an occupation). Skills Awards can be used to recognise competence in each of these jobs. A learner could, over time, become competent in all the National Skills Awards required for the jobs and, after an external summative assessment by the QCTO, could therefore be recognised as competent in the occupation.

The Occupational Learning System

The assessment would reect an integrated measurement of the learners ability to perform all the skills sets of the occupation. (see type 1 in the table following). Here are some examples of possible National Skills Awards: Occupational skills in the form of a competence linked to the specialisation or context in which the skill set has been acquired (if required): National Skills Award: Manage Loan Portfolios Level 4 National Skills Award: Design machined products using CAD/CAM software Level 5 Specialised occupational role - which is the outcome of the learning and assessment process: National Skills Award: Safety Representative Level 3 Context: Chemical industry National Skills Award: Six Sigma Black Belt Level 6

Occupational title of occupations reected at Skills Level 1 on the OFO National Skills Award: Fast Food Cook Level 1

TYPES OF NATIONAL SKILLS AWARDS

There are therefore at least four types of Skills Awards that could play a socially or economically useful role and merit national recognition by a community of practice. Because of the exibility and simplicity of National Skills Awards, there are potentially many more purposes that will be found over time.

First, master your instrument. Then forget all that #*$&%& and play!

Charlie Parker

295

296

What are occupational The Occupational Learning System qualications?

Nr Type 1 Part of an occupational award Notes linked to a role in the occupation a narrow set of tasks that comprise a distinct component of an occupational prole could stretch over multiple NQF levels, in the same way as the occupation does assesses one or more occupational tasks Example: 552101 Bank Worker Teller 2 Specialisation linked to an occupation adds to the products or services described in an occupational award and qualies a person to perform a specialised task/s related to the occupation requires an occupational award for purposes of access Example: 221204 Internal auditor Customs Auditor 3 Skill level 1 occupations will be certicates not awards skills requiring little theory and primarily learned on-the-job Example: Stable hand, fast-food cook, shelf ller, porter, bicycle mechanic 4 A skills set that is required for licensing purposes or other legislative requirements a specic task required by legislation or regulations or international quality standards but less than an occupation Example: Wiremans licence, Third Party Inspector, Crop sprayer

The Occupational Learning System

WHAT QUALIFIES AS A NATIONAL SKILLS AWARD?

To be a qualication of the OQF, It must:

include all three curriculum components (knowledge, practical and experiential)

consist of a minimum of 20 credits (this translates into 6 weeks of learning, including work experience)

can only be awarded based on an external assessment by a registered constituent assessor

WHAT IS TO STOP EVERYONE REGISTERING NATIONAL SKILLS AWARDS?

Under NQF 1.0, there was a proliferation of unit standards and skills programmes which resulted in overlap, duplication and standards which were not put into use, although they required a large investment of time and resources to register in the rst place.

National Skills Awards that are based on occupations on the OFO will not run this risk because of the limited set of occupations and specializations. Skills Awards not based on occupations will need to meet these criteria in order to be accepted for registration:

it must be motivated that the skill set requires recognition

it must be indicated which body will undertake the responsibility to manage the qualication development process

it must be indicated which body will undertake to assure the quality of the learner achievements

the entire industry, profession or social grouping that the skills set is relevant to, must see the need for the Certicate; some criteria to test this are:

will organisations advertise for people with such a qualication?

is the skills set recognised through existing job titles?

is the skills set required for licensing purposes?

does the public require protection from unqualied people providing the products or services associated with the skills set?

where an industry is dominated by a single employer, can the employer warrant that such skills awards will also enjoy take-up and recognition outside of that organisation?

297

298

What are occupational The Occupational Learning System qualications?

STEPS TO FOLLOW IF YOU WANT TO REGISTER A NATIONAL SKILLS AWARD
National Skills Awards will normally be developed when needed as part of the curriculum development process for National Occupational Awards and specialized skills sets will normally be developed using the same process as for an Occupational Award. Additional skills sets for National Skills Awards not developed during that process will have to be motivated to the QCTO, including the following information: who the most appropriate CEP is to develop curriculum components, qualication and assessment guidelines how the external assessment will be done and who will quality assure it how the external assessment will be moderated and funded

The Occupational Learning System

The QCTO will then use its discretion to support the process and possibly involve other CEPs or interest groups if necessary.

SEE ALSO
For more information on occupational qualications see What is the OQF? (pg 272) For information on designing occupational qualications see How does quality assurance work? (pg 354)

Electrical engineering students get their rst exposure to their dangerous work environment Photo Credit: DHET (FET Directorate)

My schooling not only failed to teach me what it professed to be teaching, but prevented me from being educated to an extent which infuriates me when I think of all I might have learned at home by myself.

George Bernard Shaw

299

300

What is foundational The Occupational Learning System learning competence?

WHAT IS FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING COMPETENCE?
The Foundational Learning Competence is standardised learning assumed to be in place for all occupational awards. It describes the communications and mathematics literacy demands of occupational learning from levels 2 4 of the NQF. It can be likened to a platform for learning towards all occupational awards and additional specic communication, maths and other requirements for each occupation become part of core of qualication. The Foundational Learning Competence is a standard curriculum component with a nationally standardised assessment that can included in any programmes of learning for occupational awards. Successful completion is noted in the form of a statement of results. This forms part of the rules of combination required for occupational awards and, like the other required curriculum components, it forms part of the criteria that allow a learner to attempt a nal external summative assessment.

The Occupational Learning System

WHY IS THE FLC NEEDED?

The need for fundamental or foundational communication and mathematics literacy skills is universally recognised as a requirement for success in all forms of learning. Programmes that leave out fundamentals suffer from higher drop-out rates by learners who may have the aptitude to succeed but who lack the communication or mathematics literacy to do so. Alternatively, learners may succeed at the current level, and have the aptitude to progress further, but be blocked from doing so by poor communication and numeracy skills. Fundamentals are especially relevant in the South African context, where vast numbers of learners were made to study in a foreign language (English) without sufcient communication skills for learning purposes. Many of these learners are now in the adult workforce and nd themselves trapped in a literacy or numeracy prison.

WHAT WAS WRONG WITH FUNDAMENTALS IN NQF 1.0?

While everyone agreed that fundamentals had to be promoted in the implementation of the NQF, they turned out to be one of the most problematic areas of implementation, as summarized in the table following:

Problems with ABET feeder system

Many learners entering NQF programmes had ABET certicates. However these were often insufcient to equip them for the demands of learnerships and other NQF programmes, and many learners failed purely on the basis of the fundamentals: ABET was aimed at providing access to further learning at school and for basic Lifeskills it had little or no workplace focus ABET 4 contained much more than maths and literacy and was therefore an expensive option for access purposes

Problems with matric feeder system

Employers started recruiting learners with a matric to side-step the fundamentals problem. This effectively denied access to many learners who did not pass matric, but even matriculants still could not get their qualications because a matric exemption (NQF 4) was not specied in the qualication or the NLRD. SETAs also reported that many of the matriculants taken up in learnerships struggled with the communication and literacy demands of the learning materials.

SETA NQF 1 qualications

SETAs responded to the problem by developing NQF level 1 qualications as access points to occupations. This too had its problems: Too many fundamental unit standards were developed expressing outcomes that were contextual, and therefore of no use in other sectors This created equivalence, delivery and progression problems, because band ETQAs would not recognise them, and it was difcult to measure applicability and relevance across sectors

Educational vs Occupational Focus

The NQF fundamentals were designed to give learners access to further learning opportunities, and to make up for past educational gaps they did not have an occupational focus or benet. Learners often had to be assessed in literacy and numeracy at levels far beyond anything they would need in the workplace due to the SAQA requirement that the fundamental unit standards must be at the same level as the core qualication. Not all fundamentals were required in all occupations, but they were mandatory anyway. Fundamentals not only included mathematics and communications, but also lifeskills, health and safety. The notion that learners would not be able to achieve the core and elective components of the qualication without the fundamentals was often proven not true when learners were denied their qualication after achieving the core and elective components only.

301

302

What is foundational The Occupational Learning System learning competence?

Delivery problems Few providers offered learning towards the fundamental unit standards. When they did, it was often delivered by a subject matter expert in the core component of the qualication (a technical specialist), and not a communications or numeracy specialist.

The Occupational Learning System

Quality assurance problems

There was disagreement about which ETQA should quality assure the fundamental components of a qualication. Band ETQAs did not recognise qualications where the fundamentals were quality assured by SETA ETQAs.

SAQA Rules of Combination

The Rules of Combination set disproportionately high requirements for fundamentals which crowds out the space available for the occupational component of the qualication. For example, for each 120 credit qualication, these are the communications, and maths literacy requirements: 36 credits at levels 1- 3 (30%) 56 credits at level 4 (46.6%)

As a result of these problems, many learners were locked out of participating in skills development, or could not complete their qualications or could not get access to further learning. Even when learners passed all these obstacles, they achieved qualications that were not occupationally relevant and so faced either unemployment or frustrated aspirations.

HOW DOES THE FLC SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS?

The FLC is one learning achievement valid for occupational awards (at levels 2 4 of the NQF) which is occupationally focused and t for purpose. It also provides a basis for additional communication or mathematics requirements that may be needed later by specic occupations. These additional requirements are built into the core components of the qualication by the CEP if believed necessary, they are not written into fundamentals because they are occupation specic. The FLC replaces the requirement for standardised sets of fundamental unit standards to be included in qualications. It is not pegged at any level of the NQF and does not form a part of any occupational qualication. It does not have a credit allocation.

HOW DOES THE FLC WORK?

The assessment and the programme can be completed prior to or after the signing of a learnership agreement.

Providers are approved for delivery of the FLC just like they would be for any other curriculum component (see How are qualications delivered?, pg 336).

As with a regular occupational qualication, the FLC is provided with a curriculum to guide delivery more closely than just outcomes on their own.

It is also provided with exemplars, guidance, and assessment tools to ensure a consistent approach.

The assessments are also a diagnostic tool to assess the current level of competence of a learner prior to commencing the FLC, so that only gaps need to be addressed and not the entire curriculum.

The summative assessment can result in a competent learner being given the statement of results on an RPL basis (time is not wasted putting the learner through the entire curriculum).

A national assessment agency will be appointed by the QCTO to manage the FLC assessment process, and this will be deployed online using item bank tests to encourage employers and providers to make use of the FLC.

Benets will include frequent testing, quick turn around times and access to further learning.

LIMITATIONS OF THE FLC

The FLC is t for purpose, and its purpose is to provide access to occupational learning.

It does not therefore replace an ABET 4 certicate (NQF 1), nor does it provide access to the GEGETQF schooling system or public FET college system.

303

304

What is foundational The Occupational Learning System learning competence?

FOUNDATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS
Communication in English for occupational purposes has two distinct features that distinguish it from communication for progress on institutional pathways (school and further learning):

The Occupational Learning System

KEY FEATURES OF FOUNDATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

1. Adult focused a. The content has an adult and workplace focus to prepare learners for the kinds of reading, writing and communication they will need to deal with in an occupational context 2. Cognitive breadth and depth a. Communication needs to go beyond mere communication skills and equip the learner to apply the language in demanding learning contexts b. Communication needs to be broad enough to cover a range of workplace literacies, not just for one industry or occupation

GOALS OF FOUNDATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

A foundational communication programme should achieve the following objectives: An ability to transfer English language skills to different contexts and content areas The capable use of English for learning purposes The ability to access an English language environment as a resource Coherent and sequenced progression to build up skills Meaningful contextualisation of English for different workplace contexts (not just a vocabulary focused approach) A sound understanding of how the language works, for the achievement of technical mastery and application at the required level. Any additional English (or other languages) requirements for particular occupational needs can be determined by CEPs for Occupational Qualications at NQF Levels 2 - 4. These may be determined by needs for higher levels of complexity, for specic applications, or for future access requirements.

FRAMEWORK FOR FOUNDATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

The programme is expected to have a duration of about 200 hours with a minimum entry level requirement of ABET Level 3 in English. The programme teaches, and assesses the following features (which do not make up a programme template) in an integrated way:

ELEMENTS
Reading Writing Speaking and Listening Visual Literacy Language structure and Use

PROCESS SKILLS
Using English for thinking and learning Using English in the workplace for occupational domains

SPECIFICATIONS
Characteristics and range of texts to be read, seen, heard and produced. Specications for range and use

GUIDELINES
For using English for learning For using English in workplace contexts and occupational domains

The framework includes methodologies and activities, exemplars of texts, of activities, of assessment tools and rubrics and summative assessment tools.

305

306

What is foundational The Occupational Learning System learning competence?

FOUNDATIONAL MATHEMATICAL LITERACY (FML)
For the purpose of the FLC, Mathematical Literacy is dened as:

The Occupational Learning System

A mathematically literate person is able to manage a situation or solve a problem in a real context by responding to information about mathematical ideas that is represented in a range of ways and requires activation of a range of enabling knowledge, factors and processes.
A Framework for Foundational Mathematical Literacy (31 August 2007, Dept Labour & GTZ), pg 1, Part C

Occupational learning is the focusing of learning on application in specic contexts.

The key to mathematical literacy is the application of mathematics within realistic contexts.

Learners make sense of situations within a context, solve problems within the context and offer and validate solutions within the context.

Mathematically literate people are able to work within a range of different contexts.

They are able to transfer the skills they have developed within familiar contexts to unfamiliar contexts.

Foundational Mathematical Literacy is the minimum, generic Mathematical Literacy that will provide learners with the necessary foundation to:

access learning in occupations and trades at NQF levels 2, 3 and 4, and

engage meaningfully in real-life situations

Where particular occupations or trades require applications of mathematics beyond Foundational Mathematical Literacy, or applications in contexts that are particular to the occupation or trade, such applications are addressed within the core of qualications related to such occupations and trades.

The ve faces of mathematical literacy given in the denition above can be unpacked as follows:

A mathematically literate person is able to manage a situation or solve a problem...

... in a real context...

everyday life, work, societal, further learning identifying or locating acting upon ordering, sorting, comparing counting estimating computing measuring modelling interpreting communicating about quantity and number dimension and shape pattern and relationships data and chance change objects and pictures numbers and symbols formulae diagrams and maps graphs tables, spreadsheets texts mathematical knowledge and understanding mathematical procedures mathematical problem-solving skills literacy skills beliefs and attitudes

... by responding...

... to information about mathematical ideas...

.... that is represented in a range of ways....

.... and requires activation of a range of enabling knowledge, factors and processes.

307

308

What is foundational learning competence?

The specic learning outcomes for Foundational Mathematical Literacy are: NUMBER Use numbers to make sense of situations, calculate and solve problems in a variety of familiar and unfamiliar contexts Manage personal nances Collect, display and interpret data in various forms and solve related problems

The Occupational Learning System

FINANCE

DATA & CHANCE

MEASUREMENT

Identify and use appropriate measuring tools and techniques to determine measurements and solve problems in various contexts Describe and represent objects and the environment in terms of spatial properties and relationships Describe, interpret, represent and solve problems involving mathematical patterns, relationships and functions

SPACE & SHAPE

PATTERNS & RELATIONSHIPS

The level of mathematics involved in FML is roughly equivalent to NQF 1. The level of complexity or sophistication of the contexts ranges from ABET 3 to NQF 4. However the FML, like the FLC, is not pegged at any specic level of the NQF but is rather a platform for access to occupational learning at NQF levels 2 4.

SEE ALSO
For more information on the FLC, including the elements of the communication and mathematics components, see the document, Foundational Learning Competence for Occupational Qualications (31 August 2007, Dept Labour & GTZ).

Accuracy is an important skill across the engineering and related disciplines at Tshwane South College for FET Photo Credit: DHET (FET Directorate)

The most important thing any teacher has to learn, not to be learned in any school of education I ever heard of, can be expressed in seven words: Learning is not the product of teaching. Learning is the product of the activity of learners.

John Holt, in Growing Without Schooling magazine #40

309

310

How are qualications developed? The Occupational Learning System

HOW ARE QUALIFICATIONS DEVELOPED?
The Occupational Learning System
Qualications development is understood to include revision. The large number of occupational qualications currently registered on the NQF will require revision and adjustment rather than development from scratch. Before you read this section it would be helpful to have read some background information: The framework in which occupational qualications are developed and delivered, and the scope of occupational qualications falling under the QCTO are explained in the section What is the OQF? (pg 272) The features and types of occupational qualications are explained in the section What are occupational qualications? (pg 292) The nature of the Communities of Expert Practice (CEPs) who perform the qualication and curriculum design process, co-ordinated by of a Development Quality Partner in the section What is a CEP? (pg 284)

KEY FEATURES OF OCCUPATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS DESIGN

These are the key features that distinguish occupational qualications design from regular qualications design.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CURRICULUM IN QUALIFICATIONS DEVELOPMENT

NQF 1.0 was criticised for its inconsistency of quality in learning programmes and assessment across sectors and among providers. The development of an occupational qualication and its unit standards now happens at the same time as its curriculum development. The curriculum lays out the inputs required in developing the occupational competence or skill set required for the qualication. The purpose of the curriculum is to simplify and improve the development and delivery processes of the qualication and it also forms the basis for the accreditation of providers. The curriculum provides the following guidance: access requirements for entry to the qualication exemptions from particular curriculum components

articulation with other learning pathways such as vocational qualications obtained in education institutions

the content (scope and depth), the learning activities and the guidelines of internal assessment

the physical and human resource requirements for delivery

While the curriculum provides much more guidance for delivery than in NQF 1.0, it does allow some exibility for contextualisation and specialisation, and provides opportunities for provider innovation and the development of best practice.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CEP AND DEVELOPMENT QUALITY PARTNER IN QUALIFICATIONS DESIGN
The CEP and the important role they play in the different stages of quality assurance are explained in What is a CEP? (pg 284). Here we will just summarise some key features of CEPs that impact on qualications design. CEPs are involved in qualications design to ensure that occupational qualications are relevant and responsive to the labour market. Therefore members of a CEP are practitioners currently active in a specic occupation and knowledgeable about its current practice. Training providers, instructors, and lecturers are also involved at specic points. CEPs replace the functions of a Standards Generating Body under NQF 1.0, and members of a CEP can be drawn from SGBs still operating under the GEFETQF and HEQF. CEPs are designed to be more uid, less time-demanding and more efcient in their processes than the Standards Generating Bodies of NQF 1.0.

THREE FORMS OF LEARNING

Under NQF 1.0, there was an uneven application of the work experience component of learning across occupational qualications. Work experience was written into qualications at unit standard level resulting in a proliferation of unit standards with endless variations of particular applications of work experience. Work experience was also patchily applied in critical cross eld outcomes, essential embedded knowledge, outcomes, values and attitudes. It was present in differing degrees in both the fundamental, core and elective components of qualications. In the OQF, the three forms of learning for occupational competence are recognised and clearly structured: Knowledge and theory Practical skills Work experience

311

312

How are qualications developed? The Occupational Learning System

The Occupational Learning System

The diagram above shows the three forms of learning spread out on a continuum from formal learning to informal learning. The following diagram shows the same three forms of learning and how they are organised in a qualication into subjects and topics, and modules

RULES OF COMBINATION
SAQAs original rules of combination required qualications to contain minimum percentages of fundamentals (see What was wrong with fundamentals in NQF 1.0? pg 239). This resulted in excessively high proportions of communication, mathematics and life skills in qualications, and correspondingly less space available for the core occupational components of the qualication and electives. In the OQF, the rules of combination for occupational qualications have been revised to respond to labour market needs. Occupational qualications consist of common or core learning and specialised learning components. Each occupational qualication must consist of a minimum of 20% of credits for each learning component. The balance of the credits (40%) are allocated in a proportion appropriate to the needs of the particular occupation by the qualication developers.

THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Refer to the section What is a CEP? (pg 284) to understand how communities of expert practice are convened to begin the work of developing a qualication. There are ve steps to developing an occupational qualication: A. Develop the occupational prole B. Identify the development pathway for each occupational task C. Design the Learning Process D. Developing the qualication & unit standards

A
1

E. Develop the qualication assessment specications

DEVELOPING THE OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE

The steps involved in developing the occupational prole are: 1. Conrm the occupational pathway 2. Scope the qualication 3. Dene the occupational purpose 4. Unpack unit group occupational tasks 5. Develop additional occupational tasks 6. Dene the required skills and knowledge 7. Dene the relevant work experience 8. Develop an assessment strategy

CONFIRM THE OCCUPATIONAL PATHWAY

Rather than developing each occupational qualication in isolation, the OQF makes use of a matrix of occupations mapped to NQF levels and clustered by related skills sets and occupational purposes called the NOPF (pg 264). This ensures that common elements in qualications are identied and developed for use across all relevant qualications. This also assists providers to develop more generic programmes and exible learning materials to address a range of occupations.

313

314

The Occupational Learning System How are qualications developed?

Therefore much of the information required for the occupational pathway validation will be provided by the OFO (pg 256) or the NOPF (pg 264), but it is important for CEPs to conrm the information and if necessary update the frameworks to reect the current situation. The early stages of the qualication development are crucial, because errors made here become cascaded downward to all the remaining components of qualications design. The CEP should conrm the: Feeder occupations Progression to other occupations Legislation that governs the industry Statutory requirements for individual occupations Alternative titles that are used for this occupation within the industry Specialisations for this occupation

The Occupational Learning System

Other questions to ask are: Are there occupational tasks that can be certied separately? If so, how would they be included in or linked to the qualication? Who are appropriate providers of education & skills development that are recognised by the industry? The relevance of all these questions becomes increasingly apparent and important as you follow the remaining steps.

SCOPE THE QUALIFICATION

Practitioners, knowledgeable about the occupation or occupations, usually at unit group level of the OFO, review the unit group and determine the degree of overlap between the occupations in it. They will identify whether (1) a qualication should be developed at unit group level with each occupation in the group forming a specialisation or whether (2) qualications should be developed for each occupation in the group. Any specialisations, which require QCTO certication, will also be specied. Scoping the qualication requires you to (1) allocate unit group tasks and (2) dene the qualications.

See the General Fitter example of an occupational qualication on page 371. It includes a Further Specialisation component that is not relevant to the HR eld.

315

316

How are qualications developed? The Occupational Learning System

ALLOCATE UNIT GROUP TASKS

The Occupational Learning System

Which unit group tasks relate to this occupation? Unit group tasks are specied on the OFO (pg 256) at unit group level. References below to a proling template and clicking on a task area are referring to a qualications development tool available from the QCTO.

ALLOCATE UNIT GROUP TASKS

ALLOCATE UNIT GROUP TASKS

WHAT? A process of discussing or analysing the unit group tasks and deciding how each of them relate to the specic occupations in the unit group.

WHY? We do this to ensure that all the unit group tasks, as set out in the OFO are accommodated in the Occupational Proles. This will also indicate the task overlap between occupations and it will indicate the horizontal mobility between occupations.

HOW? 1. The proling template will contain the unit group tasks as reected in the OFO 2. Discuss or clarify each task and then ask: In which of the occupations is this task practiced? refer to the occupational purpose 3. Click on the task area under the occupation the task will be allocated to this occupation

Tips on how to avoid potential pitfalls ALLOCATE UNIT GROUP TASKS PITFALL Allocate all tasks to one occupation Allocate tasks in such a way that there are no overlaps Allocate all tasks to all occupations HOW TO AVOID Within a unit group people will do similar tasks, the context of the tasks will differ. There should be some overlap within each unit group. There will however be some unique areas.

DEFINE THE QUALIFICATIONS

What is the most effective way of developing the qualication based on the overlaps and duplication? WHAT? DEFINE THE QUALIFICATION A process of developing the qualications and related specialisations. WHY? We do this to ensure that duplication between qualications is minimised Decide if: There will be a qualications at unit group level and the individual occupations are reected as specialisations. OR A qualication for each occupation and the following specialisations related to each the occupation will be developed HOW?

DEFINE THE OCCUPATIONAL PURPOSE

DEFINE THE OCCUPATIONAL PURPOSE

What is the occupational purpose? WHAT? A process of reviewing the occupational purpose as set out in the OFO and clarifying it in terms of industry understanding. WHY? To ensure that the occupational purpose is aligned with industry expectations. HOW? The Occupational descriptor will appear in the template. With the industry practitioners ask: why does this occupation exist? what is the unique contribution that this occupation makes within the world of work? Insert or modify the occupational purpose on the template

317

318

How are qualications developed? The Occupational Learning System

The Occupational Learning System

Tips on how to avoid potential pitfalls DEFINE THE OCCUPATIONAL PURPOSE PITFALL There might be a tendency to list all the tasks; A lot of qualitative statements are used. HOW TO AVOID The answer to this question must be a statement of the combined effort of the various tasks within the occupation. State in singular third (rst) person; Avoid qualitative statements; Do not list all the deliverables; Not more than two sentences.

Some examples of the occupational purpose statement for the Unit Group occupation 2231, Human Resource Professionals (Skill Level 5) are:

Occupation

OFO Code 223101

Purpose Provides stafng and personnel administration services in support of an organizations human resources policies and programs. Interviews applicants to determine their job requirements and suitability for particular jobs, and assists employers to nd suitable staff. Assists in resolving disputes by advising on workplace relations policies and problems, and representing industrial, commercial, union, employer or other parties in negotiations on rates of pay and conditions of employment.

Human Resource Advisor

Recruitment Consultant / Ofcer

223102

223103 Workplace / Industrial Relations Advisor

4
UNPACK UNIT GROUP OCCUPATIONAL TASKS

UNPACK UNIT GROUP OCCUPATIONAL TASKS

What are the products/services, occupational responsibilities and contexts for each occupational task

WHAT?

WHY? The product or service will determine the theoretical knowledge that is required; and The occupational responsibilities will guide us towards the required skills; and The occupational context will direct us towards identifying the required work experience

HOW? 1. For each task ask: If this task has been completed successfully what will it produce? What will the result be? (product or service) 2. For each product/service ask: What specically does the incumbent in this occupation do to deliver this product or service? (Use the list of typical activities with relevant denitions) 3. For each responsibility ask: What is the specic occupational context within which this work is done? 4. Identify the NQF level for the occupational tasks, using the LARF tool.

A process of breaking the unit group tasks, as allocated to the various occupations into three components: 1. The unique product or service that is delivered by executing the task; 2. The specic occupational responsibility regarding this product or service; 3. The specic context within which the product or service must be delivered

UNPACK UNIT GROUP OCCUPATIONAL TASKS

319

320

How are qualications developed? The Occupational Learning System

The LARF tool is provided on page 325 and gives an indication of the NQF level based

The Occupational Learning System

on typical workplace activities and roles.

