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Skills Development

Skills development campaign takes flight

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 11:47

Softline VIP, part of the Sage Group plc, embarked on a campaign that aims to equip Grade 10 to 12 learners from disadvantaged backgrounds with essential life and business skills which will aid them in their task of finding work once they matriculate.

The programme was inaugurated during the recent school holidays and saw a group of thirteen Grade 10 learners from the Louis Botha children’s home and a High School in Mamelodi, reaping the benefits of the campaign.

Ingrid Theunissen, an internal trainer and industrial psychologist at Softline VIP, says the programme outline has been divided into three distinct sections which are designed to span from Grade 10 through to Grade 12.

“The curriculum progressively increases the learner’s overview and background of basic life and business skills, providing them with much needed insight into the business world. It is a long term project that will reach its full potential by the year 2013, when our first group of learners will reach Grade 12,” says Theunissen.

The Grade 10 curriculum provides learners with a basic overview of life skills including self development, communication, interpersonal relationships, conflict handling and assertiveness. “It also reviews personality styles and profiling, and covers basic PC literacy which includes an introduction to MS Word and Excel as well as basic telephone skills,” explains Theunissen.

The curriculum compilation for Grade 11 learners takes the process one step further by focusing on organisational skills and includes an introduction to the payroll environment, a closer look at career choices, and an overview of successful presentation skills and good time management. It also aims to teach learners to optimise their memory and takes a closer look at intermediate Excel.

The curriculum for Grade 12 learners will see the group undergoing VIP payroll system training, which is further enhanced by English business writing. “We walk them through the ‘how’ of compiling an effective CV and conducting a job interview. It also presents the learners with advanced Excel and MS Word skills,” says Theunissen.

The team working on the VIP Cares life and business skills programme comprises of Ingrid Theunissen, Christie Leisegang, Madelein Botha, Lizel de Beer, Annette Viljoen and Christine Schoeman. “The first rendition of the programme was a resounding success and proved to be very rewarding to all that participated. The group of learners found the sessions insightful and have indicated that they will definitely return for the Grade 11 programme next year,” concludes Theunissen. For more information, e-mail ingridt@vippayroll.co.za