1. FASSET SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
FACILITATOR WORKSHOP
An Introduction to the Role of the SDF Presented By: Thrive Learning Facilitation

2. where do we go to from here??
Did you know….?
The average spend as a percentage of payroll in:
A European company is 6-8%
A USA company is 5%
In South Africa is about 0,5%
In SA we import welders from Malaysia??
Pre-1994 the average spend on a black South African child was R1 compared to R8 for every white child
Given this history….
where do we go to from here??

3. Overview
Section 1: Understanding the Structures & Relationships between
SAQA & SDA Legislation
Section 2: Assessment & the NQF
Section 3: Developing the Strategic Role of the SDF
Section 4: Developing & Implementing a WSP
Section 5: Understanding Learnerships

4. Understanding the Structures & Relationships between
Section 1
Understanding the Structures & Relationships between
SAQA and SDA Legislation

5. Department of Labour
Skills Development Act passed in 1998 with the intention of:
Develop skills of S.A. workforce
Increase levels of investment in education & training in the labour market
Improve the return on investment
Encourage employers to use the workplace as an active learning environment
Provide employees with opportunities to acquire new skills
Set up the Seta system and the grant claim processes

6. The Seta System 23 different Seta’s to cater for each industry’s need
2 main functions:
To identify & address skills needs in their sector. Through:
Compile & implement of the sector skills plan
The SDL grant claim process (WSP & ATR)
Establish & promote learnerships
Discretionary grants & special schemes
Quality assure education & training in their sector. Through their ETQA they:
Accredit training providers (quality checks,
monitoring & moderations)

7. SARS Fasset Your Company Where your money goes . . .
During the year you can claim for:
Receive up to 70% back
from successful claims
Mandatory Grants: Workplace Skills
Plan (WSP) and Annual Training
Report (ATR)
Strategic Cash Grants
Pays Skills Development
Levy to SARS
(1% of your company’s
total remuneration)
Receive 50% back of levy paid
Submit grant claim
Submit ATR & WSP to SETA
Receive up to 20% back
SETA retains 10% levy for admin purposes
Allocates the levy
20% of levy goes to the National Skills Fund for learnerships
SARS
Fasset
to Fasset

8. Department of Education
SAQA Act passed in 1995
SAQA responsible for:
Overseeing the development & implementation of the NQF
Formulates policy & criteria for registration of various bodies (ETQA/NSB’s/SGB’s)
Responsible for registration of unit standards & Qualifications
Ensure the unit standards & qualifications are Internationally comparable

9. SKILLS DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY (GETC) General Education
NSB’s
National
Standards
Boards
ETQA’s
Education & Training
Quality Assurers
SGB’s
Generating
Bodies
SA Qualifications
Authority (SAQA)
Dept of Education
Dept of Labour
National Skills
Authority (NSA)
8765
432 1
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
SETAs
Sectoral Education
& Training Authority
Companies
1% Levy
SARS
(GETC) General Education
SCHOOL
ABET
(FETC)
Further
Education
(HETC)
Higher
The NQF
Providers
NLRD
Learners

10. Section 2
Assessment and the NQF

11. NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK
NQF – A vehicle for:
The eradication of unjustness
The achievement of reconstruction & development goals
The transformation & the promotion of quality in education & training
It does this by:
Creating an integrated national framework of learning achievements;
Facilitating access to mobility & progression within education, training & career paths;
Enhancing the quality of education & training;
Accelerating the redress of past unfair discrimination in education, training & employment opportunities and thereby;
Contributing to the full personal development of each learner and the social & economic development of the nation at large.