5
DEVELOP ADDITIONAL OCCUPATIONAL tASKS

DEVELOP ADDITIONAL OCCUPATIONAL TASKS

Develop additional occupational tasks

DEVELOP ADDITIONAL OCCUPATIONAL TASKS

WHAT? A process of developing or identifying additional tasks that must be executed within the occupation as well as the tasks for each identied specialisation.

WHY? To ensure that the total occupation and identied specialisations are covered and that all the relevant skills and knowledge components can be identied.

HOW? Dene the additional products and services that must be delivered; Select the appropriate occupational responsibilities regarding each product/service; Describe the relevant contexts

DEVELOP ADDITIONAL OCCUPATIONAL TASKS

Tips on how to avoid potential pitfalls PITFALL There is a tendency to start dening skills rather than tasks, in other words people start going into the details of tasks. HOW TO AVOID Focus on the outcomes products/services; Limit the total number of tasks per occupation to seven (excluding specialisations); Continually refer to the task level descriptor to retain the consistency

6
DEFINE THE REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

DEFINE THE REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

What are the required skills and knowledge required for each occupational task?

321

322

How are qualications developed? The Occupational Learning System

WHAT? DEFINE THE REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE WHY? To ensure that the learning can be structured to meet the required occupational outcomes. HOW? For each occupational responsibility ask: what are the skills that must be mastered in order to execute this responsibility? For each product or service ask: What must a person know about it in order to effectively deliver it? What legal requirements must the person know or understand in order to deliver it? What theories must the person understand and apply in order to deliver it? What policies and procedures must the person know or understand in order to deliver it? What else should the person know or understand in order to deliver it?

The Occupational Learning System

A process of analysing each occupational task and dening the skills and underpinning knowledge required to execute the specic task.

7
DEFINE THE RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE

DEFINE THE RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE

What is the relevant work experience required to achieve occupational competence?

WHAT? DEFINE THE RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE A process of describing the work that a person must be able to do in the workplace to demonstrate competence in applying the skills within a specic work context.

WHY? To ensure that we can structure workplace learning that will lead to the demonstrated application of skills.

HOW? Relevant to the occupational context ask: What must a person be able to do in the workplace to demonstrate application of the various skills? What workplace knowledge will be needed? Under what conditions must the performance take place? For what duration must the experience be maintained?

DEVELOP AN ASSESSMENT STRATEGY

What assessment strategy is required to recognise occupational competence?

WHAT? DEVELOP AN ASSESSMENT STRATEGY A process to develop a strategy for the integrated assessment of occupational competence

WHY? To provide the basis for the development of qualication assessment specications

HOW? Determine the optimum combination of assessment tasks (credibility). Determine the most economic and efcient way of assessing learners (assessment centres, assessment sites, national exams). Determine when interim (phase) assessments will be done. Determine how interim (phase) assessments will be done.

On completion of the occupational prole, it should be sent for review and validation to the broad CEP and in some cases to the industry.

323

324

How are qualications developed? The Occupational Learning System

The Occupational Learning System

B
1 2

IDENTIFY THE DEVELOPMENT PATHWAY FOR EACH OCCUPATIONAL TASK

The steps involved in identifying the development pathway for each occupational task are: 1. Adjust occupational prole based on CEP / industry input 2. Dene developmental occupational tasks 3. Dene knowledge, skills and work experience for developmental tasks

ADJUSTING THE OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE BASED ON INDUSTRY INPUT

What changes have been suggested to the occupational prole?

ADJUSTING THE OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE

WHAT? A process to adjust the occupational prole based on inputs and comments

WHY? To ensure that the prole meets labour market needs and is accepted

HOW? Evaluate comments Establish if they are relevant, reect shifts in the nature of purpose of the occupation or reect a specialisation Adjust the prole accordingly

DEFINE DEVELOPMENTAL OCCUPATIONAL TASKS

What are the developmental tasks? WHAT? A process of identifying the developmental steps required to achieve each occupational task identied in the occupational prole WHY? To provide guidance to the learning process in terms of scaffolding and sequencing of learning activities HOW? Dene intermediate tasks and associated products or services, responsibility and context that allow the development from the access qualication to the occupational task. Use the same process questions as per occupational prole Use the LARF tool (overleaf) to guide the development of the occupational tasks at each NQF level between the access qualication and the NQF level of the task.

DEFINE DEVELOPMENTAL OCCUPATIONAL TASKS

NQF Levels

Typical activities

Role

Workplace Focus

Time

10

Envisioning future scenarios

Visionary leadership

Future shape of organisation, industry, profession The business landscape or profession

10 - 15 years

Set and implement strategies

Leading and directing

5 - 10 years

Manage or design systems

Resource management

Policy, resource allocation

3 - 5 years

7
THE LARF TOOL

Manage or design processes

Changed practices

New technology, systems

1 - 3 years

Develop and implement changes

Optimisation

Improvements

3 months 1 year

Maintain efciencies

Stability and consistency

Systems

1 week 3 months

Setup processes and solve process problems

Process management

Process data

1 week 3 months

Adjust, maintain and oversee

Procedures

Productivity

1 week

Monitor, support

Operations

Machinery

1 day

Perform elementary tasks

Task

Machines, tools

Less than a day

325

326

How are qualications developed? The Occupational Learning System

The Occupational Learning System

DEFINE DEVELOPMENTAL OCCUPATIONAL TASKS

DEFINE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND WORK EXPERIENCE FOR DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS

Dene the knowledge and skills for the tasks at the lower NQF levels WHAT? A process of analysing each occupational task and dening the skills and underpinning knowledge required to execute the specic task. WHY? To ensure that the learning can be structured to meet the required occupational outcomes. HOW? For each occupational responsibility ask: what are the skills that must be mastered in order to execute this responsibility? With regard to the specic context ask: What will a person do in the workplace to illustrate mastery of the work within this specic context? For each product or service ask: What additional knowledge must a person know about this product/ service in order to effectively deliver it? What legal requirements must the person know/understand in order to deliver it? What theories must the person understand and apply in order to deliver it? 3. What policies and procedures must the person know or understand in order to deliver it? What else should the person know or understand in order to deliver it?

DEFINE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND WORK EXPERIENCE FOR DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS

DESIGNING THE LEARNING PROCESS

Skills development practitioners can now take the occupational prole and unpack, group, sequence and augment the knowledge and skills in a way that makes good sense from an education and training perspective. The knowledge and theory requirements are specied as subjects and topics, the skills and work experience requirements are specied as modules. The learning process design also describes the summative assessment requirements for each of the curriculum components: knowledge, skills or work experience. Where there are existing qualications for the occupation exemptions from certain components of the curriculum can be described. The diagram above shows how the learning process design takes the outputs of the occupational prole and maps it to meaningful elements of learning to make up the qualication.

327

328

How are qualications developed? The Occupational Learning System

The Occupational Learning System
The steps involved in designing the learning process are: 1. Develop practical module specications 2. Develop work experience module specications 3. Identify the knowledge subjects and allocate topics 4. Develop the knowledge specications

1
DEVELOP PRACTICAL MODULE SPECIFICATIONS

DEVELOP PRACTICAL MODULE SPECIFICATIONS

This screenshot shows a practical module specication for the Human Resource Advisor (OFO 223101) Occupational Task 7.1 that we noted under Develop additional occupational tasks.

DEVELOP WORK EXPERIENCE MODULE SPECIFICATIONS

DEVELOP WORK EXPERIENCE MODULE SPECIFICATIONS

The screenshot above shows a work experience module specication for the Human Resource Advisor (OFO 223101) for Occupational Task 7.1 that we noted under Develop additional occupational tasks. It shows the developmental progression from NQF 5 7. The module title is chosen by asking the question, What is the common thing that is represented in each of the products or services?.

329

330

How are qualications developed? The Occupational Learning System

IDENTIFY THE KNOWLEDGE SUBJECTS AND ALLOCATE TOPICS
The Occupational Learning System

The subjects are selected from the list of academic subjects that are offered within the specic discipline or related areas. Examples for the Human Resource Advisor occupation are: Human Resources Management Industrial Sociology Industrial Psychology Business Economics Statistics Communication Labour Law Human Resources Practice

Once this has been done, the topics need to be allocated to subjects as shown in this screenshot.

IDENTIFY THE KNOWLEDGE SUBJECTS AND ALLOCATE TOPICS

DEVELOP THE KNOWLEDGE SPECIFICATIONS

For each subject, compile a list of topics. To specify the scope of learning, ask yourself these questions with regard to the occupational purpose: What must the learning include to ensure that the purpose is fully covered? What should the main focus of the learning be? What are the essential must know areas that must be included? Identify critical gaps Topics are mapped out based on the knowledge components as dened in the occupational prole plus additional developmental topics.

DEVELOP THE KNOWLEDGE SPECIFICATIONS

331

332

How are qualications developed? The Occupational Learning System

The Occupational Learning System

DEVELOPING UNIT STANDARDS AND QUALIFICATIONS SPECIFICATIONS

This step is the process of converting the inputs dened in all the previous steps to outcomes for registration on the NQF. Since the occupational prole and learning process design are specied in detail, the conversion into an outcomes-based description and assessment guidelines will be a technical exercise. Unit standards would have to be reformatted slightly to take into account the three curriculum components (knowledge, skills and work experience unit standards). Since there is no need to make unit standards a proxy for curriculum the amount of information can be reduced substantially and such documents should not comprise more that two pages. For the qualication, the exit level outcomes will be derived from the occupational or specialisation tasks. Assessment requirements, credits and levels are already generated in the occupational prole and learning process design. For unit standards, the three forms of learning already detailed in knowledge and theory standards, practical standards and work experience standards will be mapped into unit standards. General requirements across qualications and unit standards for a particular occupational family or cluster will not be repeated in each qualication or unit standard, but will be captured in criteria and guidelines applicable to all qualications.

Will the curriculum become another rod for the back of providers?
The curriculum is developed at a fairly high level with the emphasis on guidance and not on conformance. This will allow some exibility, leaving space for contextualisation and specialisation and providing opportunities for innovation and the development of best practice. The Occupational Learning System offers several benets and improvements to skills development providers which are covered in the section Benets & opportunities of the OLS (pg 376).

More answers to Frequently Asked Questions on page 396

DEVELOPING QUALIFICATION ASSESSMENT SPECIFICATIONS

The qualication assessment specications specify the qualifying criteria (what the learner needs to show in terms of a statement of results), assessment tasks, how they should be conducted, guidance for item bank questions, and requirements to be able to conduct the assessment process. Assessors must be practitioners active in the eld. To supplement the assessment guidelines, a database of sample assessment instruments is developed by the CEP team. The instruments set out the types of tasks that should be assigned to learners to assess applied competence in relation to the different forms of learning, as well as some examples of good integrated summative assessments. Instruments will include sample formats for recording evidence of competence, scoring templates, marking memos, log-books etc, as appropriate. In addition, exemplars illustrating the kind of evidence considered valid, sufcient will be provided, as well as specications as to requirements in terms of currency and authenticity. The instruments may include types of written assignments and examination papers where this is considered relevant in terms of the knowledge components of the qualication. Although a database of instruments may allow learners to access these questions and tasks over time, they will still end up covering all aspects of the programme if they tackled all the instruments, because of the range of instruments in the database. Practical tasks including problem-solving situations to be tackled in a simulated environment to ensure the safety of learners and not put expensive equipment at risk, will also be included where necessary. In relation to workplace experience the range, depth and complexity of tasks will be indicated as well as what constitutes sufciency in terms of evidence requirements. The CEP will only be able to produce sample assessments initially: it will take time to develop a database of assessment instruments. This may be more necessary for some occupations than others.

333

334

How are qualications developed?

Where it seems appropriate, the QCTO will investigate commissioning a smaller group of expert practitioners to act as dedicated assessment designers to build the database over a longer period of time. It will also be necessary to review and update the assessment instruments and the range of equipment and resources required for the accredited assessment sites, because in many occupations change is rapid and the assessments must be relevant to current industry practice. Once the CEP has completed its brief, its outputs are submitted to the relevant occupational cluster panel for review (see What is a CEP? pg 284). The review team is not necessarily composed of the whole cluster panel, but may be much smaller - two or three people, depending on the extent and scope of the work submitted. This review is critical to the quality loop. The review is undertaken by individuals that have expertise in the occupation and who understand learning and teaching and curriculum design. The review ensures that the qualication meets the requirements of an occupational qualication as set by QCTO, that overlaps are avoided. It will also focus on the quality of the curriculum (including the example assessment instruments). The assessment instruments for the external assessment will be managed, monitored and moderated by the Assessment Quality Partner appointed by the QCTO and operating under a service level agreement (see pages 285 - 287, What is a CEP?).

The Occupational Learning System

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
The Minister of Higher Education & Training will develop criteria for the registration of occupational qualications. SAQA will register qualications which conform to these criteria on the NQF. Occupational qualications will be linked to occupations listed on the OFO (pg 256). Only one qualication per occupation will be registered. Specialisations in an occupation will be additional skills sets to be undertaken after successful completion of the occupational qualication.

A welder at ORBIT FET College Photo Credit: DHET (FET Directorate)

Where currently competence in an occupation may require the completion of several related qualications at different levels of the NQF, these will now be consolidated into a single qualication.

335

336

How are qualications delivered? The Occupational Learning System

HOW ARE QUALIFICATIONS DELIVERED?
The Occupational Learning System
The Occupational Learning System is more exible in its approach to delivery than NQF 1.0. This is because of the emphasis it places on the starting point and ending point of learning (design and assessment): Occupational learning that results in certication (National Occupational Award or National Skills Award) must by denition be delivered against curriculum components registered with the qualication on the NOPF (pg 264) It must also be assessed externally through nationally standardised assessment agencies and centres in an integrated summative assessment accredited and monitored by the QCTO; the assessment specications are developed during the design process and registered with the qualication on the NOPF In addition to these quality assurance checks, the OLS places emphasis on research into the impact of occupational learning on the labour market. Complaints against providers are registered with the QCTO which logs them and carries out a full investigation if necessary. A data analysis and statistics department at the QCTO monitors factors relating to the impact of training in the labour market, through ESSA (pg 252), analyses trends and identies anomalies.

REDEFINING LEARNING PROGRAMMES

The Skills Development Amendment Act (2008) denes a learning programme as: a learnership, an apprenticeship, a skills programme and any other prescribed learning programme which includes a structured work experience component. The reason for this denition is to focus the Dept Higher Education & Trainings efforts on learning that meets the needs of the labour market. The Occupational Learning System focuses on accurately identifying the skills demands and skills supply of the labour market, and uses the QCTO to assume responsibility for the design and quality assurance of learning interventions that meet these demands. The learning programmes dened by the Skills Development Amendment Act are regulated learning programmes because of their importance to the national wellbeing, and the mandate given to the Dept Higher Education & Training and SETAs to incentivise and implement them on a massive scale.

However other learning programmes are recognised and validated in the Occupational Learning System as well, though they may not attract incentives or be able to be registered as National Occupational Awards or National Skills Awards. With the changes brought about through the NQF Act (2008) and the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008), the following changes to regulated learning programmes now take place:

Programme

Denition under NQF 1.0

Denition under NQF 2.0 Is a type of learning programme that includes (1) knowledge, (2) skill and (3) work experience curriculum components. Is governed by a contractual agreement that leads to a National Occupational Award (pg 293) or a National Skills Award (pg 294) that forms a distinct but recognised portion of an occupational award. Both are occupational qualications registered on the NQF. Is a learnership which culminates in an occupational award that is registered as a trade. Dept Higher Education & Training publishes a list of all registered trades. Is a type of learning programme that comprises the relevant curriculum components (see How are qualications developed? pg 336), culminates in the award of an occupational qualication and is not governed by a regulated contract. (this denition is still under discussion as at the date of publication of this book) Is a type of learning programme that comprises a particular element of learning from the curriculum component that is required for occupational qualications.

Based on unit standards-based qualications registered on the NQF and linked to an occupation. Learnerships Often forming only a part of an occupational qualication. Governed by a contractual agreement that leads to award of an NQF qualication.

Apprenticeships

Qualications based on the Manpower Training Act, dened by the apprenticeship schedule and registered on an interim basis on the NQF

Unregulated by the Dept of Higher Education & Training. Skills programmes Registration required by some SETAs. Informally used by industry for learners not governed by learnerships or for ad hoc collections of unit standards. Other prescribed learning programme

The Dept Higher Education & Training regulates: The denition of a recognised trade The distinct but recognised portion of an occupational award acceptable for registration of a learnership The particular element of learning from the curriculum component acceptable for the denition of a prescribed learning programme

337

338

How are qualications delivered? The Occupational Learning System

The exact denition of a skills programme; skills programmes will either be: Like learnerships but leading to a smaller award (National Skills Award) and without a regulated contract, or As above plus include the learning programmes for the Foundational Learning Competence (pg 300) and for work experience components of qualications on the further or higher education sub-frameworks, or Left unregulated so providers and employers can negotiate their own programme components with the only possible requirement being that the programme includes a work experience component.

The Occupational Learning System

REGISTERING REGULATED LEARNING PROGRAMMES

Learnerships and apprenticeships will usually be registered by the CEP (pg 284) responsible for developing the National Occupational Award they are linked to. National Skills Awards that are not linked to occupations (see What is an occupational qualication: Types of National Skills Awards, pg 295) will usually be identied by industry bodies or SETAs. All regulated learning programmes must have their theory and practical components delivered by an accredited skills development provider and the workplace experience component obtained in an approved workplace (see following for more detail on provider accreditation and workplace approval).

UNREGULATED LEARNING PROGRAMMES

Occupational qualications can be obtained by means other than the regulated programme types listed above. Employers can enrol their employees on courses for the knowledge and theory curriculum components and provide them with the opportunity to develop the practical skills and gain the necessary work experience without signing learnership agreements. This is currently the practice in many smaller companies. However where learners are intending to qualify for an occupational award or a skills award, accredited providers will have to be used and the workplace must be approved. Good practice dictates that such processes should be governed by a learning contract which describes the nature and purposes of the training, the responsibilities of employer and learner and the conditions both parties bind themselves too.

Such a contract does, however, not need to be registered. Many currently employed learners (Section 18.1) receive learning in this way. Providers need not be accredited for generic training that is used to enhance workplace performance, boost morale, change attitudes and practices, etc. Since this training is not based on curriculum components, no statement of results can be issued and the training will not necessarily be occupationally specic. Providers of non-occupational learning do not have to be accredited and have a distinct and important role to play in the labour market.

PROVIDER ACCREDITATION AND WORKPLACE APPROVAL

Provider accreditation and workplace approval are the responsibility of the QCTO which may delegate some of these functions to agents such as SETAs, but the nal responsibility for these functions remains with the QCTO The QCTO accredits providers who demonstrate the capacity to offer at least one of the knowledge & theory and practical skills components of the curriculum for an OQF qualication. It also evaluates and approves workplaces as learning sites for the work experience component of the curriculum although it may delegate this function to SETAs or other agents. Providers are not accredited for delivery of the workplace experience components (employers are). The minimum resource and capacity requirements to deliver each component are specied in the qualication curriculum. Where a provider is already accredited by another QC (Umalusi or CHE) wishes to offer a curriculum component of a qualication on the OQF, the QCTO will check that their provision meets the curriculum component requirements. If it does, it will list the provider as accredited and link them to the relevant OQF qualications. In this case the provider will not have to undergo an entirely new accreditation process. The scope of the providers accreditation will be clearly stated, with all offerings covered by the accreditation listed and linked to the relevant curricula and qualications on the NOPF. If a provider wishes to extend the scope of the accreditation, they will submit an application to the QCTO and their capacity to offer the additional curriculum components will be evaluated.

339

340

How are qualications delivered? The Occupational Learning System

For both providers and workplaces, accreditation and approval requirements against each of the curriculum components will be outlined in the curriculum, and will be t-

The Occupational Learning System

for-purpose. These will include ensuring that the provider or employer can demonstrate that the following are in place, and are appropriate to the learning context: human and physical resources learning and assessment processes and materials health and safety procedures managerial and administrative support

The QCTOs approach to accreditation is described as light-touch - a welcome relief for providers who experienced the heavy touch (bashing) approach under NQF 1.0. It is based on self-evaluation (in terms of the curriculum requirements) for established providers with a good track record. The frequency of compliance audits will depend on the risk prole of the provider. They will always be required for emerging providers and small and micro enterprises workplaces and in cases where complaints have been lodged or an analysis of learner data raises questions. The QCTO encourages a culture of self-regulation and strong links to relevant professional and occupational bodies and associations to maintain and raise professional standards. It provides best practice guidelines and encourages providers to work towards the achievement of excellence. Accreditation is seen as a quality control mechanism.

Real learning gets to the heart of what it means to be human. Through learning we re-create ourselves. Through learning we become able to do something we never were able to do. Through learning we reperceive the world and our relationship to it. Through learning we extend our capacity to create, to be part of the generative process of life. There is within each of us a deep hunger for this type of learning.

Peter Senge

PROPOSED PROVIDER ACCREDITATION CRITERIA AND PROCESS

The proposed provider accreditation criteria are: Criteria for registration Legal entity Compliant with the laws of the country

Criteria for accreditation A registered provider Approved to offer at least one QCTO programme

Criteria for programme approval The following are in place and appropriate for the learning context specied in the qualication design human and physical resources learning and assessment processes and materials health and safety procedures managerial and administrative support The programme meets the minimum requirements for each component specied in the qualication curriculum The proposed accreditation and approval processes are: Initial - provider accreditation Application to the QCTO with documentary evidence of meeting the basic criteria, together with list of relevant programmes offered Initial - programme approval Completed self-evaluation against specications of the curriculum component QCTO site visit to check resources and health and safety issues for practical skills development component Ongoing - provider status will be monitored and reviewed Monitoring and tracking of learners progress and achievements throughout implementation

341

342

How are qualications delivered? The Occupational Learning System

PROPOSED WORKPLACE APPROVAL CRITERIA AND PROCESS
The Occupational Learning System
The proposed workplace approval criteria are: Workplace must meet the work experience criteria specied in the qualication curriculum and be t-for-purpose Supervisors to fulll the role of coaches (pg 178) and evidence facilitators (pg 179) using third party assessment forms developed by the CEP Logbooks to validate experience against the trade schedule or applied learning against specic outcomes Workplace has the required resources to support the learning (relevant equipment etc) Induction or orientation for supervisors and learners to clarify roles and expectations (may be organized by a SETA or agency) The proposed workplace approval process is: Workplaces apply to register with a SETA stating which work experience unit standards they are prepared to host learners for. This includes a statement that they are prepared to ensure the following: The learning agreement will include a work experience schedule which will be exible, to accommodate the priorities of a work environment, but still broadly followed The learners supervisors or an appointed coach will complete the third party assessment forms that have been developed by the CEP (and provided by the SETA or agency). Training of evidence facilitators and coaches will be encouraged but not required unless it is given as a requirement in the curriculum. The workplace will support the learner to complete the learner log book developed by the CEP (also provided by the SETA or agency) The workplaces will show that they have the required resources (specied in the work experience unit standard) to support the work experience Workplaces will be audited by the SETA or partner agency to ensure that they have these resources and can support the learner process. The auditing process will include: An induction process run by the SETA or partner agency for the workplace to make sure that the requirements for the workplace are understood

 in particular this will cover how the third party assessment should be managed and how to support learners to complete their logbooks A visit to ensure the required resources are in place One or more verication visits to ensure that all the requirements are being met

LEARNING IMPLEMENTATION AGENTS

SETAS OR RELATED AGENTS
The quality assurance of learning delivery for occupational qualications is the responsibility of the QCTO which may delegate some of these functions to agents such as SETAs, but the nal responsibility for these functions remains with the QCTO. SETAs continue to carry out their responsibilities for ensuring that apprenticeship contracts and learnership agreements are adhered to by providers, learners and employers. They will monitor implementation and link the allocation of funds and grants to the meeting of the agreed targets recorded in the programme implementation schedule. The implementation of skills programmes will also be monitored. Relevant professional bodies or other suitable agencies may enter into voluntary agreements with the QCTO to assist in monitoring and evaluation functions. They, or SETAs, will perform the following functions on behalf of the QCTO: Approving workplaces against the work experience component of the curriculum Recording approved workplaces and monitoring the quality of the work experience offered Conducting physical audits and verication visits to check the ability of the QCTO accredited providers to implement the specic curriculum component effectively Monitoring learner progress and keeping records of enrolments, completion rates, certication rates, etc, per programme Responding to any complaints or problems related to providers, learners and employers Reporting information as appropriate to the QCTO and the Dept Higher Education & Training The monitoring function is ongoing, and as the QCTO receives reports on programme implementation, the accreditation or approval status of providers or workplaces may be reviewed.

343

344

The Occupational Learning System How are qualications delivered?

PUBLIC FET COLLEGES

The Occupational Learning System

The new National Certicate (Vocational) (see pg 104) offered by public FET colleges could form the knowledge and theory component and the practical skills component of an occupational qualication. While the NC (V) is occupationally-directed, it is not intended to result in occupational competence, in the same way that an occupational qualication is. The NC (V) is aimed at giving learners broad preparation for a vocation and the foundation to branch into various occupations within a general vocation. A work experience component would therefore need to be completed by the learner coming from this pathway, at an approved workplace, and an integrated summative assessment would need to be attained. Quality assurance of the NC (V) component would be done by Umalusi and quality assurance of the work experience component would be done by the QCTO or its agents. An example of this would be a learner seeking to attain competence as an artisan who would complete an appropriate NC (V), do the workplace experience component at an employer, and then write a trade test as their integrated summative assessment. See Vocational & Occupational Directed Qualications in the diagram opposite.

HIGHER EDUCATION PROVIDERS

General qualications offered by Higher Education institutions could form the knowledge and theory component of an occupational qualication. The skills and work experience components would need to be completed at an accredited provider and an approved workplace, as well as an integrated summative assessment before the occupational award could be received. An example of this pathway is the Chartered Accountant qualication starting with a B.Com degree (knowledge and theory component) and leading to practical skills and work experience followed by a board exam. The curriculum components would need to be aligned with the occupational qualication as well as the integrated summative assessment (the board exam). Where higher education providers offer learnerships, the learnership design will need to be approved by the QCTO which is responsible for the design of all learnerships.

