1. Why a Training Committee?
Gizelle Mc Intyre
Director
Institute of People Development

2. The Skills Development Regulations published in Government Gazette Number of 2001 states that employers with 50 or more employees need to establish a Training Committee for active participation in workplace skills development matters.
It is therefore imperative for employers to ensure that Training Committees are established in workplaces and that they actively and effective carry out their responsibilities.
In the case where an employer has a recognition agreement with a trade union/s, there must be representation by the trade union/s in the Training Committee, evidence of trade union/s consultation with regards skills development matters, and joint sign-off of the Annual Training Report (ATR), Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) and PIVOTAL Training Plan (PTP) before submission to the SETA.

3. When it comes to Skills – who do you want in your company
When it comes to Skills – who do you want in your company? Someone engaged and competent OR Someone who arrives at work and can sort of do their job

4. Composition of the Training Committee
The Training Committee must comprise three constituent parties
The employer representatives,
the employee representatives and
the union representatives (where applicable).
The Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) remains a critical member of the Training Committee at all times.
The number of employee and employer representatives may be equal; however, the employer representatives must not be more than the employee representatives.
At least one employee representative must represent one of the Major OFO codes presented in the below, unless there are no employees in the major OFO category.
Managers
Professionals
Technicians and Associate Professionals
Clerical Support Workers
Service and Sales Workers
Skilled Agricultural, Forestry, Fishery, Craft and Related Trades Workers
Plant and Machine Operators and Assemblers
Elementary Occupations

5. Composition of the Training Committee
The employee representative must be an employee of the organisation who is nominated or elected by the employees, and must not be in a management position.
The employee representative’s responsibility is to discuss the skills development matters with employees within the organisation, and present employee skills development requirements and aspirations to the Training Committee for discussion and/or implementation.
It is important to note that a though the SDF is a critical member of the Training Committee, he/she cannot be nominated as the employee or employer representative.
The SDF must play a coordination and advisory role and remain objective at all times.

6. Responsibilities of the Training Committee
Using The South African Labour Market Guide[1] as a guide. It should be noted that it is at the discretion of the Training Committee to place some of these responsibilities partially or wholly on the SDF.
The Training Committee must:
Ensure that the organisation has a Training Policy and that it is in line with the regulations as laid down by the Skills Development Act.
Ensure that the development and implementation of the Workplace Skills Plan is aligned to the strategic Mission and Vision of the organisation.
Keep the envisaged training and development of employees in the organisation abreast with the long-term transformation objectives of the organisation.
Ensure that the Workplace Skills Plan is aligned to the Employment Equity Plan and Business Plan of the organisation.
For the benefit of the organisation, take cognisance of BBBEE requirements.

7. Responsibilities of the Training Committee
Establish training priorities for the organisation based on its short and long term needs.
Align training to the Sector Skills Plan, learnerships, career pathways, accredited national qualifications, etc.
Communicate the completed Workplace Skills Plan to other employees in the organisation.
Monitor the implementation of the Workplace Skills Plan.
Periodically revise the Workplace Skills Plan.
Implement the development of employees in the organisation and the strategies of the organisation fairly and equally.
Acquire/identify the required resources to evaluate the training programs in the organisation.

8. Matching Organisational Functions to NQF Standards
Curriculum/Career Path
Standards on National Qualification Framework (NQF)
Your Standards Development Plan/Training Plan

9. Responsibilities of the Training Committee
Evaluate the skills development needs of the employees and organisation and continually evaluate the implementation of identified needs.
Develop and implement external and internal skills development strategies.
Monitor the progress of the skills development of the organisation.
Monitor the implementation of the WSP.
Develop and implement correctional actions where required.
Ensure that the skills needs of the organisation are identified.
Ensure that all staff has been classified according to the Organising Framework for Occupations.

10. Developing Qualifications Systems
Occupational Standard
Learning Specification
Assessment Specification
Performance Requirements
Occupational Context
Knowledge
Skills
Evidence Requirements
Rules of Evidence
Knowledge that is required
What you must be able to do
Evidence you must produce to prove their ability
In what situations competence is relevant
Skills / techniques that must be learned
Methods and rules that must be used for assessment

11. Responsibilities of the Training Committee
If required, ensure that that there is a skills performance system (Performance Management system that is competency based)in the organisation.
If and where required, ensure that there is an individual development pathway for all employees, as well as the skills requirement and learning pathway.
Where applicable, ensure that a portfolio of evidence has been developed for all employees that receive training in the organisation.
Ensure that at least all of the Mandatory Grant is spent on skills development.

