Increase You BBBEE Score With Learnerships

How Skills Development can Help Your BBBEE Scorecard?

1. Skills Development Element:

Learnerships are a vital component of the Skills Development element, which constitutes a priority area in the B-BBEE scorecard. Companies can earn points by investing in learnerships, internships, and apprenticeships for black individuals. These programs provide practical work experience and formal training, contributing to the development of a skilled workforce.

2. Employment Equity Element:

Participating in learnerships enables companies to promote employment equity by providing opportunities for black individuals to gain access to formal employment and acquire relevant skills. By absorbing learners into their workforce upon completion of learnership programs, companies demonstrate their commitment to diversifying and transforming their workforce composition.

3. Socio-Economic Development Element:

Learnerships contribute to socio-economic development by empowering individuals with valuable skills and improving their employability prospects. By offering learnership opportunities, companies support the socioeconomic advancement of historically disadvantaged individuals and communities, aligning with the objectives of the Socio-Economic Development element of the B-BBEE scorecard.

4. Skills Development Spend:

Investing in learnerships allows companies to allocate a portion of their Skills Development expenditure towards accredited training programs. This expenditure is recognized and rewarded under the Skills Development element of the B-BBEE scorecard, enabling companies to earn points and improve their overall B-BBEE rating.

5. Employment Equity Targets:

By actively engaging in learnerships and ensuring the absorption of learners into their workforce, companies can progress towards meeting their employment equity targets as outlined in the B-BBEE scorecard. Demonstrating a commitment to providing employment opportunities for black individuals through learnerships contributes to achieving compliance with employment equity requirements.

6. Continuous Improvement:

Engaging in learnerships reflects a company’s commitment to continuous improvement and sustainable transformation. By investing in the development of skills and human capital, companies not only enhance their B-BBEE scorecard but also position themselves for long-term success in a competitive business environment.

In summary, learnerships play a pivotal role in improving the B-BBEE scorecard by directly addressing key elements such as Skills Development, Employment Equity, and Socio-Economic Development. By prioritizing learnership programs and actively supporting the development and employment of black individuals, companies can enhance their B-BBEE ratings and contribute to meaningful socioeconomic transformation.

How BOTI can assist in increasing your BBEEE scorecard

In the quest for business excellence and social responsibility, companies in South Africa are increasingly turning to initiatives like Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) to drive positive change. However, navigating the intricate landscape of B-BBEE compliance and maximizing the benefits of Skills Development requires strategic partnerships with experts like Business Optimization Training Institute (BOTI).

Comprehensive Training Programs:

One of BOTI’s key strengths lies in its diverse range of comprehensive training programs (over 400 courses and 12 learnerships). These programs cover a spectrum of Skills Development initiatives, including learnerships and accredited unit standards designed to empower employees with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in today’s competitive business environment.

Customized Solutions:

Recognizing that every business is unique, BOTI takes a personalized approach to developing solutions that align with each client’s specific goals and challenges. Whether it’s designing bespoke training plans or optimizing existing processes, BOTI works closely with companies to deliver tailored solutions that drive meaningful results.

Continuous Support and Updates:

B-BBEE regulations and industry standards are constantly evolving, posing challenges for businesses to stay compliant and competitive. BOTI addresses this by providing ongoing support and updates to its clients, keeping them informed of the latest developments and best practices in B-BBEE compliance and Skills Development.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, partnering with Business Optimization Training Institute (BOTI) offers companies a strategic advantage in their journey towards B-BBEE compliance and Skills Development excellence. With specialized expertise, comprehensive training programs, and a commitment to client success, BOTI empowers businesses to unlock their full potential and make a meaningful impact in today’s dynamic business landscape.

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Learnership Qualifications: Why Should Companies Consider Learnerships?

Learnerships provide a structured approach to learning that combines theoretical knowledge with practical experience. Typically spanning 12 months, learnerships involve a four-party agreement among the learner, employer, training services provider, and SETA (Sector Education and Training Authority). Successful completion leads to a National Qualification, with partial competencies also acknowledged through earned credits.

Benefits of Learnerships

  1. Accessible National Qualifications: Employees can pursue national qualifications while working, thereby expanding their skill set.
  2. Flexible Learning: Learners can engage in learning at their own pace and convenience, potentially at their own expense.
  3. Enhanced Morale and Job Satisfaction: Recognition of experience and opportunities for upskilling contribute to higher morale among employees.
  4. Reduced Attrition Rates: The opportunity to complete a learnership correlates with lower employee turnover rates, leading to higher employee retention.
  5. Investment in Employee Development: Companies who invest in training and development foster stronger employee morale and loyalty.
  6. Gateway to Further Development: Learnerships serve as a foundational step for individuals to pursue further personal and professional growth.
  7. BBBEE Scorecard Advantages: Employers can earn points on their BBBEE Scorecard through learnership training, aiding in skills development initiatives.
  8. Cost Savings and Tax Rebates: Significant savings and tax rebates can be attained through learnership programs, assisting in budget allocation for training.

The Significance of Learnerships

Over the past two decades, learnerships have stood as vital pathways to sustainable employment in the country.

Two primary factors drive the pursuit of learnerships in SA. Firstly, there exists a notable disparity between the skills imparted through higher and tertiary education and those demanded by industries. Often, students lack practical experience crucial for the workplace.

This dilemma has persisted, with employers seeking candidates ready to contribute immediately upon employment, while fresh graduates require hands-on learning to become truly valuable and acquire meaningful on-the-job expertise.

The motivations for pursuing learnerships in South Africa extend beyond mere skill acquisition. They serve as effective bridges between formal education and employment opportunities, benefiting both individuals and companies keen on proactive skills development. With over 40% of South Africa’s youth facing unemployment, companies struggle to fill crucial roles due to shortages of skilled professionals across various sectors.

From any perspective, this scenario represents a socio-economic challenge that learnerships were specifically designed to address. Regardless of educational background, every individual has the right to participate in their country’s economic growth and expansion.

Empowering Learnership Initiatives

A learnership constitutes a structured work-based learning program leading to a National Qualifications Framework (NQF) certification, tailored to specific fields or occupations. Opportunities for learnerships span across all occupations, contingent upon finding suitable openings in one’s desired field.

Reach your skills development goals and achieve your BBBEE targets

As a fully accredited training provider with various SETAs, we are dedicated to assisting our clients in achieving the highest BBBEE rating possible. Collaborating closely with our clients, we tailor training solutions and learnership programs to maximize BBBEE Scorecard points. We facilitate the claiming of SETA Mandatory and Discretionary Grants and help secure substantial tax rebates from SARS.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is integrated into our learnerships, allowing individuals to gain credit for existing knowledge and skills. Our accredited courses, delivered over 12 months, minimize time away from the workplace while ensuring the acquisition of accredited qualifications.

Let’s Activate the Power and Potential of Positive Affirmation

Before diving into activating the power and potential of Positive Affirmation, let us begin with a positive mindset as we enter the month of March, and bid a fond farewell to the sweltering summer days while we welcome the cooling effects of the fresh Autumn breeze now creeping in.  In truth, it was only a few weeks ago that we packed up the old year and boldly embraced the start of 2024, with all its inherent possibilities, opportunities, and a whole host of unknown potentials waiting to be explored.  It is at this time that we should take a moment to pause and reflect and take cognisance of what we are attracting into our lives through our thoughts, words, and actions.  This is where we turn towards exploring the innate potential of the power of positive affirmation. 

Decades before mainstream mind power thinkers like John Kehoe began teaching the power of affirmation in healing the mind and body, Paramahansa Yogananda, an Indian-American Hindu monk yogi and guru, was captivating audiences throughout India with his teachings on how to directly access and apply the extraordinary healing powers hidden within every human being.  He first introduced this ideology to American audiences in 1924 and throughout the 1930s and 1940s Paramahansa Yogananda regularly opened or concluded his services by taking those present through an affirmation for healing, or for stimulating willpower or devotion or the awareness of the presence of God.  Today, people around the world have benefited from the practice of his techniques involving scientific healing affirmations.

Understanding the Power of Positive Affirmation

To help us understand the power of positive affirmation Paramahansa Yogananda, in his pioneering book, Scientific Healing Affirmations, explained the technique in the following manner:

“Words saturated with sincerity, conviction, faith, and intuition are like highly explosive vibration bombs, which, when set off, shatter the rocks of difficulties and create the change desired.  Sincere words or affirmations repeated understandingly, feelingly, and willingly are sure to move the Omnipresent Cosmic Vibratory Force to render aid in your difficulty.  Appeal to that Power with infinite confidence, casting out all doubt; otherwise, the arrow of your attention will be deflected from its mark.”

Implementing Positive Affirmation techniques

Optimal affirmation practice involves doing it right after waking up or just before bedtime. It is best to sit in a proper meditation posture if you can or else sit comfortably in a chair that supports the back.  Maintain an upright spine, close your eyes, and focus on the medulla oblongata which is the connection between the brainstem and the spinal cord at the back of the neck. Clear your mind of restlessness and worries before you begin.

Choose an Affirmation

Choose an affirmation from the options provided below as recommended by Paramahansa Yogananda and repeat it aloud initially, then softly and gradually slower until your voice becomes a whisper. Transition to mental repetition, focusing on achieving deep, uninterrupted concentration. As you sense a growing peace, intensify your concentration to access the superconscious realm and bring your affirmations to manifestation.  You can also write your own affirmations in line with your specific circumstances.

“I am submerged in eternal light. It permeates every particle of my being. I
am living in that light. The Divine Spirit fills me within and without.”

“God is within and around me, protecting me; so I will banish the fear that
shuts out His guiding light.”

“I know that God’s power is limitless; and as I am made in His image, I, too,
have the strength to overcome all obstacles.”

“I relax and cast aside all mental burdens, allowing God to express through
me His perfect love, peace, and wisdom.”

“Thy light of goodness and Thy protective power are ever shining through me. I saw them not, because my eyes of wisdom were closed. Now Thy touch of peace has opened my eyes; Thy goodness and unfailing protection are flowing through me.”

“My Heavenly Father, Thou art Love, and I am made in Thine image. I am the cosmic sphere of Love in which I behold all planets, all stars, all beings, all creation as glimmering lights. I am the Love that illumines the whole universe.”

“I will help weeping ones to smile, by smiling myself,
even when it is difficult.”

“I will radiate love and goodwill to others, that I may open
a channel for God’s love to come to all.”

Tips for effective Affirmations

In his book, Scientific Healing Affirmations, Paramahansa Yogananda also guides us in terms of how to effectively use affirmations in the following ways:

“After you have sown in the soil of Cosmic Consciousness your vibratory prayer-seed, do not pluck it out frequently to see whether or not it has germinated. Give the divine forces a chance to work uninterruptedly.”

“As one uses different affirmations, his attitude of mind should change; for example, will affirmations should be accompanied by strong determination; feeling affirmations by devotion; reason affirmations by clear understanding. When healing others, select an affirmation that is suitable to the conative, imaginative, emotional, or thoughtful temperament of your patient. In all affirmations intensity of attention comes first, but continuity and repetition mean a great deal, too. Impregnate your affirmations with devotion, will, and faith, intensely and repeatedly, unmindful of the results, which will come naturally as the fruit of your labours.”

Let’s harness the strength of positive affirmations in action

Paramahansa Yogananda unveils the concealed principles for tapping into the potential of focused thought, not just for physical healing but also for conquering challenges and achieving overall success. He offers meticulous guidance and a diverse range of affirmations covering areas such as body healing, confidence building, wisdom awakening, breaking bad habits, and more.

The behaviour of Social Media Algorithms – A modern analogy of an Ancient Practice

To bring us up to speed with the modern era, let’s take a look at the behaviour of algorithms used throughout social media platforms such as Facebook and Tik Tok.  The behaviour of these algorithms illustrates an example of how we manifest our intentions.  Since, whatever we watch or read on Facebook or TikTok, the algorithms send back more of the same content – therefore, whatever affirmations and thoughts we put into the Universe – the Universe returns with the same content, just like the algorithms do… Hence, we must use positive affirmations in our ‘search’ for the content of our lives that we want to manifest.

A final ‘word’

Essentially, activating the potential of the power of positive affirmation is about using the ‘word’ to effectively manifest our best intentions.  So, as a final word as it were, let us at this point bear in mind that God created all things with the ‘word’.

Reference Sources: yssofindia.org

Find out how prioritising employee well-being builds a healthy, more sustainable workplace

Companies across the globe are taking stock of how workplace well-being impacts their overall success as we plunge into 2024.  Hence, a workforce that is healthy and engaged is no longer on the ‘wish list’ as it were, but is a strategic imperative for driving productivity, retaining top talent, and fostering creativity and innovation.  The growing awareness around workplace wellness has given rise to the emergence of wellness programs that lay the foundation for building a healthy, thriving, and more sustainable workplace.

Employee well-being is a top priority for 2024

In 2023, a survey by Forbes and OnePoll revealed that the top New Year’s resolutions included fitness enhancement and weight loss, healthy eating, financial management, and mental health improvement.  These trends have extended into 2024, making it vital for businesses to take a more proactive stance in helping their employees reach their wellness goals.

This difference between employee wellness and employee well-being

“Employee wellness” and “employee well-being” are terms that are often used interchangeably.  Yet, there are distinct differences between these two ideas.  Employee wellness is concerned with physical health which typically involves nutrition, weight management and fitness programs.  However, employee well-being involves a more holistic approach, dealing with not only physical health but also taking into account mental and emotional well-being.

Employee well-being is therefore a more inclusive term that embraces many aspects such as career, financial, social, physical, and community well-being.  It stretches over and above physical health, taking into account the overall quality of a person’s life and experiences.  Those companies that prioritise employee well-being more often than not reap the associated benefits that include higher productivity levels, greater profitability, lower staff turnover rates and fewer safety incidents.

Mental health at the forefront

The Covid-19 pandemic seemingly forever changed the way we work and live.  The sudden and dramatic shift to remote work, along with associated uncertainties and anxieties, drastically elevated concerns about the mental health of employees at large.  Notwithstanding, exacerbated pre-existing stressors in the workplace, such as heightened performance expectations, heavy workloads, and the inevitable blurring boundaries between work and personal life.  Such factors have resulted in increased levels of burnout, anxiety, and depression among employees.  Remote working conditions led to a sense of isolation, feelings of loneliness, social disconnection, and an overall perception of loss.  Hence, such emotional and social challenges such as these have significantly impacted the mental well-being of employees.

Prioritising mental health is, therefore, a very real concern for organisations worldwide.  It is not only a matter of ethical responsibility but is a strategic business imperative that can yield tremendous benefits.  Improving employee mental health minimises stress levels, enhances critical thinking and decision-making and improves workplace relationships.

Work-life integration

A work-life integration approach strives to achieve a balance between work and personal life and focuses on the importance of creating synergies between all facets of life, including career, family, personal, and community well-being. 

Emotional well-being drives employee engagement

When employees feel respected, valued and supported on an emotional level, they become more engaged, motivated, and dedicated to their work.  Prioritising emotional well-being therefore fosters a positive workplace culture where employees feel worthy, appreciated and encouraged to make a meaningful contribution.

Fostering a supportive work culture helps attract and retain top talent

Priorisiting employee well-being reaches beyond measures such as well-being programs and other benefits – the main thrust is towards fostering a supportive work culture.  Companies that focus on the well-being of their employees as part of their core values create an environment where employees are comfortable sharing their concerns, seeking help, and prioritising self-care without the fear of retribution.  Therefore, a workplace culture that supports the health and well-being of their employees can help to attract and retain top talent since, now more than ever, employees are looking for employers that prioritise their well-being.

Reference sources: Wellics.com

Find out how the role of the Chief Spiritual Officer (CSO) is evolving in the modern workplace

As human beings, we are comprised of mind, body, and spirit – and when we arrive at our place of work each day, we do not just appear as a physical and mental being but, our psychological, emotional, and spiritual selves come along as part of the mix. 

In the current global climate, economic turbulence, wars, and political upheavals are having a profound effect on the general psyche of the world at large.  This is where the role of the Chief Spiritual Officer comes into play.  Since, as human beings, what is going on around us affects us internally and how we feel affects how we perform in the workplace.

What exactly is a Chief Spiritual Officer?