345

346

How are qualications delivered?

The provider will also need to comply with their agreement with the SETA responsible for the learnership, as does any provider of a learnership.

The Occupational Learning System

Higher education institutions offering internships may elect to follow the QCTO model of workplace learning in order to benet from its good practice and also to qualify for grants. This would involve aligning the internship programme with the work experience modules of the qualication curriculum on the NOPF and its work experience assessment requirements. Should the internship need to result in an occupational award or skills award, the internship candidates will also need to complete an integrated summative assessment under the QCTO.

PRIVATE PROVIDERS
Private providers are often accredited by SETA ETQA bodies and deliver components of learnerships, apprenticeships, skills programmes and unregulated programmes. Providers accredited with Umalusi or the CHE will not need to seek re-accreditation to deliver occupational qualications. However they will have to align their programmes to meet the curriculum requirements of the occupational qualications and the qualication assessment specications. Their learners will be required to write an integrated summative assessment through the appropriate occupational assessment site (see Quality Assurance of Design, Delivery & Assessment, pg 359). Learnerships will be re-aligned to OQF qualications. Learnerships will not be offered against qualications on the further or higher education frameworks. Providers who deliver learnerships will therefore need to re-align their programmes with the curriculum published for the occupational qualication that the learnership is based on, as well as their assessment practices. Unit standard based programmes can no longer result in competence by building up over time as learners will have to complete an integrated summative assessment at the point at which they are awarded the occupational qualication. Providers can apply to serve as national standardised assessment sites for the QCTO and the requirements they would need to meet are outlined in Quality Assurance of Design, Delivery & Assessment, pg 359. Providers who are active practitioners in an occupation or training for an occupation can serve on Communities of Expert Practice to develop occupational qualications (What is a CEP?, pg 284).

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTES AND ISOES

The Skills Development Amendment Act (2008) provides for the Minister of Higher Education & Training to establish industry and government skills development institutes for massive delivery of occupational related training, especially training in scarce artisan trades. In previous drafts of the legislation, these institutes were called Artisan Development Institutes and their name was changed in order to allow for more exibility of training in more occupations. Institutes of Sectoral Occupational Excellence are provider institutions (public or private) that operate as a centre of excellence for occupationally related education or skills development and as a result of this status receive support from a SETA. Each SETA is required to support at least 5 ISOEs by March 2011. ISOEs are potential vehicles for artisan training. Organisations that are likely to partner with Dept Higher Education & Training to form SDIs include:

FET Colleges and Technical Schools Dept Correctional Services SA National Defence Force A refocused INDLELA Refocused Sheltered Employment Factories (PWD)

State Owned Enterprises such as Transnet, SAA, Metrorail, ESKOM

Private Sector organisations, especially in these sectors: Mining Metal Auto/Motor Chemical Food & Beverage Printing & Packaging Construction

Dept Minerals and Energy Provincial Governments Local Governments metros and municipalities

Dept Safety & Security Dept Water Affairs & Forestry

More information on ISOEs and SDIs is available in the section What is an ISOE and an SDI?, page 099.

347

348

How are qualications assessed? The Occupational Learning System

HOW ARE QUALIFICATIONS ASSESSED?
The Occupational Learning System
It is advisable to read the section How does quality assurance work? before reading this section, in order to understand the major shifts in approach to quality assurance that have taken place in the Occupational Learning System. The design and assessment of qualications are the two focus areas of quality assurance in the OQF based on the principle that if the inputs (design including curriculum) and the outputs (assessment evidence) are properly monitored, then the process itself (delivery) does not have to be burdened with additional quality assurance requirements. To achieve high quality assessment, the OQF ensures a tight integration between the needs of the labour market and the assessment specications, otherwise assessment becomes a process to satisfy people who enjoy doing assessment rather than the actual purpose of the assessment. To keep the purpose in mind, the OQF denes assessment as: To ensure that the achievement of occupational qualications reects occupational competence The principles of OQF assessment are: Credibility Consistency Reecting occupational competence

These principles are achieved by the following features, each of which is discussed in more detail in the section Major shifts in the approach to quality assurance in the OQF (pg 272): The qualication species the learning outcomes required to achieve occupational competence Assessment is standardised nationally The focus is on externally conducted integrated assessments of occupational competence This is conducted by agencies accredited by the QCTO and monitored and moderated by the QCTO appointed Assessment Quality Partner The processes are economic, efcient, and effective There is an emphasis on tness for purpose, relevance, exibility, articulation, progression and portability (see principles of the NQF on pg 073).

ASSESSMENTS
The QCTO will publish best practice assessment guidelines which will address both formative and summative assessment. A sampling approach focusing on fewer assessment tasks, addressing combined outcomes in an integrated manner, will be encouraged. This will reduce the quantity of paperwork, unnecessary duplication as well as the time required and the costs attached to the assessment process.

INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS
The qualication curriculum includes guidelines for the internal assessment of each curriculum component. The internal assessments carried out for the knowledge and practical skills components of occupational qualications are the responsibility of the provider. The internal assessment of the work experience component is the responsibility of the employer. Successful learners receive a statement of results.

EXTERNAL FINAL INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

The external integrated summative assessment of occupational competence is the key focus for the QCTO in relation to the quality assurance of learner achievements. The QCTO does not certify occupational competence without this nal assessment which is performed at external, nationally standardised, assessment sites, under the monitoring and moderation of an Assessment Quality Partner (see What is a CEP?, pg 285, and see Assessment Sites following). This is to ensure that assessments are credible and consistent, and considerable effort is applied to making assessment economical and accessible. The qualication assessment specications (see How are qualications developed?, pg 310) species the overall assessment strategy for the external integrated assessment required to demonstrate occupational competence for each qualication. The same CEP that develops the qualication therefore also develops its assessment specications which ensures consistency and relevance to actual occupational competence. Assessment specialists can assist the CEP in the development of the qualication assessment specications.

349

350

How are qualications assessed? The Occupational Learning System

The qualication assessment specications also specify any interim external assessments required before the nal assessment (such as phase tests in apprentice-

The Occupational Learning System

ships). It species the criteria for the registration of constituent assessors and moderators (Occupational Assessment Practitioners), and the requirements for the accreditation of assessment centres or registration of assessment sites in terms of physical and human resources, and health and safety. The external integrated summative assessment does not duplicate the internal assessments already carried out by providers and workplaces. It focuses on the ability of learners to integrate their general and specialised theory, knowledge, application, acquired skills and work experience to demonstrate applied competence in the context of their occupation. The achievement of relevant critical cross-eld outcomes is integrated into the assessment tasks. Learners who have successfully completed all the required curriculum components will be eligible for the external assessment. Those who are found competent will qualify for certication. Successful learners receive National Occupational Awards or National Skills Awards.

ASSESSMENT SITES
External assessments are conducted at accredited centres or sites registered and monitored by an Assessment Quality Partner (see following heading) appointed by the QCTO and subject to a service level agreement. Assessment sites include workplaces registered as assessment sites, sites for the writing of examinations set by examination bodies, or other venues which meet the requirements contained in the qualication assessment specications of an occupational qualication. Trade tests are conducted at accredited assessment centres which will fall under the national artisan moderating body (see How are artisans developed?, pg 364). Statutory and non-statutory professional bodies and occupational associations will be invited to play a similar role in relation to groups of related occupational qualications where appropriate.

ASSESSMENT QUALITY PARTNERS

The QCTO appoints an Assessment Quality Partner (proposed by the industry or industries at the inaugural meeting of the CEP, pg 286) for the identied occupation or groups of related occupations. Assessment Quality Partners (AQPs) may be appointed to carry out specied quality assurance functions in line with the QCTO Criteria and Guidelines, providing they meet the criteria outlined in the curriculum and qualication assessment specications of the occupational qualication they are being appointed to serve. While the QCTO delegates certain functions, it will retain overall responsibility as well as ownership of the relevant data. AQPs delegated functions may include: the registration of constituent assessors (Occupational Assessment Practitioners) and maintenance of the register the adjudication of appeals, complaints and irregularities identied through the analysis of learner data conducted by the QCTO the verication and cross-moderation of a percentage of external assessments to ensure consistency in application of the national standard the design and validation of external integrated summative assessments of occupational competence, and the development and maintenance of banks of assessment items or tasks

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

RPL was highlighted as a key imperative in the Joint Policy Statement (pg 071) and commitments were made to fast track its implementation and usage in a way that was not seen under NQF 1.0.

RPL OF LEARNING ASSESSED UNDER OTHER QUALITY COUNCILS

The qualication assessment specications of OQF qualications clearly indicate the recognition of prior learning (RPL) for learners who have completed curriculum components through institutions accredited by Umalusi or the CHE-HEQC. Offerings listed in this context will be accepted (without any RPL process requirements) as giving the learner exemption from the equivalent curriculum components provided under the other QCs. The qualication assessment specications also list expired unit standards and qualications from the NQF which are matching parts of occupational curriculum components and can therefore be accepted as giving the learner exemption.

351

352

How are qualications assessed?

RPL OF EXPERIENCE RELATED LEARNING
The Occupational Learning System
The qualication assessment specications also provide broad guidance on the evidence requirements and RPL processes for candidates who seek recognition for the work experience and practical skills components of a qualication curriculum. Where providers of assessment and RPL services have been accredited by the QCTO in the context of a specic qualication, the assessment guidelines which form a part of the curriculum will include a list of these providers so that learners, employers and other providers can use their services. The QCTO will actively promote the provision of RPL advice and services including RPL assessments in the context of human resource development initiatives. One of the criteria for the accreditation of assessment sites to offer the external summative assessment of occupational competence is a requirement to employ staff competent to offer RPL advice and/or identify relevant RPL service providers. The QCTO will provide RPL process guidelines for the planning and implementation of RPL initiatives, aimed at providers, managers responsible for planning and coordinating the implementation of RPL in the workplace, and workplace committees. It will also provide a detailed implementation guide.

CERTIFICATION OF LEARNING ACHIEVEMENTS

The QCTO is responsible for issuing the following certicates of learning achievement: National Occupational Award (registered on the NQF) National Skills Awards (registered on the NQF)

It will also issue statements of results in relation to the Foundational Learning assessment (pg 300). A National Occupational Award states: the title of the occupation as listed on the Organising Framework for Occupations and its NLRD number any specialisation achieved.

A National Skills Award will state: the skills set (s) achieved and their related unit standards.

A Foundational Learning Assessment statement of results will state: Title Competence in Mathematical Literacy for occupational learning; or Competence in English for occupational learning.

QCTO certicates will carry the QCTO logo and be numbered. Security mechanisms will be implemented in line with SAQA guidelines. Certain qualications may be jointly certicated with other Quality Councils, accredited institutions or professional bodies. The QCTO may delegate the function of certication for specied qualications. Delegation will be dependent on the QCTO being satised that quality management systems and security features meet its criteria.

SEE ALSO
For information on the Foundational Learning Competence and its assessment see What is Foundational Learning Competence, pg 300 For information on qualications design including curriculum design and the qualication assessment specications see How are qualications developed?, pg 310 For information on quality assurance aspects of learning delivery see How are qualications delivered?, pg 336 For information on quality assurance aspects of assessment see How are qualications assessed?, pg 348

It is only by describing learning that is traditionally accumulated at work that it will be possible to plan for more accelerated learning by those previously discriminated against by apartheid. South Africa cannot wait for new generations of learners to progress at a measured pace through the formal education and training system if it is to leapfrog stages of development and attain growth rates that will halve unemployment and poverty in the next ten years.

See full citation on page 219

353

354

How does quality assurance work?

HOW DOES QUALITY ASSURANCE WORK?
The Occupational Learning System
Quality assurance in the Occupational Qualications Framework (OQF) is the responsibility of the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations. The background and functions of the QCTO are explained in the section, What is the QCTO, pg 280. The purpose of quality assurance in the OQF is: 1. To ensure that occupational training serves the skills needs of the labour market 2. To ensure that the learning experience offered is structured, appropriate and purposeful 3. To ensure that the achievement of occupational qualications reects occupational competence These three purposes are reected in the three broad areas of: research, design and delivery. The diagram opposite further breaks down these areas into more detailed components. Before we go into detail on quality assurance, lets take a look at some of the key differences in quality assurance in the Occupational Qualications Framework.

MAJOR SHIFTS IN THE APPROACH TO QUALITY ASSURANCE IN THE OQF

Earlier in this chapter we explained how the Occupational Learning System set out to radically improve the current system of skills development based on lessons learned under NQF 1.0. The key improvements targeted were summarised under the names of: Relevance Simplicity Flexibility Quality

These improvements have a specic impact on the way quality assurance works in the OQF:

355

356

How does quality assurance work?

LINKING TO LABOUR MARKET NEEDS
The Occupational Learning System
Ensuring that occupational qualications meet the needs of the labour market (pg 250) is the highest overall purpose of the quality assurance framework of the OQF. More detail on this is provided in the section Quality assurance through impact assessment (pg 362).

RECOGNITION OF THREE FORMS OF LEARNING

Under NQF 1.0, there was an uneven application of the work experience component of learning across occupational qualications. Work experience was written into qualications at unit standard level resulting in a proliferation of unit standards with endless variations of particular applications of work experience. Work experience was also patchily applied in critical cross eld outcomes, essential embedded knowledge, outcomes, values and attitudes. It was present in differing degrees in both the fundamental, core and elective components of qualications. In the OQF, three forms of learning are recognised and clearly structured: Knowledge and theory Practical skills Work experience More detail on this and a diagram is provided under How are qualications developed? (pg 310). Linked to this recognition is increased importance given to statutory and non-statutory professional bodies to improve the quality and relevance of training, and clearer linkages with the formal educational system represented by Umalusi and the CHE.

INVOLVEMENT OF PRACTITIONERS AND PROFESSIONAL OR OCCUPATIONAL BODIES

A Community of Expert Practice is the group of practitioners active in a specic occupation, and knowledgeable about its current practice. CEPs are involved in the quality assurance and standards setting responsibilities of the QCTO, in order to ensure that occupational qualications remain relevant and responsive to the labour market. Professional and occupational bodies are in many cases formalised CEPs and can, thus, act as Development and Assessment Quality Partners.

STREAMLINING THE SETA ETQAS INTO ONE QUALITY COUNCIL

The 23 SETA ETQAs and 8 professional body ETQAs made up a complex quality assurance system differing and sometimes conicting interpretations of SAQAs guidelines. The QCTO now takes overall responsibility for occupational quality assurance It may delegate some of these functions back to the original bodies

INCORPORATION OF CURRICULUM DESIGN

NQF 1.0 was criticised for its inconsistency of quality in learning programmes and assessment across sectors and among providers. The OQF includes curriculum development in qualication design to guide the development of learning programmes and assessments.

STANDARDISING ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS AND PRACTICE

Assessment practices in the occupational arena varied considerably across the 23 SETA ETQAs and 8 professional body ETQAs. Now assessment is the responsibility of the QCTO, which although it may delegate functions, cannot delegate responsibility for those functions. The qualication design process produces assessment specications for each occupational qualication. Since there is only one qualication per occupation, this reduces the amount of variation possible, although assessors are encouraged to contextualise the specications for occupational relevance. Importance is placed on the nal external summative assessment by creating a national assessment standard for each occupational qualication and using an Assessment Quality Partner to implement the standards, through examination bodies, registered assessment centres and assessment sites, to ensure consistent quality in this important end-point.

MOVING AWAY FROM RELIANCE ON ACCREDITATION, SIMPLIFYING APPROVAL PROCESSES

This is part of the emphasis in the OQF of focusing quality assurance on the design and assessment of learning. Problems with delivery are reduced by the effective quality assurance of design, and identied by the effective quality assurance of assessment. This minimises the need for excessive quality assurance of delivery. Provider accreditation under NQF 1.0 was complicated, time consuming and often excluded small and emerging providers from being able to break into the big learnership and training contracts.

357

358

How does quality assurance work?

Provider accreditation for all OQF related learning is done by one body the QCTO, and is based on light-touch principles that focus on key points in the design and

The Occupational Learning System

assessment process and use intelligent data systems to identify problem areas requiring further attention. Self-regulation is facilitated with established providers being allowed to submit selfevaluation assessments for accreditation

NEW PRINCIPLES TO GUIDE QUALITY ASSURANCE

The principles behind the OQFs quality assurance framework are a departure from many of the ways of operating that characterized NQF 1.0: Using data analysis to pin-point problems Data will be gathered from a variety of sources and analysed to monitor the quality of providers, workplaces, quality partners and the qualications and curriculum. This pin-point approach will reduce the resources required to do blanket quality assurance. Using existing expertise and structures While the OQF is an entirely new framework, it makes extensive use of existing expertise and structures in order to avoid duplication and wastage. For instance, SGB members may participate in CEPs, existing unit standards and qualications may be adapted, SETA ETQA expertise may have certain quality assurance functions delegated to it, e tc. Prioritising quality assurance requirements and focusing on key processes Instead of implementing blanket quality assurance requirements, the OQF uses a smart quality assurance approach to prioritise which key processes to focus on. Keeping processes as simple as possible Providing enough exibility to ensure tness for purpose Providing sufcient standardisation to achieve credibility Providing for efciency, effectiveness, economy

Now that we understand some of the major shifts in quality assurance, lets take a closer look at the three broad areas of quality assurance in the OQF: design, delivery and assessment.

QUALITY ASSURANCE OF DESIGN, DELIVERY AND ASSESSMENT

QUALITY ASSURANCE OF DESIGN
For more information on qualications design see How are qualications developed?, pg 310. The QCTO (pg 280) is responsible for the design of all qualications in the OQF and their related unit standards. This includes all designated trades as well as occupational qualications previously developed through SETA driven or supported standards generating processes. Qualications design is meant to ensure that the learning experience offered is structured, appropriate and purposeful. To do this, the design process must have the following features: Expert and practice driven Fit-for-purpose qualications and curricula Learning inputs required for achievement of the occupational competence named in the qualication are specied in the curriculum Outcomes required are specied in the qualication Articulation between providers from different parts of the system is allowed for in the design More detailed information on the Expert and practice driven features of qualications design are provided in the section What is a CEP? (pg 284). More detailed information on all of the remaining features of qualications design are provided in the section How are qualications developed? (pg 310). The QCTO uses the National Occupational Pathways Framework (NOPF, pg 264) as a management tool to identify related clusters of occupations, minimise duplication and ensure that occupational qualications and curricula are designed in line with labour market skills needs. The NOPF indicates articulation and progression options and thus facilitates recognition of prior learning (RPL, pg 158) and the fast-tracking of skills development initiatives. The development of curricula is integral to the qualication design process.

359

360

How does quality assurance work?

The curriculum covers the three curriculum components: knowledge, practical skills and work experience.

The Occupational Learning System

It species the requirements for accreditation of providers and approval of workplaces. It includes guidelines for learning provision and guidelines for the internal assessment of each curriculum component. The internal assessments carried out for the knowledge and practical skills components of occupational qualications are the responsibility of the provider. The internal assessment of the work experience component is the responsibility of the employer. Successful learners receive statements of results. In addition to the curriculum, qualication assessment specications are developed during the design phase of each OQF qualication in relation to the integrated summative assessment of occupational competence. This is referred to as the external assessment. The specications set a national standard to ensure the consistency of the external assessments across different sites and sectors. Successful learners receive Occupational Awards or Skills Awards (pg 293). SAQA registers OQF qualications on the NQF. There is an emphasis on tness for purpose, relevance, exibility, articulation, progression and portability in the design of occupational qualications. The design process therefore lays the basis for the quality assurance of learning achievements and other quality control processes which are outlined following.

QUALITY MONITORING OF DELIVERY

For more information on qualications delivery see How are qualications delivered?, pg 336. The quality monitoring of delivery is deliberately minimised in the OQF in order to order to streamline and simplify the QA process, achieving the most economical and efcient impact. It is a direct response to the complexity, bureaucratisation and expense of the approach to the quality assurance of delivery under NQF 1.0. Quality assurance is rather emphasised in the design process (to reduce resulting delivery problems), and the assessment process (to identify design and delivery problems). SETAs continue to act as agents for the Dept Higher Education & Training and carry out responsibilities for ensuring that apprenticeship contracts and learnership agreements are followed. They monitor implementation and link the

allocation of funds to agreed targets in the programme implementation schedules. They also monitor the implementation of skills programmes. In the OQF, SETAs (or other identied bodies) are able to place more emphasis on the quality of learning programme implementation as their expanded roles below show: approving workplaces against the work experience component of the curriculum recording approved workplaces and monitoring the quality of the work experience offered conducting physical audits and verication visits to check the ability of the QCTO accredited providers to implement the specic curriculum component effectively monitoring learner progress and keeping records of enrolments, completion rates, certication rates, etc, per programme responding to complaints or problems related to providers, learners and employers reporting information as appropriate to the QCTO and the DHET

The monitoring function is ongoing, and as the QCTO receives reports on programme implementation, the accreditation or approval status of providers and workplaces may be reviewed. Relevant professional bodies or other suitable agencies may enter into voluntary agreements with the QCTO to assist in monitoring and evaluation functions. The monitoring of on-going summative assessment for the issue of statements of results forms an integral part of the quality monitoring function of the QCTO. Guidance relating to the conduct of these assessments are included in the curriculum. In addition to this, the QCTO will publish best practice assessment guidelines to address both formative and summative assessment. A sampling approach focusing on fewer assessment tasks, addressing combined outcomes in an integrated manner, will be encouraged. This will reduce the quantity of paperwork, unnecessary duplication as well as the time required and the costs attached to the assessment process. For information on the quality control of provider accreditation and workplace approval, see the section How are qualications delivered?, pg 336.

QUALITY ASSURANCE OF ASSESSMENT

The quality assurance of assessment is explained under How are qualications assessed?, pg 348.

361

362

How does quality assurance work?

QUALITY ASSURANCE THROUGH IMPACT ASSESSMENT
The Occupational Learning System
Research into the impact of occupational learning on the labour market enables the highest overall purpose of the quality assurance framework of the OQF. It completes the quality loop back to the labour market which was established when the labour market was identied as the source of information on the supply and demand of skills (see What is the Labour Market?, pg 250). Impact assessment is the recognition that the labour market is also the ultimate source of the relevance and effectiveness of occupational learning. This requires: Designing appropriate performance indicators to reect the purpose of learning interventions Collecting and analysing the relevant data Using data analysis to pinpoint problems Using the evaluation and review of activities as the basis for monitoring

The QCTO has a research and statistics centre which analyses learner achievements by the following areas: By provider and province - learner throughput and success rates are the issue here: Are there any problems emerging from the random verication process or from the SETA site visits? Are there any patterns that require investigation? For example, if learners who have undertaken their learning through a particular provider are consistently unable to demonstrate competence in the integrated summative assessment, then this provider will need to be investigated By assessment site Are there any anomalies that require investigation (based on results or the verication processes)? Are there any complaints about the assessors, moderators, resources, instruments or processes? Are there indications that learners from particular providers or workplaces

experience problems? Across learning programmes Are there any patterns which suggest that there need to be changes in the qualication, the curriculum framework or the assessment guidelines? By complaints, appeals and outcomes There will be an analysis of complaints and appeals and whether they have any impact on the trends identied in the previous three categories of data Research will be commissioned by the QCTO, sometimes in response to trends identied through its own data analysis, and sometimes in response to other factors. Types of research expected are: tracer studies on learners entering learnerships but dropping out, and those completing learnerships successfully What is their employment or self-employment status after two years, ve years...etc the impact of the Fundamental Learning Certicate (pg 300) assessments on all occupational qualications in terms of: The performance of those who achieved the FLC based on an RPL exemption compared with learners who had to complete the entire FLC programme, or who completed a brush up course against identied gaps The outputs of this research and analysis will be fed back into the OLS to develop strategies for improving every aspect of the system.

Of all the challenges facing an emerging economy such as South Africa (emerging in the formal sense of the word, and emerging in the sense of the re-creation of a nation), the greatest, surely, is the integration of the previously excluded into the normal activities of a market economy. This is the challenge that the NQF set itself. But by simply re-creating the systems derived from European tradition we will not succeed.

See full citation on page 219

363

364

How are artisans developed? The Occupational Learning System

HOW ARE ARTISANS DEVELOPED?
The Occupational Learning System
The artisan occupation group is a scarce skill that is fundamental to the economic growth of South Africa and also has the potential to empower tens of thousands of workers. The drive to accelerate artisan development was one of the key forces that resulted in the improvements brought about in the NQF Act (2008) and the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008). The Occupational Learning System came about in large part because of frustrations experienced with artisan development under NQF 1.0.

ECONOMIC GROWTH AND SCARCE SKILLS

The growth rate of the South African economy has been steadily increasing from stagnation during the Apartheid years, to 3% in the decade following the 1994 election, then 4% in 2004, close to 5% in 2005, and exceeding 5% from 2006 2007. Despite the economic recession, which began in 2008, the shortage of skills is still seen by many as the most serious obstacle in the way of economic recovery and subsequent growth. Government had targeted at least 6% growth by 2010 in order to achieve its target of halving unemployment and poverty by 2014. Even without a recession, 6% growth requires a level of skilled labour that the country is not currently able to supply. Most of the growth seen up until 2007 in the economy had been in the tertiary sector of the economy, where skills requirements are more advanced than in the shrinking primary and secondary sectors, which involve production and processing of raw materials and agriculture. Besides requiring skills to fuel economic growth in general, skills are also needed to fund the massive infrastructure related investment by public and private sector organisations and 2010 focused activities. The 2010 World Cup on its own requires major infrastructure investment, and is drawing extensively on skilled labour in the construction sector to meet the requirements on schedule. Government has allocated R5 bn for the renovating of 10 stadiums and another R8,7 bn on upgrades to airports, roads and railway lines for the World Cup.