12. Training Committee and EE
They should be involved and be party to discussions in all areas such as
Conduct an audit and set out the required targets
Have input into the EE plan based on the audit results
Ensure implementation of the plan
Maintain proper records of EE plan and minutes of meetings relating to implementation of the plan (or receive formal feedback from the EE Committee)
Discuss and make recommendations relating to changes required in terms of skills planning
Consider all training and development needs of employees so as to ensure affirmative action strategy is adhered to within the EE 5-year plan

13. Factors influencing the Competence of the Workforce

14. Training Committee Workshop
This 2 day workshop deals with the following:
The Training Committee
Legislation - Related Regulations, Codes and Legislation
Create the Training Committee Constitution
Basic understanding of how to conduct a Skills Audit
Terms of Reference for the Training Committee
Foster a learning culture
Nomination of representatives to the Training Committee
Develop a Workplace Skills Plan
The role of the Training Committee in Skills Development and EE
Implement the Workplace Skills Plan
Implement Learnerships, apprenticeships or discretionary grants
Case Study Workplace Skills Plan and Implementation report
Communication Guidelines for Training Committee Members
Monitor and report on learning outcomes
Background to the National Qualifications Structure and the NQF
Endorse and minute the forum for records
Skills Programmes
Learnerships
Apprenticeships

15. SDF Training (Accredited)

16. The NQF Landscape

18. Occupational Route (QCTO)
Academic Route (CHE)
Occupational Route (QCTO)
Post School Arena

19. Legislation and funding

20. SETA Grant Regulations, BBBEE and Employment Equity Planning
Skills Development Act (SDA) legislates the training of all staff
Grants only allocated with evidence of consultation and sign-off by /TRAINING COMMITTEE
BBBEE points allocated up to 25% for skills development
Employment Equity planning must include skills/training in reporting
The regulations also call for SETA Boards to approve the criteria for mandatory grants and to set quality standards for the approval of WSPs / ATRs. SETAs will be required to monitor WSP implementation to ensure that mandatory grant funding received was used to fund education and training programmes and to ensure that firms approach the implementation of their WSPs with more care and conviction.
Although the signing-off of the WSP/ATR by representatives of the Skills Development Committee (including employer and labour representatives) is not a new requirement in the FP&M sector, the new regulations now explicitly calls for evidence of consultation with the recognized trade unions and sign-off by the labour representative appointed by the union “unless an explanation is provided”. The definitions for “evidence of consultation” as well as for an “acceptable explanation” will be clarified by the SETA Board and will form part of the criteria for mandatory grants.

21. Purpose of legislation
The following acts affect training and education in South Africa:
Skills Development Act
Ensures that training takes place
Training done according to industry requirements
Makes training happen
Provides and regulates employment in all sectors
Skills Development Levies Act
Rewards the correct training by a grant system
SAQA Act
Standardises training with international benchmarking
Monitor’s quality of training
Ensure management of skills development information

22. Purpose of legislation
Employment Equity Act
Makes training equitable and fair by affirmative action advancement
Higher Education Act
Watchdog over private education
Ensures performance and quality
NQF Act
Benchmark and ensure quality of qualifications and Skills Programmes
BBBEE codes of Good Practice
Management Control and Skills Development has been amended to align with EAP targets, broken down in terms of race and gender

23. SETA Grant Regulations
The intention of Mandatory Grants is to incentivize employers to:
to plan & implement training for their employees
to create training and work experience opportunities for unemployed people
Mandatory Grant Applications
Submission due by 30 April at the latest
Better alignment with skills development and financial year
Enhanced SETA planning cycle
SSP Annual Update
Earlier Discretionary Funding Windows
30 June is more than 3 months into the training year which commence annually on 1 April. As a result, the planning sequence and the training sequence are not aligned which makes it difficult for firms to effectively report on training conducted during the training year.
From 2014/15 (and onwards) WSPs and ATRs must be submitted annually by 30 April. This will make it far easier for firms to implement their workplace skills plans in line with the training year and the end of the financial year. This will also ensure that the disbursement of discretionary grants features much earlier in the calendar as opposed to the current practice of opening discretionary grant funding windows towards the end of the year thus impacting negatively on the release of discretionary grants to the industry and the registration of learners at academic institutions.
It will also enhance the planning and research processes of the SETA as the SETA will be able to identify new skills development trends, scarce and critical skills needs and the extent of participation in the skills development drive much earlier in the year.

