1. merSETA Strategic Plan
Derrick Peo
General Manager : Innovation, Research & Development

2. Structure of Presentation
Background
Skills Development Priorities
Challenges in Current Environment
Cross-cutting Strategies
Programmes and Sub-Programmes
Programme 1: Administration
Programme 2: Skills Planning
Programme 3: Occupationally Directed Programmes
Programme 4: FETCs
Programme 5: Language and Numeracy Skills
Programme 6: Workplace Skills Development
Programme 7: Co-operatives, Small enterprises, Worker initiated, NGO and Community training initiatives
Programme 8: Career Development
Targets

3. 1. Background

4. 2. Sector Skills Development Priorities
The merSETA has five skills development priorities:
Priority 1 is to develop a sector labour market intelligence (LMI) system.
Priority 2 is the continued and even increased focus on artisan development.
Priority 3 is to establish and facilitate strategic partnerships that will impact on both the funding available for skills development and the improved quality of skills development.
Priority 4 is to increase the flow of newly skilled workers into the sector, through increasing the skills available to the sector to meet its short-term needs and improving the base level of learning.
Priority 5 is to develop the skills of the existing workforce as this is of primary importance for the development of the sector and for achieving outcomes that are consistent with decent work, equity, and sector economic growth and employment.

5. 3. Challenges in the Current Environment
3.1. Aligning industry needs with national development imperatives, policy directives, and DHET priorities
3.2. Financial and Budgetary Constraints
3.3. Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of skills development in the sector
3.4. Co-funding training, with employers, provinces, the UIF and various state departments, including ‘cluster’ SETAs
3.5. Improving employer buy-in through engaging industry
associations on the challenges facing the industry

6. 4. Cross-cutting Strategies
4.1. Rural Development 4.2. Sustainable Green Skills Development 4.3. People with Disabilities 4.4. Further Education and Training Colleges (FETCs) 4.5. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

7. Programme 1: Administration (Effective & Efficient Governance)
Nominated Governing Board/Audit/Remcom structure in place
Management structure in place – no vacant key positions
Unqualified external audit reports
Full compliance within the legislative framework in which merSETA operates – PFMA/SDL/SDLA/National Treasury/AG/ SAQA
Good internal audit reports – a tool to strengthen management
Documented and implemented systems in place
Clearly defined business processes
Effective and documented monitoring and evaluation policies and processes
Internal and External Customer Satisfaction Survey conducted
Credible data and reliable MIS system
Accountability and transparency in all facets of business

8. Programme 2: Skills Planning
Established research office
Capacitated merSETA internal/ external stakeholders
Grants aligned to the SSP
Sub-sector / chamber-focused and managed research agenda
Strategic partnerships implemented for skills planning
Provincial / regional Sector Skills Plans
Chair in Manufacturing Skills Development

9. Programme 3: Increased access to occupationally directed
programmes
Skills development initiatives
Priority intermediate skills identified specific to merSETA sub-sectors
Strategy to expand artisan development
List of identified high level national scarce skills
Established research, development and innovation capacity
Supporting Strategic Infrastructure Programmes
(SIPs)

10. Programme 4: Promoting the responsiveness of FETCs to the intermediate skills needs of the sector
FETC participation in Development Quality Partnership (DQP) processes
Harnessing the potential of FETCs to strengthen the artisan development pipeline (dual system apprenticeships and post-NCV graduates)
FET Curriculum Review
Private / public provider partnerships
Seta presence on FET college campuses
Mechanisms established to address gaps between industry and academic provision
Articulation across VET system
E-learning
Work placement for FETC graduates
Cross-cutting priorities

11. Established partnerships with schools and relevant institutions
Programme 5: Addressing the low level of youth and adult language and numeracy skills to enable additional training
STEM (Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programme aligned to Career development
Established partnerships with schools and relevant institutions
Increased entrance to tertiary education in merSETA sector
Increased entrance to additional training programmes
Foundational Learning Competence (FLC)

12. Programme 6:Promoting workplace skills development within the sector
Grants allocation aligned to equity targets and workplace productivity
Instruments to measure return on training investment (i.t.o Efficiency, Effectiveness and Equity)
Sector projects supported to address skills gaps and imbalances towards improved productivity
Cross-sectoral partnership projects supported to address skills gaps towards Local Economic Development (LED).

13. Programme 7: Encouraging and supporting Cooperatives, Small Enterprises, Worker-initiated, NGO and Community Training Initiatives
Participation of SMEs in relevant learning programmes, especially artisan development
SME Skills Audit
Technology-based entrepreneurship support
Established partnerships, programmes, grants and incentives
Sustainable Rural and Township Development Strategy (Training for Economic Empowerment)
Established sector NGOs, CBOs and Cooperatives
Mechanisms and models for skills development support (grant and project-based)
Meaningful linkages between Coops, NGOs, CBOs and business

14. Programme 8: Career Development
Integrated career and learner development strategy
Alternative mechanisms including national and international partnerships to enable career-pathing and personal development
Established learning pathways to support career development
Enhanced awareness of workplace and post-school institutions for career development opportunities of workers
Enhanced profile of merSETA careers nationally
Support initiatives of complementary entities including government, NGOs and institutions through regional partnerships

15. 7. Targets
Programme Performance Indicators, linked to annual targets, are negotiated with the Department of Higher Education and Training. This forms the basis of the SLA with DHET
Based on the promulgation of the new grant regulations, as well as the DHET’s own scorecard, this year significant increases have been negotiated on certain categories
Achievement of these sector targets depends on fully leveraging the PIVOTAL programmes, reducing budgets on non-essential projects, and negotiating partnership funding
The targets are broken down per region
See targets matrix (handout)

16. 2013/14 Targets Unemployed learnerships entered 4500 (5400)
Unemployed learnerships Certified (1920)
Unemployed Interns entered (265)
Unemployed Internships certified (132)
Employed apprentices entered (2880)
Employed apprentices certified (1440)
Unemployed artisans entered (4320)
Unemployed artisans certified (2400)
Work Experience (P1 & P2) (794)
Workplace placement (FETC graduates) (1620)
Employed skills programmes entered (4080)
Employed skills programmes completed 2380 (2856)
Employed learnerships entered (5400)
Employed learnerships certified (2640)
Co-ops 7 (9), Small Business Support 2315 (2778), NGO/CBO 11 (13)
Career Guidance (2064)

17. Thank You
Derrick Peo
General Manager : IRD