This General Education and Training Certificate: Business Practice is for utilisation by all members of the population. Anyone preparing to become employed, or self-employed, in any business whatsoever would be the persons most likely to be attracted to this qualification. In fact many newly (or not-so-newly) appointed personnel, or struggling entrepreneurs, could benefit from part or all of this qualification. It seeks to embed the six key literacies required by business organisations: Numeracy, Literacy, Entrepreneurial, Financial, Technological and Cognitive. The GETC: Business Practice integrates the literacies into one qualification while also allowing each to be addressed separately in short courses and skills programmes, based on the constituent unit standards. Furthermore, this Certificate allows a seamless movement into the New Venture Creation learning way, thus providing bridging between South Africa's First and second Economies. The Fundamental Component of the qualification enables learners to communicate and work with figures in a business environment, while the Core component offers empowerment in the areas of technology, life orientation, human and social sciences (customer service), economics and management (entrepreneurship), as well as cognition theory and practice. The qualification is aimed particularly at entry level personnel, including those that operate their own business or are part owners in a business. It provides grounding in the key business essentials, while offering a range of elective choices which assist in preparing learners for the world of work. The GETC would also suit non-entrepreneurs as it offers all the grounding required for operating in the business environment in South Africa. The learner successfully completing this qualification will have gained the knowledge and ability to: Use fundamental skills in a business environment. Make appropriate use of Information and Communications Technology in an office setting. Incorporate a range of life skills in an employment or self-employment situation. The learner will also develop some entrepreneurial and business knowledge coupled with correct business attitudes. Rationale: The South African economy is characterised as having two inter-related parts, usually referred to as the First Economy and the Second Economy, each having the features their respective names imply. This qualification is intended to offer a bridging between those two economies, allowing individuals normally trapped in the Second Economy the opportunity to participate in and benefit from the First Economy. Furthermore, in the modern world literacy has many features, not just reading and writing. Examples of these are computer literacy and financial literacy. In addition, entrepreneurship offers part of the solution to the huge unemployment issue in the country, while at the same time being able to act as the vehicle for the variety of literacies referred to above. This GETC in Business Practice will act as an enabler to development by addressing all three of these issues. The Certificate is intended as an entry-level qualification in any industry, as it provides an introduction to business practice. It would be useful for those in, or seeking employment as well as those in or planning self-employment. Competent learners will be able to enter the work place in most sectors and be able to do the entry-level work required of them. Learners would have developed initiative and business skills as well, as entrepreneurial skills which they can apply in a company or which would assist them to establish their own small businesses. This is critical to support the economic growth required to enable our country to support and develop all of our people. Currently no qualification provides this grounding in business practice, while incorporating strong elements of business communication and mathematical literacy. This new qualification, thus, would fill a critical gap in the induction or initiation of new workers and new entrepreneurs. The GETC: Business Practice also aims to develop the cognitive abilities of learners thereby assisting them with problem solving and decision making. The skills, knowledge, attitudes and abilities which would be developed by this qualification are transferable to any sector of the economy.