A Chief Spiritual Officer provides employees in the workplace with many kinds of support from a spiritual perspective such as general counselling, relational healing, prayer advocacy, retreat facilitation for team building, and interventions that promote team cohesion. A CSO develops programs that are geared toward employees and executives alike.

The role of Chief Spiritual Officer (CSO) is becoming increasingly common and is a relatively new concept that is evolving in the modern workplace.  No matter what religion or spiritual path one follows, the Chief Spiritual Officer can counsel people in terms of any and every religion, in the spiritual sense.

What role does a Chief Spiritual Officer play within an organisation?

In the main, a Chief Spiritual Officer is tasked with ensuring the spiritual and emotional health of an organisation.  Essentially, the CSO can be seen as someone who oversees the HR process from an aerial view, but the role encompasses more than that.  The CSO is invariably someone who has the ability to tap into the energy streams of an organisation and its community, see where the energy is blocked or not flowing smoothly and intervene where necessary.

The CSO has their finger on the pulse of the ‘vibes’ in the company.  How do people feel about their work?  Are they sufficiently inspired?  Are they connected to the ‘why’?  Are they contributing to company culture or detracting away from it?  If the answer to any of these questions is in the negative, the CSO should act as a type of ‘spirit guide’ to help the organisation get back on track and do so in a harmonious fashion.  Since, the lifeforce of a company is in how its people treat each other, and the CSO must focus on steering people towards kindness with a healthy respect for one another’s needs.

Bridging the connection between the inner and outer lives of each individual

The idea of the Chief Spiritual Officer is often geared towards deep thinking, renewal and guidance from a moral compass point in every individual – it is about bridging the connection between the inner and outer lives of each person, allowing people to experience more joy and vitality and to be more adaptive in changing times.  This cannot be overstated in the current technological climate, where AI and automation are sweeping in at an increasingly alarming rate.  The emphasis here, of course, being on the human element, which, spiritually speaking, cannot be replaced by any machine.

Reference sources: edgeandnode.com

Dispelling the anxiety around the threat of AI replacing human jobs

The media is currently awash with all kinds of stories about AI, both positive and not-so-positive.  Not to mention, PwC’s annual global workforce survey revealed almost a third of respondents are in fear of their roles being replaced by technology within three years.  BBC also ran a headline which stated:  “AI anxiety:  The workers who fear losing their jobs to artificial intelligence”.  While a degree of anxiety around the threats posed by AI is sweeping across the world, perhaps the media itself may be responsible for adding more fuel to the fire.  Let us take a look at some of the ways that AI is not so much threatening jobs, but supplementing them.

Automation is as much a complement to as opposed to a substitute for certain jobs

Content Creators

Many news agencies, including Reuters and Associated Press have created AI-generated news articles for such tasks as sports recaps and financial reporting.  This is a concern for journalists, writers and bloggers who are feeling nervous about the automation of content generation, such as reports, news articles and even creative writing projects.  Nevertheless, the key lies in leveraging generative AI tools such as Chat GTP to enhance the creative process.  For example, Adobe’s Project Scribbler makes use of AI to convert rough scamps, or sketches into final artwork.

Customer Service Specialists

With the deployment of natural language processing, virtual assistants and chatbots have been as good as human customer service agents.  Yet, this is mainly the case when generative AI powered chatbots are used to assist customer service staff with automated repetitive tasks and the handling of routine inquiries.  This frees up time for human agents to spend more time on more complex tasks and specialised customer interactions.

Data Entry and Analysis Jobs

Automated systems can, indeed, handle data entry tasks and also perform basic data analysis, which may threaten professionals working in these fields.  However, one vital issue that many companies are concerned with is not about data processing as such, rather it is concerned with data generation.  Since, without data, businesses are becoming increasingly at risk.  Therefore, what generative AI is particularly useful for is in building synthetic data.  Synthetic data that has been modelled around real data can help provide sufficient data for more powerful data to be used by data analysts for better analysis.

Technology and employment are part of an entire ecosystem

If we take a look from the outside in, we can see that the media has played a large part in raising concern around AI and jobs that tends to focus on the impact of AI on current jobs.  Yet, a new range of jobs will be created by virtue of technology and other jobs will be created in the ecosystems at large. 

Where it concerns the creation of new jobs, let us first look at the digital economy.  The rise of social media platforms has resulted in the need for businesses and professionals to enhance a a brand or business’s online presence, engage with customers and deploy targeted social media marketing strategies.  Increased proliferation of mobile applications has resulted in a demand for skilled app developers with the ability to design, develop and sustain the functioning of dedicated applications used for different platforms. 

With digital threats and cyberattacks becoming increasingly on the rise, companies need cybersecurity specialists to protect their systems and networks and safeguard sensitive data.

Generative AI has already resulted in the creation of new job roles

As generative AI becomes more widespread, AI ethicists will become responsible for dealing with the ethical implications and societal impact of systems powered by AI.  Such individuals would take into account privacy concerns, assess potential biases and develop appropriate guidelines for the responsible use of AI technologies. 

Do new technologies really kill jobs?

Looking at the course of history, and examining previous industrial revolutions, let us remember that technology has always been the driver behind the wheel.  Technology no doubt kills certain jobs – such as in previous times when humans were replaced by machines in revolutionising the automotive industry when Henry Ford introduced the Model T Ford vehicle in 1908 – which was intended to be affordable, simple to operate and durable.  Increased automation and reduced costs led to the operation of factories that were able to produce a vehicle that the masses could afford. 

Reference sources: medium.com

Business Intelligence Consulting Services

Business Intelligence (BI) constitutes a technology-driven methodology aimed at analyzing data and furnishing actionable insights to aid executives, managers, and staff in making well-informed business decisions. In the BI framework, organizations gather data from both internal IT systems and external sources. Following this, the data is meticulously prepared for analysis. Queries are then executed against the data, and the outcomes are transformed into comprehensible data visualizations, BI dashboards, and reports. This entire process is orchestrated to make analytical results readily accessible to business users, facilitating both operational decision-making and strategic planning.

Allow data to meet innovation! Our solutions are meticulously crafted by seasoned experts and implemented by industry experts. We are dedicated to providing cutting-edge Business Intelligence (BI) dashboards that empower businesses with valuable insights to make informed decisions and drive sustainable growth.

About Us:
At BOTI, we excel in developing BI dashboards that go beyond conventional reporting. Our dashboards combine data visualization, interactive reports, and real-time updates, creating a dynamic platform for businesses to navigate their data landscape. Our goal is to simplify complex data, making it accessible and actionable, while also fostering improved communication and collaboration within organizations.

What Sets Us Apart:
One of the key differentiators at BOTI is our team of six sigma business consultants who lead the design process. This ensures that our dashboards are not only visually appealing but also relevant to achieving KPIs, providing relevant insights for real-world business decisions. Regardless of your business challenges or objectives, our team is committed to helping you unlock the full potential of data dashboarding.

Features:

  • Data Visualization: Dashboards provide a visually appealing representation of complex data sets. Visual elements such as charts, graphs, and maps make it easier for users to understand and interpret data trends, patterns, and outliers.
  • Real-Time Monitoring: Dashboards offer real-time updates, allowing users to monitor key metrics and KPIs as they change. This timely information enables quick decision-making and helps organizations respond promptly to evolving situations.
  • Centralized Information: Dashboards act as a centralized hub for critical business information. Instead of navigating through various reports and datasets, users can access all relevant data in one place, facilitating a comprehensive view of the organization’s performance.
  • Interactivity and Drill-Down: Interactive dashboards allow users to drill down into specific details or filter data based on parameters of interest. This interactivity enhances the user experience, enabling a more in-depth analysis of the data.
  • Customization: Dashboards can be customized to meet the specific needs of different user roles or departments. This flexibility ensures that each user sees the most relevant information for their responsibilities and objectives.
  • Performance Monitoring: Businesses can use dashboards to monitor and measure the performance of various processes, projects, or teams. This visibility helps in identifying areas that require improvement and optimizing overall efficiency.
  • Strategic Decision-Making: With real-time insights and a holistic view of key metrics, decision-makers can make more informed and strategic decisions. Dashboards empower executives to align their actions with organizational goals.
  • Communication and Collaboration: Dashboards enhance communication within organizations by providing a shared platform for data-driven discussions. Teams can collaborate more effectively when they have a common understanding of performance metrics and objectives.
  • Cost and Time Efficiency: By automating the collection and visualization of data, dashboards reduce the time and effort required to generate reports manually. This efficiency allows employees to focus on analyzing data and deriving actionable insights.
  • Increased Accountability: Clear visibility into performance metrics fosters accountability among team members. Individuals can track their own progress, and managers can easily assess the contributions of each team member toward organizational goals.
  • Mobile Accessibility: Many modern dashboards are designed to be accessible on mobile devices. This flexibility enables users to access critical information anytime, anywhere, making it especially useful for on-the-go decision-makers.
  • In summary, dashboards play a crucial role in transforming raw data into actionable insights, fostering a data-driven culture within organizations.

Contact BOTI today to discuss your specific needs and explore how our consulting services can drive excellence in your organization.

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Lean Six Sigma Consulting Services

Empowering Your Business Excellence through Lean Six Sigma

Our Lean Six Sigma Consulting Services

  1. Lean Six Sigma Implementation: Harness the power of Lean Six Sigma methodologies to drive process improvement, minimize defects, and maximize efficiency. Our consultants bring a wealth of experience in successfully implementing Lean Six Sigma principles across diverse industries.
  2. Process Optimization: Streamline your workflows and eliminate inefficiencies with our process optimization services. We conduct thorough analyses, identify bottlenecks, and implement solutions to enhance overall operational performance.
  3. Kaizen Events: Foster a culture of continuous improvement through Kaizen events. Our consultants facilitate collaborative sessions aimed at identifying and implementing small, incremental changes that lead to significant improvements over time.
  4. Value Stream Mapping: Gain a comprehensive understanding of your processes with value stream mapping. Our experts create visual representations to help identify areas of waste and opportunities for improvement.
  5. Six Sigma Training: Equip your team with the skills needed for Six Sigma success. We offer training programs for Green Belts, Black Belts, and other levels, ensuring your team is well-prepared to contribute to your organization’s improvement initiatives.
  6. Lean Leadership Development: Cultivate a culture of leadership that embraces Lean principles. Our leadership development programs empower your executives and managers to lead and sustain continuous improvement efforts.

Why Choose US

  • Expertise: Our consultants bring extensive experience and expertise in Lean Six Sigma methodologies, ensuring practical and effective solutions for your organization.
  • Customized Approach: We understand that every business is unique. Our consultants work closely with you to develop solutions tailored to your specific needs, challenges, and goals.

Contact Us

Ready to take your business to the next level with Lean Six Sigma?

Contact BOTI today to discuss your specific needs and explore how our consulting services can drive excellence in your organization.

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Clone of Critical Thinking is a vital skill to cultivate during uncertain times

There is no doubt that within a few short years we have lived through world events that have forced us to change and adapt to new and untried circumstances.   The effects of climate change, volatile world economies due to the Covid 19 Pandemic, the escalation of war between Russia and the Ukraine and the recent Israeli/Gaza crisis have changed our world and forced us all to adapt to new paradigms and new ways of working living.  In the wake of a changing world, now more than ever, we need to hone our skills and devise effective strategies to help us cope better both personally and professionally.  This is where Critical Thinking enters the stage.

Focus your energy not on fighting the old but building the new

How is Critical Thinking defined?

Critical Thinking is a skill that enables us to analyse, evaluate and utilise information in an objective and logical manner.  Critical Thinking helps when identifying problems, generating effective solutions and making decisions when under pressure.  Hence, it is an essential skill to have under one’s belt  during times of crisis.  Yet, it is a skill that does require consistent practise, reliable feedback and is made that much more effective when used in a supportive environment where teams are given the opportunity to effectively collaborate.  

Steps in the Critical Thinking Process

Defining the problem

In any critical thinking process the first step involves clearly and precisely defining what the problem actually entails.  Since, if one cannot accurately pinpoint what the problem actually is, such can lead to hesitation and confusion.  When a problem is clearly-defined this helps the team to concentrate on the pertinent facts and assumptions, focus on the relevant goals and avoid using information that is inappropriate or unrelated to the problem.  Therefore, so as to paint a clear picture of the problem, the team should ask questions like: 

What is the actual situation? 

What are the likely causes and resultant effects?

What criteria are involved? 

What constraints are evident? 

What outcomes need to be achieved?

Gathering and evaluating relevant information

The next step in the critical thinking process involves gathering and evaluating pertinent information from a number of different sources such as experts, relevant stakeholders, available data, the media and related reports.   Sufficient relevant and trustworthy information that can help to understand the problem within the relevant context should be gathered.  Yet, one must be aware of any errors, gaps and biases and critically evaluate the accuracy, validity and credibility of any information at hand whilst at the same time comparing and assessing different interpretations and perspectives.

The team should seek to collect reliable, relevant, and sufficient information that can help them to understand the problem and its context. However, the team should also be aware of the potential biases, errors, and gaps in the information they gather. They should critically assess the credibility, accuracy, and validity of the information, and compare and contrast different perspectives and interpretations.

Generating and testing possible solutions

Generating and testing possible solutions is the next step in the critical thinking process and involves using logic as well as creativity to brainstorm as many ideas and suggestions as possible.  The first rule of brainstorming is to take into account all ideas and suggestions presented without judging or rejecting them even if at first, they appear to be unrelated or inappropriate.  Criteria such as effectiveness, feasibility and achievability of possible solutions should be thoroughly analysed so as to hone in on the most viable options.  Testing possible solutions involves evaluating and predicted potential results or outcomes as well as assessing any risks or other potential consequences.

Making and communicating appropriate decisions

To conclude the critical thinking process the final task is to make and communicate appropriate decisions based on the most viable solutions at hand.  The pros and cons of each option should be assessed against the problem criteria and desired goals and objectives.  Nevertheless, one needs to also take into account any questions posed, or concerns and objections that may arise in terms of the decision made.  However, the ultimate decision should be clearly communicated using relevant facts and applicable examples.  The evidence, rationale and intended process to be followed in respect of the decision made should also be clearly articulated.

Enhancing a critical thinking culture

On a final note, one should bear in mind the importance of creating and enhancing a critical thinking culture in the workplace.  Teams should be encouraged to use available tools such as models, frameworks and checklists to guide them through the critical thinking process and also make use of simulations, actual scenarios and exercises that test their skills.

Reference sources: LinkedIn

Critical Thinking is a vital skill to cultivate during uncertain times

There is no doubt that within a few short years we have lived through world events that have forced us to change and adapt to new and untried circumstances.   The effects of climate change, volatile world economies due to the Covid 19 Pandemic, the escalation of war between Russia and the Ukraine and the recent Israeli/Gaza crisis have changed our world and forced us all to adapt to new paradigms and new ways of working living.  In the wake of a changing world, now more than ever, we need to hone our skills and devise effective strategies to help us cope better both personally and professionally.  This is where Critical Thinking enters the stage.

Focus your energy not on fighting the old but building the new

How is Critical Thinking defined?

Critical Thinking is a skill that enables us to analyse, evaluate and utilise information in an objective and logical manner.  Critical Thinking helps when identifying problems, generating effective solutions and making decisions when under pressure.  Hence, it is an essential skill to have under one’s belt  during times of crisis.  Yet, it is a skill that does require consistent practise, reliable feedback and is made that much more effective when used in a supportive environment where teams are given the opportunity to effectively collaborate.  

Steps in the Critical Thinking Process

Defining the problem

In any critical thinking process the first step involves clearly and precisely defining what the problem actually entails.  Since, if one cannot accurately pinpoint what the problem actually is, such can lead to hesitation and confusion.  When a problem is clearly-defined this helps the team to concentrate on the pertinent facts and assumptions, focus on the relevant goals and avoid using information that is inappropriate or unrelated to the problem.  Therefore, so as to paint a clear picture of the problem, the team should ask questions like: 

What is the actual situation? 

What are the likely causes and resultant effects?

What criteria are involved? 

What constraints are evident? 

What outcomes need to be achieved?

