The governments National Sills Development Strategy (NSDS) has stimulated R42 billion in skills development levies since 2000 and Sector Education and Training Authorities have been responsible to wisely spend these funds.
They are used to develop critical skills for sustainable growth, development and equity; to promote, accelerate and improve quality/relevant training and provision thereof; and promote and support sustainable employability in the labour market or self-employment.
All these funds have been targeted to workplaces where employed or unemployed adults are the beneficiaries; implying that mainly FET and some HET providers of qualifications, skills programmes and short courses would be the channel through which most of the R 42 billion is spent.
With ETQA shifts from measuring quality of inputs toward measuring the quality of outputs, the capacity and sustainability of FET provider institutions has increasingly become a concern.
Critical skills research conducted in 2006 by the ETDP SETA highlighted dramatic concerns where CEOs, Managing Directors and ETD Administrators in South Africa desperately require problem solving, critical thinking and computer skills, amongst others.
In the same study, 60% of priority scarce skills existed across ETD Practitioner roles highlighting the desperate need for Occupationally-Directed Education, Training and Development Practices (OD-ETDP) competence within education and training provider institutions.
According to the ETDP SETA learner record database May 2008, only 98 ETD Practitioners have qualified up to NQF 5 in OD-ETD Practices since 2000 further raising legitimacy concerns as to with whom are we spending the R 42 billion?
Toward addressing the capacity, competence and professionalism of ETD practitioners, the Institute of People Development has developed a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programme facilitated by leading practitioners, thinkers and policy makers in the field of OD-ETD in South Africa - drawn from major corporations, government departments, parastatals and universities.
p>With assignments to help up to 100 ETD Practitioners deal with the challenges faced in daily work, participation in this CPD programme will lead to a NQF6 - Post Graduate Certificate in OD-ETD Practices. Registrations close 30 June 2008.
Interested ETD professionals are invited to submit a quote request to www.peopledev.co.za/quote_request.asp
Each participating ETD professional will receive a copy of the widely acclaimed publication: Meyer, Orpen, 2007: Occupationally-directed Education and Training Practices; Dbn, LexisNexis Butterworths, now available online at: www.peopledev.co.za/etdpbook
In the interests of ensuring South Africa develops critical skills for sustainable growth, development and equity, and that we promote, accelerate and improve the quality and relevance of training and the provision thereof; graduating ETD Practitioners through this NQF6 - CPD programme now have the opportunity to stand head and shoulders above the rest and be counted for sustainable employability in the labour market or self-employment.
For more details from Institute of People Development Click Here