12. Structure of the NQF Types of qualifications & certificates NQF Level
Band
Types of qualifications & certificates 8
Higher Education & Training Band
Doctorates, Further research degrees 7
Higher degrees, Professional qualifications 6
First degrees, Higher diplomas 5
Diplomas, Occupational Certificates 4
Further Education & Training Band
School/College/Trade Certificates
E.g. Matric or N4 3
E.g. Grade 11 or N3 2
E.g. Grade 10 or N2 1
General Education & Training Band
Grade 9
ABET level 4 (10 years of education)
Grade 7
ABET level 3 (8 years of education)
Grade 5
ABET level 2 (6 years of education)
Grade 3
ABET level 1 (4 years of education)

13. Unit standards – what are they?
A unit standard is:
A collection of knowledge, skills and attributes in which a candidate must prove competence (in a structured assessment) to gain credits on the NQF
a “portable module of competency”
A unit standard document describes:
a coherent and meaningful outcome of learning that we want recognised nationally (title),
the smaller more manageable outcomes that make up the main outcome (specific outcomes),
the standards of performance required as
proof of competence (assessment criteria).
You can see unit standards &
qualifications registered on the NQF on

14. Assessment
By completing an assessment learners are declared competent and awarded a unit standard(s) and credits on the NQF
Assessment is therefore:
A structured process for gathering evidence and making a judgment about an individual’s performance in relation to registered national standard(s)

15. More about assessment….
Assessment will reflect your:
Practical competence – perform a set of tasks
Foundational competence – understand what & why you are doing the task
Reflexive competence – you can integrate what you know and perform in a different context
Good assessment is:
Structured
Transparent
Negotiated
Objective

16. More about assessment….
Formative assessment: This takes place during the process of learning and teaching
Summative assessment: This is carried out against a registered unit standard and usually takes place at the end of a learning programme.
Types of assessment:
Observation
Demonstrating & questioning
Exams & Tests
Oral tests
Projects/assignments
Computer based training
Role play simulations
What type of assessment works best for you?

17. What is RPL?
A process whereby people are given formal recognition for the skills & knowledge they already have, regardless of where the learning took place.
They will complete an assessment, similar to what is described above and in return will be certificated and granted unit standards in accordance with their competence.

18. Need more information?
You can find additional information on this section in the Fasset Booklets:
Implementing the SAQA and SDA legislation in the workplace;
Implementing and conducting assessment an assessment in the workplace;
Working with assessment guides.
This can be found on the Website:

19. National Picture activity
Can you see how these structures relate to each other? Their functions?
Can you see what the role & functions are of the people involved and the structures in place??

20. Developing the Strategic
Section 3
Developing the Strategic
Role of the SDF

21. What do SDF’s do? What do you think SDF’s do?
What skills would they need?
What knowledge would they have to have?
What attributes would they have?

22. SDF Roles Promote a learning culture in organisations
Co-ordinate planned education, training and development in an organisation
Advise on the alignment of skills development objectives and practices with strategic objectives in an organisation
Advise on the establishment and implementation of a quality management system for skill development practices in organisations
Assist the employer and employees to develop a workplace skills plan which complies with the requirements of the Seta (including a Training committee)
Serve as a resource with regard to all aspects of
skills development & Seta initiatives

23. In other words you are a:
Facilitator: To facilitate the development of an employer’s skills development strategy.
Expert: To serve as an expert resource for accrediting the employer and for the employment and accreditation of appropriate learnerships and skills programmes.
Administrator: To draft and submit the workplace skills plans and annual training reports.
Advisor: To advise the employers and employees on the national skills development strategy and on the implementation of its workplace skills plans.
Education and needs evaluator: To assess the skills development needs of the organisation.
Mediator: To serve as a contact person between the employer and the relevant Seta.

24. SDF skills Planning Organising & coordinating Communicating
Facilitating
Listening & questioning
Researching
Evaluating

25. SDF Knowledge & Attributes
SD legislation
Business strategy:
Vision
Mission
Operational issues
Attributes:
Relationship building
Objectivity
Integrity
Conflict resolution

26. Training Committees What do you think training committees should do?
What does your committee do?

27. Objectives of the Training Committee
Provide input to and endorse workplace skills plan (WSP).
Advise the organisation on implementation of the WSP.
Ensure WSP addresses employment equity (EE) issues and EE plan.
Compliance with international and national legislation.
Provide input to and ensure compliance to skills development quality assurance system.
Monitor and report on implementation of skills development strategies.
Ensure support of learners throughout skills development implementation.
Monitor and report on skills development budget expenditure.
Communicate with key skills development stakeholders (internal and external).
Create awareness of and promote skills audits and individual development plans.