Gathering and evaluating relevant information

The next step in the critical thinking process involves gathering and evaluating pertinent information from a number of different sources such as experts, relevant stakeholders, available data, the media and related reports.   Sufficient relevant and trustworthy information that can help to understand the problem within the relevant context should be gathered.  Yet, one must be aware of any errors, gaps and biases and critically evaluate the accuracy, validity and credibility of any information at hand whilst at the same time comparing and assessing different interpretations and perspectives.

The team should seek to collect reliable, relevant, and sufficient information that can help them to understand the problem and its context. However, the team should also be aware of the potential biases, errors, and gaps in the information they gather. They should critically assess the credibility, accuracy, and validity of the information, and compare and contrast different perspectives and interpretations.

Generating and testing possible solutions

Generating and testing possible solutions is the next step in the critical thinking process and involves using logic as well as creativity to brainstorm as many ideas and suggestions as possible.  The first rule of brainstorming is to take into account all ideas and suggestions presented without judging or rejecting them even if at first, they appear to be unrelated or inappropriate.  Criteria such as effectiveness, feasibility and achievability of possible solutions should be thoroughly analysed so as to hone in on the most viable options.  Testing possible solutions involves evaluating and predicted potential results or outcomes as well as assessing any risks or other potential consequences.

Making and communicating appropriate decisions

To conclude the critical thinking process the final task is to make and communicate appropriate decisions based on the most viable solutions at hand.  The pros and cons of each option should be assessed against the problem criteria and desired goals and objectives.  Nevertheless, one needs to also take into account any questions posed, or concerns and objections that may arise in terms of the decision made.  However, the ultimate decision should be clearly communicated using relevant facts and applicable examples.  The evidence, rationale and intended process to be followed in respect of the decision made should also be clearly articulated.

Enhancing a critical thinking culture

On a final note, one should bear in mind the importance of creating and enhancing a critical thinking culture in the workplace.  Teams should be encouraged to use available tools such as models, frameworks and checklists to guide them through the critical thinking process and also make use of simulations, actual scenarios and exercises that test their skills.

Reference sources: LinkedIn

The importance of developing ‘Soft Skills’ in the workplace during uncertain times

Disruptive world events over the past three years have led to great uncertainty on many levels.  In the current climate, with the lights off more than on in South Africa due to load shedding, economic instability the world over, and the pains of humanitarian crises as a consequence of war, keeping a level head is no easy task.  Yet, during times of uncertainty, if the events of the last few years have taught us anything, such translate into the importance of understanding what matters most to us in our lives, both personally and professionally.  Hence, it is not so much about what we are striving to achieve when carving out a path of future sustainability, but rather how we need to act in a world fraught with change.

Shifts in perspectives highlight the importance of certain non-technical competencies that all of us, especially our leaders, need to develop in terms of the way we handle ourselves.  These are known as ‘soft skills’ and can be defined as a set of skills and positive character attributes that can enhance work performance, productivity and relationships.  Soft skills are inextricably linked to Emotional Intelligence or EQ, and within this skillset, we find attributes such as empathy, resilience, time management and problem-solving.  In contrast, ‘hard skills’ are defined as technical expertise, theoretical knowledge, operational proficiency, and specific task competencies that enable individuals to competently perform in their specific roles and disciplines.

Employers today are hiring people who possess emotional intelligence and who can effectively communicate and collaborate with their teams.  And even though hard skills are easy to quantify and measure, soft skills are far more difficult to pinpoint but are equally important in the overall scheme of things.

The rising importance of soft skills

Recruiting employees equipped with soft skills can have a significant impact on an organisation’s ability to function at optimum levels, both within its own structure and the particular industry at large.  While hard skills such as technical expertise and computational skills used to be the primary requirement for employability, soft skills are now seen as essential and in certain instances are even more important than technical skills.

The nature of the workplace has changed dramatically over the past few years with the look and feel of the traditional workplace now incorporating the likes of breakout spaces, social areas, quiet spaces, and remote offices.  Smartphones, computers, and virtual meeting platforms have revolutionised the way we work the world over and have enabled us to achieve flexibility in our personal and professional lives. 

Hiring people with Soft Skills has become a critical success factor in business

Hiring employees with advanced soft skills can have a significant impact on an organization’s ability to function effectively, within its own structure and as part of the industry it affiliates to. While hard skills” such as technical knowledge and computational skills used to be the prime requirements for being hired, the possession of soft skills is now considered essential, and in some cases even more important than technical knowledge.

The look and feel of the traditional workplace has changed dramatically over the last few years. We now see a variety of different workspaces emerging, including breakout spaces, remote offices, social areas, and quiet spaces. Computers, smartphones, and virtual meeting applications have revolutionized the world and enabled us to achieve balance and flexibility within our personal and professional lives.  By the same token, achieving success in a more flexible workspace demands enhanced communication skills and the ability to collaborate and interact with others. While certain soft skills can be learned, others may come naturally. Communication, listening and delegating effectively are all good examples of what soft skills are all about.  Here are some tips on how to acquire and develop some of the most important soft skills during times of uncertainty.

Emotional Intelligence

With emotional intelligence, one can lead with empathy and compassion.  When communicating with teams and other stakeholders, leaders need to recognise and understand the levels of uncertainty and anxiety employees may be experiencing and show concern while at the same time, being able to impart valuable insights and guidance.  In current times, employees now more than ever rely on leaders to provide a sense of stability and hope. 

Transparency

To effectively bed down and strengthen team connections, in communicating with others, leaders should be transparent and honest.  Effective communication is vital since leaders should not try to mask a situation, hide unfortunate news, or refrain from telling their employees why shifts in business models and changes in direction should be applied.  Leaders who do not share all of the facts at hand face being perceived as untrustworthy and lacking credibility, which can have a detrimental effect on business performance further down the line.

Collaboration

When we know that we are all in this together, such leads to true collaboration, since when team members have an understanding and show empathy towards each other, this fosters unity and enhances team collaboration, especially when difficult tasks and projects are on the table.

Adaptability

The ability to adapt to changing times and circumstances starts with the approach of keeping an open mindset.  This means that one needs to embrace change across the board.  This also requires us to become adept at problem-solving when faced with adverse circumstances.  It is easier to adapt when your toolkit is equipped with a range of ideas and solutions.  For each project, try to think of as many alternatives as you can in your quest to get the job done and get into the habit of testing ideas to ensure that you are consistently learning and refining your approach to the tasks at hand.

The need for reliable and trustworthy leadership is critical for business success

In the current climate, people are more reliant than ever on their leaders for appropriate guidance on how to navigate times of uncertainty.  The need for reliable and trustworthy leadership is therefore critical for business success.  In their efforts to showcase effective and transparent leadership, leaders should therefore lean into their soft skills to engender trust within their teams whilst at the same time striving to minimise workplace stress and anxiety.

Here are our top tips on how to manage workplace stress that will help you perform at your best

If you want to perform at your best, you need to actively and consciously find ways to minimise stress.  According to the World Health Organization (WHO), work stress is caused by excessive pressure relating to a person’s job which typically happens in the following types of circumstances:

  • Demands do not align with a person’s skills, abilities, or level of capacity
  • When there is little or no support from leadership or co-workers
  • Heavy workloads without relief

Symptoms of stress in the workplace can include:

  • Panicking over deadlines
  • Feelings of irritability and apathy
  • Loss of interest
  • An inability to effectively concentrate
  • Various aches and pains as well as headaches
  • Sleep disorders – particularly insomnia
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Stress-related asthma

What are the most common triggers of stress in the workplace?

  • Working long hours, including overtime
  • A lack of control over work processes and procedures
  • Lack of recognition and compensation
  • Lack of support
  • Fear of retrenchment
  • Not being able to take regular and necessary breaks when needed
  • Lack of time to engage in activities that are not work-related such as healthy eating, getting enough sleep, regular exercising, and social activities

Here are our top tips to help you to stay healthy and manage workplace stress:

Ascertain those circumstances that you do have control over

When people feel like they have no control over their circumstances this can lead to stress.  To help alleviate this problem, pinpoint those aspects of a situation that you do have control over as opposed to those over which you have no direct control.  For instance, you may not be able to control the actions of others, but you can control your own actions and the way you respond.  Learn to let go of those areas of concern over which you do not have a direct influence.

Take regular breaks

While it is tempting to just knuckle down for long periods of time when getting your work done, making a conscious effort to step away from your desk for a few minutes at a time at regular intervals throughout the day will give you the chance to recharge and refocus; and give you the mental clarity you need to become more productive.

Eat healthy foods

Poor eating habits can have a negative effect on the body and the mind.  As opposed to consuming too much caffeine and eating too many sweets and junk foods, switch to healthy alternatives such as wholesome fruits and vegetables.

When things get tough, take a few deep breaths

When you feel tense, frustrated, or overwhelmed these feelings can greatly influence your response to a particular situation.  Instead of simply overreacting or getting into a flap, put your work down and take a few deep breaths.  Even a few minutes of deep breathing can help to relieve stress and make you feel calmer and more in control.  Once you have regained your composure, you can approach the situation with greater focus and with a clearer head.

Take steps to build your self-confidence

When you are constantly wondering how you are being perceived by others or seeking approval, this can be detrimental to your self-confidence and lead to self-imposed stress.  Instead of focussing on how others perceive you, focus instead on the job at hand and the various tasks that you need to complete.  This will increase your productivity and give you something to show for your efforts.

Engage in activities that promote self-care

Even though you may love your job, it is equally important to also engage in other activities that are not related to work.  This means taking time to disconnect from your work.  Go for a walk, watch a movie, eat out, or do something completely non-work related such as decorating your home or working in the garden.

Meditate or use relaxation techniques to help you unwind

After a long day, meditation or using relaxation techniques can help you to unwind and destress.  Learning how to meditate properly or practicing yoga, for example, go a long way towards eliminating accumulated stress.

Is my job causing me stress or is it something else?

Signs that you may be experiencing work-related stress include feeling anticipatory stress on Sunday evenings prior to the start of the work week.  If your stress symptoms tend to spike when you are at work or thinking about work, you are likely to be suffering from work-related stress.  However, feelings of general anxiety or depression may mean that your stress is caused by additional factors outside of the workplace.

Reference Sources: www.indeed.com

Learn how to control workplace stress levels before they control you

While we all experience stress in our daily working lives, the stresses we face are not strictly confined to the workplace.  In South Africa specifically, recent higher stages of load shedding, petrol price hikes and general economic uncertainty all spill over into the general workplace stresses we encounter on a daily basis.  It is also time for us to realise that stress can cost companies billions of rands every year since it leads to higher levels of absenteeism, lower levels of motivation and higher medical aid claims.  Yet, there are a number of creative ways employers can implement to help employees reduce and manage stress in the workplace.  Here are some of the situations that need to be considered when seeking to help employees reduce stress.

Employees need to fully grasp how fulfilling their roles contributes to the overall success of the business

When employees fully grasp how their own roles fit into the overall scheme of things and how fulfilling their roles contributes to company goals, they will be more likely to engage and develop a sense of purpose.  This leads to a greater feeling of control over work duties and responsibilities which can help reduce stress. 

Understanding company vision

Employees who understand the company’s vision can clearly see how their efforts contribute towards the bigger picture and thus, it is easier for them to focus on achieving company goals.  Working towards a share vision gives work a higher meaning, improves job performance and helps employees manage stress.

Understanding company leadership structure

There is no doubt that a lack of understanding of the leadership structure within the company leads to stress.  When employees understand the company’s leadership structure there is less conflict which boosts productivity and employee morale.

The importance of job feedback from leadership

If employees receive no feedback regarding their performance in their specific roles, even when they are performing well, it can be that much more difficult for them to manage stress.  Leaders who communicate in an encouraging manner are more likely to make employees feel more comfortable and reassured.  In this way, employees are more likely to feel more confident when communicating with leadership, especially during difficult and challenging times.

The importance of understanding job responsibilities

When job expectations are unclear or confusing, this can lead to greater stress.  Conversely, when employees fully understand their job responsibilities they will feel that much calmer and hence perform better. 

Workloads need to be manageable and reasonable

Too many hours of consistent and demanding work will inevitably wear people down and lead to exhaustion.  Everyone therefore needs time out from work in order to rest, recharge the proverbial batteries and take care of other duties outside of the workplace.  A work-life balance helps to maintain physical and emotional health, reduce stress and improve productivity.  It is just not possible for people to perform well for long periods of time when faced with a heavy workload.  Working in this way leads to exhaustion, irritability, reduced productivity and ultimately results in illness and injury.

Taking regular breaks should be encouraged to help reduce stress

Taking regular breaks at regular intervals throughout the day can help employees work more effectively since they will have the opportunity to recharge and refocus and hence stress levels can be reduced.

Assignments and projects should be challenging but not overwhelming

Employees need to be challenged but not overloaded.  Challenging tasks help employees to develop their skills, make the work they do interesting and keep them motivated, but, overwhelming assignments and projects can lead to higher stress levels and demotivate employees.

Lack of work flexibility leads to workplace stress

High-stress assignments, projects and tasks are unavoidable in any work situation.  Yet, consistently performing at this rate without relief or variation can wear employees down to the point of complete exhaustion, leading to higher stress levels and debilitating health conditions.

Employees need to be trained and upskilled in order to do their jobs well

Another cause of stress is the disparity between an individual’s skills and capabilities and the requirements of the job they have been hired to do.  This problem can be solved with the right training and education.  A skilled and properly trained employee will have greater confidence and hence will perform better and manage stress levels more effectively.

Monitoring the signs of stress in the workplace

Workplace stress and the health of employees have a direct impact on the overall productivity of the company.  Work-related stress can manifest itself through various physical and physiological symptoms.  Here are some of the signs and symptoms to watch out for:

  • Regular absenteeism and a higher rate of illness
  • Low levels of productivity coupled with feelings of underachievement
  • Defensive and cynical behaviour
  • Nervousness and feeling ‘on edge’
  • Inability to ‘switch off’ from work problems when not at work
  • Low levels of motivation
  • Consistent headaches
  • Insomnia leading to feelings of tiredness
  • Weight loss or weight gain
  • Consuming too much caffeine, alcohol or drugs

It is vitally important to watch for these stress-related symptoms so that employees can receive the help they need to reduce stress in the workplace and employers can implement solutions to improve workplace wellness. 

Reference sources: www.wellsteps.com

Reaching out with the most popular new buzzwords in today’s workplace can save us from feeling ‘left out of the loop’

A sound understanding of popular business jargon and ‘buzzwords’ used in business today or put in another way in the New World of Work, can save us from feeling like we are ‘too old school’, ‘left out of the loop’ and ‘living in the Dark Ages’.  Whether learning how to do your job more effectively or knowing when to pause a topic of conversation during a meeting, gaining a better understanding of the common workplace lingo used in the modern workplace will help us to better communicate, understand the latest trends and thrive in business.  Post-pandemic, some of the buzzwords used today are completely new, while others have been around for a lot longer but have only recently caught on.

What is business jargon?

Essentially, business jargon refers to a whole host of words and phrases used by business employees to communicate with each other in getting their jobs done.  While most of these words or terms can be replaced with other synonyms as it were, this ‘language’ as such has become so popular that it is almost second nature for many people. 

Let’s learn how to ‘talk the talk’

Now that we have a basic idea of what business jargon entails, here are some of the most common terms used in business today and what they actually mean.

Reach out

Businesses use the term “reach out” to describe the act of communicating with or contacting other individuals or companies, usually via email or over the phone. 

Quiet Quitting

“Quiet Quitting” is possibly one of the most highly debated and yet hugely significant new buzzwords that have kicked in.  To some, this term implies resistance, rebellion, or even complete non-compliance.  Yet, what it actually refers to is the actions of an employee that involve doing the bare minimum in terms of fulfilling their job responsibilities without going the extra mile over and above that.

Waist-up Fashion

Those who have spent the past three years either working from home or engaged in Zoom meetings as opposed to regular face-to-face interactions will completely identify with this term.  It is used to define the dress code of dressing in a professional manner from the waist up only, where everyone can only see the top half of you when you are engaged in meetings via video platforms such as Zoom or Teams.  From the waist down, you can still wear your pyjamas and slippers that no one can see.

Talent Retention

Post-pandemic, both human resources practitioners and hiring managers alike began to reassess their expectations of what a job function entails against what employees can deliver.  Wage incentives were no longer the only effective means of ensuring employee loyalty.   “Talent Retention” therefore refers to seeking new ways and means to keep employees inspired and motivated to enhance business performance.