About 350,000 visitors from overseas are expected to spend a month in the country for the Cup. The tournament is expected to create about 129,000 jobs and R72 bn of additional tax revenue. In 2003, the private sector was forecasting spending of R100bn on construction related projects during 2003 - 2008, and research was commissioned through the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI), to determine the extent of the skills shortage in this industry, and how it could be solved. The NACI report predicted a 20% growth in labour requirements would be required by the construction industry, in order to cope with the expected growth. It also reported a drastic decrease in apprenticeship training during 1982 and 1998 while at the same time nding that industry based training facilities were only being used at 70% of their capacity. The public FET college system was producing engineering related graduates, but in 2000, only 34% of them managed to nd work, showing a mismatch between the quality of skills required by industry, and offered by training institutions. In early 2008 there were 122 Megaprojects in progress or planned in southern Africa for the period up until 2014, valued at approximately R600 bn. This is excluding the growth expected in Zimbabwe, the new SASOL 4 renery, and the two PBMR nuclear reactors that are planned for construction soon. It is also excluding the capacity that will be needed at the Coega Industrial Development Zone once it returns to full capacity. Dept Science & Technology estimates R3 trillion worth of infrastructure projects in southern Africa within the next ve years based on these additional projects. While many of these projects were paused following the collapse of the world nancial markets in 2008, the factors driving their development are still in force. The skills demands of such a vast range of infrastructure projects are far in excess of our current training capacity: 180,000 artisans will be needed during the peak of these projects 24,000 supervisory level artisans will be needed (craftsmen, foremen, supervisors and superintendents) The importation of foreign labour is not as viable an option as previously thought because it is a rapidly diminishing pool of labour (due to global demand). The quality of foreign labour has dramatically decreased in recent years (15% reject rates as opposed to 1% in the past), while still being very expensive.

365

366

How are artisans developed? The Occupational Learning System

ARTISAN SKILLS REQUIRED FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH
The Occupational Learning System
South Africa produces about 8,000 artisans every year, but requires approximately 35,000 every year, and possibly many more if the southern African Megaprojects list is to be completed (see previous section). Artisan skills were identied by JIPSA (pg 083) as one of ve immediate, high priority skills shortages, with special emphasis on trades related to infrastructure development, housing and energy. A weakness in artisan training capacity was also identied by JIPSA as one of four bottle-necks to priority skills acquisition. Artisans are essential across many industries, including the construction and engineering sectors mentioned above, but also importantly in the manufacturing sector, which helps drive exports for the economy as a whole, and earns valuable foreign currency. The manufacturing sector helps keep wealth within South Africa by adding value to raw materials, such as iron and steel, which are often just exported earning less prot than they could if they were processed within the country. Consolidated SETA sector skills plans for the period 2007 2010 projected that South Africa would be able to produce over 33,000 artisans per year during this period, a substantial improvement on the approximately 8,000 per year produced during 2000 2006. These targets have not been achieved due to the cooling of the global economy that started in mid-2008.

WHY WAS THERE A DECLINE IN ARTISAN SUPPLY?

There has been a drastic decline in artisan training in South Africa from 1986 with 13,500 trade test passes a year to 2006 with only 3,222 passes. This was due to more than just a single factor, with all of the issues below contributing to the decline: The over-emphasis of learnerships in the Skills Development Act and the National Skills Development Strategy Learnerships were an improvement in many ways on the apprenticeship route for artisans, but a neglect of apprenticeship training resulted The repeal of the Manpower Training Act (1981) was not matched by the transfer of relevant artisan provisions to the Skills Development Act until 2008 State owned enterprises (SOEs) trained less artisans

In the past, SOEs were a major source of new artisans Several SOEs were privatized and as a result trained only for their own shortterm needs (including Iscor, Telkom) and other SOEs trained less in an effort to focus on core activities

Brain drain resulted in many artisans leaving the country Many artisans have retired (the average age of artisans is 52)

PRIORITY TRADES
JIPSA identied the following sixteen priority trades: automotive electricians boilermakers carpenters and joiners diesel mechanics earth-moving equipment mechanics light and heavy electricians tters tters and turners instrument mechanics millwrights motor mechanics sheet metal trades workers shutter hands and steel xers toolmakers and patternmakers welders

367

368

How are artisans developed? The Occupational Learning System

CHANGES TO THE ARTISAN LEARNING LANDSCAPE
The Occupational Learning System
The outlook for artisan training is signicantly better in NQF 2.0 than it was before. The Occupational Learning System described in this chapter is ideally suited to develop occupations such as artisans. The Skills Development Amendment Act (2008) introduced the following changes to the skills development environment for artisans: The establishment of a National Artisan Moderating Body Listing of Trades National Register of Artisans Trade Tests

NATIONAL ARTISAN MODERATING BODY

See the section Assessment Sites (pg 350) for more information. The Dept Higher Education & Training is mandated to set up a national artisan moderating body within the department to coordinate artisan development in South Africa. It will: monitor the performance of accredited artisan trade test centres (nal integrated summative testing centres) moderate artisan trade tests develop, maintain and apply a national data-bank of instruments for assessment and moderation of artisan trade tests develop and maintain a national database of registered artisan trade assessors and moderators record artisan learning achievements determine appeals against assessment decisions recommend the certication of artisans to the QCTO

INDLELA, the trade test centre of the Dept of Higher Education & Training, is likely to be named as the national artisan moderating body.

LISTING OF TRADES
The Minister of Higher Education & Training is empowered to list or de-list any occupation as a trade requiring an artisan qualication. The purpose of this is to align artisan trades to the new OFO, resulting in the simplication of artisan training routes and career pathways, and the collapsing of industry specic trades into specialisations within a single occupation (see What is the OFO?, pg 256). For example, all Fitters , Machinists and Mechanics (OFO Code 3232) will now be covered under one General Fitter occupational qualication, with a common core component, and a specialisation component allowing learners to branch into one of several specialisations such as Diesel Mechanic, Fitter-Machinist or Fitter Mechanic. A further specialisation caters for industry specic specialisations such as Chemical, Manufacturing or Defense related sectors. See the diagram on the page following, General Fitter Qualication.

NATIONAL REGISTER OF ARTISANS

The national register is aimed at the professionalisation of the artisan trade through the listing all qualied artisans and by making it illegal for anyone not on the list to practice a trade. The department is empowered to remove artisans from the list if they bring the trade into disrepute. It also makes it easier to identify registered artisans for continuing professional skills development. The Act empowers the Dept Higher Education & Training to: maintain a register of people who have obtained an artisan qualication (under NQF 1.0 or 2.0) and who are practicing that trade A qualied artisan is dened as anyone who completed a contract of apprenticeship under a time-based apprenticeship system in terms of any conditions of apprenticeship under the Manpower Training Act (1981), any law repealed by that Act, and any law listed in schedule 1 to the Integration of Labour Laws Act (1994) dealing with training or skills development No person, whether employed or self-employed, can claim to be qualied as an artisan in a listed trade unless they are registered on the national register of artisans Remove from the national register the name of any person who brings the artisan trade into disrepute

369

370

How are artisans developed?

TRADE TESTS
The Occupational Learning System
A trade test is the nal integrated summative assessment that anyone wishing to practice as an artisan must complete before being certied as competent in that occupation.

These provisions clarify the ways in which a learner can qualify to take a trade test (there are now four possible routes to increase access to this occupation), as well as a pre-trade test qualifying evaluation (to reduce wastage).

The Act states:

No-one can obtain an artisan qualication unless they have successfully undergone a trade test administered by an accredited trade test centre (see Assessment Sites, pg 350).

A person can apply to undergo a trade test if

they have completed a learnership relevant to that trade

or they have satised the requirements of an apprenticeship for that trade

or an accredited trade test centre has certied that they have acquired enough prior learning related to that trade

and they have completed any other learning programme resulting in an occupational or vocational qualication, including prescribed work experience, that entitles them to undergo the trade test

An accredited trade test centre may require anyone who applies to undergo a trade test to rst undergo a preliminary evaluation to see if they have enough experience and knowledge of the trade they want to be tested on

The QCTO must issue anyone who successfully completed a trade test with a trade certicate, stating that they are qualied to perform the trade specied in the certicate

We will now look in more detail at each of the four possible routes to certication as an artisan

See also the HR Advisor example of an occupational qualication on page 314.

371

372

How are artisans developed?

ARTISAN SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ROUTES
The Occupational Learning System
Prior to the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008), there was confusion around the possible training routes to the artisan occupation. The Act now claries four distinct routes as follows:

APPRENTICESHIP ROUTE
1) A learner enrols as an apprentice with an employer on an NQF registered artisan qualication (all NQF registered artisan qualications will be developed under the sub-framework of the Occupational Qualications Framework)

2)

The learner is registered with a SETA on a learnership agreement as an apprenticeship (apprenticeships are now given equal status as learnerships for funding purposes)

3)

The learner gains access to the trade test upon completion of the requirements of the learnership agreement

4)

Certication for the NQF registered artisan qualication occurs after successful completion of a trade test

LEARNERSHIP ROUTE
1) A learner enrols as a learner on a learnership with an Employer on an NQF registered artisan qualication

2)

The learner is registered with a SETA on a learnership agreement as a learnership

3)

The learner gains access to the trade test upon completion of the requirements of the learnership agreement

4)

Certication for the NQF registered artisan qualication occurs after successful completion of a trade test

NATIONAL CERTIFICATE (VOCATIONAL) SKILLS PROGRAMME ROUTE

1) A learner who has completed the National Certicate Vocational (NC (V)) for an artisan trade enrols on a skills programme with a relevant QCTO accredited provider to complement the NC (V) with theoretical learning and work experience learning in order to qualify for the relevant trade test. 2) 3) The learner is registered with a SETA on a skills programme agreement The learner gains access to the trade test upon completion of the requirements of the skills programme agreement. 4) Certication for the NQF registered artisan qualication occurs after successful completion of a trade test

RPL SKILLS PROGRAMME ROUTE

See the sections, What is RPL (pg 158) and How are Qualications Assessed? RPL (pg 351) for more information on recognition of prior learning 1) This route applies to people who are not yet ready to undergo a trade test, either because: a. they could not successfully complete a preliminary evaluation for the test b. or because they are declared not yet competent after undergoing a trade test 2) They can nevertheless enrol for a skills programme with a relevant QCTO accredited provider to add to the prior learning they have already built up over time 3) 4) The learner is registered with a SETA on a skills programme agreement They gain access to the trade test on completion of the requirements of the skills programme agreement 5) Certication for the NQF registered artisan qualication occurs after successful completion of a trade test.

373

374

How are artisans developed?

FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT ARTISAN TRAINING COSTS
The Occupational Learning System
Government and the private sector have done several calculations to work out how to budget for the massive amount of artisan training needed in the country. Here are some of their gures It costs approximately R120,000 per year over three years to train an artisan Approximately 100,000 artisans are needed over a three year period to meet current skills demands At a 50% pass rate or attrition rate, double this number are need, i.e. 200,000 The cost over three years is therefore: 200,000 artisans X R120,000 = R24 billion, or R8 billion per year

SEE ALSO
What is an apprenticeship? (pg 154) Success stories: the Accelerated Artisan Training Programme? (pg 411)

Two artisans in training inspect the quality of their work at Tshwane South College for FET Photo Credit: DHET (FET Directorate)

The new framework should accelerate the description of the learning that stands behind the term work experience at all levels of work. This is necessary because South Africa has a deeply rooted societal and economic problem: it has to achieve employment equity and black economic empowerment targets at a rate which is faster than the slow and informal pace at which experience is normally accumulated for progression at work.

See full citation on page 219

375

376

Benets & Opportunities of System The Occupational Learning the OLS

BENEFITS & OPPORTUNITIES OF THE OLS
The Occupational Learning System
This section shows the relevance of the Occupational Learning System to key roleplayers in the labour market.

Our intention is to make these role-players aware of the new benets and opportunities available to them so that they can play their part and also provide input to improvements and modications to the system.

The information in this section is a summarised and simplied version of the information that appears in the rest of this chapter - please see the references provided for more detail.

BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYERS

Employers have two skills related responsibilities: (1) skills for productivity and performance to increase protability and (2) skills for transformation of their workplaces as required by government legislation such as the BEE Act and the Employment Equity Act.

Under NQF 1.0, many employers felt that they were just being saddled with additional bureaucracy and red tape requirements.

SETA administration was often slow and complex resulting in employers being discouraged from participating in learnerships because of the slow rate of certication and grant payment processes.

Many employers, especially in small and medium sized companies, decided to just pay the Skills Development Levy as a tax and not bother claiming a grant back against the Levy for participating in training.

For those employers who did participate, there was often the frustration of graduates not possessing the competence needed in the workplace yet having their expectations raised about promotion opportunities and increased wages.

INDUSTRY RELEVANCE
The Occupational Learning System targets work relevant learning that is simple, exible and of a high quality. It is completely different from NQF 1.0 in putting the labour market at its centre, and placing a high priority on reducing unemployment and poverty by equipping people with economically valuable skills. NQF 1.0 was an education and training focused system with the learner at its centre. The labour market and the economic value of skills were just one of the outcomes it sought to address, among a range of competing interests. In the end it was the interests of the learner that were lost, especially learners for whom employment was the difference between living above or below the breadline. The large number of unemployed graduates in South Africa (302,000 Labour Force Survey 2003), even in the face of massive skills shortages, is a reection of this disconnect between education and the requirements of the workplace. In response, the OLS brings a much tighter link between skills demand and skills supply, involves professional bodies and practising experts in the design of learning solutions, maps out clear career pathing options, and matches one qualication to each occupation. This eliminates much duplication and wastage that resulted from the multiple access points to approximately 1,300 occupations that were represented in the 11,000 plus NQF qualications. For example, the occupation of a plumber has 6 apprenticeship schedules under 6 different SETAs, 1 SETA qualication at NQF 3 and two FET College qualications (at NQF 2 and 3). The new Organising Framework for Occupations (OFO, pg 256) is used by employers to map individual candidate proles to company specic job proles that can now be based on internationally and nationally standardised occupational proles on the OFO. Gaps can be identied and used for Personal Development Plans and Workplace Skills Plans.

377

378

Benets & Opportunities of System The Occupational Learning the OLS

DESIGN SIMPLICITY
The Occupational Learning System
NQF 1.0 attempted to create one integrated national framework for learning that spanned delivery channels ranging from pre-schools to technical high schools, from universities and universities of technology to private training providers offering 1 day courses.

This was an ambitious target by any means, and there are very few NQFs in the world that have attempted such a close level of integration.

Individual approaches to learning within the NQF were not ready for such a close working relationship with each other.

Each special interest group in the framework seemed to have conicting requirements and irreconcilable differences.

This manifested in multiple overlapping bodies with similar functions and frequent disputes when bodies had to work together.

More layers of bureaucracy needed to be developed to co-ordinate more moving parts within the system, resulting in more time delays, more wastage and a higher cost of learning.

In response, the OLS is built within a sub-framework of the NQF, called the Occupational Qualications Framework (OQF).

This signicantly streamlines and simplies the framework for work related learning.

For example, the quality assurance functions that were once performed by 23 SETA ETQA bodies, are now all consolidated under the Quality Council for the OLS the QCTO.

Qualication design and provider accreditation are simplied.

GET READY FOR THE NEW SKILLS DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM

CUTTING EDGE INFORMATION SESSIONS OVER 1,000 PEOPLE HAVE PARTICIPATED
Prepare your HR team, Learning & Development staff and Education & Training practitioners for the new Occupational Learning System (OLS) with this leading edge information, offered in-house at your organisation. A one day overview session, plus a more practical second day, covering course and qualication design. Over 1,000 people from the following organisations have already benefted from these sessions: A of Cape Town, The CCMA, Cedara College (KZN Depatment of Agriculture & Enviromental Affairs), Central Karoo District Council, Coca-Cola, DPSA, Dept of Agriculture, Dept of Correctional Services, Defy, Distell, Dormac, Eskom, Ethekwini Municipality, Management (IPM), Irvin & Johnson, JD Group, MERSETA, Metropolitan, The City of uMhlathuze, Molsaf, NECSA (Nuclear Energy Corp of SA), Northlink College, PSETA, Pick n Pay, Pioneer Foods, Rand Water, SASCE, SASSETA, SANDF, SA Reserve Bank, South African Petroleum Industry Association (SAPIA), SABC, Sanlam, SITA, Spar, State Theatre, Telkom, Transnet National Ports Authority, Trident Steel, Umalusi, Umgungundlovu FET College, Unisys, Vodacom, Wits University.

DAY 1 : OVERVIEW
A one day overview session covering the entire span of the new occupational learning system, and its individual components. After attending this session you will understand why there is a need for a new learning system to specically serve the labour market and how the changes can benet you as an employer, training provider, government agency or labour union. Is an essental summary of the key changes introduced in the new Skills Development Amendment Act (2008) and the NQF Act (2008).

DAY 2 : COURSE & QUALIFICATION DESIGN

The new OLS raises many questions for learning and development practitioners. What will happen to currently registered qualications and unit standards? Will course materials have to be re-written? Will accreditation requirements change? Having a curriculum will provide greater guidance to supervisors and trainers. But will it mean more prescription? Will course materials have to change? Will portfolios of evidence get bigger or smaller? This workshop seeks to answer these questions by looking at the likely impact of the OLS on training and assessment. Participants will workshop an example from conceptualisation through curriculum development to assessment to get a rst-hand feel. This workshop provides a hands-on opportunity to get a feel for the way things could work.

A live presentation from RainbowSA

FACILITATORS INCLUDE: MIKE STUART - B.A (Hons) Head: Skills Development Unit, Editor: The National Skills Development Handbook - RainbowSA. CHRISTOPH VORWERK - B.A, B.A (Hons); UED Director, Xasa Facilitating (Pty) Ltd
DAY 1, and DAY 2 can be booked separately if required. Book in-house sessions by contacting us on 011 485 2036 or visit www.RainbowSA.co.za.

379

380

Benets & Opportunities of the OLS

FLEXIBILITY OF DELIVERY
The Occupational Learning System
Workplaces require a learning framework that can adapt to rapidly changing circumstances and allow people to be easily re-skilled and upskilled as shifts in technology and the global economic environment require. For example, the DTIs National Industrial Policy Framework (NIPF) is based on three year periods and requires the rapid response of business, labour and government in order to prioritise key growth areas in that space of time. Such opportunities may no longer be there after a year or two, and therefore a exible and rapid response to them is essential. In the Occupational Learning System, this kind of rapid deployment of the workforce becomes much more achievable and manageable than before. All 1,300 occupations are clustered and grouped by purpose, skills sets, and skills levels, making horizontal progression (re-skilling) and vertical progression (upskilling) more transparent. The system used to cluster occupations is internationally comparable and can therefore be used for a wide variety of purposes.

QUALITY OF ACHIEVEMENT
The NQF had originally been designed to register only the outcomes of learning along with assessment guidelines so that providers would be free to come up with their own learning content and structure (curriculum). However in practice this resulted in an inconsistent quality of learning delivery across the very wide range of providers and learning programmes in use, and as a result, a lack of credibility and trust in the NQF. Even when learning delivery was consistent, the standards and qualications the learning was based on were often lacking. For example, some qualications and unit standards were successful in describing the general knowledge required for competence, others were successful at describing the practical skills required for competence, but seldom were standards successful in describing both at the same time.

Qualications and standards were therefore either too broad and general, or too narrow and specic for particular work contexts. The OLS solves this problem by adding curriculum design to the process of qualications development, so that skills development providers have more guidance not only on the expected outcomes of learning programmes, but also on the content, structure and implementation of the programmes. Furthermore, the OLS uses Communities of Expert Practice (CEPs) and professional bodies to develop and play an active role in the quality assurance of the qualications. These are unlike the more broadly dened Standards Generating Bodies which were often too representative, or dominated by one or another interest group. CEPs are people currently active in the occupation being developed, and knowledgeable about its current practice. The OLS also streamlines the workplace approval requirement for employers who wish to deliver the work experience components of qualications. The streamlining of onerous accreditation requirements for workplace provision is covered under Proposed workplace approval criteria and process (pg 339).

ARTISAN DEVELOPMENT
The drive to accelerate artisan development was one of the key forces that resulted in the improvements brought about in the NQF Act (2008) and the Skills Development Amendment Act (2008). Artisan occupations are scarce skills urgently needed for our countrys infrastructure and related expansion. Employers can look forward to faster and simpler acquisition of artisan skills in the new Occupational Learning System, which is designed precisely to meet this kind of skills crisis. Industry has 122 mega projects to deliver on throughout southern Africa over the next 10 - 15 years, and with a massive 180,000 artisans needed to deliver on these projects, this improvement in artisan development is essential. The increasing cost of foreign labour and its decreasing quality will mean that many employers embrace the OLS to invest in developing their own artisan skills. More detailed information on this topic is in the section How are artisans developed? (pg 364).

381

382

Benets & Opportunities of the OLS

COMMUNITIES OF EXPERT PRACTICE
The Occupational Learning System
Under NQF 1.0, industry was just one of several stakeholders involved in the development of qualications. Industry specialists could sit on Standards Generating Bodies (pg 111) to help write qualications and unit standards, but their input was sometimes diluted by the wide range of interests that had to be accommodated in the extensive stakeholder participation process. As a result, valuable industry expertise was distanced from learning design. Now the OLS provides for qualications design and quality assurance to be driven by Communities of Expert Practice (pg 284), people who are skilled and active in an occupation, not arm-chair experts. CEPs are typically co-ordinated and managed by a Development Quality Partner (see pg 286). The curriculum and qualication development processs is also not as time or resource expensive as SGB process were - this means that employers should be more willing to allow their experts to participate. Experts in the working group are primarily responsible for developing the occupational prole which acts as the specication of the curriculum. They would also be involved in the design of the work experience modules which are a distinct feature of the occupational curricula. Education and training practitioners who are knowledgeable about the occupation develop the theoretical and practical skills modules which will guide those parts of the learning process.

BENEFITS FOR PROFESSIONAL BODIES AND OCCUPATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

The terms profession and occupation are used interchangeably in the following section.
Professional bodies and occupational associations play a key role in the Occupational Learning System. Although much of the impetus for the OLS has come from the need to deliver trade related skills development, the logic of the OLS ts any of the 1,300 occupations on the Organising Framework for Occupations (OFO). With the labour market at is centre, and the occupation as the central organising concept, professional bodies and occupational associations are hard-wired into the workings of the OLS.

CEPS
Communities of Expert Practice (pg 284), are practitioners who are active in an occupation and knowledgeable about its current practice. They play a central role in the development of occupational qualications and the design of their assessment. Practitioners who are members of professional bodies and occupational associations form the membership of a CEP, or where these bodies do not exist, the appropriate Development Quality Partner keeps a database of practitioners willing to serve on the CEP. The QCTO involves expert practitioners by contracting directly with an industry or professional body which has an interest in the qualication in order to establish a national standard and to manage and moderate the external assessment processes. Such a body is called a Quality Partner and there is typically one for qualication development (the Development Quality Partner) and one for external summative assessment (the Assessment Quality Partner), although both roles can be performed by a single body. The Quality Partners can be professional bodies, occupational institutes and associations, employer associations, trade unions, research institutes, or, where appropriate, a SETA. Besides providing technical input into the development of qualications, practitioners also build into the learning experience the social dimension of learning, which is often neglected in the modern age. This component of learning often holds the key to exclude or include otherwise competent learners from developing further in an occupation. Professional bodies and occupational associations are in fact ideally placed to integrate the learning of students into the life of their professional communities and promote the kind of engagement with their profession which really empowers new entrants to the eld. Too often new entrants to an occupation are excluded from participation in the professional community because of the neglect of this social dimension of learning, and failure is then highly likely. In the South African context this results in accusations of racism and prejudice which is another way of saying, your are excluding me from your club. Occupations have an important responsibility to ensure that new entrants are not just equipped on the level of knowledge and practical skills, but also on the level of work experience and participation on communities of practice. This is especially relevant in the South African context where some people have been locked out of participation in the economy for so long.

383

384

Benets & Opportunities of the OLS

When the QCTO is forming a CEP for an occupation or cluster of occupations, they will contact any relevant professional bodies in existence, invite them to the brieng session and request assistance in identifying suitable practitioners to participate in working group process. A professional body may be appointed as the Development Quality Partner to manage the CEP process on behalf of the QCTO, if it has an interest in doing so as well as capacity contribute. A service level agreement is drawn up to reect the relationship and detail the roles and responsibilities. The agreement includes the funding arrangements for the process, made up of money and support contributions (e.g. venues, admin support and other non-monetary contributions). Those professional bodies who were involved with the Standards Generating Body process will remember the qualications design process as time and resource expensive. The CEP process is streamlined and efcient in comparison. A working group of the CEP works at every stage of the design process while the rest of the CEP reviews their work, makes comments and provides suggestions. Practitioners serving on a CEP do not need to be gazetted and the structure is more uid than an SGB. For more information see What is a CEP? (pg 284).

The Occupational Learning System

ASSESSMENT QUALITY PARTNERS

Occupational bodies with sufcient willingness, the capacity and a permanent interest in the occupation, can apply to be appointed by the QCTO as the Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) for a specic occupation or cluster of occupations. The AQP carries out specic quality assurance functions in line with the QCTO Criteria and Guidelines. To qualify as an AQP for the QCTO, the occupational body will need to meet the criteria outlined in the curriculum and qualication assessment specications of the occupational qualication they are applying to assess. So this is the rst place to look if you are a body wishing to play the role of an AQP. The functions of AQPs and the assessment sites they moderate are covered in more detail under: How are qualications assessed: Assessment Sites (pg 350).

OTHER BENEFITS
The Occupational Learning System is a valuable source of labour market information relating to professions and occupations which greatly assist professional bodies and occupational associations in serving their members and professions more effectively. For example, the National Occupational Pathways Framework (NOPF, pg

264) shows sideways (re-skillling) and vertical progression (upskilling) options available for people in occupations which can be valuable in assisting members with their career development. It could also lead the body to extend its scope to include other related occupations they may not have been aware of, or new occupations which have developed recently. NOPF can also show related skills sets in other occupational groups that indicate potential strategic partnerships and synergies with other professional bodies. By taking responsibility for many of the design and assessment related responsibilities of their occupational qualications, professional bodies can help drive higher standards of excellence and professionalism in their profession. This will result in better status and employment opportunities for their members. They are also better placed to inuence the future direction of the profession, and ensure it is responsive to cutting edge changes that usually take years to lter through the education system. Under NQF 1.0, professional bodies had to work in the HEQF (pg 076) when it came to qualications above NQF level 5. The revised NQF however allows the QCTO to design and quality assure occupational qualications on all ten levels of the NQF. This means that occupational associations can now choose whether they wish to develop their qualications under the HEQF or the OQF. Alternatively they could opt for a combination of both, using the HEQF to cover the knowledge components and the OQF to cover the practical skills and work experience components. Occupational associations could also consider seeking accreditation as QCTO accredited skills development providers. The process is signicantly streamlined since NQF 1.0 and providers only need to seek accreditation for the specic occupations they are wanting to do training for. This means the accreditation requirements for an occupational association would be less than for a provider wishing to deliver training for several occupational qualications.