25. SETA Grant Regulations
Distribution of skills development levy income
A major difference is that the mandatory grant portion has been reduced to 20% (as per the graph above) and the discretionary grant portion has been increased from 20% to 49,5%, with 0,5% of SETA skills levy income allocated to the QCTO to fund their operations.
Some may argue that levy paying firms will be worse off as a result of the reduction in the mandatory grant, but we could also argue that those employers who actively engage in skills development and who offer their workers and unemployed learners the opportunity to register for full and part occupational qualifications will gain. As a result of the change, there will be more discretionary funding available for employers, accredited training providers and public HET and FET institutions to register employed and unemployed learners and to provide NQF registered full qualifications and part qualifications such as credit bearing skills programmes, learnerships, apprenticeships, graduate and post graduate programmes in line with the sector strategies contained in the SSP. The new regulations are more functional and now address the core mandate of the skills development strategy.

26. Employment Equity

27. Workplace Skills Planning
The Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) is one of the most powerful tools delivered to employers through skills development legislation.
Creates a Skills Map with solutions to gaps
It is aimed at business expansion and sustainability.
It is completed by companies with information specific to their business and the sector in which they operate.

28. BBBEE numbers

29. Workplace skills planning

30. Purpose of the WSP
 Management and employees enter into discussions regarding skills planning in the workplace.
Skills available and skills gaps are identified and planned for productivity improvement.
Management has a platform to share the company’s goals with employees, who in turn gain better understanding and more commitment to the process of achieving them.
Companies begin to uncover talents and skills they did not know they had available.

31. Workplace Skills Planning Steps
1. Form a Training / Skills Development Committee (SDC)
2. Nominate an internal or external Skills Development Facilitator (SDF)
3. Identify long-term goals for an organisation
4. Focus on key skills needs (critical and scarce skills)
5. Determine current employee skills and/or competencies by conducting a skills audit
6. Conduct a training needs analysis
7. Develop the WSP
8. Report on training conducted during the previous year (annual training report signed off by Training Committee)

32. Form a Training/Skills Development Committee (SDC)
Step 1: Form a Committee
Membership
Stakeholders (management, employees, union representatives)
Where there is a trade union presence, nominated representatives should serve on the SDC.
Where there is no representative trade union, employees should nominate representatives
Members should represent different functional areas and occupational categories
Equity (gender, race, disability) should be considered (this committee can also be part of the EE Committee)
Responsibilities
The Training/SDC must meet regularly and must record the minutes of the meetings as proof of consultation
The Training/SDC must collectively deliver and contribute to the WSP and ATR
Appointment of a SDF; and

33. SDF
Step 2: Nominate an internal or external Skills Development Facilitator (SDF)
All employers must appoint an SDF to comply with the provisions of the Skills Development Act.
The appointment of the SDF is key to claiming of relevant grants and ensuring the implementation of the WSP during the training year.
The SDF’s role includes -
 Assisting the employer to develop a WSP;
Submitting the WSP to the SETA;
Advising the employer on implementation of the WSP;
Assisting the employer to draft the ATR in line with the approved WSP and grant funding regulations;
Advising the employer on quality assurance requirements as set by the SETA; and
Liaising with the SETA on behalf of the company.

34. Workplace Skills Planning
Requirements for the appointment of the SDF
An employer may choose to appoint either an internal SDF or make use of an external training and development consultant
Must be qualified as SDF with preferable professional registration
When appointing an SDF for the company, you are advised to undertake the following -
There should be consultation with members of the SDC; and
The SDF must attend all meetings of the SDC.
 You are encouraged to send an SDF on a short course relating to skills development facilitation, if they do not have the requisite training in this area.

35. Workplace Skills Planning
Step 3: Identify long-term goals for an organisation
The business’ strategic priorities help to identify long-term skills development goals for the organisation.
When planning your training you should include the vision, mission and values of the organisation as these assist with the formulation of your strategy (key objectives).
Employees need to enable the organisation to achieve its objectives.
The SDF must identify the learning/development interventions needed for staff to assist the organisation with achieving this aim.
When detailing strategic business and/or skill priorities, make linkages to business and employment equity plans.
Step 4: Focus on key skills needs (critical and scarce skills)
The WSP should cover all planned skills development training, including learnerships.
Identify key skills needs using the organisation’s business plan and the Sector Skills Plan.