Bleeding Edge

Stemming from the term “cutting edge”, “bleeding edge” is used to describe an innovative product or service.

In the loop

When someone is being kept ‘in the loop’ this refers to them being privy to important information regarding a particular subject or when working on a project.

Boil the ocean

The term ‘boil the ocean’ is used to describe an action, task, or project that consistently wastes time.

Acting your wage

“Acting your wage” goes hand in hand with “quiet quitting” and refers to the financial compensation an employee receives weighed against support for their psychological safety, well-being and general treatment they receive in the workplace.  It essentially involves limiting the amount of effort made towards fulfilling job responsibilities.

Upskilling

Over and above job title, salary, or work flexibility, over the past few years, the trend has shifted towards employees making it abundantly clear that engagement and continuous learning are essential components that drive motivation.  With advances in technology and the adoption of new workplace technologies happening at an exponential rate, the spotlight is on employees seeking more training and upskilling opportunities than ever.

Lots of moving parts

Organisations use the term “lots of moving parts” to describe a business or system that has many departments, processes, and employees.

Blue sky thinking

“Blue sky thinking” is an expression used to explain the process of intense creative problem-solving and the innovation of new ideas.

Key takeaways

“Key takeaways” refer to those important or relevant points or areas of interest stemming from a meeting or presentation.

Game changer

The term ‘game changer’ is now a common phrase used to describe a significant change to a project or company that improves business results.

Gain traction

When an idea or project ‘gains traction’ this refers to the fact that it has bedded down, been accepted, or become effective or popular.

Aha moment

An “aha moment” is used to describe the experience of receiving an important revelation.

Hard hitter or quiet quitter?

Whether you are a seasoned employee, a graduate or you are working your way up the corporate ladder, it is nevertheless still critical that you understand the impact you make on others in the workplace.  The correct use of today’s workplace lingo is critical.  Is your behaviour that of someone who is a “hard hitter” when it comes to getting things done or are you simply a “quiet quitter” who is merely doing the bare minimum to stay employed?

Reference sources: www.adeccogroup.com

Creative Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking are Critical Skills one cannot do without in the modern workplace

The fast-paced ever-changing nature of the world today means that the capability to solve problems creatively and think critically has become vitally important in the modern workplace.  Such skills enable individuals and organisations alike to tackle complex challenges, adapt to change and develop innovative solutions that fuel progress and business success. 

What exactly is Creative Problem-Solving?

Creative Problem-Solving is essentially the process of formulating original and better solutions to deal with problems that are often complicated or otherwise vague and imprecise.  In a nutshell, thinking outside of the box sums this up very nicely.  This involves challenging any assumptions made and viewing situations from all angles to gain a clearer perspective.  Creative problem-solving is therefore key when it comes to grasping opportunities, tackling obstacles and achieving organisational goals and objectives.  Some techniques that can be used to inspire creative-problem solving include:

  • Brainstorming – to encourage the generation of free-flowing ideas and solutions.
  • Mind-mapping – to visually represent ideas and connections between concepts that depict creative associations and help to organise one’s thoughts.
  • The SCAMPER Technique – this is the acronym used to describe actions that involve modifying existing ideas or solutions through activities such as Substitiute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate or Reverse.   
  • Lateral Thinking – is about taking alternative approaches in generating original ideas.

What exactly is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking involves assessing available information to make informed decisions.  Hence, it is the ability to remain objective when evaluating and analysing available information, opinions or situations with the goal of making well-informed judgements or decisions.  This requires one to systematically question all assumptions, identify biases and consider evidence from diverse sources.  Critical thinking is vital in dealing with the information-rich, multifaceted nature of today’s world since it allows us to assess risks as well as opportunities, distinguish between fact from fiction and make good decisions.  Practical techniques to stimulate critical thinking include:

  • Questioning Assumptions – involves analysing core assumptions behind decisions or arguments in determining validity.
  • Identifying Biases – remaining objective by taking into account personal as well as external biases that could have a bearing on judgements made.
  • Evaluating Evidence – the ability to assess the relevance, reliability and credibility of various types of data and information presented. 
  • Considering Alternatives – entails taking different points of view into account with the aim to better understand a situation.

Tips on how to develop creative problem-solving and critical thinking skills

  • Engage in Active Listening – get into the habit of actively listening to what others have to say, understanding things from others’ perspectives and encouraging enlightening discussion.
  • Embrace Curiosity – Develop a sense of curiosity by engaging in new experiences, asking questions and exploring unfamiliar ideas and territories.
  • Collaborate with Others – Collaborate with other people to challenge ideas, gain different perspectives and encourage creative thinking.
  • Stay Informed – keep abreast of current events and latest developments in your particular field to refine your critical thinking skills and broaden your knowledge scope.

Final Thoughts

Creative problem-solving and critical thinking skills are vital to individuals and businesses alike when adapting to change, dealing with challenges and seeking innovative solutions to the problems that we face in the increasingly complex world we live in.  Cultivating these essential skills go a long way towards creating an innovative culture, engendering continuous improvement and improving resilience.

Reference sources: wiipa.org

Embracing Dedicated Mentoring Programs in the New World of Work

In the new world of work, everyone needs to fully embrace the importance of mentoring.  For employers and employees alike, there is no doubt that mentorship programs can offer an all round win-win situation.  Hence, to cope better in a workplace landscape that has seen so many changes in the past few years, organisations need to grasp the importance of mentoring programs and support activities that encourage the growth of their employees. 

What exactly is the New World of Work?

In the past few years, or what has become known as the post-pandemic era, the very foundations of the workplace as we know it have been shaken to the core.  Employers and employees alike were forced to suddenly adjust to a remote way of working.  No longer could employees pass by their manager’s workstation for on-the-spot guidance, and no more could managers directly oversee the day-to-day operations of their staff.  While remote working arrangements were difficult to adjust to at first, this setup led to important realisations that morphed into the New World of Work.

Since many professionals began working from home, the realisation of the importance of creating a work-life balance and workplace autonomy began to kick in.  In the beginning, employees began to graps the implications of emphasising their preference for a remote or hybrid structure and often departed to new places of work where these requirements were not met.  Currently, employees are not only concerned with autonomy over where they work but are also more assertive about how things should work.  In this regard, more and more employees are now driving the implementation of improved work practices, such as greater diversity and inclusion as well as better mentoring programs.

The role of mentorship in the New World of Work

In the New World of Work, diversity and inclusion are critical factors that provide previously disadvantaged professionals with better opportunities to strive for the positions they deserve.  Mentoring enables individuals to improve their chances of breaking down barriers to achieve their goals.  The New World of Work also takes into account the capabilities and autonomy of every employee and due to the changing workplace landscape, leaders are now more than ever considered as coaches and mentors that are tasked to provide a safe working environment for each employee, embrace diversity and offer meaningful feedback.  As opposed to telling employees what to do and how they should go about getting things done, leaders now take on the role of mentors by involving employees in developing solutions and supporting their growth.  This new approach enables leaders to make the best use of employee potential.

Tips on how to improve Mentorship Programs

Learn how to mentor using a remote or hybrid working model

Since many professionals are leaning towards the remote or hybrid working model, businesses need to learn how to mentor remotely.  Instead of relying solely on platforms such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams, mentors can deliver an all-inclusive experience using dedicated mentoring platforms.  Such technologies make things easier to gauge opportunities, schedule meetings, and monitor and track mentee progress.

Take into account the individual circumstances of each mentee

Seen from a coaching perspective, mentors should take into account the various facets and circumstances that can affect the performance of their mentees.  One such example is factoring in the different social backgrounds of their employees, which is why customising a mentoring program to align with an employee’s specific circumstances is critical.  One-on-one mentorship programs based on the specific circumstances of each employee are a good way to engender trusting relationships between mentors and mentees.

Consider the benefits of reverse mentoring programs

Mentoring isn’t a one-way street where a manager simply gives commands to a junior staff member.  In fact, one study on reverse mentoring revealed that leaders can drive organisational progress through learning about equality, diversity and inclusion from junior staff who act as reverse mentors. 

Mentorship for a stronger, more capable workforce

There remains no doubt that the world of work has undergone numerous changes in the past few years and mentorship plays a vital role.  By adjusting your mentorship programs to embrace the New World of Work the needs of the workforce can be met and employee potentials can effectively be developed to ultimately result in a stronger, more capable workforce.

Reference sources: Pushfar.com

We can’t predict the weather but we can forecast some of the top global business trends likely to gain traction over the next few years

Being able to grasp trends, gain useful insights and predict change are critical factors when it comes to ensuring business competitiveness and sustainability over time.  And while circumstances often appear to change like the weather itself, keeping an eye on the top trends that are likely to affect organisations worldwide over the next few years creates a healthier competitive advantage.  Here are some of the most prevalent trends to watch out for.

Generative AI enhances customer experience

Generative AI, is a type of Artificial Intelligence technology that can generate different types of content that includes imagery, text, audio as well as synthetic data.  New interfaces are able to produce high-quality graphics, text and video content in a matter of seconds.  While this technology as not brand new as such, since it was launched in the 1960s through chatbots, it only started gaining traction in 2014, with the introduction of a type of machine learning algorithm known as GANs (generative adversarial networks), which is a type of AI that creates authentic graphics, video and audio presentations of real people.   It is anticipated that in the next three years, generative AI will hold approximately 30% of the entire AI market.  It is predicted that businesses will harness this capability to enhance the customer experience.  A good example of generative AI is ChatGPT which is a specific implementation language model that is able to generate human-like responses to user prompts.

E-Commerce continues to grow post-pandemic

There remains no doubt that the pandemic forever changed the way that consumers shop.  While E-commerce was already gaining traction before the pandemic hit, the pandemic led to mass adoption at an exponential rate which continues to this day.   Spotify stated that it reported 10 years’ worth of growth in only three months during the pandemic.  With businesses constantly launching new e-commerce opportunities on a global scale, retail categories such as home improvement, home furnishings and electronics have maintained post-pandemic growth levels. 

5G significantly improves Data Collection and AI capabilities

The introduction of 5G mobile networks has the potential to profoundly alter business operations.  Simply put, 5G has the ability to deliver greater reliability and high data speeds with the United States and China leading the way when it comes to the rollout of 5G.  Hence, 5G technology is vital for those businesses that are keen to offer new services and track insights in order to maintain a competitive edge.  For instance, the development of the 5G mobile network is the force behind enhanced data collection and analysis for businesses.  The 5G market is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate of around 65% by 2030.

Businesses increase their social media presence

In this day and age, running a business without having some form of social media presence is almost completely unheard of.  In the next few years, it is predicted that businesses will venture beyond advertising on social media to building communities as part of their dedicated social media marketing strategy with almost 80% of respondents surveyed stating that the most important group they belong to operates online.  Already, brands are increasingly shifting towards connecting with more authentic influencers who are able to impact smaller communities and going forward, brands are expected to invest in social commerce in order to increase engagement and boost sales.

Immersive Technologies are establishing new standards for businesses

As businesses continue to seek to engage customers in more innovative ways, immersive technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) are establishing new standards for businesses.  Meta reported that it currently has 10 000 employees working on mixed reality with Apple deploying 2000 people into developing extended reality.  Globally, the sale of AR/VR related products and software increased by 50% between 2019 and 2020 and over 50% of consumers have been found willing to use AR/VR in the search and assessments of available products.   One study involving a make-up retailer revealed that those consumers who made use of AR to sample lipsticks tried out nearly double the amount of lipstick products than those of in-store customers.

Creating greater sustainability

While the business world continues to invest in tech solutions and social media, as these trends develop it is expected that more funds will be dedicated towards these initiatives.  Businesses that keep abreast of the latest trends and innovate and improve based on these trends have a greater chance of attracting new customers and creating greater sustainability going forward.

Reference sources: explodingtopics.com

Supporting women as a tough force in every workforce

The post-pandemic world has given rise to a whole host of changes in the workplace.  As it currently stands in South Africa, companies are losing women leaders at a rate of several knots as women strive for a healthier work-life balance and seek out more lucrative job opportunities locally and beyond our borders.

Yet, while we have come a long way towards establishing equal women’s rights in the workplace, according to PWC’s Executive Directors Report 2022, of the top 100 JSE-listed companies only 7 of them currently have women CEOs.   Hence, only 8% of all companies listed on the JSE have female CEOs and 22% of CFOs are women whilst at the other end of the scale 85% of the top executive positions are held by men.  Considering these revealing statistics, it is abundantly clear that by not adequately representing all types of individuals and genders at a senior management level, businesses are not harnessing the skills and contributions that a diverse workforce has to offer. 

The commitment towards diversity and inclusion in the workplace also needs to mirror the demographics of the country as well as those of business stakeholders.  While JSE listings requirements and King IV principles of good governance incorporate the setting of gender targets, progress towards these targets is extremely slow which inevitably means that to become a tough force in every workforce, supporting the growth and development of women is imperative.

In becoming a tough force to be reckoned with, women need to work a lot harder than men to prove their worth

Across the globe as well as in South Africa, women at middle management level are still hindered in their progression up the ladder.  A McKinsey survey revealed that for every 100 men that are promoted to middle management level only 87 women are given the same opportunities.  Thus, since it appears to take longer for women to climb the career ladder, they often reach a stage whereby they cannot get as far as men.  Even Ruiters state that women in general need to work harder than men to prove their worth in becoming a tough force to be reckoned with.

Research has found that even with similar qualifications and experience, the careers of women are approximately five years behind those of their male counterparts. 

A matter of choice

The scope of a woman’s influence is such that, often, as opposed to men, women take on substantially greater amounts of unpaid work  – both at home and in the workplace, where they nurture and offer support to other employees as well as taking on support and administration tasks that more often than not, go unrewarded and unrecognised.  Seen in this way, one needs to realise that there is always a choice to be made.  According to Ruiters, achieving a work-life balance is not always practical and is generally seen as a myth, since one must choose between work and family and cannot realistically be completely devoted to both.

It is therefore important to bear in mind that women are in a unique position in the sense that while they might choose career over family life one day, that situation often changes when family responsibilities increase, invariably forcing work to take a backseat.  This is where women must make a choice and that choice is never an easy one to make.

Reference sources: Businesstech.co.za

Take the power of data analytics into your own hands and get up to speed with Power BI

The power of Power BI

Getting up to speed with Power BI has many benefits.  Firstly, without the power of Power BI, your organisation would still operate – yet, you would miss out on a whole host of features and benefits.  So, keep your eye on Power BI as we explore just how many advantages it gives you.

What exactly is Power BI?

In a nutshell, Power BI is Microsoft’s premier business analytics tool that is specifically designed to enable access to business intelligence capabilities as well as interactive visualisations.

What distinguishes Power BI from other similar tools is its ease of use.  Via its intuitive user interface, it enables easy navigation in creating reports and dashboards.

Today’s business environment is more competitive than ever.  And while business intelligence may have once been a nice to have, extra capability that provided a helping hand on the road to success, it is now critical for long-term business sustainability.

Here are some of the main features and benefits of using Power BI.

Enables one to create interactive personalised dashboards and reports

Power BI’s varied dashboard and report options are key features that enable interactivity as well as the option to personalise dashboards and reports.  Hence, working with the myriad visualisation options, reports and dashboards, translates into the power to collate, summarize and present all types of information in a visual and concise manner.

Dashboards and Reports are updated in real-time

Back in the day, obtaining new information and data meant going through the laborious process of report or dashboard generation repeatedly.  Nowadays,  thanks to the power of Power BI dashboards and reports are updated from the data source with the latest data in real time.

Integration with multiple data sources

One of the most distinguished characteristics of Power BI is its integration feature that enables the use of multiple data sources.  From data files or server databases, Microsoft products to third-party sources and tools, the actual scope of Power BI’s data source integration is astounding.  Not to mention that these data sources are continuously updated and added which constantly broadens Power BI’s capabilities as an analytics platform.

Excel integration de luxe

Versatility and ease of use are two of the most discerning features that enable anyone to quickly master Power BI.  Since many organisations still rely on Excel for analytics and reporting purposes Power BI enables a seamless transition to its platform by providing broad Excel integration de luxe.

