1. 2019 WSP-ATR SUBMISSION process and updates
JANuary – FEBRUARY 2019

2. Outline The purpose of the Workshop Why WSP-ATRs Grant regulations
The benefit and completing the mandatory grants application
Extension application criteria
Eligibility and evaluation criteria for mandatory grants
Stakeholder consultation
WSP-ATR Template
WSP-ATR dispute process
Things to remember and Support
Questions and Answers

3. Workshop purpose The purpose of this workshop is provide an update on:
The Workplace Skills Plan and Annual Training Report (WSP-ATR) format and submission process.
Legislation and MQA requirements for the WSP-ATR.
The Organising Framework for Occupations (OFO) changes and the Mapping Tool.
The 2019 WSP-ATR submission system.
The WSP-ATR data preparation (Data Integrity).

4. Why WSP-ATRs
The SETA grants regulation in line with the Skills Development Act stipulates that employers must/will:
submit Annexure 2 which is the Workplace Skills Plan and Annual Training Report (WSP-ATR) to their allocated SETA by 30 April each year.
submit a report and plan for Pivotal programmes
Receive 20% of Mandatory Grants subject to meeting SETA requirements (SDL contributions).
2. Mine Health & Safety Act
Sub-section (4) “The employer must keep a record of all formal training provided in respect of each employee”
Section 10 (5) states that: “All mines must submit a workplace skills plan and the annual training report to the Mining Qualifications Authority”
3. It is a research tool for the MQA, providing the below information:
The geographic profile of employers
The population groups at different levels
The current and future skills needs and gaps
Current skills development practices and Further interventions required
Training planned for employees and the unemployed

5. The Grant Regulations

6. The Benefit of the WSP-ATR Process
Information received through the WSP-ATRs is used by the MQA:
1. To inform research with regards to the Sector Skills Plan (SSP), WSP-ATR submissions and Trends analysis.
2. To assist in addressing sector specific needs
3. To inform the MQA funding mechanisms
4. To plan sector specific interventions
5. To identify Hard to fill vacancies and skills gaps for the sector and provide input into the national scarce skills list.
6. To identify changes required to the OFO

7. Completing the Mandatory grant Application
The ATR and Pivotal Report must reflect all training conducted as of January 2018 to December 2018 including internal and external training.
The WSP and Pivotal Plan must reflect all planned training as of January 2019 to December 2019 including internal and external training planned
4. It is important to remember that:
No Pivotal Plan/Report – no discretionary grants (DG) for all Mining licence Holders
All incomplete submission by 30 April 2019 will be evaluated as such according to MQA criteria.
MQA shall not issue follow up queries on submitted WSP-ATRs.
The system will auto-generate the verification document & WSP-ATR report based on the data submitted by SDFs on the portal.
The WSP-ATR submission is complete when the SDFs have generated the PDF version on the system and acquired all signature and upload on the system.

8. 2019 Extension Application Criteria
Organisations may make an official request (download letter template from Supporting Documents Tab) for an extension to submit by 31 May 2019 and provide detailed reasons for the extension required.
The written request for an extension must be submitted to the MQA no later than 31 March for evaluation by the MQA's Accounting Authority to
Employers must also log the request on the submission system by clicking the request extension tab.
Companies that were granted extension previously may not be granted extension. However if they provide valid reasons for failure to submit they may be considered.

9. Eligibility for Mandatory grant Payment
The organisation must be:
registered with the Commissioner in terms of section 3(1) (Imposition of Levy) of the Skills Development Levies Act;
paid the levies directly to the Commissioner in the manner and within the period determined in section 6 of the Skills Development Levies Act (SDLA);
is up to date with the levy payments to the Commissioner at the time of approval and in respect of the period for which an application is made;
Must be compliant in terms of MQA requirement and submitted a WSP-ATR to the MQA by 30 April or 31 May when an extension is granted.

10. Mandatory grant evaluation Criteria
The WSP-ATR must conform to the format prescribed by the MQA, fully completed and submitted with all signatures by 30 April.
Large and medium sized organisations are required to have proof of consultation with employee representatives/trade unions as per the MQA Skills Development Facilitator and Skills Development Committee (SDF-SDC) guideline (employee reps & unions must be listed on the submission system)
Submission must reference the recent occupational titles as contained in the Organising Framework for Occupations (OFO) Codes (2017 Version).
The employer must submit a self-evaluation report (last sheet of the WSP-ATR Template) in the format prescribed by the MQA of the relevant WSP against the current ATR. If the alignment is less than 60% or greater by more than 20% the employer must submit reasons for the misalignment to the MQA.

11. Mandatory grant evaluation Criteria
The WSP-ATR are received on or before 30th April annually or 31 May where extension is granted.
The employer has to submit one application per SDL number with the employer name that correlates with information received from South African Revenue Services (SARS) and DHET; applications for all SDL numbers for a particular organisation must be submitted by the required date
The employer must be paying levies to SARS against the MQA SETA (Code 16)
The employer must not be in arrears with their SDL contributions to the SETA.

12. Stakeholder Consultation
Proof of consultation in the absence of union / employee rep signatures / sign-off:
A signed attendance register by SDC members
Signed minutes of the consultation meeting by the chairperson and union/employee representative/s
Proof that WSP,ATR,PP (Pivotal Plans),PR (Pivotal Reports) was discussed on the meeting
The above should be uploaded with the WSP-ATR submission by 30 April 2019.