385

386

Benets & Opportunities of the OLS

The Occupational Learning System

BENEFITS & OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROVIDERS

Training providers bore the brunt of many of the changes brought into effect under NQF 1.0.

They faced a steep learning curve to try and adapt to what, at the time, was a fundamental change to the way training was understood and implemented. For several months after the new laws came into effect, people were trying to make sense of them and business dried up for many training providers.

Then for several months after that providers struggled with misunderstandings in the marketplace around the nature and duration of accreditation, the legality of short course training, and employer training requirements for claiming mandatory grants.

Providers, who were meant to be the delivery agents of the National Skills Development Strategy, were excluded from key decision making processes that impacted how they would deliver learning, and faced a bewildering range of quality assurance requirements across 23 Sector ETQAs and two band ETQAs.

However since the early days of NSDS 1 (pg 081), providers have since found a place on the National Skills Authority, have a strong professional body representation in the Association for Private Providers of Education, Training and Development (APPETD), and have forged working relationships with public FET colleges and public universities.

So is the Occupational Learning System going to require a shift from them on the same scale as NQF 1.0?

Fortunately for everyone no.

NQF 2.0 is not a brand new NQF but a revised, streamlined and simplied version of the original. Years of hard experience have resulted in a new approach to work related learning that combines the best of NQF 1.0 with an innovative and t-forpurpose attitude.

ACCREDITATION IMPROVEMENTS
There is now one ETQA body for all occupation related learning the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (QCTO).

No longer will providers need to choose from amongst 23 SETA ETQAs, and then nd that they require an MoU to deliver learning in other sectors, or adapt their programmes and processes to meet the differing requirements of another SETA ETQA.

No longer will a provider have to get accreditation with Umalusi and the CHE to offer qualications in the Further Education sector or the Higher Education sector (unless they are delivering Umalusi or CHE qualications).

The QCTO will be able to register occupational qualications at all levels of the NQF and accredit providers to deliver those qualications.

Providers accredited with Umalusi or CHE only need to undergo a programme approval requirement to be able to deliver a curriculum component of an occupational qualication they do not have to undergo an entirely new accreditation process.

This is not the only improvement.

In the QCTO, there is a completely different approach to accreditation than that which providers experienced under SETA ETQAs.

It is called light-touch accreditation and it focuses on intelligent quality assurance the assessment of key points in the learning process rather than the entire process.

Data analysis and research are used to pin-point problems and raise ags in real-time so that the QCTO can focus its site visits and investigations on areas that require attention. Self-evaluation and self-regulation are emphasized.

Provider quality assurance is prioritised according to the track record and history of the provider, with higher risk prole providers meriting more policing.

More information on accreditation is in the section How are qualications delivered? (pg 336).

387

388

Benets & Opportunities of the OLS

PROGRAMME IMPROVEMENTS
The Occupational Learning System
Programme approval is streamlined. It is based on meeting the requirements specied in the curriculum to deliver the components of that qualication. These requirements are designed by Communities of Expert Practice (CEPs) active practitioners in the eld. Providers can serve on CEPs to bring their experience and understanding to the qualication and curriculum design process. Each qualication is registered on the NOPF with a curriculum and assessment specications. This gives more assistance to providers in the content and structure of their learning programmes. Adapting an existing programme for use in an occupational qualication is a simple case of gap-analysis and adding or changing only what differs from the curriculum specications. Existing unit standards and qualications only need to be adapted in so far as they differ from the curriculum and assessment specications. Occupational qualications are clustered according to purpose and skills similarities. This means that once you have developed one occupational qualication, it is much easier to develop qualications for all the related occupations, as many of the components will be similar. Specialisations of occupations (e.g. Customs Auditor is a specialisation of Internal Auditor) are plug-in skills awards that are based on core components which are common to all the specialisations of an occupation. This means a range of learning programmes can be simply designed to cover all the possible specialisations of an occupation, without having to design each as a selfstanding qualication. This reduces the cost and time required to develop qualications and makes it easier to spin-off related learning programmes that are economically useful. Providers can apply to serve as national standardised assessment sites for the QCTO and the requirements they would need to meet are outlined in Quality Assurance of Design, Delivery and Assessment, pg 359. The overemphasis on large programmes (qualications and learnerships) to the neglect of shorter less theoretical programmes, such as artisans and trades has now shifted in the OLS to accommodate a range of regulated and non-regulated learning programmes as well as several routes to artisan training.

IMPLEMENTATION IMPROVEMENTS
EXPANSION OF GRANTS TO INCLUDE ALL LEARNING PROGRAMMES
Rather than a narrow focus on learnerships, the Occupational Learning System enables a range of regulated learning programmes to full relevant labour market and social needs and therefore be incentivised through grants and tax deductions. See the section How are qualications delivered?: Redening learning programmes, pg 336, to understand more about regulated learning programmes. These include apprenticeships and skills awards (see What are occupational qualications?, pg 292).

LEARNERSHIPS
Learnerships now include apprenticeships and will be re-aligned to OQF qualications. They will not be offered against qualications on the Further or Higher Education frameworks. Providers who deliver learnerships will therefore need to re-align their programmes with the curriculum published for the occupational qualication that the learnership is based on, as well as their assessment practices. However the advantages of doing this are given above under programme improvements.

DELIVERING INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

Under NQF 1.0, providers wishing to deliver learning in the higher education band (levels 5+ of the NQF) had to seek accreditation with the CHE, which was extremely difcult for smaller institutions. This glass ceiling is now removed with providers being able to deliver occupational related training at all levels of the NQF.

FUNDAMENTALS SIMPLIFIED
Fundamentals were a major source of problems for providers under NQF 1.0. This is discussed in detail in What was wrong with fundamentals in NQF 1.0? (pg 239). The new Foundational Learning Competence provides one point of assessment for communications and mathematics for all occupational qualications up to level 4 of the OQF, replacing the SAQA rules of combination requirements, and streamlining the assessment and development of the fundamentals.

389

390

Benets & Opportunities of the OLS

RPL AND TOP UP TRAINING

The Occupational Learning System

RPL is greatly simplied in the OLS. Since the work experience, knowledge and skills components of a qualication are transparent, it is easier to identify the knowledge and skills gaps that an experienced learner may need to top up prior to becoming competent in a qualication. In NQF 1.0, unit standards, Critical Cross-Field Outcomes (CCFOs), and Essential Embedded Knowledge (EEK) mixed the work, knowledge and skills components of learning altogether so that it was difcult to establish what areas of competence a worker could receive RPL credit for. More information: How are qualications delivered?: Provider accreditation and workplace approval (pg 339) How are qualications delivered?: Learning implementation agents (pg 343)

BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LABOUR

For background information on the NQF principles referred to here, see What is the NQF?, pg 066.
Labour has played a key role in the drive to make learning more accessible, portable, exible and relevant. There probably would not have been an NQF without the inuence of Labour. NQF 2.0 is the realization of what many in the union movement were trying to arrive at during the conceptualisation of the NQF in the 1990s. In some ways then it is disappointing that it has taken almost 14 years since democracy to arrive at this point. Perhaps the only answer to this question is: there were no models for NQF 2.0 available at the time we were designing NQF 1.0. We also did not understand how difcult it would be to try and realize principles like integration and articulation, especially when the components of the delivery system we were trying to make articulate, were themselves undergoing massive internal transformation. On the upside, it is important to note that the learning and experience of NQF 1.0 is not lost or wasted.

There are thousands of qualications and unit standards that only need minor realignment to be incorporated into occupational qualications. The Occupational Qualications Framework is not so much a brand new framework, but rather a new space in which to reorganise, restructure and streamline the existing components and processes of the NQF, plus some new tools such as the OFO and the NOPF. From the perspective of Labour, the following benets can be expected from the Occupational Learning System (OLS):

WORK RELEVANT LEARNING

The concept of serving the labour market and of focusing the whole learning system on occupations rather than disciplines (elds of learning): Learning achievements are tightly linked to employment opportunities The need to re-skill or upskill certain occupations in response to the labour market needs is identied early and there are therefore less retrenchments We can see which learning interventions are the most effective, and focus government incentives and funding in those directions (no more arguments about whether learnerships are effective or not) School leavers and the unemployed can make realistic decisions about what occupations are in demand and what the training routes are for it Workers are not shut out of learning because of too much emphasis on English and mathematics skills. The Foundational Learning Competence assessment (pg 300) is one communications and mathematics achievement that workers must undergo before they can study for occupational qualications. After that, the only communications and mathematics you will need to do will be specic skills required by your occupational qualication. See: What is the Labour Market? (pg 250), ESSA (pg 252), the OQF (pg 272), Quality assurance through impact assessment (pg 362).

391

392

Benets & Opportunities of the OLS

OCCUPATION FOCUSED LEARNING
The Occupational Learning System
The concept of reporting and analysing labour market needs via an occupational grid rather than a qualications grid: Learning is more relevant to employment opportunities because it addresses needs via a language of occupations rather than a language of education and training We can directly analyse information from the labour market for its impact on occupations without having to lose accuracy and translate between different languages of labour market analysis such as an education and training language or a sector-specic language Workers can see clearly the career pathways ahead of them as well as career pathways in related elds this is useful if an industry is in decline and workers want to switch specialisation to a related occupational eld that is in demand in another sector Each occupation has only one qualication leading to it and all the possible specialisations within that occupation are designed as add-on learning modules o This means its much easier to switch from one specialisation of an occupation to another, without having to repeat loads and loads of training o For example, see the diagram opposite: General Fitter Qualication. This is the structure of the qualication for Metal Fitters and Machinists (OFO 3232). The core part of the qualication must be studied by anyone wishing to be competent in this occupational group it would make them a General Fitter (OFO 323201) The specialisation part can then be completed to become competent as a Fitter-Mechanic, Fitter Machinist or Diesel Mechanic Yet further specialisation could make you an industry specic Fitter Mechanic or Fitter Machinist (e.g. Chemical, Manufacturing or Defence sector specialisations)

See also the HR Advisor example of an occupational qualication on page 314.

393

394

Benets & Opportunities of the OLS

Often the people who know a job the best are excluded from being involved in training for that job

The Occupational Learning System

The OLS involves Communities of Expert Practitioners (pg 284) in the design and quality assurance of occupational learning

These are people who are skilled and active in a job, not arm-chair experts who have spent their time teaching outside the workplace all their lives

This means that the learning we produce is more relevant and also that skilled workers are involved in the development of other skilled workers

This kind of learning is better for communicating the social dimension of learning and for picking up skills that are not written down in any text book

See: the Organising Framework for Occupations (OFO, pg 256) and the National Occupational Pathways Framework (NOPF, pg 264)

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

The work experience component of learning is clearly dened in relation to the knowledge component and the practical skills component.

This makes is much easier to identify where workers can receive RPL credit for work experience and exactly what knowledge gaps or practical skills they may need to top-up before they can get credit for the informal learning they have gained.

Under NQF 1.0, RPL did not achieve the level of impact for workers that was hoped.

Unit standards mixed the work, knowledge and skills components of learning altogether so that it was difcult to establish what areas of competence a worker could receive RPL credit for.

ACCOUNTABILITY
Under NQF 1.0 we invested a lot of money through the National Skills Development Strategy into the training of workers and unemployed people. Sometimes the quality of learning was good and sometimes it wasnt. Sometimes workers got employment at the end of a learnership and sometimes they didnt. How do you hold providers and SETAs accountable for their work when everyone is using so many different standards and quality assurance requirements? With ESSA, we can know exactly what the labour market is calling for and therefore where the best employment opportunities are for workers. More than that, we can also get results from Quality assurance through impact assessment to see which providers and which SETAs are having the most effective impact on unemployment and poverty. We can then invest in what we know is working, rather than guessing what to do and hoping for the best.

Training providers bore the brunt of many of the changes brought into effect under NQF 1.0... ... providers, who were meant to be the delivery agents of the National Skills Development Strategy, were excluded from key decision making processes that impacted how they would deliver learning, and faced a bewildering range of quality assurance requirements across 23 Sector ETQAs and two band ETQAs. So is the Occupational Learning System going to require a shift from them on the same scale as NQF 1.0? Fortunately no. NQF 2.0 is not a brand new NQF but a revised, streamlined and simplied version of the original. Years of hard experience have resulted in a new approach to work related learning that combines the best of NQF 1.0 with an innovative and t-for-purpose attitude.

Benets & Opportunities of the OLS: For Providers

395

396

TheFrequently Asked Questions Occupational Learning System

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The Occupational Learning System
Submit your questions on the OLS to: theteam@rainbowsa.co.za. We will respond to them by email and use them to help build a library of FAQs for future editions of this book. Source: QCTO - Draft FAQ, Dept Labour & GTZ (2008).

Why is the QCTO being established?

It is being established as part of revisions and improvements to the National Qualications Framework (see What is the NQF, pg 066). The QCTO is one of three Quality Councils which will focus on those aspects of learning which are required for occupational competence. The other Quality Councils (QCs) will focus on: aspects of learning related to educational progression (e.g gaining access to University) and discipline related learning o e.g. studies of knowledge elds such as Physical Science, Communications, Engineering which may be a component of occupational competence, but which do not in themselves make a person competent to practice an occupation or profession The Ministers of Education and Labour in carrying the political responsibility for NQF implementation - issued the Joint Policy Statement on the Review of the National Qualications Framework during October 2007 which stated their intention to establish the QCTO in conjunction with the QCs for General and Further, and Higher Education. More information: What is the NQF? (pg 066) What is the QCTO? (pg 280)

 What was wrong with the initial implementation of the NQF?

Initially South Africas NQF was designed to be fully inclusive of all learning in learning in General, Further and Higher Education and in both institutional and workplacebased qualications at all levels of the framework. This forced the integration of types of learning that differed widely in the context in which they were applied (workplace vs university vs school or FET college) resulting in several problems. More information: What exactly were the problems with NQF 1.0? (pg 239)

How was the NQF implementation reviewed?

A Study Team was appointed in 2001 to assess and review the implementation of the NQF and consider concerns such as: the excessive number of NQF bodies and structures (especially for standards generation and quality assurance) leading to confusion and duplication of effort and responsibility the lack of recognition of the diversity of approaches and practices within the education, training and skills development system (resulting in the design of an NQF architecture with a one size ts all approach) The study team report then formed the basis of discussions between the Ministers of Education and Labour and resulted in a Consultative Document released by the Ministers of Education and Labour in July 2003 for public comments. The Joint Policy Statement is the nal response of the Ministers of Education and Labour to the recommendations and comments to the Consultative Document. More information: What is the NQF (pg 066)

397

398

Frequently Asked Questions

The Occupational Learning System

Why would professional bodies and occupational associations want to participate within the QCTO? Wont they lose their identity?
The Occupational Learning System has been design to act as a system for labour market role players, including professional bodies, to manage their qualication development and assessment process. In NQF 1.0, occupations, trades and professions were not focus of the learning system. These bodies were often not able to manage and control their affairs in an efcient and effective way, and were sometimes marginalised in the qualications development process. NQF 1.0 also did not effectively recognise the work experience component of learning. NQF 2.0 clearly recognises, describes and integrates work experience into the whole learning process. This empowers professional bodies and occupational associations to play a bigger role in the learning process where experiential learning is almost always a requirement for registration or licensing as a professional, an artisan or other occupational practitioner. An example of how these bodies can be more directly involved is through Communities of Expert Practice (CEPs) which are key role players in the design and assessment of occupational qualications. CEPs are often drawn from the membership of professional bodies and are an important vehicle through which they can be directly involved in the development of their professions and occupations. More information: How are qualications developed? (pg 310) What is a CEP? (pg 284) Benets and Opportunities of the OLS: For Professions (pg 382)

 How can we be sure that the QCTO will not compete with the other Quality Councils by, for example, developing PhDs, Masters and Degrees?
In terms of the NQF Act, each QC will develop its own qualications sub-framework with its own unique naming system for qualications. PhDs, Masters, Degrees and other similar designations for learning achievements are already legislated under the Higher Education Qualications Framework (HEQF). The QCTO will register is occupational achievements on the Occupational Qualications Framework (OQF), based on the logic of the labour market. The current proposals are for two types of occupational qualications: National Occupational Awards and National Skills Awards (page 293). SAQA (pg 020) is tasked with the responsibility of overseeing and harmonising the three sub-frameworks and has nal authority on whether a qualication meets the criteria for registration on the NQF. Occupational qualications will, however, link to the higher and further qualications sub-frameworks, when they meet the knowledge or practical skills needs of the qualication. Holders of relevant qualications from universities, FET colleges and schools may therefore be exempt from certain components within the occupational qualications. More information: What is the OQF? (pg 272) What is a Quality Council? (pg 087) What are occupational qualications? (pg 292) Charts and diagrams: o o o How the NQF and the OFO Link (pg 263) Qualications falling within the scope of the OQF (pg 345) How the QCTO ts into the NQF (pg 281)

399

400

Frequently Asked Questions

The Occupational Learning System

How do we know that the QCTO will not just add another layer of bureaucracy?
The establishment of the QCTO will streamline the current ETQA system (pg 108), merging 23 SETA ETQAs into one. QCTO standards and qualications will not be allocated to any single sector they apply to all occupations irrespective of which sector they are used in.

This will remove the need for multiple Memorandum of Understandings between ETQAs, and simplify the accreditation landscape from the point of view of learners, providers and employers.

Overlapping quality assurance requirements currently causing major delays and frustrations and escalating costs, especially for small providers, will no longer apply.

The QCTO intends to provide a framework within which existing role-players can carry out their roles with fewer barriers and less bureaucracy

More information:

How it all started - the scarce skills crisis (pg 222)

What exactly were the problems with NQF 1.0? (pg 239)

What is an ETQA? (pg 108)

How will the new landscape affect those professions or occupations that operate within universities?
Professions and occupations which currently use university qualications as part of the registration and licensing process will continue as they are. They will not be required to change unless they have a specic reason for wishing to do so.

 How will the new landscape affect statutory professions or occupations?

These will be unaffected by the new landscape, again unless they have a particular wish to operate within the QCTO framework.

How will occupational qualications registered through the QCTO be different from other qualications?
QCTO qualications will always include a work experience component to ensure that learners are competent to do something that is required and recognised in the labour market. Other qualications sometimes leave the experiential component for the learner to acquire on their own. This means for many learners that they dont get employment opportunities because experience is often an employment requirement. If other qualications do provide some kind of practical or experience component, it is often very broad (not occupationally specic), or captures work experience in a way that makes it difcult to measure or compare across related occupations, sectors, or other qualications. This causes the learner portability, exibility and quality problems down the line. QCTO qualications will be much easier to RPL people with, because the work experience component is transparent and distinct (see Benets and opportunities of the OLS: Recognition of prior lea-rning, pg 394). More information How it all started - the scarce skills crisis (pg 221) How are qualications assessed: RPL (pg 351) Diagram - Three forms of learning (pg 312)

401

402

Frequently Asked Questions

The Occupational Learning System

What is the difference between a National Occupational Award and a National Skills Award?

National Occupational Awards certify the competence required to practice an occupation, such as hair-dresser, ships master or medical laboratory technician

National Skills Awards certify a distinct, occupationally relevant skills set (not an entire occupation):

Some examples are: managing loan portfolios, or designing machined products using CAD/CAM software, or six sigma black belt.

There are four different types of National Skills Awards:

part of an occupational award such as Bank Worker: Teller

specialisation linked to an occupation such as Internal auditor: Customs Auditor

skill level 1 occupations such as stable hand, fast-food cook, shelf ller, porter, bicycle mechanic

skills sets required for licensing or other legislative requirements such as wiremans licence, third party inspector, crop sprayer

An occupational award can be constructed using a series of skills sets.

However a nal external assessment will be required for the nal award.

More information:

What are occupational qualications? (pg 292)

 On what NQF levels will occupational awards be pitched?

Elementary occupations, generally requiring only on-the-job training, will be registered at NQF level 1 and will be registered as National Skills Awards.

Semi-skilled and skilled occupations such as artisans will be registered from levels 2 to 5 on the NQF.

Technical, professional and other higher level occupations will be registered from level 6 to 9 on the NQF.

At this stage no occupations have been identied which will be registered at NQF level 10, though there are one or two instances of proposed professional qualications, which because of the range of knowledge and the extensive experience required, could be considered. National Skills Awards can be registered at all ten levels of the NQF. Skills Awards could be linked to any other education or university qualication on the NQF for the purposes of registration or occupational recognition.

If there is an occupational award registered on the NQF at level 6 or 7, for example, will it be called a diploma or a degree?

No. The three linked frameworks all have their own special naming systems (nomenclature).

The OQF only certicates National Occupational Awards and National Skills Awards. So, although the OQF spans all 10 levels, there can be no confusion between its qualication and, for example, a National Senior Certicate or a Degree issued on the GFETQF and the HEQF.

403

404

Frequently Asked Questions

The Occupational Learning System

Will occupational qualications compete with other qualications registered on the NQF?
Occupational qualications have a distinct work related purpose in that sense they do not compete with traditional qualications which often have a theoretical or academic progression purpose.

Where universities or universities of technology award qualications recognised by professional bodies this practice can continue.

Where professional bodies and occupational associations require work experience learning in additional to traditional qualications and a nal external assessment, they can develop and register a qualication through the QCTO to allow for the award of the occupational title or professional designation.

Professional bodies and occupational associations are therefore free to choose between working on the Occupational Qualications Framework or the Higher Education Qualications Framework which should have the effect of encourage each framework to be more effective and useful in meeting the needs of its end-users.

How will occupational qualications be developed?

Occupational qualications will be developed by Communities of Expert Practice. These communities consist of practitioners active in a particular occupation and knowledgeable about its current practice.

A few members of the CEP community will be actively involved in the development of the entire qualication, while the broader CEP community will review, comment on and make further proposals on the work.

CEPs also play a role in the assessment of the qualications.

This is because the assessment specications are written into the qualications development phase.

CEP members can also perform the role of registered assessors or, where they are organised as associations or professional bodies, they can act Assessment Quality Partners, to develop the assessment tools and instruments and monitor and evaluate the credibility and consistency of the assessment process, including moderation. More information: How are qualications assessed?: Assessment Sites (pg 350) What is a CEP (pg 284)

What is the purpose of the curriculum?

Its purpose is to simplify the development and improve the quality of the implementation of the qualication. It is used as the basis for the accreditation of providers and the approval of workplaces which deliver the work experience component of learning. The curriculum also ensures that similarities across qualications are recognized so that providers will no longer have to be accredited for every single unit standard in each qualication they deliver learning against. The curriculum also provides guidance on: Access requirements Linkages to other related occupations Articulation with other learning pathways such as vocational qualications obtained in educational institutions The scope and depth of content Learning activities Development of learning materials and lesson plans Assessment requirements

More information: How are qualications developed? (pg 310)

405

406

Frequently Asked Questions

The Occupational Learning System

Will the curriculum become another rod for the back of providers?
The curriculum is developed at a fairly high level with the emphasis on guidance and not on conformance. This will allow some exibility, leaving space for contextualisation and specialisation and providing opportunities for innovation and the development of best practice. The Occupational Learning System offers several benets and improvements to skills development providers which are covered in the section Benets & opportunities of the OLS (pg 376).

How does the establishment of the QCTO improve the diminishing credibility of South Africas occupational qualications?
Industry complains that individuals often do not have the competence that they should have at the point of being awarded a qualication. In addition, some South African artisan qualications are no longer recognised internationally, and some of the qualications have titles that are so removed from the occupational designation that they are not even understood in other countries. Not only is the education and training that individuals receive devalued, but in some cases the certication of individuals that lack the required competence has productivity and, more importantly, health and safety implications. These facts call into question our current assessment and quality assurance practices. It is exactly in response to concerns such as these and other challenges in our education and training system, that the QCTO was established. For more information on challenges addressed by the QCTO and the Occupational Learning System, see What exactly were the problems with NQF 1.0?, pg 239

 How does the design process for occupational qualications assist in their credibility?

The starting point for the design of occupational qualications is the unpacking of the occupational prole from the Organising Framework for Occupations (pg 256).

The process is driven by expert practitioners from the relevant community of practice (pg 284).

The result is a qualication which matches the prole required by the industry concerned. This makes the qualication relevant and credible, assuming that learners are assessed in a fair, reliable and valid manner.

What will the QCTO do to raise the quality of assessment?

The QCTO will introduce an external nationally standardised assessment for each of its occupational awards as a prerequisite to certication.

This will ensure that learners who have achieved the required levels of competence in each of the curriculum components are required to integrate their learning and display applied occupational competence across a range of variable contexts.

This will put an end to the current variations in the interpretation of standards across sectors and sites.

More information:

How are qualications assessed? (pg 348)

How does quality assurance work? (pg 354)

407

408

Frequently Asked Questions

The Occupational Learning System

How will the QCTO quality assure learner achievements?

The QCTO will seek Quality Partners from statutory and non-statutory professional bodies, occupational associations, legislated boards, SETAs, and other appropriate organisations for each group of related occupational qualications. It will appoint Assessment Quality Partners (AQPs, see Assessment Sites, pg 350) in this context, which will be delegated certain quality assurance responsibilities. An Example of an AQP is the one proposed in the Skills Development Ammendment Act (2008) for artisan and trades occupations. The National Artisan Moderating Body will be responsible for the quality of all trade tests. The AQP model is based on the the relationship which evolved between some SETAs and the professional bodies in their sectors. More information: How does quality assurance work? (pg 354)

In what ways will the establishment of the QCTO address the identied problem of burdensome and unnecessary quality assurance demands for workplaces?
Some ETQAs have insisted on workplaces undergoing the full accreditation process as providers. This discourages employers from offering to place learners to gain work experience. International trends show that such requirements are increasingly being dropped. The QCTO will only require an approval process for workplaces providing the work experience curriculum component as part of a learning programme. The range, scope and duration of experience will be clearly stipulated and workplaces which have the specied human and physical resources and health and safety practices will be approved. More information: How are qualications delivered: Provider accreditation and workplace approval (pg 339)

 The requirement for fundamental unit standards within all qualications at NQF levels 1 - 4 has been a barrier to learner progress in many occupational contexts. How will the QCTO solve this?
There will be three kinds of unit standards: knowledge, practical and work experience standards. All of these will be the core of the qualication, and compulsory for all learners. In addition there will be specialisations. There will be no common requirement across all qualications for fundamental unit standards. All learners will have to achieve Foundational Learning Competence in language and mathematical literacy, which represents the minimum prociency required to engage with occupational learning materials at levels 1 4 of the Occupational Qualications Framework. The CEP (pg 284) designing the qualication will add as part of the core any additional fundamental requirements that are necessary in the context of the specic qualication. Thus requirements for each qualication are t-for-purpose. More information: What is Foundational Learning Competence? (pg 300)

Already even the lowest level workers in the workforce are having to upskill themselves in order to respond to the challenges of a changing workplace. They are being marginalised all over again, not only by global competition but also by new technology and new technology demands new skills. The gaps in their knowledge and understanding need to be tackled in a way which acknowledges that they are not new entrants lacking both life and work experience. Current systems, including the current conceptualisation of the NQF, do not sufce. Innovation is required to tackle the problems.