A huge cost-saver

Data analytics and business intelligence used to be premium services that came at a premium cost.  While this situation still exists to a certain degree where it concerns independent experts or analytics platforms, Power BI has come a long way towards breaking through high-cost barriers by being comparatively affordable for businesses of all sizes.

Allows you to harness the power of modern AI systems

Over and above providing a business intelligence and data analytics platform, Power BI possesses powerful leading-edge Artificial Intelligence capabilities.  As an established AI pioneer, Microsoft’s ongoing advances in this field cascade down to the Power BI suite. 

Taken as a whole, the truth about Power BI is that its capabilities are far reaching, and with the constant drive to refine and update the platform with more features, there are even more reasons why you need to get up to speed with Power BI.  So, get on board with Power BI and enjoy the ride.

Reference sources: www.syskit.com

Find out what’s trending in the training arena

Over the past few years, several changes have affected the workplace landscape and it follows that numerous factors have influenced the Learning and Development arena.  Changes to the workplace that include a shift towards hybrid and remote work models have transformed the way we look at training.  Advances in technology, and a world fraught with change has also led to greater concern for the wellbeing and mental health of employees.  And the fact remains that great change has affected our personal and professional lives and is shaping how we approach Learning and Development as a whole.

The latest training trends focus on changing work styles and the roles of individuals

Current trends in Learning and Development mirror the efforts of businesses toward adapting to new ways of working.  Hence, training now addresses everything from an increasing reliance on digital solutions to dealing with more specialised roles, and with an emphasis on ensuring the wellbeing of employees.  Even though these ideas are not exactly new to the training arena at large, they are now in the spotlight and have an even greater influence on how employees are trained.  Here are the main emerging trends as to how employees are being trained as is seen not only on our local shores but across the globe.

An increased focus on digital skills

The global shift towards digital-first interactions, from remote and hybrid work models to virtual collaboration and e-commerce means that digital skills have become more critical than ever to businesses across the globe.  This means that the need to embrace and adopt the right technologies is paramount.  Yet, employees also need to be comfortable and up to speed in using these technologies.  Therefore, keeping your business at the forefront, means that management, leadership, and employees alike need to understand and apply these technologies to enhance processes.  Inevitably, this translates into a greater focus than ever on digital literacy.  Arguably, the need for digital skills in today’s workplace is no longer an option, it is a must.  To enable your team to stay abreast of growing digital technologies training in new technologies and processes is at the top of the agenda.

A greater investment in continuous customised learning

Embracing lifelong learning as a dedicated approach helps employees to better handle their job responsibilities and boost their levels of engagement when training.  For example, extending training beyond the onboarding process and making it a dedicated and ongoing pursuit enables staff to keep up with the latest content and skills relating to their roles.  Hence, employees will become more effective and fulfilled in their work.  Businesses will reap the rewards stemming from a skilled and dedicated workforce.  Customising training initiatives towards the learners themselves ensures that employees are more confident in performing their specific roles.  A better Learning Management System (LMS) allows you to prepare your team for the future as job roles trend towards becoming more specialised.  Here are a few tips to make the most of your Learning and Development strategy in terms of making it more customised and continuous.

  • Hold regular meetings with employees to discuss their learning needs and overall career goals.
  • Maximise your LMS by creating custom dashboards that direct employees toward relevant training programs.
  • Provide continuous learning opportunities by consistently updating your training platform.

An emphasis on wellbeing training

As businesses and individuals alike re-evaluate the importance of creating a work-life balance, the types of training programs that need to be adopted will not always be job specific.  The trend is towards a greater focus on supporting employee health and wellbeing.  Since remote and hybrid work models started to kick in, the spotlight has been on the importance of employee health and wellbeing.   Increased levels of burnout over the past few years have also highlighted the genuine risk of employee stress and overwork, health, and happiness.  Hence, more training should be offered around improving the physical, mental, and financial health of employees.  This can take the form of skills development in terms of improving the working environment as well as personal wellness.  Such can include:

  • How to deal with burnout
  • Maintaining a work-life balance
  • Time management
  • Stress Management
  • Mindfulness
  • Diversity and inclusion

A focus on leadership development to improve employee retention

Any successful business has a culture of sound leadership at its core.  Conversely, poor leadership inevitably leads to low employee engagement and high staff turnover rates.  Organisations that are serious about retaining top talent will equip their leaders with the relevant skills to improve teamwork, enhance the employee experience and foster a safe working environment.  Such skills help leaders not only to inspire their teams but also to manage and resolve conflict, effectively delegate, and make sound decisions.  Providing leadership training as a critical factor in the development of employees ensures a pool of suitably qualified candidates who can be promoted from within the organisation. 

Let training set the stage for future success

For training to set the stage for future success companies should continue to consistently adapt and support their employees when dealing with change, new technologies and new trends emerging into the workplace.  Employees that have access to relevant training will be more satisfied in their work and hence, employee retention will be enhanced. 

Reference sources: www.spiceworks.com

3-Day Women Empowerment Workshop – Booking Form

Simply print and fill in this form and send it back to us via email to: [email protected].

Empowering women is our mission – by bringing skills development to fruition

In empowering women, the National Women’s Month programme takes into account the ongoing interventions by government, the private sector and civil society in terms of the national priorities as stipulated by government.

Women’s Month gives us a platform to determine how far we have come where transforming society is concerned.   In particular, the transformation of unequal power associations between men and women.  Women’s Month is also geared towards addressing patriarchy, sexism, gender oppression, structural oppression, and ageism with a focus on establishing an environment that enables women to take control of their lives.

The National Women’s Month Celebration for 2023 is underpinned by the launch of a new recurring theme for the next five years up until 2028 which is focused on empowering women.  This theme:  WE for gender equality and inclusive society defines the WE as ‘Women Empowerment’ with a mission to empower women by providing them with equal opportunities and supporting them through skills development

Skills Development Workshops for women by women

This is where BOTI gets involved.  BOTI will be hosting Skills Development Workshops during the month of August for women by women in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town at the following venues:

Johannesburg:                   The Mercure Hotel in Bedfordview

Durban:                                The St James on Venice Hotel in Morningside

Cape Town:                         The Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Woodstock

Dates for each workshop will be published in due course – so, keep watching this space for details. 

Women on a mission

The workshops will be hosted by some of our most influential skills development professionals who are all women on a mission towards empowering women.

So, to all the women out there who are on their own personal and career missions – come and join us for an enlightening, empowering, and fun-filled session.  Here are some of the topics that will be covered taken from some of the courses that we offer:

Personal Productivity

Responsibility in the Workplace

Increasing Your Happiness

Let us celebrate Women’s Day on 9 August and dedicate the month of August to empowering women at every level of our society.

Responsibility in the Workplace Training

One of the most critical traits to look for in an employee is responsibility.  Responsible employees drive the success of an organization, whether for profit or not for profit. 

The responsibility in the workplace workshop will introduce to you the idea of responsibility and the traits that define a responsible employee.  It will also show the effects of having responsible employees versus irresponsible employees.  And finally, the workshop will cover the steps to becoming more responsible.

Course Outline

Module One: Getting Started

Housekeeping Items

The Parking Lot

Workshop Objectives

Pre-Assignment

Action Plans and Evaluation Forms

Action Plan

Evaluation Form

Module Two: Accountability Ladder

What is the Reality?

Take Ownership

Find Solutions

Implement Solutions

Practical Illustration

Module Two: Review Questions

Module Three: Examples of Responsibility

Admitting to a Mistake

Completing Work Shift

Pulling Weight in Group Tasks

Meeting Deadlines

Practical Illustration

Module Three: Review Questions

Module Four: Importance

Work Quality

Work Productivity

Employee Engagement

Employee Morale

Practical Illustration

Module Four: Review Questions

Module Five: Benefits

Individual Success

Build Trust with Co-Worker

Builds Trust with Organization

Success of Organization

Practical Illustration

Module Five: Review Questions

Module Six: Characteristics of Responsible People

Humble

Transparent

Promise Keeper

Proactive

Practical Illustration

Module Six: Review Questions

Module Seven: Barriers

No Direction

No Ownership

No Commitment

No Resilience

Practical Illustration

Module Seven: Review Questions

Module Eight: Overcome Barriers

Create Clear Goals

Provide Resources

Allow and Provide Feedback

Mentorship

Practical Illustration

Module Eight: Review Questions

Module Nine: Increasing Responsibilities

Prioritize Tasks

Communicate Expectations

Incentive Programs

Consequences

Practical Illustration

Module Nine: Review Questions

Module Ten: Accountability Software

WorkZone

Jira

Samepage

ProWorkflow

Practical Illustration

Module Ten: Review Questions

Module Eleven: Accountability Software II

TaskQue

Monday.com

Asana

Trello

Practical Illustration

Module Eleven: Review Questions

Module Twelve: Wrapping Up

Words from the Wise

Review of Parking Lot

Lessons Learned

Completion of Action Plans and Evaluations

Who is this course suitable for?

This course is suitable for those individuals who wish to improve how they deal with responsibility in the workplace.

Tipped off your axis? We have the right formulas to help you make friends with your Ex…cel spreadsheets

Anyone who wants to win with Excel needs to get the formulas right without tipping off the axis.  Yet it is true that some of us feel that our spreadsheet skills are spread a little thin when the numbers don’t seem to add up.

You shouldn’t have to wonder Y your X Factor has stopped working

The important thing to bear in mind about Excel and the many brilliant things that it can do is that you can also become brilliant at using it.   Even if you feel that you don’t have the X Factor when it comes to maximising Excel’s broad functionality, stop wondering Y you can’t seem to get it right – there are many ways to solve a problem and formulate an answer.  So, before you tip off your axis stop wondering Y – we will help you get your X Factor back on track.

There are sum things about Excel that you ought to know

With Excel, you can do a number of useful things such as automatically add up a list of invoice amounts, keep a running total of stock, calculate your business expenses over time or solve problems.  And apart from business tasks, you can also keep track of your personal affairs such as household budgets and shopping lists.  But, worse still, without the help of Excel in your life you could find yourself flailing blindly when the numbers just don’t add up.

Don’t be afraid to fly with Excel – here are sum interesting stats to bear in mind

  • It is estimated that 2.5% to 6.5% of people worldwide suffer from aerophobia or what is commonly known as a fear of flying.
  • Research also reveals that an estimated one-third (that is 33.333%) of the industrial world is technophobic (suffering from a fear of technology) to a certain degree.
  • But, the real plus is that the fear of Excel is easier to conquer than the fear of flying and Excel phobia and technophobia at large can be overcome through formal training.

Another 1 bites the dust

No matter who you are, once you tune into the power of Excel you won’t be singing a song of sixpence anymore –  you will become one of those people who can tick the box and confidently say – I’ve got this – another 1 bites the dust.  And even if you don’t get everything right when working 9 to 5, 2 out of 3 ain’t bad – so, don’t give up and don’t give in, with perseverance, anyone can win with Excel.

So, when it comes to figuring out how good you are at using Excel, how do you know where you tally in the score?

To help you calculate your Excel proficiency level, BOTI has devised a free fun quiz that helps you assess and measure your levels of proficiency at using Excel.  With 60 multiple choice questions, this fun quiz tallies the score for you. 

Send us a list of your staff who you think need to be assessed in terms of their Excel skill levels along with their email addresses – even if you are also on the list – and we will send each person a link to the quiz.  Once the quiz has been completed, the results will be sent back via email.   From there, we can recommend the most appropriate Excel course based on the quiz assessment.  Remember, there is safety in numbers and nothing to fear.  Email us at [email protected] and makes friends with your Ex…cel spreadsheets now.

This Youth Day let’s help encourage young people to adopt a mindset of lifelong learning

South Africa celebrates Youth Day on the 16th of June.  At this time, let us take the opportunity to help our country’s youth gear up to embrace the new world of work that is emerging now and paving the way for how things will be done in the future.  They say that you are only young once and inevitably this is true.  Yet, there is no doubt that today’s youth face certain challenges as well as opportunities that didn’t exist as little as 10 years ago.  In South Africa, the return of regular load shedding has made it that much more difficult for anyone who is studying, let alone the youth.  The recent pandemic has given rise to online learning opportunities never seen before with all kinds of concepts springing up all over the Internet and taking education and training to a whole new level.

The workplace has changed dramatically in the last three years, with remote and hybrid work gaining traction during and post the pandemic, and as people are coming to grips with these changes they are faced with yet another reversal currently taking place as 2023 kicked in, with less people working from home and hybrid working arrangements becoming the norm.  The youth are entering a new world of work that bears little resemblance to the systems and structures that were in place only 5 years ago. 

What exactly is lifelong learning?

Lifelong learning involves actively and consistently pursuing both formal and informal education and training, whether for career development, personal development, or both.

What are the benefits of lifelong learning?

Whether someone is pursuing marketable skills or seeking the kind of fulfillment that comes from acquiring knowledge on a particular subject or improving a certain skill, there are many benefits to adopting a mindset of lifelong learning.  For instance, taking charge of this vital aspect of one’s life goes a long way towards improving self-confidence.  This in itself can take someone to a whole new level.  A lifelong learning approach strengthens memory and gives a person that sense of achievement that increases self-esteem and raises one’s happiness levels to greater heights.

Teaching the Youth to adopt a mindset of lifelong learning

When it comes to helping people to build good habits, the good news is that adopting a growth mindset is one that can be cultivated.  To become a lifelong learner, one needs to nurture a combination of natural curiosity about the world we live in and life in general and acquire a level of discipline towards building learning into daily routines.  Here are our top tips on how to develop a lifelong learning mindset.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle

Good health and learning always sit well together.  Maintaining both physical and mental health gives a person more energy, space, and creativity, setting the stage for better learning experiences.  Building play into the learning schedule also helps to promote learning by stimulating the entire body and embedding a memory of the learning experience into the nervous system.

Make reading part of daily routines

While it might seem obvious, there is a wealth of knowledge and experience to be gained from reading books.  If someone is already an avid reader, learning how to speed read is always a good idea.  Those who have not embraced regular reading as a habit will benefit by swapping screen time, whether it be social media interactions, television, or gaming, for a book.  This habit can be gradually introduced and increased through regular discipline.

Learn from those who have already walked the path

As with any educational pursuit, learning happens as a result of active listening, observing, and absorbing the information.  Hence, a great way to learn is to pay attention to what those who have already walked the path have to say.

See education and training as an investment

While we live in a world where the cost of living keeps rising, a sense of comfort can be achieved through knowing that everyone is indeed in the same boat, sailing on the same seas.  Investing in education and training despite rising costs is something that everyone needs to come to grips with and knowing that money spent on skills development is money well spent will help to cushion the blow.

Maintain a focus on effort as opposed to achievement

Striving for perfectionism at every turn can make learning any new skill seem rather daunting.  Yet, we learn by failing and rising beyond these failures when we realise that failing forward is the way to go.  Emphasising effort, as opposed to achievement, removes the pressure of striving to be perfect at every turn.

Be smart and set SMART goals

Without a plan, any goal is merely part of a wish list.  Setting goals by following the SMART principles means that goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound.  Following the SMART principles when learning ensures that goals are manageable and on track.

At BOTI, we offer a wide range of short skills programs including computer skills critical to workplace success, learnerships and qualifications that young people can leverage to enhance their resumes and develop their talents.  Our Elearning platform is also an easily-accessible, user-friendly and extremely affordable way to start learning those critical skills that today’s workplace demands.  Let’s help our youth of today tackle the challenges of tomorrow through skills development and encouraging a mindset of lifelong learning.  This is where the journey begins – get in touch with us now.

Reference sources: ceomagazine.com

How to create heroes out of zeros and reduce concern over turnover

With BOTi’s Microlearning Programs for Sales Teams – boosting their confidence boosts your sales

Running a sales team can be a complex process.  Not only are you responsible for training and motivating your sales team but also for making sure that they reach their sales targets.

This is never as easy as it seems.

During these tough economic times expecting your teams to be self-motivated is simply not enough.  But, a little encouragement goes a long way.  Consistently demotivating your team by criticising the way they do things and bringing their confidence levels down is not the way to go.  Especially when, each and every day, salespeople are actively engaged in conversations with a whole host of different customers from a range of industries that are just as diverse.  Customers want to hear the spring in the step in a person’s voice – not the flat tone of one whose self-confidence has just crashed to the floor.  