36. Workplace Skills Planning
Step 5: Determine current employee skills and/or competencies by conducting a skills audit
It is necessary to determine the current employee skills and/or competencies profile by conducting a skills audit.
The skills audit should reflect all the skills and competencies of the workforce, whether obtained through formal learning programme interventions (qualifications) or work experience / in-house training.
Step 6: Conduct a training needs analysis
The future skills profile can be developed by using a training needs analysis based on future business needs as well as the SETA Sector Skills Plan.
Step 7: Develop the WSP
Identify the gaps between current and required future skills profiles and identify skills development interventions to address these priorities.
This should be reflected in the WSP. The final content of the WSP should be the result of meaningful interaction between employers and employees, using current structures, SDCs and management structures to obtain input.

37. Workplace Skills Planning
Step 8: Report on training conducted during the previous year (annual training report - ATR)
The ATR must reflect all training that was conducted during the previous year including
External training
Internal or in-house training
Work integrated learning
Adult Education and training
The SDF must keep records of training conducted e.g. invoices from external providers, attendance registers for in-house training conducted, learner results etc.
The Training Committee must sign off
The SETA may select any organisation as part of an audit sample when conducting monitoring and evaluation visits.

38. Funding

39. Training Committee Role
Mandatory Grant Application
The WSP/ATR must be duly authorised and signed-off by:
The Internal Training Committee / Skills Development Committee including designated labour representative
Firms employing 50 or more employees; or
The Owner / Chief Executive and designated employee representative
Firms employing less than 50 employees;

40. Employer Mandatory Grant Criteria An eligible employer -
has registered for skills development levies;
has paid the levies in the prescribed manner;
has submitted a WSP / PIVOTAL Plan and ATR/PIVOTAL Report within the prescribed timeframes that contributes to the relevant SETA SSP
has submitted an Annual Training Report and/or PIVOTAL Training Report, demonstrating some alignment to the previous year’s WSP and/or PIVOTAL Plan
has provided evidence that the WSP and ATR have been subjected to consultation with the recognised employee forum (medium/large companies) e.g. Labour sign-off, Training Committee Membership List, Minutes of Meeting
It is the responsibility of SDF (acting on behalf of the employer and the Training Committee) to ensure that the correct levy number is quoted on applications

41. Mandatory Grant Application
The mandatory grant application consist of the following important sections:
Organisational information
Banking details
Employment summary and Provincial Breakdown
Provides information on the current workforce (including learners)
Workplace Skills Plan
PIVOTAL plan
Planned implementation of PIVOTAL learning programmes e.g. apprenticeships, learnerships, credit bearing skills programmes, work integrated learning, bursary programmes (post school / tertiary qualifications at TVETs/ HEIs)
Non-PIVOTAL plan
Planned implementation of other learning programmes e.g. non-credit bearing skills programmes, in-house training (health and safety, HIV/Aids awareness)

42. Mandatory Grant Application
Annual Training Report (Approved by Committee)
PIVOTAL training report
Actual implementation of PIVOTAL learning programmes e.g. apprenticeships, learnerships, credit bearing skills programmes, work integrated learning, bursary programmes (post school / tertiary qualifications at TVETs/ HEIs)
Non-PIVOTAL training report
Actual implementation of other learning programmes e.g. non-credit bearing skills programmes, in-house training (health and safety, HIV/Aids awareness)
Training Committee (list of members) – for medium and large firms only
Sign-off (Authorisation page)
Research Annexure

43. Mandatory Grant Application
ATR and/or Pivotal Report must reflect all training conducted
During April to March (of the previous year)
Internally or Externally
The WSP and/or Pivotal Plan must reflect all planned training
Planned for April to March (of the current year)
Important to remember
No Pivotal Plan/Report – no discretionary grants for medium/large firms

44. Pivotal Reporting PIVOTAL LEARNING PROGRAMMES Learning Programmes
Bursaries
Apprenticeship
Learnerships
Skills Programmes
Work Integrated Learning
Internships & Work experience
Types of PIVOTAL programmes
Learnerships & apprenticeships
Internships & work experience related to diploma / certificate / vocational programmes offered at TVETs, HETs and other accredited providers
Professional Placements
Credit bearing and NQF aligned skills programmes that may cover either the theoretical, practical or workplace component of a full qualification.

45. THANK YOU
For more information contact Gizelle Mc Intyre