See full citation on page 219

409

Success Stories

Table of Contents
The Accelerated Artisan Training Programme (AATP) ............411 Background ...................................................... 411 How does the AATP accelerate training? ......... 412 Targets ............................................................... 412 Incentives for employers.................................... 412 Criteria for participation ..................................... 412 How successful has the AATP been so far? ...... 413 ArcelorMittal ............................................................................414 Fluor ........................................................................................422 McCarthy Motors .....................................................................430 The Stainless Steel Company .................................................438 Barloworld Motors ...................................................................446 Lindsay Saker .........................................................................452

Click your mouse on the page numbers to hyperlink to that heading (PDF version only)

Key Organisations Page 010 Foundational Concepts Page 064 BEE & Skills Development Page 184 The OLS Page 218 Success Stories Page 410
THE

National Training Directory Page 458

The AATP
The merSETA Accelerated Artisan Training Programme

THE ACCELERATED ARTISAN TRAINING PROGRAMME (AATP) BACKGROUND

The modern economy has placed greater pressure on employers to meet their skills needs more exibly and responsively. ArcelorMittal began responding to this need in the eld of artisan training by looking for a more streamlined approach to the traditional three to four year apprenticeship program, which was the standard route to developing artisan skills at the time. As the scarce skills crisis grew, ArcelorMittals work drew interest from merSETA (pg 058), which was seeking to facilitate a more exible approach to the training of apprentices throughout its metal, engineering and manufacturing related industries, all of which were struggling to source sufciently skilled artisans. A SEIFSA pilot in 2007 established that the principles developed by ArcelorMittal and merSETA could successfully be applied in smaller organisations as well. Armed with experience from ArcelorMittal, SEIFSA, and its own research, merSETA began to formalise an Accelerated Artisan Training Programme (ATTP) to make these breakthroughs available to all its member companies. The AATP reduces artisan training time from three or four years (depending on the trade) to between 80 and 110 weeks. merSETA is just one of six SETAs with a serious need to develop artisan skills in its sectors. The other SETAs are: MQA (pg 060), CETA (pg 038), CHIETA (pg 034) and FOODBEV (pg 046) and MAPPP-SETA (pg 056). The success experienced by merSETA thus far is resulting in other SETAs now taking up a similar approach and the possibility of alignment to the accelerated approach across all SETAs and trades.

HOW DOES THE AATP ACCELERATE THE TRAINING?

The AATP focuses the apprentices time in intensive institutional training and highly structured work experience. This is unlike the old apprenticeship model where work experience was vague and time-based, rather than outcome-based. Employers often had to duplicate learning in the workplace to make up for gaps in understanding what should have been covered at colleges. Typically learners with a minimum of four engineering related N3 subjects undergo a readiness assessment to ensure that they have a strong enough knowledge of the trade to begin the program.

411

412

The AATP
The merSETA Accelerated Artisan Training Programme
Learners that complete this stage then start a 26 week period of training at an accredited institution, where the learner covers all of the modules for the specic trade in terms of knowledge, and simulated competence. This is followed by a 56 week period of practical on the job training. During this period, the apprentice works under a trained mentor and focuses on the workplace practical requirements

Success Stories

for each module of the trade. By week 80 they are ready to do their trade tests.

TARGETS
The AATP was ofcially launched in July 2007 with a target to train 5,620 candidates. It is already fully funded for a R90,000 grant for each candidate. The AATP target feeds into merSETAs overall JIPSA target to train 12,000 new artisans for the economy by March 2010 using the AATP, traditional apprenticeships, learnerships and other programmes.

INCENTIVES FOR EMPLOYERS

merSETA pays its registered, levy-paying employers a R90,000 discretionary grant per apprentice, whether they are on a traditional apprenticeship program or the AATP. This is a major improvement from the previous amount of R35,000, which did not succeed in stimulating much interest from employers. This gure is based on an average training cost of R30,000 per year, per apprentice for a three year apprenticeship. Employers that can successfully take their apprentices through the period in two years or less are therefore denitely not losing out in a nancial sense. Additional incentives come from SARS in the form of tax allowances, equivalent to the amount allowed for learnerships (see Section 12 H of the Income Tax Act (1962), also summarised on page 134).

CRITERIA FOR PARTICIPATION

The AATP is not open to all merSETA employers because of the demanding nature of the intensive training and workplace support needed. merSETA has opened participation in the AATP to employers who: are levy paying merSETA members who are experienced in training apprentices and have done so in the past maintain a ratio of one qualied artisan to two apprentices

take their apprentices through their trade tests within the specied timeframe (which varies by sub-sector and delivery mode)

undertake to use the AATP to train over and above their own skills needs train at least 10 candidates in the program train in critical and scarce skills trades identied within the merSETA

HOW SUCCESSFUL HAS THE AATP BEEN SO FAR?

Over fty merSETA companies have participated in the AATP so far, and in the following pages we look at the experiences and lessons learned of six of those companies: ArcelorMittal Fluor McCarthy Motors The Stainless Steel Company Barloworld Motors Lindsay Saker

SEE ALSO
A new system of occupational learning is being introduced in 2010 which will greatly assist government, employers and learners in meeting the demand for artisan skills - this is covered in the section, The Occupational Learning System, pg 218. What is an apprenticeship? (pg 154) Artisan training is currently a major focus of our economy and skills development strategy. The reasons for this are explained in the section, How are artisans developed? (pg 364)

413

414

ARCELORMITTAL
A company in the metal and engineering chamber of the merSETA

ARCELORMITTAL
Background ............................................................................415 Traditional artisan training vs the accelerated approach .........415 What is the ArcelorMittal LMS? ...............................................416 Benets of using an LMS for accelerated training ..................418 Drawbacks of the AATP approach ..........................................419 Advantages of the AATP approach .........................................420
This information is based on a presentation at the merSETA National AATP Networking Conference by Terrence Harrison of ArcelorMittal. One of ArcelorMittals key learning experiences with the AATP was how important a Learner Management System (LMS) is in freeing up training personnel to be able to cope with the intensive demands of the accelerated approach, and in ensuring consistent quality of learning across large numbers of apprentices. Their experience of this approach is that AATP artisans are better equipped after four years than traditional time-based apprentices on four year apprenticeships. In other words, although you can produce an artisan in 80 weeks who will pass their trade test, they are obviously not going to have the same level of experience as an apprentice who has passed their trade test after four years of experience.

Success Stories

ArcelorMittal computer centre

ArcelorMittal apprentices undergo 26 weeks of institutional training at the workplace supported by the LMS followed by 54 weeks of focused practical training regulated by a plant exposure portfolio (practical training schedule) integrated with ArcelorMittals ERP system (SAP). This is followed by a trade test and the artisan then has a one year placement as an Artisan in Training under the guidance of a formal mentorship program. The plant exposure portfolio tasks consist of plant training in terms of the merSETA training schedule and based on ESETA developed unit standards. The learner works under the supervision of a mentor who is a qualied artisan. Their learning progress is supervised by the plant management and the training department.

BACKGROUND
ArcelorMittal is formed out of what was once the state-owned steel manufacturer Iscor - an organisation famous for its large scale and high quality apprentice training programs. ArcelorMittal South Africa has however earned a reputation amongst its global family of companies for providing the best artisans in the group - not an easy reputation to achieve if you are the worlds largest steel-maker. The need for an accelerated artisan training program was recognised in Iscor as early as 1981 when the company began seeking more time efcient ways to develop apprentices than the traditional four year program.

TRADITIONAL ARTISAN TRAINING VS THE ACCELERATED APPROACH

ArcelorMittals experience of the traditional approach to apprentice training included the following negative features: Input focused rather than outcomes based Over emphasis on the testing of memory of information (parrot fashion learning) Too much emphasis on the nal assessment - the learner was judged by one major event and this burdened them with stress and negative feelings Assessment was perceived as unfair, secretive & prejudiced Unequal respect given to qualications from different institutions

The NQF brought a welcome improvement to many of these negative features including introducing national summative assessments against nationally agreed standards,

415

416

ARCELORMITTAL
A company in the metal and engineering chamber of the merSETA
reducing the incidence of subjective evaluations by mentors, accreditation requirements for industry training providers and the assessment of experiential training against unit standards. More information on the benets of the NQF are provided in the chapter, What is the

Success Stories

NQF? (pg 066). ArcelorMittal aligned itself with all these new requirements. This involved proving that it had sufcient capacity and facilities for the level of learner being trained, ETD practitioner staff qualied at one level higher than what they were training, a good quality assurance system including assessment and moderation policies and procedures, record keeping and registered assessors and moderators.

WHAT IS THE ARCELORMITTAL LMS?

It is a computer program developed by the ArcelorMittal training department to integrate all learner progress data as well as certain aspects of the delivery, assessment and moderation of the AATP. Data from the LMS can be supplied to the SETA ETQA or Quality Council for learner achievement reporting purposes in the required format. Many of its features are entirely automated, including the registration of learners and some of the assessments. It took 2 - 3 months to load all the course information onto the LMS. Touch-screens are available to interface with the LMS for learners who lack the computer literacy to use a mouse and keyboard, although all staff undergo computer literacy courses shortly after joining the company.

A candidate begins an automated assessment on the LMS

The LMS generates reporting required for skills development and employment equity purposes

The LMS is developed using Microsoft Access and has the following features:

Learner registration data capturing Learning style data for each learner ETD practitioner (staff) database Courseware for certain components of the theory and practice

Appeal procedures Safety talks Attendance registers Learner course completion data Student planning proles R & D project data used by ETD practitioners

Assessment and moderation tools Moderation outcomes Certicates of competency

Assessment results including RPL Learner course feedback

417

418

ARCELORMITTAL
A company in the metal and engineering chamber of the merSETA
The automated nature of the system is possibly its most important feature. This allows ETD practitioners to quickly set up assessment questions, assessment weightings and time allowances and assessment reports. It allows learners to register and write certain assessments without needing staff intervention, and drawing on randomised item banks of questions, so that cheating is not possible.

Success Stories

The LMS ags key information for easy identication by the learners themselves and the ETD staff. This enables learners to quickly spot modules which require additional work before they can complete a course, and it enables staff to identify learners who are struggling at certain points in the course, or assessments that are abnormally difcult or easy. The LMS is also able to assess certain elements of the practical competence being learned, such as real-time fault-nding skills and process control and AC / DC motor control. Finally, the LMS is able to consolidate training data to output as Workplace Skills Plans and Annual Training Reports for SETA reporting purposes.

BENEFITS OF USING AN LMS FOR ACCELERATED TRAINING

The LMS automatically ensures several aspects of the quality assurance process by means of its programming therefore saving ETD staff time Data is instantly available and accessible to all ETD staff The administration of RPL assessments and normal assessments is simplied The LMS data is directly available to the companys Management Information System Fast reconciliation with nancial accounts for training Paper work is minimised therefore saving ETD staff time Credits & qualications are easily tracked across a large number of employees Better training can be provided because of better information guiding the training and training planning process and because ETD staff have more time to focus on preparation Minimal human intervention is required therefore saving ETD staff time

Increasing the efciency of ETD practitioners is obviously one of the key benets of using an LMS. ArcelorMittal currently has a trainer to learner ratio of 1:22 and plans to increase this to 1:45 by taking on additional learners. This is made possible by the efciencies introduced by an LMS. The trainer to learner ratio in the classroom context is 1:15 and this will remain the same.

DRAWBACKS OF THE AATP APPROACH

The shortened time span for apprentice training means rigid time frames which do not allow space for errors Scheduling bottlenecks are a problem given the large amount of learners that have to move rapidly through the process - brush-up training is therefore an essential response to allow learners to x gaps and keep moving Without an LMS the training ofcers would have less capacity to spend training Dual trades are not practical within the legal timeframe (e.g. Millwrights) Some learners nish the institutional training before understanding what is expected of them in the plant environment

The millwright assessment

419

420

ARCELORMITTAL
A company in the metal and engineering chamber of the merSETA
There is additional pressure on recruitment to assess and recruit quickly and accurately (an increase from about 20 or 30 students per month to over 100 per month) Apprentices miss out on supplementary activities and benets: Company and educational visits normally given to apprentices are now limited due to the short timeframes available The building of a company culture is difcult under tight deadlines Company training requirements over and above the normal apprenticeship requirements have been removed from the original training programme and can only be presented post certication - this is more expensive because the employees are now at a higher salary

Success Stories

ADVANTAGES OF THE AATP APPROACH

The AATP artisan is a more effective artisan when compared time for time with a traditional artisan - this is illustrated in the table below:

Year 1 2

4 Year Traditional Artisan 8 months institutional training Undened practical training Undened practical training

AATP Artisan 6 months institutional training 1 year structured practical training Trade Test and Certication: Qualied artisan 1 year Artisan in Training 1 year fully edged artisan Competent artisan

3 4

Undened practical training Undened practical training Trade Test and Certication: Qualied artisan

The AATP forced the training department to re-evaluate training methods and adapt to different learning styles

The AATP adds value to growing the economy by generating additional artisan skills

The more qualied artisans available, the less expensive artisan skills will be

ARTISAN TO TECHNICIAN CONVERSION PROGRAM

ArcelorMittal creatively responded to the skills crisis by designing a program to upgrade their high yer Artisans to Technicians. They partnered with a satellite campus of the Vaal University of Technology to have their lecturers present relevant engineering subjects at the companys Vanderbijlpark operations for their employees. The program was successful and they needed to extend the program to the rest of their plants, starting with their Newcastle operations. However there were no educational institutions in the area with sufcient expertise to deliver the lectures. ArcelorMittals training department therefore decided to use technology to overcome this problem. A virtual classroom was set up at the Newcastle training department using a Smartboard display and a system with two way Audio - Visual communication functionality. This technology made it possible for them to interactively broadcast all their Vanderbijlpark classes to the students at Newcastle using the virtual classroom with full two way Audio - Visual communication. They now plan to extend this technology to their operations at Saldanha and worldwide. To qualify for this program, the employee must undergo an initial evaluation followed by a psychometric test and an RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) assessment. If the employee qualies then a learning contract is signed and the employee commences the conversion program.

The lecturer solves an equation on the Smartboard

Looking into the training room at Vanderbijlpark where the lecture is being broadcast from

The ArcelorMittal training room at Newcastle

421

422

FLUOR
A merSETA accredited skills development provider

FLUOR
Background ............................................................................422 The Megaprojects ...................................................................422 Labour requirements by industry ....................... 423 Labour requirements by location ....................... 424 Supervision requirements (Construction) .......... 424 Labour requirements (all occupations) .............. 425 Total craft required ............................................. 425 Demand vs training capacity ............................. 426 Issues identied by research...................................................426
This information is based on a presentation at the merSETA National AATP Networking Conference by Jonathan Hall and Jo Green of Fluor. Jonathan Hall was the General Manager for Industrial Relations and Craft Training at Fluor and had experience on the Mossgas, Hillside and Mozal renery projects. Jo Green is the Services Manager at the Secunda Training Facility which has a capacity to train 350 learners. She has eighteen years experience in training, labour broking and recruitment. Fluors experience with accelerated artisan training is a result of their experience working for some of South Africas largest public and private enterprises, including Sasol and Eskom. Their presentation was entitled, An overview of the National Infrastructure Projects and their demand for skilled works - why the Accelerated Artisan Programme has to succeed. As the title suggests, the forecasted skills needs in southern Africa are so great, that the AATP is essential to achieving this growth.

Success Stories

BACKGROUND
Fluor Corporation is one of the worlds leading and largest publicly traded engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance and project management companies with 46 000 employees internationally. The South African headquarters is based in Sunninghill with ongoing operations in Durban and Secunda. We provide integrated engineering, procurement, construction and maintenance services to the Energy & Chemical, Mining and Power industries.

THE MEGAPROJECTS
The Fluor Training Centre conducted this research into skills needs in southern Africa to identify where their own projects would be impacted by the skills crisis, and how best to respond.

They identied 122 megaprojects taking place in the southern African region from 2009 - 2017. This excluded the expected growth in Zimbabwe due to political breakthroughs and the reduced activity in the Coega Development Zone, which is expected to increase again once power supply issues are resolved. The projects included the SASOL Four renery, the two Pebble-Bed Modular Reactors, and Eskoms two new coal stations which alone require 26,000 artisans. The rand value of these projects was estimated at approximately R600 billion. Fluors research showed a massive skills gap approaching which would make it impossible to successfully roll out these projects without a contingency plan. Despite the economic recession which began in mid-2008, economic recovery and growth requirements will mean that the demand for artisans will persist. These are some of the skills forecasts (for artisan skills) for this period...

LABOUR REQUIREMENTS BY INDUSTRY

This graph shows the early peak of infrastructure and mining and mineral related projects, the mid peak of power related projects and the two peaks of energy and chemicals related projects. At its combined peak, 80,000 artisans would have been required by March 2009.

423

424

FLUOR
A merSETA accredited skills development provider

Success Stories

LABOUR REQUIREMENTS BY LOCATION

This graph shows a massive peak in overseas at over skills needs around September 2009 50,000 artisans, around the same time as Gauteng, KZN and the Eastern Cape would be peaking. North West province has its own distinct peak around September 2010 and the Western Cape has a slow build up to a peak period that is maintained from March 2012 till March 2015.

SUPERVISION REQUIREMENTS (CONSTRUCTION)

This graph shows the demand for artisan supervisors in the construction eld alone, with a peak of 24,000 in March 2009, and demand not falling below 10,000 until July 2013. For every ten artisans a foreman is needed to supervise them; a supervisor is needed for every 3 foreman, and a superintendent for every 3 supervisors.

LABOUR REQUIREMENTS (ALL OCCUPATIONS)

This graph shows the combined labour requirements across all infrastructure related projects on the megaprojects list, including elementary workers. The graph peaks at a massive 180,000 workers would have been needed during March - September 2009.

TOTAL CRAFT REQUIRED

This graph shows a typical forecast of the skill specialisations at one of Fluors projects. Notice the large component of semi-skilled and supervisors.

425

426

FLUOR
A merSETA accredited skills development provider

DEMAND VS TRAINING CAPACITY

This graph shows the skills demand against the training capacity at one of Fluors

Success Stories

training centres. It illustrates the urgency of increasing training capacity.

ISSUES IDENTIFIED BY RESEARCH

Fluor identied several issues which would need to be dealt with by a contingency plan to cope with the skills gaps they identied, including: Timing of training initiatives too often training initiatives were timed too late to synchronise with production or construction schedules - or they were not timed properly for workplace hosts to provide sufcient work experience exposure for apprentices Rates the speed at which apprentices were trained needed to be increased Improved retention strategies with increasing global mobility of the workforce, and global demand for artisan skills, retention was a major issue

Supervision needs apprentices needed appropriate supervision to successfully completing their learning programs and this would require creative solutions given the intense production requirements already placed on supervisors, and the critical shortage of supervisors

Adapting to the new balance of power where skilled workers wield more inuence in labour relations than ever before this is now evident in the Middle-East where foreign workers were routinely shipped home at the rst sign of labour discontent, and now their employers cannot afford to do that and are forced to negotiate more creatively

Importing personnel decreasing OCN availability not only are foreign artisan skills more scarce than ever before, but their quality is decreasing while their cost is increasing; reject rates of 15% are now common amongst foreign workers who once experience reject rates of as low as 1%

Timing of infrastructure projects - as a last resort people had to face the issue of delaying some projects where possible

SOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY FLUOR

In order to limit the need to import labour, Fluor recommends an approach that focuses on the retention of skills within South Africa and upfront training (training ahead of time due to the 2 year time lag before apprentices are competent). Importing skills is a last resort when the rst two options have proven insufcient. Fluor also proposes an integrated approach to training needs not relying on any one silver bullet to save the day, this includes: Assessment & grading Fluor artisans are assessed and graded before even reaching the site to reduce unforeseen problems and ensure consistent quality across widely different levels of skills and experience now present in the labour force Skills programmes Shorter programmes than learnerships to identify skills gaps and address only what is required

427

428

FLUOR
A merSETA accredited skills development provider
Learnerships Learnerships work for Fluor where there is a consistent demand for skills and a long-term skill is being trained, however with many of the trades, Fluors experience is that the learnerships are so long (around three years) that many learners abandon the program once they reach level two or three in order to earn higher wages - the employer does not then receive the full learnership grant Accelerated Artisan Training Programme Fluor sees the accelerated approach as essential to reduce the lead-time for skills from three or four years to two years or less The Fluor AATP runs over 82 weeks starting with a 26 week theoretical training, followed by a 53 week period of practical on the job training and the remaining three weeks are allocated to preparation for the trade test and its completion Brush up/ refresher training Fluor sees this as an essential mode of training to boost skills in a short period of time Unit standard specic training Again providing time and cost savings in relation to learnerships and longer programs, unit standard programs have the advantage of sometimes attracting additional SETA grants and also gaining credit towards a full qualication in the future

Success Stories

A student at Umfolozi FET College working in an electrical workshop

Trainer development programs are seen as a key to enabling all of the above solutions, along with increased local training, assessment and grading capacity. Also of central importance is the ability of employers hosting apprentices to be able to offer sufcient work experience at the right timing in an accelerated program. This integrated approach is expected to solve skills needs in the following proportions; note how AATP programs make up the largest proportion of the full program types of training:

CONCLUSION
Fluor observed from their research that employers need to seriously begin upscaling their own training programmes if they wish to be able to deliver on the megaprojects and their related requirements, especially once the global economy begins to recover from the recession. Fortunately options like the AATP exist to rapidly respond to skills needs, however only two of the large contractors in this eld are currently actively involved in training artisans through the AATP with a capacity of only 940 artisans for the 2008/9 period.

429

430

MCCARTHY MOTORS
A company in the motor retail and components chamber of the merSETA

MCCARTHY MOTORS
Lesson 1 Recruitment .........................................................430 Lesson 2 Training sequence ...............................................432 Lesson 3 Quality of trainers .................................................433 Lesson 4 Working environment ...........................................433 Lesson 5 Reward ................................................................. 434 Lesson 6 Competence focus ...............................................434 Lesson 7 Labour / skills ratios ..............................................435 Lesson 8 Systems ...............................................................436 Lesson 9 Return on investment ..........................................436
This information is based on a presentation at the merSETA National AATP Networking Conference on 17 September 2008 by Steve Collins, Group Service Manager, McCarthy Motors. McCarthy has experience with accelerated artisan development, having been one of the early pioneers of the approach to training apprentices. Their approach was an accelerated version of the Competency Based Modular Training (CMBT) system. Out of the rst intake of 20 McCarthy apprentices using the new accelerated CBMT approach, only one passed. Based on the experience of this and successive groups of apprentices, they have formulated nine important lessons that they learned from this experience: Lesson 1 Recruitment Lesson 2 Training Sequence Lesson 3 Quality of trainers Lesson 4 Working environment Lesson 5 Reward Lesson 6 Competence Focus Lesson 7 Labour/Skills ratios Lesson 8 Systems Lesson 9 Return On Investment

Success Stories

LESSON 1 RECRUITMENT
McCarthy believes this is probably the most important lesson to be learned when embarking on an accelerated artisan programme. Centralised recruitment is essential in an organisation with a network of branches or franchises like McCarthy. Prior to the accelerated approach, line management in each branch did their own recruitment without any guidelines or benchmarks and this resulted in widely differing qualities of apprentice.

A student tweaks an engine at Buffalo City FET College

McCarthy found that they had to raise the standard of entry requirements for apprentices. Matric level mathematics and science with a pass of at least 50% on the standard grade level, were the new requirements. They also introduced additional batteries of evaluations and increased the timeframe for recruitment so that it could be done properly and so they avoided taking people onto the programme who were not suited to it. Training had to stop the recruitment of the wrong people for the wrong reasons. Getting a position as an apprentice could not be the result of having a friend or family member in the company. Too often this resulted in a low level of motivation of candidates who felt they were being done a favour. Annual block intakes are appealing from a mass-production point of view, but McCarthy found that they did not work. A better approach was to create micro focused hubs which operated their own intakes on an as-needed, one out - one in approach.

431

432

MCCARTHY MOTORS
A company in the motor retail and components chamber of the merSETA

LESSON 2 TRAINING SEQUENCE

Initially McCarthy followed a training sequence of six weeks condensed training followed by six months of on the job training. Together with the demands of every day production, this put the apprentices and their coaches under such pressure that

Success Stories

a high drop out rate resulted. Instead, the training was split into weekly courses with three weeks of on the job training between theoretical classes. The training department scheduled all attendances months in advance so that line managers experienced less of an impact in productivity. They also had to buy copyright from the training materials provider to provide all the learning material upfront.

A lecturer models welding technique at Vuselela FET College

LESSON 3 QUALITY OF TRAINERS

McCarthy found that the quality of trainers was a make or break factor in the success of their program. Most trainers were used to the time-based apprenticeship system and had very xed ideas about what was going to work and what wasnt. Realising this, the training department put the entire program on hold in order to retrain trainers to a higher standard in the accelerated system. Each trainer had to undertake the entire CBMT program themselves. They also had to take a vigorous approach to replace trainers who refused to accept re-training and who saw themselves as not needing to learn anything. Trainers had to learn to stop spoon-feeding apprentices and adapt their delivery styles from one of teaching to one of facilitating self paced learning. Trainer to learner ratios were improved from 22:1 to 8:1.