Yet, in light of this, many companies have now seen the light.  Offering their sales teams training programs to boost their knowledge and confidence, not only motivates people but also ensures that targets are achieved with the support of a healthy learning environment.

How does sales training benefit your sales team?

Giving salespeople the opportunity to strive for excellence through relevant training programs can be beneficial in terms of:

  • Helping to identify strengths and pinpoint areas where there are opportunities for growth.
  • Building processes, structure, and consistency.
  • Keeping team efforts focussed on desired results.

What are some typical challenges when training the sales force?

When training the salesforce most companies are confronted with common challenges such as:

  • Matching short-term sales incentives and motivation with longer-term sales strategies.
  • Catering for individual learning styles.
  • Making the transition to online learning.
  • Encouraging employees to maintain a positive attitude about training.

Motivating your sales team is essential

No matter how good your product or service might be, without motivation, your sales team will not be able to generate leads or close deals.  Hence, investing in dedicated training interventions for your sales team plays a critical role in motivating individuals by boosting their knowledge and confidence. Therefore:

  • Motivation is key because, without it, your sales teams won’t be able to close deals or generate leads no matter how good the product is. 
  • Investing in a sales training program can play a critical role in motivating your team by bolstering their knowledge and confidence.

What are the features of an effective sales training program?

An effective sales training program:

  • Improves skills and builds team consistency.
  • Turns each sales team member into a product expert.
  • Helps to standardise processes and enable the team to work as a cohesive unit.
  • Aligns the salesforce to the company vision, mission, values, and strategy – enabling them to see the bigger picture.

Overall, your sales training interventions should seek to turn each member of your sales team into confident, knowledgeable, and highly-motivated individuals.  You need a team whose members trust one another, trust what they have been entrusted to sell, and strive to use that trust to drive value into the hearts and minds of each and every customer.

With this in mind, BOTI constantly strives for solutions that make the lives of our customers that much easier.  Through our Elearning platform, we offer the following 5 micro sales training courses that take approximately 1 hour to complete:  

  • In-person Sales
  • Overcoming Sales Objections
  • Prospecting and Lead Generation
  • Sales Fundamentals
  • Top 10 Sales Secrets

Each course uses an easy-to-grasp learning methodology and features fun quizzes, and upon completion of a course, a Certificate of Attendance is issued.  These courses are specifically designed to create heroes out of zeros and reduce concern over turnover.  So, don’t delay – get started today.  Call us now on 011 882 8853 or send us an email to: [email protected] to enrol your staff on BOTI’s Micro Sales Training Courses and immediately increase turnover.

Reference sources: www.continu.com

State organs now have more discretion to implement their own procurement policies in light of New Preferential Procurement Regulations

On 16 January 2023, the New Preferential Procurement Regulations (2022 Regulations) came into effect.  The resulting scenario is the expansion of the aims of preferential procurement and reinforcing the idea that organs of state now have more discretion when it comes to implementing their own procurement policies.

Overview of preferential procurement in South Africa

When an organ of state in the national, provincial or local sector of government contracts for goods and services, South Africa’s Constitution requires that such must be conducted using a “fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost effective” system.  Procurement policies that provide for particular categories of preference in respect of the allocation of contracts and the development or protection of those individuals that have been disadvantaged due to unfair discrimination may be implemented by organs of state.

Parliament has also prescribed a statutory framework for preferential procurement in terms of Section 217 of the Constitution, known as the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act, 2000 (“PPPFA”).

A preference points system is provided by the PPPFA.  This effectively means that contracts below a prescribed value are evaluated on the basis that 20 out of 100 possible points should be assigned to “specific goals” and 80 points allotted to price.  For those contracts above a prescribed value, 10 out of 100 possible points need to be allocated to “specific goals” and 90 points assigned to price.

“Specific goals” therefore encompass:

  • Contracting with individuals or categories of individuals that have been previously disadvantaged in terms of unfair discrimination with regards to race, gender or disability.
  • Implementing programmes in line with the Reconstruction and Development Programme.

Since the PPPFA came into effect numerous Preferential Procurement Regulations have been issued in respect of the PPPFA which include the Preferential Procurement Regulations, 2017 (“PPR 2017”).

State organs have greater choice under the 2022 Regulations

Where the PPR 2017 and the new 2022 Regulations differ is where it concerns the application of pre-qualification criteria.  Under the PPR 2017 an organ of state could apply pre-qualification criteria “to advance certain designated groups”, including black people, women, persons with disabilities and small enterprises, whereas the 2022 Regulations no longer allow for the use of pre-qualification criteria.

Certain discretion for procuring institutions when allocating preference points is allowed under the 2022 Regulations.  Hence, while the scoring system of 80/20 (for contracts up to ZAR50-million) and 90/10 (for contracts above ZAR50-million) still applies, the 2022 Regulations allow the procuring institution to decide on “the specific goal specified for the tender” (as opposed to only the B-BBEE contributor status level, as was the case under the PPR 2017).  Only “specific goals” should encompass contracting with individuals who have been historically disadvantaged due to unfair discrimination, or the implementation of programmes in terms of the Reconstruction and Development Programme.

Notably, tenders for income-generating contracts that include concessions and the letting of government assets and property as well as tenders for the acquisition of goods or services, are covered under the 2022 Regulations.  This reinforces the fact that contracts entered into for commercial gain as opposed to for the acquisition of goods or services by organs of state are also bound by public procurement rules.

2022 Regulations Exclusions

  • There is, however, an important exclusion from the 2022 Regulations and this is in respect of content requirements.  Yet, it is likely that local content will form part of the anticipated Public Procurement Bill which us currently in development by National Treasury.
  • The awarding of contracts to tenderers who do not score the highest points and the permissible grounds for the cancellation of tenders are not regulated by the 2022 Regulations.  These are scenarios that organs of state are presumed to tackle using their own procurement policies.

It is important to bear in mind that the absence of certain references to preference that is based on B-BBEE contributor status level and to local content in terms of the 2022 Regulations does not preclude organs of state from assigning preference points to B-BBEE or localisation in a tender process as “specific goals”.  As such, it remains to be seen whether organs of state will persist in applying B-BBEE contributor status level as the primary consideration in preference point scoring, or whether other specific goals are applied, for example, job creation, local or regional presence, participation by women or disabled individuals, green procurement, employment equity or other such goals.

Business Optimization Training Institute will be holding a Conference on the Procurement Legislation changes on 12 and 13 July 2023 at the Mercure Hotel in Bedfordview, Johannesburg.  If you would like to attend this important intervention, please call us on 011 882 8853 or send us an email to [email protected] to book your seat.

This Conference is particularly relevant to those Government Officials who are involved in Procurement as well as those individuals who pitch tenders.

Reference sources: Ensafrica.com

We have a plan to help you implement your Training Plan

The Skills Development Act in South Africa aims to empower the South African workforce with skills, ensure that employees are able to access better opportunities for the acquisition of new skills, create a space for new entrants into the labour market to obtain work experience, and introduce transformative measures through training and education so as to rectify unfair discrimination practices. 

Skills Development Challenges

The challenges of today’s economic climate along with high rates of unemployment and skills shortages all point to the fact that we need to up our game when it comes to addressing skills development needs in South Africa.  Hence, in supporting economic growth, better access to relevant skills development programs is essential.  Therefore, making sure that the workforce is equipped with the skills required not only for the jobs of today, but also for the jobs of tomorrow, is a strategic requirement for national growth and expansion of our developing economy.

Now more than ever, we are living in times of great change, with advances in technology at every turn, and a drive towards business innovation and self-improvement becoming the daily norm.  Yet, keeping up with these changes has its own set of challenges.  New occupations are constantly emerging and replacing those that have become obsolete due to technological advancements such as increased automation.  And within each job category, the required skills and competencies are continuously evolving. 

The need for building the right talent

There are many tertiary education students that are currently enrolled in programs that do not support the business need for science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills as well as those skills that will be needed in the future.  Hence, many companies are faced with the challenge of sourcing graduates who are trained for example, in the areas of critical thinking and creative problem-solving, cognitive flexibility and decision making skills. In the light of this, the need to build a strong talent pool with the right skills is critical.

How to build an effective training program

Building an effective training program involves following a step-by-step process.  Also, the need for training that can be conducted online is critically important in light of remote and hybrid work arrangements.  Here is a brief outline of the main steps involved:

Assess and identify appropriate training needs

The first step in developing an effective training program is to identify and assess appropriate training needs.  In this regard, certain companies may already have established organisational, strategic, human resources and individual training and development plans.  Yet, if none such plans exist you will need to assess and focus on those developmental areas that have been prioritised.

Establish training objectives

Assessing and identifying appropriate training needs will reveal any gaps that are present in any existing training initiatives and employee skill sets.  These gaps should be carefully scrutinised and prioritised with a view to outlining an organisation’s training objectives with the main goal of bridging the gap between current and required skills, knowledge and performance levels.

Develop training action plans

Developing training action plans follows once the organisation’s training objectives have been set in place.  This involves instructional design, learning theories, content, training materials as well as other relevant training elements.  Training delivery methods and resources should also be included as well as taking into account the levels of training required as well as individual learning styles. 

Implement training interventions

Implementing the training interventions is the stage where the training program springs to life.  At this point, organisations will need to determine how the training will be delivered, that is, in-house or via external means.  The implementation phase should also take into consideration employee learning engagement and KPI (Key Performance Indicator) goals.  Carefully planning the scheduling of training activities such as resources, equipment, facilities and the like launches the process and during the training, the progress of participants should be carefully monitored and assessed so as to ensure that the program is effectively meeting the designated requirements.

Evaluate training and revise where necessary

As previously mentioned, to ensure overall effectiveness, the training program should be continually monitored with the ultimate goal of evaluating the training interventions to determine whether they were successful in terms of meeting the required objectives.  In this regard, stakeholder feedback should be obtained to determine program effectiveness, level of knowledge and skill acquisition as well as instructor effectiveness.  In conjunction with the employee performance review process, analysing this feedback will enable the organisation to identify any flaws in the program.  From there the program can be revised to cater for any objectives that have not been met. 

One can therefore conclude that the delivery of an effective training program can be achieved if it is based on current feedback and employee experiences that identify team needs that are linked to organisational goals.

Nationwide Footprint

At BOTI, we can help you to implement your Training Plan.  With a nationwide footprint we offer 400 courses to choose from.   

BOTI’s E-learning Platform

Through our user-friendly E-learning platform we offer various packages that start from as little as R999 per month and with 120 preinstalled courses that allow you to safely and economically train your staff and monitor their performance. E-learning is also the perfect solution for those who follow remote working or hybrid working schedules. Let us know how many courses you need to access and users will be up and running within 48 hours.   

Succession planning is essential in complying with the new BEE targets for businesses in South Africa

Under the new Employment Equity Amendment Act which was recently approved by President Cyril Ramaphosa, new BEE targets have been set by the Employment and Labour Minister.

In terms of these new laws, the Employment Minister has been given the go-ahead to set sector-specific numerical targets which must be achieved over a five year period in terms of the racial and gender composition of designated businesses.  As such, designated businesses are those that are deemed to employ more than 50 people.

Those companies that seek to do business with Government are also required to obtain a Certificate of Compliance from the Department of Employment and Labour.

In meeting and gauging progress towards achieving these targtets, the Employment Equity Act also requires that employers submit employment equity plans and annual reports.  Hence, the laws apply to all designated businesses, irrespective of whether they intend to do business with the State and failure to comply with these laws will lead to penalties such as fines.

Why succession planning is important under the new BEE laws

When it comes to meeting Employment Equity targets, for a smooth transition, the need for appropriate succession planning cannot be overemphasised.  Since succession planning is a multi-faceted task that demands constant attention and requires ongoing resources, this inevitably means that organisations must allocate a substantial amount of time and resources to determining competencies and drawing up skills development plans so that they can hire people and appropriately train them.  Under the BEE umbrella, this means that organisations need to view succession planning as a continuous process since skills development is a priority element of the B-BBEE scorecard. 

To allow for effective succession planning that includes designated group members, it is vital that organisations have a dedicated plan to develop their talent pool using a Workplace Skills Plan that identifies skills gaps with a view to carrying out appropriate training interventions over a period of time.   This is where BOTI steps in and steps up to the plate to address this critical need. 

Leadership and Influence Training – addresses how to achieve specific  transformation goals for those individuals in critical leadership roles.

Coaching and Mentoring Training – aims to help people to grow, develop and achieve their full potential.  While coaching is focussed on skills development and the achievement of goals, mentoring is relationship-driven and focussed on giving advice.

Business Succession Planning Training – Succession planning is one of the most vital functions of any organisation.  This is the process that pinpoints the critical and core roles of the organisation and identifies suitable candidates to fulfil those roles.  

What to anticipate

The main purpose of the amendments to the laws is to enable the Employment and Labour Minister to regulate criteria for compliance in order to issue EE Compliance Certificates and to set sector-specific Employment Equity targets.

What this essentially means is that businesses, and in particular those that seek to do business with the State, will need to be in good standing in terms of EE compliance.

Depending on the sector in question, a ‘designated employer’ was deemed under the previous act to be one that employs 50 or more people or an employer that employs less than 50 people but has an annual turnover that is equal to or above the limit as set out in the EE Act. 

What constitutes a ‘designated employer’ has now been amended in that employers that employ less than 50 people, regardless of their annual turnover, no longer form part of the designated employer category and are therefore exempt from compliance under the new Act.  This is a significantly important change in that these businesses are no longer required to implement processes to ensure that individuals from designated groups with the required qualifications are given equal employment opportunities.

Notwithstanding, for those large organisations that fall within the scope of what constitutes a designated employer, the most significant change is that the Employment and Labour Minister is authorised to regulate sectorial Employment Equity targets and compliance criteria.

Reference sources: Business Tech

Supplier Enterprise Development Programs

Supplier Development focuses on improving the capabilities and competitiveness of a company’s suppliers, particularly black-owned businesses. It includes providing training, mentorship, and access to finance, among other initiatives. The aim is to enhance local supplier development programs and increase procurement from black-owned businesses.

Enterprise Development, on the other hand, focuses on providing financial and non-financial support to small and black-owned businesses to help them grow and succeed. This can include providing funding, mentorship, training, and other support initiatives.

Both Supplier Development and Enterprise Development are important components of the B-BBEE scorecard, and companies are required to achieve a sub-minimum score in each of these elements to avoid a decrease in their overall B-BBEE status. By focusing on these elements, companies can contribute to the economic transformation of South Africa and help to create a more inclusive and equitable society.

BOTI has devised two method to develop suppliers and enterprises.

Option 1 – Self Paced E-learning Training to Make Supplier’s more Competitive We offer an e-learning platform (https://www.boti.co.za/lms/) (135 preloaded courses). The courses are approximately 1  hour e-learning excluding quizzes. When the course is complete and passed, all attendees receive a BOTI attendance Certificate.  Top  15 courses particularly relevant to your suppliers include:

  • Excel; PowerPoint, Word 
  • Business Writing
  • Call Center Training
  • Contract Management
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Employee Motivation
  • Goal Setting and Getting Things Done
  • In Person Sales
  • Leadership Development for Women
  • Meeting Management
  • Performance Management
  • Project Management
  • Proposal Writing
  • Risk Assessment and Management
  • Supply Chain Management

Some of the advantages of the e-learning platform for you are:

  1. Suppliers  can choose which courses out of the 135 they wish to go on or send their staff.
  2. Key diligent suppliers, who utilize the system can be identified for targeted development.
  3. Your Company could introduce some kind of incentive/prize for the suppliers who achieve the highest number of completed courses or who send the most staff (a top 10 leaderboard)
  4. Regular monthly reports will be provided to you.
  5. Your Companucan be developing suppliers throughout the year in the background.

Option 2 – Targeted Virtual Live Training 
We run various programs targeted at enterprise or supplier development (e.g. leadership development and contract management).  From our side we not only did the training but we spent much time phoning all the suppliers to ensure maximum attendance and issue data to ensure that they had sufficient data to participate 

Testimonials

Maxion Wheels – various interventions on Improving Efficiency (Six Sigma)   2021/2022

“Six Sigma was Concise Lively and Informative” ….“Very Informative, Systematic Approach”

Seaton Leather – various initiatives on Improving Efficiency (Six Sigma) – 2018

“From my side everything went well”…“Learning how to improve the process and avoid waste as much as we can”

Amanda Cunningham – Endeavour, Gold Mining

‘I gained better insight and understanding of Excel and am more comfortable operating the app.  I learnt formulas, pivot tables and consolidating.  The course was relaxed and informative.’