28. Role of the Training Committee
Communication;
Road shows/ newsletters
Obtain buy-in and commitment
Promote concept
Liaise with others
Monitoring;
Budget (cost centers, people,
comply to plan)
WSP/ EE plan
Skills Audit and Development
Plans;
Job profiles
SWOT skills analysis
People assessment/ career pathways
Evaluation
Other;
Re-introduce cultural diversity training
SGB involvement
Implementation strategy
Support EE plan
Training
Committee
TC mandate;
establish milestones
capacity building
vision, mission, scope
job profiles for committee (role
of individual vs role of group)
and responsibilities
time to invest
Assessment System;
Assessors
RPL
Quality Assurance Systems
Learnerships
Head office policies and procedures
Compliance with legislation;
SDF
WSP
Implementation
Timeframes
Reporting
International

29. Need more information?
You can find additional information on this section in the Fasset Booklet:
Skills Planning
This can be found on the Website:

30. Developing and implementing a WSP
Section 4
Developing and
implementing a WSP

31. WSP process
Why is planning your organisation’s training & development important?
Buy-in & co-operation
Certainty – resource allocation
Assists with change and transformation issues
Implementation and measurement
Where are you now and
where do you want to be??

32. WSP Process:
Understanding all the influences or “inputs” into your training plan. These could include:
National issues – legislation (OHS?), industry expectations (CPD?), macro economic issues, market changes etc.
Can you think of anymore?
Company issues – Vision & mission, business strategy & objectives, transformation (EE & BEE), productivity, succession & career planning, health & safety, budget, skills gaps etc.
Individual issues – individual requests & ambitions,
employee performance/competency issues, personal development plans, soft skills & ABET etc.

33. Activity What are the issues in your environment? National Company &
Individual

34. WSP planning process cont.
Ensuring inputs from all areas are included – i.e. top down & bottom up
Prioritise and sort in consultation with your training committee (& sometimes line management)
Allocate training providers to beneficiaries
Capture information into the WSP
Obtain buy-in and sign off

35. Conducting Skills Audits
An organisational skills audit will entail:
Understanding vision, mission, strategy and objectives of the business
Determining what the skills are required if the organisation is to achieve goals
Assessing current skills
Identifying the gap and facilitating the bridging of that gap

36. The ATR/WSP Template
Take 10 minutes to have a look through the template.
Can you see:
The training you completed last year?
Skills priorities for last year and this upcoming year?
The employee profile? Disabled & employee categories?
The training you are planning this year?

37. Levies and Grants

38. And will lead to a 50% of your annual SDL grant rebate
The Seta year
8th Levy Year:
1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 Submission deadline is 30 June 2007 (with extension to 31 July 2007 in case of Force Majeur)
This is for the combined document:
ATR (2006 – 2007)
WSP (2007 – 2008)
And will lead to a 50% of your annual SDL grant rebate

39. Strategic Cash Grant
This is a grant that includes your remaining 20% of annual SDL. You can claim this through undertaking education and training interventions in certain strategic skills priority areas for the financial year 2007/08 from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008.
See for more details on the strategic skills priorities and the criteria for claiming these grants

40. Need more information?
You can find additional information on this section in the Fasset Booklet:
Skills Planning
This can be found on the Website:

41. Understanding learnerships
Section 5
Understanding learnerships

42. Learnerships
What do you think a learnership is? And what is it NOT?

43. Learnerships An apprenticeship on steroids!
SAQA Qualification - structured programmes.
Public documents registered by ETQA’s
18.1 (previously employed) or 18.2 (unemployed)
Across the NQF
3-way contract – employment contract terminates at the end of the learnership