LESSON 4 WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The nature of the working environment that apprentices were placed into was a major determining factor in the success of the training program. Initially, learners were placed evenly across the entire network of branches. Then the training department found that in some working environments, old school artisans were resisting the introduction of the new theory that was being taught to the apprentices. As a result, innovations could not be effectively introduced through training. Some work environments were clearly better suited to apprentice work experience than others. These environments were identied and upgraded into centres of excellence for the placement of all high potential learners. The focus created by these hubs enabled the training department to easily inuence the working environment and improve efciency.

433

434

MCCARTHY MOTORS
A company in the motor retail and components chamber of the merSETA

LESSON 5 REWARD
McCarthys training department found that reward incentives were an important way to drive the behaviours and values they wanted to develop in apprentices and their

Success Stories

mentors. Promotion status and career pathing were improved to give recognition to achievers and set standards of excellence. For example, apprentices completing the program in shorter than expected time frames were able to get bonuses of as much as R1,000 per month or more, earned month after month, not just once off. Parents were found to be great allies in the reward structure. By inviting them to formal prize-giving and graduation ceremonies, they enlisted the support of the apprentices broader family in the commitment that was required to nish the program successfully. Mentors also needed nancial incentives as well as a two hour reduction in their performance requirements (from 9 hours to 7 hours per day) so that they would not complain that they had no time to train. Finally, skills grants were ring fenced and paid back on a weighted basis to franchises that completed their annual training objectives and training days. It is McCarthys intention to hold back all discretionary funds for accelerated artisan training and only pay out to service departments that complete the new program within two years.

LESSON 6 COMPETENCE FOCUS

Productivity dips after the completion of training were typical in the old approach to apprenticeships. Learners were to used parrot fashion learning with only the purpose of passing their exams, The entire performance management system used to support this kind of once off achievement attitude. With the new accelerated approach, the training department changed the mindsets of learners to a competency focus. Learners were held accountable for competencies that they had already covered by having to demonstrate them at work. They introduced job performance reviews to nd out this kind of application was happening, and they measured learner productivity. This meant introducing their own assessments over and above the standard industry requirements, but it was just what was needed to effect the change in emphasis. Assessments themselves were adapted to move away from pure theory and include self study projects of a more applied nature.

LESSON 7 LABOUR/SKILLS RATIOS

The mix of skills levels in the labour force needed changing too. New apprentices needed less exposure to old school artisans. An indication of the resistance to change in these older artisans was the resignation of 40% of this group when they were asked to undertake the accelerated CBMT program. A learner support structure was needed in each labour unit with the right ration of higher level learners to support lower level learners. The new skill mix was an optimal ratio of learning needs balanced with production needs. it was also based on planning for aftersales support and growth needs in the business units.

A motor mechanics student at Northlink FET College

435

436

MCCARTHY MOTORS
A company in the motor retail and components chamber of the merSETA

LESSON 8 SYSTEMS
To run an apprenticeship training system efciently on such tight requirements requires strong information systems underpining everything that happens.

Success Stories

This is especially true when each apprentice is proceeding at his or her own pace and therefore have to be individually tracked and monitored. For example, apprentices had to be given scheduled access to expensive machinery such as wheel alignment equipment at R250,000 a piece, which only one of them could use at a time. At rst the training department developed their own complex Microsoft Access system to track, plan and monitor the progress of apprentices. Later this evolved into an internet based systems which allowed for access from remote business units. Additional staff were needed to focus on progress data and gaps that were identied by the system. The IT system was continually upgraded to meet the changing needs of the training program as it evolved, and to match improvements in technology, which of course had a cost implication...

LESSON 9 RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Many HR practitioners feel that they lack the inuence to motivate the kind of HR changes that would make a real difference to their organisations. Steve Collins faced an even more difcult challenge: McCarthys was technically insolvent at one point in its recent history and top management were experts at cutting costs, with a vengeance. Steve had to stand before the McCarthy board every three months to justify his new program and the extra expenses it was incurring. However he found he was able to consistently win support from the board by positioning training as a business partner with protability objectives. Previously training was run in isolation to the broader picture of business, and this change enabled Steve to argue the cost recovery arguments by measuring and justifying all his proposals on a protability basis.

Steve was able to show that he could grow aftersales protability and therefore absorb the costs he was incurring. Of course in their CEO Brand Pretorius, Steve had a natural ally Brand is a rm believer in investment in people and its importance in the long term. Also, with the new HR Director, Cyril Khambula, Steve has another ally: Cyril moved up the ranks having started his career as an artisan (with Siemens) and is driven by human capital investment strategies. The training department was able to convincingly show McCarthys board that the cost of recruitment was double the cost of training. They were able to show a ten times return on investment on training. Aftersales prot grew from 10c prot per rand turnover to 30c.

A artisan training workshop at Vuselela FET College

437

438

THE STAINLESS STEEL COMPANY

A company in the metal and engineering chamber of the merSETA

THE STAINLESS STEEL COMPANY

To preserve the anonymity of the company this information is based on, the name of the organisation and its staff have been changed. The importance of attitude ......................................................438 Attitude problems amongst artisans ........................................438 Core values at TSSC ..............................................................440 What is attitude? ....................................................................441 Pride complemented with skills ...............................................441 Passion complemented with direction ....................................442 Belief complemented with action.............................................442 Changing artisan attitudes .....................................................443 Coaching for attitude change ..................................................443 Cost implications .....................................................................444 Results .................................................................................... 445

Success Stories

This information is based on information provided by a merSETA levy paying company on 17 September 2008. Vivienne van den Bergh of The Stainless Steel Company (TSSC) is responsible for the coaching and mentoring programs for apprentices at TSSC. TSSC put special focus into the coaching aspect of apprenticeship in order to get the kind of development in work ethic and excellence related values that are consistent with the companys culture. This section explains their thinking around attitude and learning, and how they went about developing this aspect of competence in their learners.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTITUDE

To TSSC, the attitude part of the equation... Skills + Knowledge + Attitude = COMPETENCE ... is all important. This comes from the European lineage of TSSCs holding company which treats its employees as members of a family and resigning before retirement is unheard of.

ATTITUDE PROBLEMS AMONGST ARTISANS

However TSSC faced the opposite situation in South Africa. The average age of artisans in TSSC was 35 with an average of 5 years experience with the company. TSSC experienced a staff turnover of 17% per year.

A artisan training workshop at Vuselela FET College

With artisans who are using expensive equipment this kind of high turn over is potentially damaging: equipment that requires a ne level of skill and understanding to run at optimum levels can easily be damaged or have its lifespan reduced by an inexperienced artisan. Instead of breaking down once in ten years, it can break down twice a year and cause high production line downtime. This was all the more reason why a low staff turnover rate was desirable. Against this background, TSSC knew that South African artisans had once had a reputation of being amongst the best in the world with an excellent work ethic. In the past, TSSC Steel artisans started with the company, received three to four years training and retired with the company. This was in stark contrast to the negative attitudes and poor workmanship TSSC was then experiencing. Poor workmanship led to negative attitudes and this created a self-reinforcing cycle of mediocrity. TSSC therefore set out to nurture attitudes in their apprentices that would result in pride in their work, positive attitudes towards their peers and superiors and a general willingness to go the extra mile.

439

440

THE STAINLESS STEEL COMPANY

A company in the metal and engineering chamber of the merSETA

CORE VALUES AT TSSC

TSSC Steel values the following attitudes: Team work with respect for the individual Safety as a way of life Knowing their customers and adding value to their business Recognition for sustained superior performance Practical care for their environment Freedom in thought, courage & discipline in action

Success Stories

A apprentice practices fault nding skills

Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude. Ralph Marston

WHAT IS ATTITUDE?
TSSC chose this denition of attitude: Attitude is a predisposition or a tendency to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, object, person, or situation. Attitude inuences an individuals choice of action, and responses to challenges. And this denition of the major components of attitude: (1) (2) (3) (4) Affective: emotions or feelings. Cognitive: belief or opinions held consciously. Conative: inclination for action. Evaluative: positive or negative response to stimuli

PRIDE COMPLEMENTED WITH SKILLS

TSSC understood that pride on its own could be destructive and needed to be balanced by skills and knowledge. The logic of this balance could be represented by these formulas: Pride Skills/Knowledge = Arrogance Employees with pride that is not matched by competence are likely to be arrogant. Skills/Knowledge Pride = Mediocre Work Employees who are competent but dont know and recognise it are likely to produce mediocre work. Pride + Skills/Knowledge = The Best Work Each Time This is the kind of pride TSSC was aiming for.

441

442

THE STAINLESS STEEL COMPANY

A company in the metal and engineering chamber of the merSETA

PASSION COMPLEMENTED WITH DIRECTION

TSSC was looking for passion (intense enthusiasm) from artisans that was directed and focused on the work objectives at hand. The logic of this balance was repre-

Success Stories

sented by these formulas: Passion Direction = Wasted Energy Very enthusiastic apprentices who were unable to focus this energy on actual work objectives would likely waste their time and their co-workers time. Direction Passion = Success Takes Far Longer, If Ever Employees who were work focused but lacked passion may be efcient but may never reach excellence or may take very long to do so. Passion + Direction = Effectiveness This is the kind of passion TSSC was aiming for.

BELIEF COMPLEMENTED WITH ACTION

The training department wanted to develop artisans who believed in TSSC Stainless Steel in a practically effective way. The logic of this balance was represented by these formulas: Belief Action = Fantasies This kind of employee lives in a dream world that never materialises into anything valuable for themselves or their company. Action Belief = Fool at Work This kind of employee tends to work mindlessly and the action can even sometimes be counter-productive in impact while looking effective on the surface. Belief + Action = Dreams Come True This is the kind of belief TSSC was aiming for.

CHANGING ARTISAN ATTITUDES

Once the training department was clear on the kind of attitudes they wanted to foster, the next step was how?. Essentially this involved: Coaching to address attitude, skills and knowledge Performance Appraisals that include attitude, skills and knowledge

COACHING FOR ATTITUDE CHANGE

Creating a supportive environment in which to challenge and develop critical skills, ideas and behaviour. TSSC selected coaches from a pool of retired master artisans who had served long periods with the company and who believed in the values of the company. Typically these coaches had an excellent knowledge of the company and its values, and its equipment and processes.

COACHING RESPONSIBILITIES
The training department believed that the coach is there to train and develop knowledge and skills in apprentices that they do not possess simply due to a lack of experience. Their sole responsibility is therefore the development of apprentices they have no production demands placed on them. Instilling values is an intrinsic part of their coaching work and requirements. Each coach is responsible for 20 apprentices on a weekly basis and time is scheduled so that each apprentice receives individual attention.

INSTILLING VALUES
The key to being able to develop attitudes and values in people is a one to one relationship where the focus on personal and attitude related issues can be dealt with on a far deeper level than in group engagements. Coaches have to actually engage the apprentices to instill the values - it does not just happen. This individual attention gives time for coaches to make up for learning gaps and problems identied with apprentices and enables them to build condence in apprentices, which is a very valuable contribution to the workforce.

443

444

THE STAINLESS STEEL COMPANY

A company in the metal and engineering chamber of the merSETA

PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS
Attitude is a key dimension of the performance appraisal, not just the apprentices skills and knowledge. The appraisal covers the following attitudinal aspects:

Success Stories

team work team interaction dependability time keeping leadership skills dedication towards the training programme

The appraisal is interactive and includes the apprentice as well as: the engineer the team manager the artisan the coach

Everyone sits together and constructively and transparently discusses areas of development for the apprentice. These are identied and agreed upon, and time is allowed for personal growth by staging the appraisals every three months.

COST IMPLICATIONS
Coaches are paid the same wage as before their retirement and are responsible for 20 apprentices on a weekly basis. Since they have no production demands they cannot offset their costs directly. TSSC has therefore invested considerable resources in supporting the coaching and mentoring program. The training department was able to justify this in view of the high cost of recruiting new staff and the very high cost of staff turnover. Staff turnover has damaging consequences in a company with expensive capital equipment that needs to be cared for by people who know the machinery and their optimum working conditions.

Attitude - a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways

RESULTS
Line managers have expressed surprise at the complete turnaround in attitudes amongst apprentices and are very pleased at the result. Whereas before line managers would sometimes refuse to have certain apprentices on their oor, the same apprentices are now being commended by the same managers.

A student practices welding at Northlink FET College

445

446

BARLOWORLD MOTORS
A company in the motor retail and components chamber of the merSETA

BARLOWORLD MOTORS
Background ............................................................................. 446 Recruitment and selection process .........................................447 Contracting and on-boarding...................................................448 Training and development ......................................................448
This information is based on a presentation at the merSETA National AATP Networking Conference on 17 September 2008 by Ilsa Botes, Divisional Employee Development Manager, Barloworld Motor Retail (SA). Ilsa is the external SDF for Barloworld Motor and has 14 years experience in the motor industry. Barloworld Motors approach to the accelerated artisan training model developed strong management systems to be able to achieve the intensive training and work experience needed by apprentices. This was especially important given the decentralised structure of its business units.

Success Stories

BACKGROUND
Barloworld Motor is one of the divisions of Barloworld South Africa (Pty) Ltd. It has about 45 dealerships countrywide, 3,700 employees and 260 apprentices. The companys business philosophy is one of independent business units with each dealer principal being responsible to act as the internal SDF and Employment Equity manager for his/her dealership, as well as developing and implementing the Workplace Skills Plan. The Barloworld Motor Academy acts as the training provider to the dealerships.

The logo of the Barloworld Motor Academy

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PROCESS

Barloworld Motor found that the recruitment and selection process was pivotal for the success of the rest of the accelerated program.

At Barloworld Motor this process takes three months and involves ve steps:

Step 1: Paper screen

Step 2: Psychometric assessments

Step 3: Panel interview

Step 4: Forensic checks

Step 5: Practical assessment

The paper screen includes candidates having achieved at least 50% on the standard grade for mathematics and science, and they should display a technical orientation in the assessment results.

In addition to a battery of 6 psychometric assessments, basic English capability is tested as well as the personality prole of each candidate.

The panel interview includes interviews with the Service Manager, the HR Manager and the Training Manager.

A three week practical assessment follows for candidates who have passed each of the previous stages. It has two components:

a 2 week extended practical selection programme including training on First Aid and Safety in the workplace and basic handskills; behavioural aspects are also observed

a 1 week practical assessment at the recruiting dealership while working with a qualied technician to assess issues like punctuality, teamwork and quality of work.

447

448

BARLOWORLD MOTORS
A company in the motor retail and components chamber of the merSETA

CONTRACTING AND ON-BOARDING

This is a big function designed to spark the imagination of the apprentices and their families so that they fully commit to the process up ahead, which can at times be

Success Stories

very challenging. merSETA staff and senior management from Barloworld Motor attend the contracting ceremony. Apprentices and their relatives are given an overview of the company and the apprenticeship process so that they know what is required of them. Having the parents there helps to create a sense of shared expectations and also provides a basis for some parental guidance and authority should the apprentice need it later in the program. At the sign-on ceremony, the top candidate from the selection process in each region is awarded a prize. This helps to create a culture of individual excellence early on in the program. Employment contracts are signed with the apprentices. The contract includes a 3 month probationary period and a service agreement which commits the apprentice to work for Barloworld Motor for the same period of time as they received training for. Part of the employment contract is the apprentices agreement to an Employment Code which states what is acceptable behaviour and attitudes in the workplace, and what is not.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

APPRENTICE ORIENTATION PROGRAM
The apprentice training programme starts with a 4 day orientation program where work ethics, personal empowerment, team work and building a constructive relationship with the mentor are addressed, in addition to some of the technical apprentice modules.

INSTITUTIONAL TRAINING
This is four weeks of theoretical and practical training over a six month period, per level. Reports are generated after every week of institutional training to provide the manager with feedback on results for the module tests, comments on apprentice progress, and feedback on their behaviour.

The Barloworld Motor Academy workshop in KZN

PRACTICAL TRAINING
Practical, on the job training is monitored by the training department with a monthly site visit to the apprentice and his/her mentor. The apprentice log books are checked, module tests are conducted (if required), and individual coaching in problem areas is undertaken.

During the site visit there is a meeting with the service manager, the mentor, and the apprentice. An audit form is signed by the mentor, apprentice and service manager so that there is a paper trail of all progress, remediation and related information and commitments.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Part of the effectiveness of the Barloworld Motor management system is clear responsibilities and roles. These are detailed in the policies and procedures manual and discussed with every new group of apprentices and their mentors. The procedures differentiate between the role of the Trainer, Mentor and Apprentice as well as clarify the role of the training department/provider and business operations.

449

450

BARLOWORLD MOTORS
A company in the motor retail and components chamber of the merSETA

Success Stories

Barloworld Motor Academy recruitment poster

RECOGNITION AND REWARD PROCESSES

Barloworld Motor believes that reward and recognition need to be emphasised and well managed in order to support an accelerated artisan training program. This applies not only to apprentices, but also to mentors. All mentors receive a monetary reward if they enable their apprentices to complete a level on the rst attempt within a six month period by means of providing sufcient coaching and support. The top apprentice per region qualies for a reward and one apprentice is nominated for the Barloworld Motor Achiever Award Programme.

CONCLUSION
Barloworld Motor has made a success of the accelerated approach in a decentralised context with the help of strong management systems. Beyond the systems outlined above, Dealer Principals have key performance indicators on transformation, employment equity and skills development targets to ensure their commitment. Despite an emphasis on the decentralised approach, all theoretical and generic practical training is done at Barloworld Motors centralised training centres, not the actual dealerships. This ensures a consistent quality of input and assessment.

A student develops his skills in panel beating at Buffalo City FET College

451

452

LINDSAY SAKER
A company in the motor retail and components chamber of the merSETA

LINDSAY SAKER
Background ............................................................................. 452 Plan properly ...........................................................................454 Considerations when drawing up your SLA ............................454 Typical topics to be covered by an SLA .................................456 Results ................................................................................... 457

Success Stories

This information is based on a presentation at the merSETA National AATP Networking Conference on 17 September 2008 by Nico Pretorius of Lindsay Saker. Lindsay Saker takes an even more decentralised approach to its dealerships than Barloworld Motor. Training is delivered by external service providers and for Lindsay Saker this was therefore a key aspect of their ability to successfully implement the AATP across the group. Nico Pretorius presentation therefore focused on setting up effective Service Level Agreements between themselves as the employer, and their training providers.

BACKGROUND
When Nico Pretorius took over at Lindsay Sakers training and development function, there was a need for drastic change. Staff turnover amongst apprentices was around 26% in many dealerships which was a big problem when imported technology was being used in the workshops and the organisation was not building up the institutional memory to care properly for those machines and get the most out of them. At the same time the skills crisis was putting a premium on qualied artisans, the motor servicing industry was highly performance driven and everything that could be was outsourced. In fact outsourced training providers would be one of the key problems Nico would have to deal with - dealerships were reporting consistent quality problems with providers and this was an aspect of the service process that Lindsay Saker was intent on outsourcing.

OPPOSITE: A motor mechanics student practices panel beating techniques at Buffalo City FET College

453

454

LINDSAY SAKER
A company in the motor retail and components chamber of the merSETA

PLAN PROPERLY
Nico incorporated these steps in the planning process, and this helped him get to effective solutions further down the line:

Success Stories

Determine underlying principles of the problem or challenge Its no use just solving the symptoms of a problem - to get lasting solutions you need to nd the root problems that are driving the symptoms - this is called structural change Lindsay Saker needed a solution to the training of their apprentices that would be process driven so that it would not cost management time, and the bottom line result they needed from the training was qualied technicians

Dene internal and external processes and how they are managed The key here is to match internal and external processes so that external service providers serve the internal operations of the company, and not the other way around

Dene roles and responsibilities of all parties involved At the time Nico took over, the completion rate on apprenticeships was 7% - it was obvious that between dealerships and training providers no-one was taking nal responsibility for apprentices completing their training

Identify possible business partners This has to be the nal step of the planning process, otherwise the business partners dictate to you how the relationship should be run, and the company ends up serving the provider instead of the other way around

CONSIDERATIONS WHEN DRAWING UP YOUR SLA

These considerations are based on the learning and experience of the Lindsay Saker training department as it turned around its operations under Nico. Must support achieving the desired outcome In Lindsay Sakers case this was to achieve qualied technicians. Its very easy for an SLA to get busy with all sorts of other concerns and miss its primary purpose. A failure to achieve qualied technicians would mean the SLA had failed. Must relate to core competencies of role-players

Here Nico found that real honesty was needed to stop people passing the buck on responsibilities that actually belonged to them. For example, dealerships wanted to give the providers all the work, even when it came to admin and communication with learner requirements. However dealerships were clearly best placed to communicate with learners and admin was already built into their operations. Must be measurable What cannot be measured cannot be managed - the purpose of an SLA is to manage the relationship with the provider, so this requires several measurement indicators to be built into the SLA in order to enable the relationship to be managed Must include penalties and incentives Managing a business relationship without penalties or incentives is like driving a car without an accelerator or breaks - unmanageable

A group of motor mechanics students at Buffalo City FET College develop team work and spirit reminiscent of a grand prix team

455

456

LINDSAY SAKER
A company in the motor retail and components chamber of the merSETA
Must support and integrate with the whole process to achieve objective not just the training part While training was the key delivery objective, the apprentice development process involved a lot more than that (recruitment, induction, reward etc) and therefore the SLA had to address those areas too Must be sustainable based on sound business model Providers willing to promise the earth on a shoe-string budget are not likely to be able to sustain their generosity and the contracting company loses out Must allow for continuous improvement and corrective action

Success Stories

TYPICAL TOPICS TO BE COVERED BY AN SLA

Standard of training It is suggested that external inspection of the training is provided for in the SLA so that the contracting company can visit training sites and ensure that training is taking place according to the agreed standards Training should be accredited not just as providers but as assessment centres as well, and their accreditation status should be sustained for the duration of the contract and until assessment results and certication of the learners is achieved Providers need to have relevant, functioning equipment available for training apprentices with, and should supply apprentices with a reasonable quantity of training material consumables (e.g. welding rods) Training planning This needs to be planned well in advance (e.g. one year) so that line managers cannot hold people back from attending courses Training structure On the old time-based apprenticeship model, there used to be one intake of apprentices per year - this became four intakes per year in the accelerated model Lindsay Saker built in 20 days training per apprentice per level and had a payment per day of training arrangement per apprentice so that there was a direct link between the providers reward and the desired outcome

Level testing It was important to tie providers down to do testing within a certain timeframe of apprentices completing the necessary theoretical and practical components of learning - otherwise learners sat around waiting for weeks before they were tested and not only was this demotivating, but it minimised the instructional value of the assessments In Lindsay Sakers experience some apprentices were already on level 3 of their training but had not yet been assessed as competent by the provider on level 1

Communication Lindsay Saker found that communication responsibilities needed to be carefully allocated: providers took some communication responsibilities, such as communicating poor performance problems so that dealerships could remediate, while dealerships undertook to communicate with apprentices about class schedules because they were in daily contact with them

Measurements The only certain way to ensure that Lindsay Saker got qualied technicians was for Nico to write into the SLA that the provider guaranteed a minimum pass rate for apprentices in black and white

Remedies (individual and if overall pass rate not satisfactory) Nico committed the training provider to offer extra training in the event of minor problems and a remedial action plan if things were really falling apart

RESULTS
Thanks to the improvements of the AATP approach and a carefully constructed SLA, Lindsay Saker began to see signicant improvements in staff turnover, level test pass rates, and registered apprenticeship contracts.

Indicator Level Test pass rate Staff turnover Apprentice contracts registered with merSETA

Before AATP and SLA 45,16% 22% 75

After AATP and SLA 72.22% 4,76% 160

457

ADVERTISE NOW

National Training Directory

TO ADVERTISE, CONTACT MIKE STUART ON 011 485 2036 OR EMAIL MIKE@RAINBOWSA.CO.ZA

Training Section
Adult Basic Education & Training (ABET) ............................ 460 AIDS / HIV Training ............................................................... 461 Banking ................................................................................. 462 Business Schools .................................................................. 465 Call Centre Training .............................................................. 467 Coaching & Mentoring........................................................... 467 Communication, Language & Presentation Skills ................. 469 Customer Service, Sales and Marketing ............................... 471 e-Learning ............................................................................. 472 Educational Institutions ......................................................... 473 Emergency Care Services .................................................... 485 Entrepreneurship & Small Business Training ........................ 481 ETD Practitioner Training ...................................................... 486 Finance & Accounting ........................................................... 490 HR Personnel Training .......................................................... 494 Industrial Psychology Education ........................................... 502 Innovation.............................................................................. 498 IT Training (ISETT)................................................................ 498 Leadership ............................................................................ 504 Learnerships ......................................................................... 506

Click your mouse on the page numbers to hyperlink to that heading (PDF version only)

Key Organisations Page 010 Foundational Concepts Page 064 BEE & Skills Development Page 184 The OLS Page 218 Success Stories Page 410
THE

THE

National Training Directory Page 458

10,000 copies of the Handbook are printed annually, with some variation depending on orders. The typical distribution is shown at the bottom of this page ...

Training Section
Management & Supervisory .................................................. 507 Personal Development & Interpersonal Skills ....................... 510 Project Management ............................................................. 513 Production Management ....................................................... 049 Public & Development Management ..................................... 514 Public Relations Training....................................................... 516 RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) ..................................... 517 Real Estate Related Training ................................................ 518 Risk & Credit Management ................................................... 519 Secretarial & Administration .................................................. 520 Skills Development & NQF Consulting.................................. 521 Technical & Trades ................................................................ 524 Telecommunications Training ................................................ 527 Tourism & Hospitality............................................................. 527 Training Events & Organisers ............................................... 528 Training Management & Strategy ......................................... 531 Training Materials & Design .................................................. 531 Training Venues .................................................................... 535 Wholesale & Retail Training .................................................. 537

HR Section
BEE Consulting ..................................................................... 538 Change Management............................................................ 539 Diversity and Transformation Management .......................... 540 Environmental Sustainability ................................................. 543 HR Consultants ..................................................................... 544 HR IT Solutions ..................................................................... 544 Occupational Health & Safety .............................................. 545 Organisational Consulting .................................................... 545 Performance Management.................................................... 547 Recruitment, Assessment & Staff Management.................... 547

Click your mouse on the page numbers to hyperlink to that heading (PDF version only)

Index
Alphabetical index of providers and partners ........................ 548 Contact details of public FET colleges .................................. 550

WHO READS THIS BOOK?