Bianca Steytler – Meridian Agrochemical Company (Pty) Ltd

‘I learnt a lot of new formulas and tricks to automate processes.  What went well for me was hands-on learning with examples from our own work put into perspective.  The best thing about this course was formulas and actual examples to practice on.’

Kelly-anne Smith – Meridian Agrochemical Company (Pty) Ltd

‘What went well for me was the use of formulas and pivot tables and I now have more knowledge on how to use Excel better.’

Katrien de Ridder – Meridian Agrochemical Company (Pty) Ltd

‘I learned new skills regarding formulas, functions and pivot tables..

Diederick Klopper – Meridian Agrochemical Company (Pty) Ltd

‘I can now easily set up my data into Excel.’

Please Phone Us Now To Speak to One of Our Friendly Consultants to Design ESD Courses around your objectives

Tel:011-882-8853

Please Fill in the Form – We Will Get Back to You Within 15 minutes

Please Email Us Now  – We Will Get Back to You Within 15 minutes

 [email protected]

Learning the Art of Conscious Living

What is Conscious Living?

In a nutshell, conscious living is about living consciously and acting attentively as opposed to living in an automatic unconscious way.  Most people tend to perform the majority of their activities in an unconscious, automatic fashion.  This is not to say that people are unconscious as such, but rather that they are not fully aware of what is going on within themselves, the world around them, and their actions.

In light of this, we need to ask ourselves whether we are aware of all our thoughts, whether we are in control of our reactions, and whether we are always focused on what we are actually doing.  Consequently, conscious living is concerned with living consciously in each moment of our waking hours, rather than becoming absent-minded and doing things on auto-pilot.

In the past jobs were about muscles. Now they’re about brains. But in the future….. they’ll be about the heart.

Minouche Shafik

What does it mean to live consciously?

  • To live consciously centres around being aware of your thoughts as well as your habits, actions and reactions.  It is concerned with being more cognisant of your thoughts and actions as opposed to carrying out tasks on impulse without thinking.
  • Living consciously is also focussed around being aware of what is going on around you, the people in your sphere, and what they are saying.  Essentially, it requires that you become more conscious of the environment in which you live and work.
  • Living consciously increases your awareness of profound truths and the essence of your inner self at an intrinsic level.

How to live consciously

There are several ways to embark upon the path of living consciously. 

Being aware of your thoughts

Make the effort to become more conscious and aware of the thoughts that you are holding.  As such, pay attention to the thoughts that are flowing through your mind.  If you try this exercise a few times each day, it will become easier and more natural.

Thinking before you act

Try not to rush headlong into anything without first thinking it through.  Take a hard look at the situation before you take action.

Practice not reacting immediately

When confronted with feelings of resentment or anger, do not react immediately in these situations.  Rather, wait for a moment or two before you respond.  This will give you time to regain your composure.

Focus on what you are doing

Make the effort to focus on what you are doing.  In doing so, you become more aware of the tasks at hand, and you can perform more efficiently with fewer mistakes.

Developing your willpower and self-discipline

Developing your willpower and self-discipline increases your ability to maintain better control over yourself as well as your thoughts and actions.

Broaden your viewpoint

Try to see everything from a broader viewpoint, that is, see beyond the current beliefs you hold, past your ego and what is possible or not possible.

Show respect towards others

Show respect towards others with regards to their opinions and beliefs, especially if they differ from your own.  It is okay to disagree with others without damaging your relationships.

Make an effort to get out of your comfort zone

Remaining in your comfort zone can lead to inertia.  Hence, no matter how difficult it may seem try to get out of your comfort zone as a means of encouraging new experiences.

Meditate every day

Take time out every day to meditate.  Early in the morning, before your day starts, is the best time for meditation.  Even if you only meditate for 10 minutes each day, you will feel the benefits.

Practice mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness will help increase your awareness and improve your focus.  Mindfulness is about being focussed on the present, the here and now. 

Living in the present

Remind yourself that you cannot change what happened in the past and dwelling on past issues can lead to remorse and a great deal of unhappiness.  Living in the present enables you to enjoy what is happening in the now.  When you make the present a good place to be, your future will follow suit – since the seeds you sow now will reap the rewards of tomorrow.

Reference sources: www.successconsciousness.com

E-Learning Instructional Designer

Looking for E-Learning expert to design various Moodle courses.

Please Fill in the Form – to apply or send your CV to [email protected]

BEE FAQ

Sure, here are the answers to the questions you’ve listed:

  1. What is BBBEE?

BBBEE stands for Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, which is a South African government policy aimed at promoting the economic transformation of previously disadvantaged individuals and communities in the country.

  1. What does BBBEE stand for?

BBBEE stands for Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment.

  1. What is BBBEE certificate?

A BBBEE certificate is a document issued by an accredited verification agency that certifies a company’s level of compliance with the BBBEE codes of good practice. The certificate indicates the level of black ownership, management, and control of the company.

  1. What does BBBEE mean?

BBBEE stands for Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, which is a South African government policy aimed at promoting the economic transformation of previously disadvantaged individuals and communities in the country.

  1. What is a BBBEE certificate?

A BBBEE certificate is a document issued by an accredited verification agency that certifies a company’s level of compliance with the BBBEE codes of good practice. The certificate indicates the level of black ownership, management, and control of the company.

  1. What is BBBEE black?

BBBEE stands for Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, and it is a policy aimed at promoting economic transformation and increasing the participation of black people in the South African economy.

  1. How does BBBEE work?

BBBEE works by providing a framework for companies to measure and improve their contribution to economic transformation in South Africa. The framework includes seven elements that companies are evaluated on, including ownership, management control, employment equity, skills development, preferential procurement, enterprise development, and socio-economic development.

  1. What is the BBBEE?

BBBEE stands for Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, which is a South African government policy aimed at promoting the economic transformation of previously disadvantaged individuals and communities in the country.

  1. What is the meaning of BBBEE?

BBBEE stands for Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, which is a South African government policy aimed at promoting the economic transformation of previously disadvantaged individuals and communities in the country.

  1. What is BBBEE in South Africa?

BBBEE stands for Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, and it is a South African government policy aimed at promoting economic transformation and increasing the participation of black people in the economy.

  1. What are the BBBEE levels?

The BBBEE levels range from Level 1 (the highest level of compliance) to Level 8 (the lowest level of compliance). Companies are rated based on their performance across the seven elements of BBBEE, and the rating determines their BBBEE level.

  1. What is the purpose of BBBEE?

The purpose of BBBEE is to promote economic transformation, redress historical inequalities, and create opportunities for previously disadvantaged individuals and communities. It aims to achieve this by increasing black ownership, management, and control of the economy, promoting skills development and employment equity, and supporting the development of small businesses.

  1. How to get BBBEE certificate?

To get a BBBEE certificate, a company must undergo a verification process conducted by an accredited verification agency. The verification process involves assessing the company’s performance across the seven elements of BBBEE and determining the company’s BBBEE level.

  1. How to obtain BBBEE certificate?

To obtain a BBBEE certificate, a company must undergo a verification process conducted by an accredited verification agency. The verification process involves assessing the company’s performance across the seven elements of BBBEE and determining the company’s BBBEE level.

Please Phone Us Now To Speak to One of Our Friendly Consultants to Design Manager Courses around your objectives

Tel:011-882-8853

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Please Email Us Now  – We Will Get Back to You Within 15 minutes

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Learn the secrets of achieving Excellence with Excel

It is no secret that Microsoft Excel is one of the most popular spreadsheet applications in the world.  And when calculating whether it is worth the effort to learn how to use this powerful tool, the benefits just keep on adding up.  The simple truth about Excel is that you can do a number of useful things such as keep a running total of stock, add up a list of invoice amounts, plan an event, calculate your business expenses over time or solve problems.  And apart from business tasks you can keep track of your personal affairs such as budgets and shopping lists.  Yet, without Excel, you may find yourself flailing blindly when the numbers just don’t add up. 

When learning how to use the various features of this powerful tool, it may seem overwhelming at first. But, the secret to learning Excel is to first tackle the basics and only move on to the more complex elements once you have gained a measure of confidence in using the basic functions.

Satya Nadella, Executive Chairman and CEO of Microsoft claims that Excel is Microsoft’s most important consumer product and it is estimated that 750 million people worldwide use Excel.

So, while we will never be able to count how many things Excel can do, here are the top 10 benefits you can count on:

1. Excel is the best way to store data

Even if you are not au fait with most of Excel’s tools and features, it is still the best way to store data since it is used by millions of people and when data is stored in Excel it can be shared with others and can be readily accessed.   

2. Excel performs several different calculations

Excel’s popularity the world over is linked to its ability to perform several different calculations.  Excel provides numerous functions that you can use to perform various calculations.  An Excel function is a predefined formula that yields a particular result based on specified values.  Added to that, you can also create your own formulas by performing calculations using operators or by combining two or more functions.

3. Excel provides all the tools you need for data analysis

The main reason for storing data is for analysis with the objective of gaining useful insights.  Microsoft Excel enables you to clean and explore data and add advanced data analytics capabilities using data analysis tools such as Auto Filter, Power Query, Power Pivot and Power Maps. 

4. Excel makes it easy for you to create data visualisations with charts

With Excel, you can create charts that present your data in a visual manner using Chart Tools.  Chart Tools consists of two tabs known as DESIGN and FORMAT.  When you click on a chart, the DESIGN and FORMAT  CHART TOOLS appear on the ribbon and you can create your chart from there.

5. Excel allows you to print custom reports

Excel allows you to print custom reports.  You can print a selected area only when you click Print Options and Current Selection.  You can also change the margin, paper size and orientation.

6. Excel offers free templates for daily use

Excel offers a whole host of free templates to choose from for daily use such as:

  • Employee Leave Tracker Template
  • Excel Timesheet Calculator Template
  • Milestone Chart Template
  • Pareto Chart Template
  • Excel Gantt Chart Template
  • Excel Thermometer Chart Template

7. Excel allows you to code to automate

Microsoft Office comes with its own coding language which is known as VBA (visual basic for applications).  VBA allows you to write code for almost all of the activities that you perform manually in Excel.  Using a VBA code, you can automate all types of activities from simple tasks such as (make a text bold) to more complex tasks such as (insert a pivot table).

8. With Excel you can transform and clean data

In situations where you may be working with large amounts of data, there are may cases where the data first needs to be cleaned before it can be used.  Cleaning and transforming data can be a lengthy and tedious process.  Hence, Microsoft has introduced Power Query which is a data transformation and cleaning engine that allows you to load data from multiple sources, transform the data and load it back onto the worksheet.

9. Excel allows you to store data using millions of rows

We know that there are no limits to any amount of data but Excel does have a limit in terms of number of rows and columns.  To combat this, Microsoft has introduced Power Pivot which is an Excel add-in that allows you to perform create sophisticated data models and perform powerful data analysis.  As such, Power Pivot allows you to mash up large volumes of data from various sources, rapidly perform information analysis and easily share insights.

10. You can work with Excel online as well as on mobile

Excel for the web extends your Excel experience to the web browser, where you can work directly on the website where your workbooks are stored.  You can also work on mobile using Microsoft Excel Mobile which allows you to review, update and create spreadsheets on Windows phones and tablets.

If Excel seems intimidating to you, here are some useful tips

  • Remember, anyone who is adept at working with Excel spreadsheets was taught by someone at some stage.
  • Everyone who uses Excel started with a blank spreadsheet.
  • Study one function at a time before you move on to the next one.
  • You don’t need to know the purpose of every single function of Excel. Only use the ones you need.
  • Practise. Practise. Practise.

Reference sources: excelchamps.com

Saying no to all forms of Workplace Harassment

In South Africa, it has been a year since the Code of Good Practice on the Prevention and Elimination of Harassment in the Workplace was gazetted.  Since then, the Department of Employment Labour has made greater strides towards the prevention and elimination of harassment in the South African workplace.  Yet, both employers and employees need to be aware of the various forms of harassment that can take place in the workplace and how to protect both employees and organisations alike.

What exactly is workplace harassment?

While most forms of harassment are verbal and psychological in nature, there are also more serious forms such as physical and sexual harassment.  The most important point to bear in mind is that all forms of workplace harassment are illegal.  Not only do such behaviours affect employee productivity levels, well-being and sense of safety at work, but the organisation’s legal liability is also affected if workplace harassment is not effectively dealt with.

In a broader nutshell, workplace harassment can often include the following:

  • Offensive jokes, slurs, epithets (name calling)
  • Physical assaults or threats
  • Intimidation
  • Ridicule or mockery
  • Insults or put-downs
  • Offensive objects or pictures
  • Nuisance behaviour that interferes with work performance

Harassment also occurs in a number of different settings or circumstances such as:

  • A harasser can be the victim’s supervisor, manager or boss, a supervisor from another department, an agent of the employer, a co-worker or even a non-employee.
  • The victim is not necessarily the only person that can be affected by harassment since anyone in the environment who is exposed by the offensive conduct is also impacted.

Workplace harassment is never easy to deal with and it can be especially difficult to handle if the person who is harassing you is also your manager.

The most common forms of workplace harassment

While workplace harassment can take many forms, every incident doesn’t always play out in the same way.  Hence, understanding the different forms of workplace harassment can help you to properly identify when it is happening to you or one of your colleagues.

Verbal Harassment

Verbal harassment can be an unending cycle of destruction that not only threatens your career but can be injurious to your mental and emotional health.  It can manifest as offensive gestures, unreasonable criticism or demeaning remarks.  Verbal harassment can be difficult to identify since it is violence in a non-physical form.  In certain instances shouting, cursing or making inappropriate comments or jokes about a colleague is interpreted as a form of personality conflict even though such can have a detrimental psychological effect on the victim that leads to anxiety, depression and high blood pressure. 

Psychological Harassment

Psychological harassment is comparable to verbal harassment yet is more covert.  It consists of manoeuvres such as withholding information, exclusionary tactics or gaslighting, which is a form of manipulation using psychological methods that cause another person to question their own sanity or powers of reasoning.  Such actions are carried out with the intention to break down the victim, undermine them and erode their self-esteem.  Making impossible demands, taking credit for someone else’s work, imposing unreasonable deadlines, continuously opposing everything someone says or relentlessly demanding that an employee performs demeaning tasks outside of their scope of work, may not seem like typical harassment but this is a calculated form of psychological bullying.

Racial Harassment

Someone may experience racial harassment due to their race, skin colour, ancestry, origin country, or citizenship.

Even perceived attributes of a certain ethnicity such as hair texture, skin colour, accent, food and clothing preferences, the use of certain slang words, customs, beliefs, holidays or celebrations may be the reason. Racial harassment often plays out in the following ways:

  • The use of slurs in general or specifically directed at the victim
  • Insulting or demeaning comments about the victim’s race or a race as a whole
  • Sharing of racial jokes, memes, or pictures
  • Acting disgusted to be around the victim, for instance, refusing to share a cubicle
  • Intolerance of differences

Religious Harassment

Religious harassment is often linked to racial harassment but is targeted at someone’s religious beliefs.

Someone with religious beliefs that differ from the perceived “norm” may be a target of workplace harassment or intolerance in a number of ways, including:

  • Intolerance of religious holidays
  • Intolerance of religious traditions and customs
  • Malicious religious jokes
  • Demeaning stereotypical comments

Gender Harassment

Gender-based harassment is a form of discrimination towards a person based on their gender expression. It can happen to cisgendered women or men, that is, people whose gender identity matches that which they were assigned at birth, trans women or men, and non-binary employees.

Negative stereotypes in terms of gender and how men or women should behave or what they should look look like are often a target of harassment. Some examples include:

  • A male nurse faces harassment for doing what is generally perceived as a woman’s job
  • A female banker is overlooked for a promotion because she’s not perceived to be “leadership material”
  • A non-binary person is referred to as “it” by a colleague
  • A transgender man is addressed as “she” in an email

Cyberbullying (Digital Harassment)

Cyberbullying or digital harassment is the latest form of harassment and although it takes place over online platforms, it can be just as harmful as face-to-face bullying.  Cyberbullying includes posting threats or humiliating comments on social media, making false allegations about someone on social media, creating fake profiles with the intention of bullying someone online and creating a web page about someone with the intention to belittle and mock them.