13. Submission Conclusion
Signed Verification Document must be uploaded on the system
Signed WSP-ATR document (PDF generated by submission system without any watermark) must be scanned and uploaded by 30 April 2019
NOTE: An uploaded source data template (Excel document) is not regarded as a submission

14. MQA Pivotal Programmes
The MQAs PIVOTAL Programmes are listed below:
1. Bursaries
2. Work Experience
3. Internships – The MQA considers this as a PIVOTAL programme as is assists graduates to gain work experience opportunities and thus contributes to improved work performance
4. Non Artisan Learnerships
5. Artisan Learnerships
6. AET
7. OHS Rep Development
8. FLC
9. RPL/Artisan Aides
10. NCV level 4 placements
11. Candidacy
12. Mine Community Development
13. Youth Development

15. 2019 WSP-ATR Template.

16. BioData (Sheet 1)
This is the company workforce. All active and terminated employees employed between January 2018 to date.
Summary Report:
Section 2.1, 2.2 and 2.4 of the Report will count all employees except terminated.
Section 2.3 of the Report will count all terminated employees.
New
New

17. ATR (Sheet 2)
Training data for all active and terminated employees who did training between January 2018 to December 2018.
Summary Report:
Section 4 & 5 All training done regardless of employment status
New

18. WSP Sheet (Sheet 3)
This section is for scheduled or planned training for the date range January 2019 and December 2019.
All changes are based on the DHET Annexure 2 minimum requirements.
Summary Report:
Section 4.3 & 5.2 will count all planned training for employees.
New
New
New
New

19. Hard To Fill Vacancy (Sheet 4)
A HARD-TO-FILL VACANCY (HTFV) refers to an occupation in your organisation that takes longer than 06 months to find a suitably experienced and qualified candidate.
Provide up to three reasons why jobs related to a specific occupation could not be filled
State number of Vacancies per Province
Summary Report:
Section 3.1 all the hard to fill vacancies will be reported on this section.
New

20. Top-up Skills Survey (Sheet 5)
A SKILLS GAP refers to skills that an employee does not have to carry out job tasks competently. It is also referred to as “top-up” skills.
Please identify the occupations that require additional “Generic” or “Top-up” Skillsets
Companies are requested to select the skill employees in the specific occupation require to perform their function
The definitions of the skills are in the guide and also appear on the sheet when selected
Summary Report:
Section 3.2 all the reported top up skills will pull to this section.

21. Non-Employees community programmes Employed and Unemployed (Sheet 6)
Training done and planned for the community (unemployed and employed)
Summary Report:
Section 6 will count all planned and training done for the community.
New
New

22. Contractors (Sheet 7) Training done and planned for contractors.
Summary report:
Section 7 will count all planned and actual training for contractors.

23. Impact Assessment and Finance (Sheet 8)
Total Planned Training vs Total Actual Training
The template auto calculates deviation.
Total project and actual Payroll
Total project and actual Skills Development Levy
Provide reasons if positively deviated by over 20%
Provide reasons if negatively deviated by 40% or more
Summary Report:
Section 8 will put on the report all the reported figures

24. Mandatory grant dispute process
Who can lodge a dispute?
Any member of the skills development committee/ training committee.
When can a dispute be lodged?
Where any member of the SDC committee disputes the WSP-ATR for any reason related to the WSP-ATR submitted to the MQA including the following:
Inadequate consultation process ( not in line with the committee agreement)
Incorrect reporting by the Organisation/s (the applicant should provide evidence)
Incorrect plan reported to the MQA
Any other matter related to the Workplace Skills Plan and Annual Training Report

25. Things to remember…
Refer to the SDF Manual for instructions to complete the application, should further assistance be required, log a call on the support tab on the system.
All support queries will be responded to within 24 hours
Ensure that the verification is fully signed before uploading on the system.
SDFs must check banking details and must upload CURRENT (not older than 3 months) stamped letter from bank or cancelled cheque.
The extension request must be submitted by 31 March 2019
A fully completed WSP-ATR must be submitted by 30 April 2019 and all minutes of SDC meetings (proof of consultation)
The Verification document must be approved to allow an SDF to proceed with the submission.
A verification document does not constitute a submission of the WSP-ATR. A submission is:
Where a fully completed and signed verification is uploaded and approved by the MQA;
A fully completed and signed WSP-ATR is submitted to the MQA and minutes are attached (where applicable).

26. Things to remember…
11. Medium and Large organisation who are not unionised or does not have employee representative must specify it on section 10 of the WSP-ATR before submitting to the MQA.
12. Medium and Large organisation should have a functioning Skills Development Committee and constitution that will guide the committee
10. NO FOLLOW UP QUERIES WILL BE ISSUED

27. Support: Submission Generated e-mail notification
Submission System will send an autogenerated when the following statuses are updated:
Signed Verification Doc Uploaded
Verification Document Evaluation Status
Banking Proof Required
Signed WSP Uploaded
WSP-ATR Evaluation Status
WSP-ATR Approval Status
Extension Granted
Please download supporting letters and notifications from the Tab at the bottom of the Company Details Tab

28. OFO Errors that Requires Checking
OFO Version 2017 released by DHET is used
Added Mining Support Installer as Specialisation to
Check the below Specialisations / Occupations if the correct codes are used.
OFO_OCCUPATION_NAME
Code
Water Control Officer
311217
Rock Engineering Technician
311701
Strata Control Practitioner
Mining Technician
Geophysical Technician
311704
Borehole Pump Operator
862927
Groundwater Pump Operator

29. Thank You