SETAS & DEPT LABOUR - 5,000 COPIES CHIETA - 2,200 copies, MERSETA - 790 copies, CETA - 500 copies, LGSETA - 340 copies, MQA - 250 copies, Dept Labour (NSF) - 237 copies, TETA - 220 copies, BANKSETA - 150 copies, plus additional smaller orders KEY ORGANISATIONS, GOVERNMENT BODIES & NPOS - 1,000 COPIES AMCHAM, City of Joburg, DANIDA, DBSA, Dept Correctional Services, Dept Education, Dept Health, Dept Justice, Dept Labour, Dept Trade & Industry, Dept Transport, Dept Water Affairs, French Development Aid, NACTU, Namibian Training Authority, National Skills Authority, NUMSA, SANDF, SAPO, SAPS, SAQA, SEIFSA, UK Trade & Investment, and many others TRAINING, HR PROFESSIONALS & SDFS - 4,000 COPIES Book distributors - 209 copies, Nedbank Group Limited - 50 copies, Other organisations including: ABSA, ACSA, Anglo Operations, BMF Intellect, Coca-Cola, De Beers, Deloitte & Touche SETA Services, Didata, Eskom, FNB, Grinaker, Group 5, Harmony Gold, KPMG, Metropolitan, Murray & Roberts, Rand Merchant Bank, Siemens, Telkom, Unisys, Vodacom, Woolworths, and many others...

460

Adult Basic Education & Training

Adult Basic Education & Training

461

AIDS / HIV Training

462

Banking

Banking

463

464

Banking

Do you want to get ahead in your career in credit?

If you are involved in the credit industry this is your chance to get ahead in your career!
Enrol now for any of our BANKSETA accredited credit & micro finance Skills Programmes which include:
An Introduction to Credit Management > Learn to understand the legal, ethical & professional needs of the micro finance industry > Learn to understand micro finance business principles Credit Assessment Practices & Methodologies > Learn to calculate the repayment ability & assess the credit risk of potential clients > Learn to make recommendations about making financial decision & the paying out of loans Credit Control & Collections > Learn to collect & manage loans Fraud Prevention and Monitoring > Learn to manage & prevent fraud in the micro finance industry > Learn to describe fraud & assist in the control of fraud Effective Debt Collection > Learn to apply the legal requirements to credit management & learn about the liquidation of debt > Learn to communicate with relevant stakeholders in the recovery of debt

You can choose between either distance learning or face-to-face training. Taking only 1 day to complete the possibilities career-wise are endless!

To find out more about these skills programmes & our other courses, contact Compuscan Academy at Tel: 021 888 6000 or e-mail us at: info@compuscanacademy.co.za.
Compuscan Academy is an accredited training provider of the BANKSETA, which offers numerous short courses & skills programmes. These are aligned to NQF unit standards, earning you credits towards National Qualifications.

Compuscan Academy
COMPUSCAN ACADEMY OF LEARNING

Banking

465

Business Schools

466

Business Schools

Call Centre Training

467

Coaching & Mentoring

468

Coaching & Mentoring

Communication, Language & Presentation Skills

469

470

Communication, Language & Presentation Skills

Customer Service, Sales & Marketing

471

472

e-Learning
T he B e n e fit s

The average PC of today provides the following multimedia facilities: It can display text, technical drawings, graphics, photos, animations and video. It can play music and speech. These facilities can be exploited to convey knowledge and skills to those who have no academic qualifications and no computer skills. The PC is available at low cost and high reliability. Hence, this powerful teaching tool can be made accessible to all employees. CBT courses are automatically Learner centered which makes the trainee to feel in control and provides increased trainee satisfaction. The computer is non-judgemental, non-threatening and patient. There is no need for centralized training centre. CBT can be delivered when and where it is most convenient. The above render CBT to be very cost-effective.

Computer-Based Training
matra engineering services
One of many micro-lessons which the trainee steps through at his/her own pace.

T he M a t r a A d va n t a g e
We have, since 1991, developed animation techniques to explain engineering concepts to plant operators who have no formal education. The structure of a Matra course is based on addressing the weakest learner. This demands very careful planning of the sequence of micro lessons. It is then up to the learner to work at a pace which suits his/her comfort level. The best possible content expertise is used during origination. This ensures that high level knowledge is encapsulated into a format that is understandable and permanent. The investment value is further enhanced by the fact that the delivery of the contents will : a. remain at the highest possible standard every time. b. be accessible to all personnel at almost zero cost. The cost of a CBT production is very competitive compared to any other format.

The Generation of Electricity

EG1 E02-0294

The turning Rotor generates electricity in the Stator.

for a demonstration, or for a Fixed Fee quotation, please contact us : Matra House 7 Kirsten Ave. Randburg Tel : 011 462-5844 P.O. Box 2409 Randburg 2125 Fax : 011 462-5833 Web Site : Cell : 083 680-7007 www.matra.co.za E-Mail : dave@matra.co.za

Educational Institutions

473

"Empowering Students"

Enquire about the exciting National Certificate (Vocational) NC(V) NQF Levels 2, 3 & 4 and become job-ready!

NC(V) PROGRAMMES OFFERED:

BUSINESS STUDIES:

UTILITY STUDIES:

ENGINEERING STUDIES:

(new at Germiston Campus only)

Still offering:
airdressing H
Cosmetology
CORPORATE CENTRE MARKETING ENQUIRIES 0861 EWC 111/0861 392 111 Tel. (011) 972-4247 ext 338, 342, 344

ENGINEERING STUDIES:

BUSINESS STUDIES:

NC(V) Bursaries available!

* Subject to approval

u ALBERTON

900-1201/2 917-9984 u GERMISTON u Tel. (011) 872-0830

u BOKSBURG u Tel. (011)

u Tel. (011)

u KATHORUS u KEMPTON u TEMBISA

u Tel. (011) u Tel. (011)

905-3562/3531 972-4247 u Tel. (011) 925-1005/6

I want to know more! Please send me info on your programmes

Name: ___________________________________________________ Surname: _________________________________________________ Postal Address: ___________________________________________ Code: ___________________________________________________

E-mail address: __________________________________________ Field of study: ___________________________________________ Where did you see this ad?: _____________________________ ________________________________________________________ _ _ _

474

Educational Institutions

Educational Institutions

475

476

Educational Institutions

Educational Institutions

477

478

Educational Institutions

Educational Institutions

479

480

Educational Institutions

Educational Institutions

481

CAPRICORN COLLEGE for FET resulted from the merger of three Colleges which had very distinct and diverse historical backgrounds. These were the former Pietersburg Technical College (PTC), a state-aided college which was built for whites in the heydays of apartheid; the former Bochum College of Education which was a state college and was built to educate black teachers; and the former Northern Province Community College (NPCC) which was a state college and previously the result of a merger between Tseke Mabooe- and Shikoane Matlala Technical Colleges. MISSION STATEMENT Capricorn College for Further Education and Training is to achieve its vision by offering responsive, flexible and quality programmes that are accessible to all types of learners through formal learning and learnerships. These are achieved by offering national and college designed programmes; also by forming partnerships with industries, businesses, local governments, other government departments and global governments as well as SETAs (Sector Education and Training Authority) and by making use of committed human capital and quality physical resources.

Tel: 015 297 8367/89 Fax: 015 297 5448

482

Educational Institutions

Educational Institutions

483

484

Educational Institutions

Educational Institutions

485

Emergency Care Services

Entrepreneurship & Small Business Training

486

Entrepreneurship & Small Business Training

ETD Practitioner Training (ETDP SETA)

ETD Practitioner Training (ETDP SETA)

487

488

ETD Practitioner Training (ETDP SETA)

ETD Practitioner Training (ETDP SETA)

489

490

ETD Practitioner Training (ETDP SETA)

Finance & Accounting (FASSET)

Finance & Accounting (FASSET)

491

492

Finance & Accounting (FASSET)

Finance & Accounting (FASSET)

493

There are a lot more benets to bridging the skills gap.

In bridging the skills gap, Fasset have successfully completed 30,000 learnerships in which countless businesses, corporates and other institutions who facilitated these learnerships, have beneted from the advantages of being associated with Fasset. Aside from realising scores of learners professional aspirations and giving back to the community, these organisations have enjoyed access to Learnership Cash Grants, tax deductions and a professional body membership. By placing our learners on a successful career path and bridging the skills gap, there is a lot more Fasset can do for you.
086 101 0001 fassetcallcentre@fasset.org.za www.fasset.org.za Fasset is the Sector Education and Training Authority for Finance, Accounting, Management Consulting and Other Financial Services.
BLACKMOON 06310

F A

S S

E T

494

HR Personnel Training

HR Personnel Training

495

1st Floor, Fern Isle Building, 359 Pretoria street, Randburg, Johannesburg, 2157 Tel: 086 100 0476, Fax: (011) 789 1385 www.ipm.co.za

The Institute of People Management (IPM) is a non-profit organisation that was founded more than 60 years ago with the aim of providing appropriate, relevant knowledge and information on effective leadership and people management to human resource professionals and management in general.
IPM dedicates its efforts to providing knowledge and tools for strategic people development and leadership, which contribute to growth, profitability and sustainability of businesses. IPM believes that its effectiveness can and should be measured by relevance, accessibility, and quality of service provided to its members. Charlotte Mokoena leads the IPM Board as the President and Rre Elijah Litheko is in charge the operations side of the Institute as the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director. IPM mission is to be the professional association trusted and valued by HR practitioners and Business leaders. IPMs aspiration is to be the Wikipedia of thought leadership in people management. It aims to achieve this by providing knowledge and tools for strategic people development and leadership with a view to contributing to both organisational and individual growth on a sustainable basis.To ensure that IPM makes a meaningful contribution to the development of human capital in the country, the IPM Board has identified the following key strategic objectives:

IPM STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

Skills Development: the aim is to play a key role within the skills development arena in the country as well as to facilitate research based dialogue and a search for solutions.

Building HR Capacity: to ensure continuous professional development of HR Practitioners and to expose them to though leadership in people management and best practice.

Growing and Managing Membership through extending IPM branch networks to major centres in the country.

Leveraging the Brand: to develop the IPM Brand as a model that can be replicated locally, regionally and continentally with the intention of extending best practice in people management to all corners of the country.

496

HR Personnel Training

IPM HEAD OFFICE CONTACT DETAILS

Contact Mode Physical Address Postal Address Web Address Switchboard Fax Number Email Contact Details 287 Kent Ave, South Wing, Ground Floor, Ferndale, Randburg, 2194 P.O. Box 868, Randburg, 2125 www.ipm.co.za 011 329 3760 011 329 3760 info@ipm.co.za

HR Personnel Training

497

498

Innovation

IT Training (ISETT)

IT Training (ISETT)

499

500

IT Training (ISETT)

IT Training (ISETT)

501

502

Industrial Psychology Education

Industrial Psychology Education

503

504

Leadership

Leadership

505

506

Learnerships

Management & Supervisory Development

507

508

Management & Supervisory Development

Management & Supervisory Development

509

510

Management & Supervisory Development

Personal Development & Interpersonal Skills

Personal Development & Interpersonal Skills

511

512

Personal Development & Interpersonal Skills

personal effectiveness coaching

life skills

hiv/aids education

change management

customer care

...growing individuals, teams & organisations

assertiveness financial lifeskills
ISO 9001:2000 certified www.free-to-grow.co.za

stress management

Tel: +27 (0)21 852 4445 Services SETA accredited

Project management Training

513

It is only by describing learning that is traditionally accumulated at work that it will be possible to plan for more accelerated learning by those previously discriminated against by apartheid

514

Public & Development Management (PSETA)

Real learning gets to the heart of what it means to be human. Through learning we recreate ourselves. Through learning we become able to do something we never were able to do. Through learning we reperceive the world and our relationship to it...

Public & Development Management (PSETA)

515

The Southern African Institute of Government Auditors

A professional institute proudly advancing auditing and public accountability

The Southern African Institute of Government Auditors (SAIGA) undertakes a number of projects to meet its objective of advancing auditing and public accountability. Examples of these projects are: The Annual Public Sector Reporting Awards, the publication of various scientific and semi-scientific journals to stimulate debate on public sector management reforms and other topical issues in the public interest. SAIGA actively supports research on financial management topics and has published the first Public Sector Fraud Survey ever conducted in South Africa. SAIGA also assist with the implementation of the PFMA / MFMA by providing high quality education and training courses that form part of SAIGAs Public Finance Management Programme. The participants learning efforts are supported by SAIGAs unique STEPs (Skills Transfer and Educational Programmes) concept. Visit our website (www.saiga.co.za) for more information.

NPO Registration number 045-133-NPO

516

Public & Development Management (PSETA)

Public Relations Training

RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning)

517

Contact Luvuyo Mkangelwa or Dr Karen Deller On +27 11 469 3600 Luvuyo@rpl.co.za or Karen@rpl.co.za See also www.rpl.co.za

518

Real Estate Related Training

Risk & Credit Management

519

520

Secretarial & Administration Skills

Skills Development Services & NQF Consulting

521

522

Skills Development Services & NQF Consulting

Skills Development Services & NQF Consulting

523

524

Skills Development Services & NQF Consulting

Technical & Trades

Technical & Trades

525

526

Technical & Trades

Telecommunications Training (ISETT)

527

Tourism & Hospitality (THETA)

Organisation Lil Genius e Instruction TK Technologies Conference Communications Questek Marketing cc IMPACT Omega Digital Technologies Sanyo Digicomm Telephone 031-564 7909 011-329 0700 011-907 1065v 011-787 2822 011-706 0405 011-403 3020 011-466 1034 011-488 2929 083-746 9208 Email (031) 564 7909 (fax) info@einstruction.co.za rajen@tktechnologies.co.za pia@confcomm.co.za marketing@questek.co.za imppres@mweb.co.za stephenk@omegagroup.co.za domingos@sanyosa.co.za victorvg@webmail.co.za www.omegagroup.co.za www.sanyosa.co.za www.digicom.info www.einstruction.co.za www.tktechnologies.co.za www.confcomm.co.za www.questek.co.za Website

528

Training Events & Organisers

Training Events & Organisers

529

530

Training Events & Organisers

See Astrotechs website for an updated training course schedule

Training Management & Strategy

531

Training Materials & Design

532

Training Materials & Design

Training Materials & Design

533

More time to relax...

Why develop the courseware? When we are doing it for you...

Full Qualifications Skills Programmes Unit standard aligned Facilitator Led Training Materials Obtain accreditation with your own SETA
Development methodology rated as best practice

SERVAQ CC. Est 1995. Accreditation 073 from 2002-2010 Tel: 011 465 0114 www.courseware.co.za info@courseware.co.za

534

Training Materials & Design

Training Venues

535

536

Training Venues

Wholesale & Retail Training (W&RSETA)

537

538

Career Management BEE Consulting

Change Management

539

540

Diversity & Transformation Management

Diversity & Transformation Management

541

542

Diversity & Transformation Management

Environmental Sustainability

543

544

HR Consultants

HR IT Solutions

Occupational health & Safety

545

Organisational Consulting

546

546

Organisational Consulting

Performance Management

547

Recruitment, Assessment & Staff Management

548

Index of Advertisers & Partners

Click your mouse on the page numbers to hyperlink to that page (PDF version only)

Absalom Systems, 544 Absolute Ndaba, 542 Academy of Learning SA, 465 Action Training Academy, 485, 545 African Union Skills Development, 465 African Voices, 470, 542 Andre OCallaghan Consulting, 544, 547 Assessment College of SA, 486 Astro Tech, 509, 520, 524, 528, 530, 530, 535 ATTE The Training Edge, 487, 534 BankSETA, 462 Berea Technical College, 473 Blue Skies Merchant Training Institute, 537 Blueprint Future Skills Development, 470, 501, 504, 504, 508, 510, 513 Boston Group, The 476 Cape Town Boat Building Initiative, 526 Capricorn College FET, 481 Career Development College of SA, 505 CBM Training, 510 Central Johannesburg College for FET, 484 Centre for Logistics Excellence, 484, 537 Change Management Facilitation, 539 City & Guilds, 482 Colleen Osorio Skills Development Consultancy, 487 CompuScan Academy, 464 Copperline Consulting, 470, 485, 542 Corporate College International (CCI), 488 Craneeld College of Project & Programme Management, 513 CTFL SETA, 525 CTU Training Solutions, 501 Damelin, 465, 471, 478, 481, 485, 501, 513, 527, 531 Design School of Southern Africa, 479, 494

Didaxis, 461 Dionysus SDI, 506 Dyna Training, 508 eDegree, 524 EDL Foundation, 472 Educor Institute of Financial Services, 493 Ekurhuleni West College for FET, 473 Emmanuel Consulting Services, 505, 544 Empowerment Services, 464, 466, 522, 537, 541, 543, 545 ExecuPrime, 481 Faculty Training Institute, 480, 498, 501, 513 FASSET, 493 Foster-Melliar, 499 Foundation for Professional Development (FPD), 461, 507 Free to Grow, 490, 512, 519 Greenwich Benchmarked Events, 528 Growth-Link, 521 Height Safety Training Academy, 526 Hewlett-Packard (HP), 006,552 HTS ETD Practitioners, 461, 486, 492, 526 HWSETA, 048 ICG Corporate, 467, 471, 491, 496, 507, 525, 537, 542, 547 Idea Junction Consultancy, 464, 519 Ikamva Business Solutions Institute, 534 IMM Graduate School of Marketing, 471 Imsimbi Training, 529 INSETA, 49 Inspired Initiatives, 534, 537 Institute for People Management (IPM), 495, 496 Institute of Emergency First Aiders, 485 Internet Solutions, 012 IRCA Global, 519

Index of Advertisers & Partners

Click your mouse on the page numbers to hyperlink to that page (PDF version only)

549

iSolve Business Solutions, 499 ITISA, 504 Khubonet Corporate Training, 501 Khulisane Academy, 490, 523, 531 Kwelanga Training, 511, 534 Lead The Field Training, 460, 547 Lexmark International South Africa, 063 Lifeline Johannesburg, 510 Maccauvlei Learning Academy, 490, 496, 523, 536 Mandate Mole Human Resource Consultants, 540 Mandate Training, 470 Marcus Evans SA, 529 Matra Engineering Services, 472, 524, 531 Media Works, 460 Mentors, 545 Midrand Conference Centre, 536 Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 466 Omega Performance Corporation, 464, 490, 544 Omnicor PDS, 504 OnTrack Learning Solutions, 465 P & T Technology, 526 Pastel Payroll, 491 PCS Learning Solutions, 468, 546, 546 Port Elizabeth College FET, 483 Prior Learning Centre, 517 Pro-Active Public Services College, 514 Probitas Real Estate Finance Education, 518 Production Management Institute, 049 Provox Centre for Public Relations, 516 Pure Innovation, 498 Regenesys Management, 481 SAS Institute, 500

Sedibeng College FET, 479 Servaq CC, 533 Siemens Academy for Professional Training, 467, 527 Snap-Tech, 513 Social Skills Academy, 510 Southern African Institute of Government Auditors (SAIGA), 515 Specialised Exhibitions (Pty) Ltd, 528 SPS Consulting, 522 Stanley Hutcheson & Associates, 492 Terrapinn Training, 466, 471, 483, 484, 491, 492, 508, 510, 514, 514, 527, 527, 529, 530, 531, 537 The Furniture Technology Centre, 525 The Learning Organisation, 512 The Skills Portal, 494 The Voice Clinic, 469 Thrive Learning Facilitation, 522 TIDASA, 482 Tourism BEE Charter Council (TECSA), 538 Trainiac SA, 532 Tri-Anagram, 504, 508 Trident Institute (Micro-MBA), 464, 485, 492 Tshwane South College for FET, 483 UNISA, 475 UNISA - Centre for Industrial & Organisational Psychology, 497 University of Johannesburg: Department of Industrial Psychology & People Management, 502 VIP Coaching & Mentoring Institute, 467, 468 Virtual-IT, 544 Vuselela Further Education and Training College, 485 WITS P&DM, 516 WITS Plus Centre for Part-time Studies, 477 Workstream, 547 Xasa Facilitating & Consulting, 522, 531, 544

550

contact details of public fet colleges

See page 103 for more information on FET colleges

KWAZULU-NATAL Mthashana FET College Umfolozi FET College Majuba FET College Mnambithi FET College Elangeni FET College Coastal KZN FET College Thekwini FET College Umgungundlovu FET College Esayidi FET College LIMPOPO Lephalale FET College Capricorn FET College Waterberg FET College Vhembe FET College Private Bag X210, Lephalale, 0555 Private Bag X9674, Seshego, 0742 Private Bag X2449, Mokopane, 0600 Private Bag X2415, Makhado, 0920 PO Box 9424, Vryheid, 3100 Private Bag X5023, Richards Bay, 3900 Private Bag X6602, Newcastle, 2940 Private Bag X9903, Ladysmith, 3370 Private Bag X9032, Pinetown, 3600 PO Box 1795, Amanzimtoti, 4125 Private Bag X06, Dormerton, 4015 Private Bag X9060, Pietermaritzburg, 3200 Private Bag X713, Port-Shepstone, 4240

Telephone (034) 980-1010 (035) 902-9500 (034) 326-4888 (036) 638-3800 (031) 716-6700 (031) 905-7000 (031) 250-8400 (033) 341-2100 (039) 684-0110

Fax (034) 980-1012 (035) 789-2585 (034) 326-4889 or 4855 (036) 631-4146 (031) 716-6777 (031) 905-3246 (031) 208-3653 (033) 345-9827 (039) 318-1514

(014) 763-2252 (014) 763-1014 (015) 297-8367 (015) 297-8389 (015) 491-8581 (015) 963-3156 (015) 781-5725 (015) 781-5721 (015) 307-5440 (015) 307-4493 (013) 269-0278

(015) 297-5448 (015) 297-5448 (015) 491-8579 (015) 516 4773 (015) 781-5346 (015) 307-2204 (013) 269-0278

Mopani South East FET College Private Bag X01024, Phalaborwa, 1390 Letaba FET College Sekhukhune FET College MPUMALANGA Ehlanzeni FET College Nkangala FET College Gert Sibande FET College NORTHERN CAPE Northern Cape Urban FET College Northern Cape Rural FET College NORTH WEST Taletso FET College Vuselela FET College Orbit FET College Private Bag X128, Mmabatho, 2735 PO Box 10107, Klerksdorp, 2570 Private Bag X82096, Rustenburg, 0300 Private Bag X5031, Kimberley, 8300 PO Box X1834, Upington, 8800 Private Bag X11297, Nelspruit, 1200 PO Box 2282, Witbank, 1035 Private Bag X3475, Standerton, 2430 Private Bag X4017, Tzaneen, 0850 Private Bag X8660, Groblersdal, 0470

(013) 752-7105 (013) 690-1430 (013) 690-3824 (017) 712-9040 /1458

(013) 752-4902 (013) 752-8214 (013) 690-1450 (017) 712-9059

(053) 839-2000 /2061 (054) 331-3836

(053) 832-1713 (053) 839-2068 (054) 331-3966

(018) 384-2346/7/9 (018) 406-7800 (014) 592-7014

(018) 384-7511 (018) 462-7549 (014) 592-7013

contact details of public fet colleges

See page 103 for more information on FET colleges

551

WESTERN CAPE West Coast FET College Boland FET College South Cape FET College Northlink FET College College of Cape Town FET College False Bay FET College EASTERN CAPE Port Elizabeth FET College East Cape Midlands FET College Buffalo City FET College Lovedale FET College King Sabata Dalindyebo FET College Ingwe FET College Ikhala FET College King Hintsa FET College FREE STATE Goldelds FET College Motheo FET College Maluti FET College Flavius Mareka GAUTENG Tshwane South FET College Tshwane North FET College Ekurhuleni West FET College Ekurhuleni East FET College South West Gauteng FET College Central Johannesburg FET College Westcol FET College Sedibeng FET College Private Bag X1018, Lyttelton, 0140 PO Box 26193, Arcadia, 0007 Private Bag X1030, Germiston, 1400 Private Bag X52, Springs, 1560 PO Box 164, Florida, 1710 Private Bag X2336, Houghton, 2041 Private Bag X17, Randfontein, 1760 Private Bag X020, Vereeniging, 1930 Private Bag X95, Welkom, 9460 Private Bag X20509, Bloemfontein, 9300 Private Bag X870, Mampoi Street, Witsieshoek, 9870 Private Bag X22, Kroonstad, 9500 Private Bag X6040, Port Elizabeth, 6000 Private Bag X35, Uitenhage, 6230 Private Bag 9016, East London, 5200 PO Box 2156, King Williams Town, 5600 Private Bag X5011, Umtata, 5099 PO Box 92491, Mt Frere, 5090 Private Bag X7110, Queenstown, 5320 Private Bag X3018, Butterworth, 4960 PO Box 935, Malmesbury, 7299 Private Bag X5068, Stellenbosch, 7599 PO Box 10400, George, 6530 Private Bag X1, Panorama, 7506 PO Box 1054, Cape Town, 8000 Private Bag X25, Tokai, 7988

Telephone (022) 482-1143 (022) 482-1179 (022) 482-1195 (021) 886-7111 /2 (044) 884-0359 (021) 930-9000 (021) 404-6700 /8 (021) 701-1919

Fax (022) 487-3983 (021) 886-8182 (044) 884-0361 (021) 930-5729 (021) 558-1120 (021) 404-6701 (021) 701-1808

(041) 585-7771 (041) 995-2000 (043) 704-9201 (043) 642-1331 (047) 536-0923 (047) 536-0924 (039) 255-1204 (039) 255-0346 (047) 873-8843 (047) 491-3722

(041) 582-2281 (041) 992-5929 (043) 743-4254 (043) 642-1388 (047) 536-0932 (039) 255-0347 (086) 519 2489 (086) 613 0118 (047) 491-3730

(057) 392-1027 (051) 406-9300 (058) 713-6100 (058) 713-3048 (016) 976-0815 (016) 976-0829

(057) 395-1304 (051) 435-7602 (058) 713-6492 (016) 973-1618 (016) 976-3485

(012) 660-8581 (012) 323-8623 (011) 323-1600 (011) 736-4400 (011) 984-1260 (011) 484-1388 (011) 693-3608 (016) 422-6645

(012) 660-8547 (012) 323-8683 (011) 876-6941 (011) 736-9909 (011) 736-1489 (011) 984-0136 (011) 984-1262 (011) 642-7358 (011) 412-3047 (016) 422-6930