A unique R72 million public-private partnership, designed to bring about minimum standards of competence for municipal financial staff, was unveiled in Johannesburg by Dr Blade Nzimande, the Minister of Higher Education and Training.

Government will focus on ironing out bureaucratic processes that hinder private sector investments and has invited business to report incidents of key projects being delayed as a result of red tape says Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel

As the strike season draws to a close it can be clearly seen that effective negotiation and conflict resolution skills can reduce the pain of industrial action. Liza van wyk shares her reflections on how to reolve labour disputes.

Citizens have been cautioned to verify that the enumerators entering their premises are infact accredited members of Census 2011 by checking that their identity cards contain a hologram. This is to protect the cards from being counterfeited.

The new Energy Efficiency building regulations will create an estimated 18 000 jobs and contribute positively to government’s goal of creating five million jobs by 2020 when it is implemented in November.

The manufacturing industry has slipped down by minus 6 percent and shed 6000 jobs in July as a result of the global economic meltdown but government aims to boost productivity and confidence in this sector says Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies.

Does your company expect and demand results from every training initiative? Learn how to ensure employees transfer learning principles to the work situation and deliver on performance expectation every time by following these tips.

Businesses will soon face a daunting task of managing staff expectations concerning year-end bonuses and annual increases after a difficult financial year has passed and an uncertain futre lies ahead, according to Manpower SA.

ACCA comended SARS for its contribution to transformation in the accounting profession through various training programmes and intitatives at the ABASA Gala dinner, which recognised organsations and individuals that had contributed to the finacial sector.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, a mid-level manager, a team leader or a CEO in a newly formed organization or a mature organization, knowing the lifecycle of your organization and being able to influence the movement of that organization is critical to its growth and predictable success.

Econobee has compiled a list of the top five mistakes that businesses make when interpreting the ownership element on the BEE scorecard in order to save you the time, and money, of making them yourself.

Student funding scheme NSFAS has been allocated a total of R5.5 billion for the 2011/2012 period which will be used to provide financial assistance to students for both loans and bursaries. Minister Blade Nzimande also aims to create more awareness amongst scholars about this significant source of funding.

Mentors are special people. I say this due the mentoring many people myself as most facilitators and assessors end up playing this crucial role.

With the establishment of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations will trainers have to redesign all the currently registered qualifications through an onerous, costly and time consuming process?

Or at least you think that it may be a good way for you to market your business? Well that’s great. Just like networking groups, people join Speakers Associations for many different reasons.

South Africa has participated in some fashion or another over the past 10 years in the World Skills Event, but with little success. Without the private providers in this country, we will never aspire to achieving greatness on the world platform.

In the 'Guidelines on Strategy and Priorities for the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) 2011/12' released by the Minister of Higher Education in September Dr Nzimande stressed the following: Of great importance and a priority for immediate action is the need for all Quality Councils to set out how they intend managing their standard setting and quality assurance processes in terms of - STANDARDS SETTING – QUALITY ASSURANCE – PROGRESSION AND INFORMATION.

The BHP Billiton enterprise development project valued at R14 million aims to offer local entrepreneurs a comprehensive development programme and world class entrepreneurial coaching and guidance to 'grow successful, profitable and, most importantly, sustainable businesses.'

The Human Resource Strategy for Health, which aims to develop health professionals and create a workforce fit to meet the country’s health needs was launched by Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi.

The KwaZulu-Natal Health Department has called on people who paid bribes to a woman posing as a nurse in the promise of jobs in hospitals, to submit information and evidence to the hospitals where they were promised employment.

Tom Peters uses an example from the healthcare industry to highlight the importance of listening. ’The single most significant strategic strength that an organization can have is not a good strategic plan, but a commitment to strategic listening on the part of every member of the organization’

A provision of R77.8 million has been created to refund former students who were overcharged interest during previous years. The student financial aid scheme NSFAS, has committed to contacting each student to arrange the transaction says Minister Nzimande.

South African citizens have been urged to provide accurate, truthful and honest information to Stats SA officials during the 2011 Census count as the event would only yield meaningful results 'if everyone gives honest information' said Eastern Cape Premier Noxolo Kiviet.

Speed repping is the new sales method trend. Adapted from the concept of speed dating, the Retail Technology Forum held in Cape Town at the beginning of September attributes the success of the event to the well organised “speed repping” schedule set up by the Forum’s organisers.

African countries need to find new and improved methods of cooperation at regional and continental level to ensure complementary economic and social policies that create decent work opportunities.

Do you enforce training or create an atmosphere of learning in the workplace? If you are battling to gain support from employees your approach to skills development may be the problem. Des Squire argues that 'for training to be effective there must be a perceived need in the minds of the recipients.'

As we approach the end of the year, companies are starting to make plans for their year-end functions; a work event, disguised as a social one. The challenge is knowing how to behave in order to make the most of the night whilst ensuring you don’t leave an infamous reputation behind.