South African Business 2017 edition

SPECIAL FEATURE Skills

SPECIAL FEATURE Skills development Detailed national plans are in place to promote skills training. South Africa has a skills deficit. Strenuous efforts are being made by government and the private sector to develop the skills base of the country's workforce. The national Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) has designated 2014-2024 as "The Decade of the Artisan". As things stand, about 13 000 artisans qualify every year: the goal (as defined by the National Development Plan) is to extend that figure to 30 000 by the year 2026. The state has also noted a number of skilled occupations that it has put on a "Occupations in Demand" list in order to be in a position to roll out ambitious infrastructure projects. These include civil engineers, construction project managers and quantity surveyors. The creation of the Labour Market Intelligence Partnership (LMIP) Project in 2012 was a collaboration between the DHET, the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and Wits University. The aim was to develop a forecasting model to find out what skills would be needed by the country in the future. The National Skills Authority (NSA) works with Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) in carrying out the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS). The Human Resource Development Council of South Africa (HRDCSA) is an over-arching body that aims to give guidance to the many institutions working on skills development and training. It is managed by the DHET. The HRDCSA has identified five key areas where the skills pipeline must be improved: • Access to TVET colleges • Intermediate skills (artisans in particular) and professionals • Production of academics; collaboration between industry and educational institutions in research and development • Worker education • Foundational learning The HRDC's work readiness programme helps graduates learn the skills they need in order to find employment. Absa Bank also runs a "ReadytoWork" campaign that aims to close the gap between education and the world of work. The programme has previously been presented in six other African countries. The strategic goal of the DHET can be summed up as the creation of "a capable and skilled workforce for inclusive growth". There are many SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS 2017 40

SPECIAL FEATURE institutions supporting this goal, including 29 universities (some of which are universities of technology), 50 Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges (TVET) and 21 Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs). Particular skills have been identified and universities and TVET colleges have been asked to concentrate on 13 trade areas, including bricklayers, millwrights, boilermakers and riggers. R16.5- billion has been allocated by national government to skills development and infrastructure over the medium term. SETAs collect dues from companies in a particular industry (wholesale and retail, banking, construction, chemical industries, for example) in order to promote training in that industry. A percentage of this money is returned to the company if that company can show that they have a workplace training plan. The rest of the money is used to offer skills training. TVET colleges exist to impart skills that are relevant to the workplace. Every province has several of these colleges, many of which are the successors to "technical colleges" and they offer many of the courses that were associated with those institutions. Although many bursaries exist for students and enrolment at colleges has risen steeply in recent years, the high cost of some courses means that these colleges are not accessible for unemployed people. The College of Cape Town (CCT) has eight campuses and its selection of courses gives a good illustration of the range of studies available to students at TVET colleges. Courses at CCT range from engineering (electrical, civil and mechanical), through travel and tourism, hospitality, hair care, beauty therapy and art and design, to business studies, information technology and education and training. The college has three residences in different parts of the city. Career guidance is offered and the college has a work placement programme for graduates. Private colleges such as MANCOSA (Management College of Southern Africa) often specialise in particular fields. In this case, a range of certificates, diplomas and degrees in business, commerce and administration is presented at five sites around South Africa, including East London and Polokwane. The MANCOSA Graduate School of Business in Durban offers executive education and postgraduate management programmes, including the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. The Southern African Wildlife College offers even more specialised training. With facilities adjacent to the Kruger National Park and the Timbavati Game Reserve, students studying to be field staff or managers of protected areas have the best possible environment in which to learn. Among the certificates offered are Nature Conservation Implementation and Leadership and Trans-frontier Conservation Management. The new university in Mpumalanga is incorporating existing training institutions in the province to enable it to give theoretical and practical courses in agriculture and biodiversity, food security, resource and wildlife management, nature conservation, plant and animal sciences, and forestry and wood sciences. Mpumalanga is one of the country's most important provinces when it comes to flora and fauna, game tourism and forestry so students will be learning skills relevant to the job market. Skills development is being promoted on a broad front. Some examples include: • The Sasol Inzalo Foundation (Saif), which supports students in science and engineering: 105 black, mostly female students graduated in 2015. • The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope project has so far supported 800 people in training from artisan level to post-graduate academic study. • Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) is building a marine training centre in Cape Town to supplement the Transnet Academy. Transnet will spend more than R1-billion on bursaries to 2023. • A South African Renewable Technology Centre (SARTEC) has been established by the Department of Higher Education with the support of the German government. • AgriSETA is offering skills programmes and mentorships to unemployed people together with the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, the SA Sugar Association and Grain SA. • The Association for Skills Development in South Africa (ASDSA) is a body that confers professional "designations" on skills developers. 41 SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS 2017