44. Difference between learnership & apprenticeships
LEARNERSHIPS
Focus on practical skills only, with some theory at technical college
Combine theory and practice, and include “non-trade” areas at different levels, for different occupations
Aimed at younger people starting work
Available for all generations
Aimed at new entrants/students to the job market
Available to new entrants and existing employees
Time-based learning
Competency-based learning that allows learner to move at their own pace
Controlled by Industry Training Boards now the SETAs
Three party agreement, signed by the employer, Training provider and learner, registered with SETA
Trade test at Central Organisation of Trade Testing now called Indlela to qualify
Competency based assessment against registered national unit standards to be awarded a national qualification

45. Implementing and managing learnerships

46. What do you need to do to implement a learnership?
Get a list of registered learnerships from the Department of Labour or Fasset
Match these to your defined skills needs
Gain accreditation as an employer (and/or training provider) with the relevant ETQA
Sign a learnership agreement with the training provider and the learner and employ learners (sign an employment contract)
Discuss and agree to the curriculum for the learnership with the training provider

47. What do you need to do to implement a learnership cont.….
Provide learning to the learners according to the learnership curriculum
Work closely with the training provider in managing the learnership process
Provide support to the learner through mentoring and feedback
Assess the learner
Moderate assessment and assessors
Keep records and submit reports to the ETQA

48. The learnership agreement
Rights & obligations:
Learner:
Must be afforded the opportunity to practice what they learn theoretically
Employee rights as per the contract of employment
Must practice what they have learnt theoretically
Must keep commitments to employer and training provider
Employer:
Keep funding responsibilities (training provider, assessment, stipend etc)
Mentor & coach and provide/support assessment processes
Training Provider:
Training provision – materials etc
Assessment processes?

49. In other words a learnership must include:
Clear documented understanding of what is expected of all role-players
Planned, systematic experience of a range of work activities
Specified learning and assessment tasks
Scheduled times for learners to come together
Clear guidelines on what and how learners will be assessed

50. Funding and Grants Employer must fund the learnership
Unemployed/pre-employed learner will be paid an allowance
Learner gains work place experience
Learner learns at the training provider
Previously employed learner will receive a negotiated salary
Employed learner may also need to be reimbursed for learning material and travel costs Employers must get the approval from Seta for the grant before they proceed with an agreement with the learner

51. Learnership costs Cost of training provision Equipment and technology
Assessment
Training and capacity building
Travel
Accommodation (if required)
Allowances

52. The role of the Fasset ETQA:
Check the status of previously registered companies and training centers and where the required standards are met, issue accreditation
Accredit training providers
Evaluate and moderate assessment
Advise employers on which accredited training providers to use
Assist with the evaluation of skills development programmes
Conduct quality systems audits
Facilitate the training of workplace assessors

53. Quality Assurance Partners (previously: agent ETQA’S)
Institute of Commercial and Financial Accountants (CFA)
Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA)
Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA)/Chartered Institute of Business Management (CIBM)/ Institute of Business Studies (IBS)

54. Fasset information requirements
The number of learners enrolling for programmes, though the learnership agreements that are registered
Learner progress and qualifications, credits achieved
Post learnership tracking of learner’s progress

55. Reporting and administration systems needed for a learnership
Original or copies of the following:
Learner agreements/contracts
Standard forms and reports
Assessment guides
Training manuals
Employment contracts
Code of conduct
Certificates
Grievance and appeal discussions/proceedings
Progress reports
Placement records

56. Same examples of Fasset learnerships…
Title
NLRD number
NQF level
Professional body
Chartered Management Accountant
20400 7
Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
Accounting Technician
20402 5
Fasset
Registered Bookkeeper
20363 4
Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB)
National Diploma: Technical Financial Accountant
36213
Certificate in Business Accounting
24418

57. Any thoughts? Do you think learnerships are a good idea?
Could you implement learnerships in your organisation?
Would you know how to?

58. Need more information?
You can find additional information on this section in the Fasset Booklet:
Implementing learnerships
This can be found on the Website:

59. Tools to assist you in your SDF role
Fasset website:
On the website you can gain access to the following:
Download all the reports you are required to complete for the grants
SDF Booklets which will assist you in developing your competence further
Latest Fasset information
List of all the relevant Fasset contacts
List of Fasset learnerships
List of SIC Codes
Telephone a Fasset skills advisor who is always
willing to assist you in your role as SDF