Physical Harassment

Physical harassment in the workplace can happen in varying degrees.  Such can include unwanted gestures, for instance, touching another employee’s clothing, hair, face or any other part of the body and more dramatic gestures like violent threats, inflicting damage to personal property or physical assault.  Certain types of physical harassment are often downplayed as a joke if no actual physical harm was caused.  Hence, when someone consistently kicks, shoves or blocks another colleague, while the victim may never have actually been hurt by these actions, this may not be viewed as actual harassment, especially if these actions are carried out by a manager or otherwise high-ranking employee. 

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is a serious offence and happens more frequently than most of us realise.  According to a McKinsey survey, at least 35% of female respondents have been subjected to sexual harassment in the workplace.  What is also interesting to note is that it is a rampant crime that is not only experienced by women since anyone can be an instigator or victim of sexual harassment.   Sexual harassment, therefore, includes inappropriate touching and unwanted sexual advances, sexual jokes, pornography, sexual messaging and requiring sexual favours in exchange for job security or a promotion.  Sexual harassment in the workplace is not always obvious.  Often, it is heavily disguised as harmless banter, inoffensive remarks that go hand-in-hand with sexual undertones or gestures, or awkward but seemingly innocent comments that portray certain people, often women, in a negative light.  This is often a grey area that allows offenders to get away with bad behaviour.  Many victims of sexual harassment are loathed to draw attention to themselves, thinking that the situation will improve.  Some victims believe that they will face job loss should they report the harassment incident.  Nevertheless, situations that make someone feel uncomfortable should be reported.

Workplace Harassment is a serious issue

Since workplace harassment is a serious issue with a number of grey areas, it is important to know if you or someone else is being harassed at work.  Hence, if you happen to experience or witness behaviours that appear criminal in nature, you should report the incident.  Even if you fear retribution and are worried about losing your job, always bear in mind that you are protected by workplace harassment laws.  Not only are there laws that protect you from the person who is harassing you, but you are also protected by law from an employer who fails to protect you.  Also, if you know of someone who is being harassed at work, you cannot lose your job by reporting the incident.  It is also important to bear in mind that harassment in the workplace may or may not result in physical evidence.  Therefore, understanding what is happening to you can help when reporting an incident to your Human Resources Department.

Reference sources: misa.org.za|

Data Analytics Course: South Africa

Data analytics courses are designed to provide participants with the skills and knowledge required to analyze and interpret large datasets using statistical and computational techniques. Here are some examples of data analytics courses offered by training institutes:

  1. Introduction to Data Analytics: This course is designed for beginners and covers the fundamentals of data analytics, including data cleaning and preparation, exploratory data analysis, and data visualization.
  2. Data Science Bootcamp: This intensive course covers a range of data analytics topics, including statistical analysis, machine learning, and data visualization. Participants will learn how to use tools like Python, R, and SQL to analyze and interpret large datasets.
  3. Business Analytics: This course is designed for professionals in business and covers topics like financial analysis, market research, and predictive modeling. Participants will learn how to use data analytics to make informed business decisions.
  4. Data Visualization: This course focuses on the art and science of data visualization, teaching participants how to create visually appealing and informative charts and graphs using tools like Tableau and Excel.
  5. Big Data Analytics: This course is designed for professionals who work with large datasets, teaching participants how to use tools like Hadoop and Spark to analyze and interpret big data.
  6. Data Analytics for Social Media: This course is designed for professionals who work in social media marketing, teaching participants how to use data analytics to measure and analyze the performance of social media campaigns.

Data analytics courses are suitable for individuals who want to improve their data analysis and interpretation skills, as well as professionals who work with data on a regular basis and want to improve their productivity and efficiency in analyzing data.

Business Intelligence (BI) is an essential tool for corporates to make data-driven decisions based on insights derived from data analysis. BI helps companies to analyze large amounts of data from various sources and transform it into meaningful information. This information helps companies to understand trends, customer behavior, and operational performance, allowing them to make more informed decisions.

BI tools like Power BI, Tableau, and QlikView enable corporates to create interactive dashboards and reports that provide real-time insights into critical business metrics. This allows executives and decision-makers to identify problem areas quickly and make informed decisions on the go. Furthermore, BI helps corporates to streamline operations, reduce costs, and improve overall performance.

Overall, BI is a powerful tool that enables corporates to gain insights into their business operations and make informed decisions based on data-driven insights.

Benefits of Course

The benefits of taking a Power BI course include:

  1. Improved data visualization skills: Power BI is a powerful tool for creating interactive visualizations that help to bring data to life. By taking a Power BI course, you can learn how to use Power BI to create compelling visualizations that make it easier to analyze and interpret data.

  2. Increased productivity: Power BI can automate many tasks related to data analysis and visualization, which can help to increase productivity and efficiency. By taking a Power BI course, you can learn how to use Power BI to streamline data analysis and visualization tasks, freeing up time for other important tasks.

  3. Better decision-making: Power BI can help to identify patterns and trends in data that may not be immediately apparent. By taking a Power BI course, you can learn how to use Power BI to make more informed decisions based on data-driven insights.

  4. Improved collaboration: Power BI allows users to share data and visualizations with others, which can improve collaboration and communication within teams. By taking a Power BI course, you can learn how to use Power BI to share data and visualizations with others, improving collaboration and teamwork.

  5. Career advancement: As more and more companies adopt Power BI, the demand for professionals with Power BI skills is increasing. By taking a Power BI course, you can improve your career prospects by acquiring in-demand skills that can help you stand out in the job market.

Overall, a Power BI course can help you develop the skills and knowledge required to analyze and interpret data using a powerful and versatile tool, and can help you improve your productivity, decision-making, and career prospects.

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The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA)Course

The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) is a South African data protection law that regulates how personal information is collected, processed, stored, and shared by businesses and organizations in the country. As part of POPIA compliance, organizations are required to provide their employees with POPIA training to ensure that they understand the law and how it applies to their work.

POPIA training typically covers the following topics:

  1. Introduction to POPIA: This section provides an overview of POPIA, its purpose, and the rights of data subjects.
  2. The 8 POPIA conditions: POPIA requires organizations to comply with eight conditions for the lawful processing of personal information. These conditions are explained in detail during the training.
  3. Consent: POPIA requires organizations to obtain the consent of data subjects before collecting and processing their personal information. The training covers how to obtain valid consent and what to do if consent is withdrawn.
  4. Data breaches: The training covers what constitutes a data breach, how to prevent them, and the steps to take in the event of a breach.
  5. Accountability: POPIA places accountability on organizations to ensure that they comply with the law. The training covers how to implement POPIA compliance measures and how to appoint an Information Officer.
  6. Consequences of non-compliance: The training covers the legal and reputational consequences of non-compliance with POPIA.

There are several ways that organizations can provide POPIA training to their employees. This can include online courses, in-person training, and webinars. Organizations should ensure that their training is tailored to their specific business and industry, and that it is updated regularly to reflect any changes in the law or best practices.

By providing POPIA training to their employees, organizations can ensure that they are compliant with the law and that their employees understand their responsibilities when it comes to the processing of personal information. This can help to prevent data breaches and protect the privacy of data subjects.

Who Would Benefit?

POPIA training is suitable for any organization that collects, processes, stores, or shares personal information in South Africa. This includes businesses, government departments, non-profit organizations, and any other entities that handle personal information, such as customer data, employee records, and financial information.

POPIA training is relevant for employees at all levels of an organization, from senior executives to front-line staff. It is essential that all employees understand their responsibilities when it comes to the handling of personal information to ensure compliance with the law and prevent data breaches.

POPIA training is particularly relevant for employees who work in roles that involve handling personal information, such as human resources, marketing, customer service, and IT. These employees must understand the requirements of POPIA and how to implement measures to protect personal information effectively.

In summary, POPIA training is suitable for any organization in South Africa that handles personal information and for employees at all levels of the organization who work with personal information. It is essential to ensure that all employees receive adequate training to understand their responsibilities and prevent breaches of personal information.

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Benefits of Course

Training on the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) can offer several benefits to organizations, including:

  1. Compliance: POPIA compliance is mandatory for all organizations in South Africa that handle personal information. Training on POPIA can help organizations to understand the requirements of the law and how to comply with them.

  2. Risk reduction: Failure to comply with POPIA can result in significant financial penalties and reputational damage. Training on POPIA can help organizations to identify and manage risks associated with the handling of personal information, reducing the likelihood of non-compliance and associated consequences.

  3. Improved customer trust: Compliance with POPIA can help to build trust with customers, as they are more likely to trust organizations that take the protection of their personal information seriously. Training on POPIA can help organizations to demonstrate their commitment to protecting customer information, improving customer confidence and loyalty.

  4. Increased efficiency: POPIA compliance requires organizations to implement various measures, such as data protection policies and procedures, data breach management plans, and training for staff. Training on POPIA can help organizations to implement these measures more efficiently, reducing the time and resources required to achieve compliance.

  5. Competitive advantage: Compliance with POPIA can give organizations a competitive advantage over non-compliant competitors. Training on POPIA can help organizations to understand the requirements of the law better and implement effective measures to protect personal information, enhancing their reputation and attracting customers who value privacy and data protection.

In summary, training on POPIA can help organizations to achieve compliance, reduce risks, improve customer trust, increase efficiency, and gain a competitive advantage.

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What is skills development in B-BBEE?

Skills development is a crucial component of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) in South Africa. It is one of the seven elements of B-BBEE, alongside ownership, management control, employment equity, enterprise development, supplier development, and socio-economic development.

Skills development aims to address the skills gap in the South African workforce and to promote the development of a skilled and capable workforce. This is particularly important for black people who have historically been excluded from the formal economy and who face limited access to education and training opportunities.

Under the B-BBEE framework, companies are required to invest a certain percentage of their payroll in skills development initiatives for their employees, particularly for black employees. The skills development element is weighted at 20 points, which means that companies that invest in skills development initiatives can earn significant B-BBEE points towards their overall B-BBEE rating.

Skills development initiatives can include training programs, learnerships, internships, apprenticeships, and bursaries. These initiatives must be aligned with the needs of the company and the broader industry, and they must be targeted at the development of the skills and capabilities of black employees.

The B-BBEE Codes of Good Practice provide guidelines for companies on how to implement effective skills development initiatives. These guidelines include the identification of skills gaps and training needs, the development of a training plan, the implementation of the training program, and the measurement and evaluation of the program’s effectiveness.

Skills development is a critical element of B-BBEE, as it promotes the development of a skilled and capable workforce and contributes to the broader economic development of South Africa. By investing in skills development initiatives, companies can not only earn B-BBEE points but also contribute to the growth and development of their employees and the broader economy.

The Skills Development Matrix

The Skills Development Matrix is a tool used in South Africa to measure a company’s compliance with the Skills Development element of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE). The Skills Development element is one of the seven B-BBEE elements, and it is aimed at promoting the development of a skilled and capable workforce, particularly among black employees.

The Skills Development Matrix is a scoring system that evaluates a company’s compliance with the Skills Development element. The matrix consists of two parts:

  1. Indicator Matrix: The Indicator Matrix assesses a company’s compliance with specific criteria related to the Skills Development element. The matrix includes four indicators, each with a maximum score of 25 points. These indicators include:
  • The number of black employees trained in learnerships and apprenticeships.
  • The number of black employees trained in non-learnership and non-apprenticeship programs.
  • The company’s spend on skills development for black employees.
  • The absorption rate of black learners and apprentices upon completion of their programs.
  1. Qualitative Matrix: The Qualitative Matrix assesses a company’s implementation of its Skills Development strategy. This matrix consists of four areas, each with a maximum score of 25 points. These areas include:
  • The company’s skills development strategy.
  • The company’s skills development policy.
  • The company’s skills development plan.
  • The company’s monitoring and evaluation of skills development programs.

The Skills Development Matrix provides a total maximum score of 100 points. A company’s compliance with the Skills Development element is then calculated as a percentage of the maximum score achieved.

Companies that achieve a score of at least 40% on the Skills Development element can earn B-BBEE points towards their overall B-BBEE rating. The number of points earned is determined by the company’s B-BBEE rating level and the percentage of the maximum score achieved.

Overall, the Skills Development Matrix is an important tool for evaluating a company’s compliance with the Skills Development element of B-BBEE. By measuring a company’s compliance with specific criteria and evaluating its implementation of its Skills Development strategy, the matrix provides a comprehensive assessment of a company’s commitment to developing a skilled and capable workforce, particularly among black employees.

How can BOTI help you with Skills Development and BBBEE

Boti (Business Optimization Training Institute) is a South African-based training and development organization that offers a wide range of training courses and workshops. Boti can help companies with skills development in several ways, including:

  1. Customized training programs: Boti can develop customized training programs tailored to the specific needs of a company. This can include skills assessments to identify skills gaps and the development of training plans to address these gaps.

  2. Accredited training courses: Boti offers a range of accredited training courses in various fields, including management, leadership, project management, and human resources. These courses are aligned with recognized industry standards and can contribute to the professional development of employees.

  3. E-learning solutions: Boti offers e-learning solutions that provide employees with flexible access to training courses and modules. This can be particularly beneficial for remote or geographically dispersed teams.

  4. Coaching and mentoring: Boti offers coaching and mentoring services to support employees in their professional development. This can include one-on-one coaching sessions, group mentoring programs, and online coaching support.

  5. Skills development consulting: Boti provides consulting services to help companies identify their skills development needs and develop strategies to address these needs. This can include assistance with the development of skills development plans and the implementation of training programs.

Overall, Boti can play an important role in supporting companies with their skills development needs. By partnering with Boti, companies can access a range of training and development solutions that are tailored to their specific needs, and that can contribute to the professional development of their employees and the growth of their business.

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Find out why there is no healthy alternative to establishing a culture of wellness in the workplace

The notion of wellness in the workplace is a concept that many companies are still coming to grips with.  Some employers associate wellness with physical health and therefore feel that as long as people are functioning, this is something that employees do not need help with.  Yet, fortunately, most organisations these days appreciate that over and above physical wellness, workplace wellness is also concerned with mental and emotional health. Especially in the current South African socio-economic climate, it is indeed a critical area in which to invest since sustaining employee health can have a demonstratable positive impact on business performance.   

What exactly is Workplace Wellness?

Workplace wellness is concerned with promoting health activities and policies within the organisation that reinforce positive employee health and behaviour.  From medical screenings and health education interventions to fitness programs, there are numerous sources that organisations can tap into to cultivate a company culture of good health.

Businesses that invest in human capital are well-versed in terms of the benefits of workplace wellness.  They appreciate that it naturally follows that happy employees are more inclined to perform better, take the initiative, better manage their time, and find ways to improve productivity.

Why is Workplace Wellness a critical factor in the World of Work?

In light of the recent pandemic and the resulting changes globally in the World of Work, organisations should be willing to invest the necessary time, resources, and policies that champion employee health initiatives.   Today, workplace wellness is even more critical, given the socio-economic and political climate of the world we live in.

Here are the main reasons why organisations should make employee health a top priority:

  • Healthy employees are more engaged in their work and are less inclined to rack up exorbitant costs in terms of healthcare expenses and medical aid.
  • Employees who are well-cared-for tend to meet with fewer road accidents or other calamities since they don’t suffer as much from burnout or stress-related ailments.
  • Healthy employees do not clock up excessive sick leave days.
  • When employees are happy to work at a company, the company’s reputation is enhanced and talent acquisition and retention are significantly enriched.

Boosting Health and Wellness Programs

Pinpointing potential health risks and unhealthy behaviours is a good starting point for organisations to promote a healthy workforce.  Wellness programs that emphasise the ill effects of poor eating habits, drug abuse, stress, as well as emotional distress induced by work-related issues can address many critical employee pain points.  To effectively implement these programs, organisations should:

  • Invest in the most appropriate healthcare policies that incorporate the broader elements of physical, emotional and mental health as they apply to the modern workplace.
  • Involve dedicated specialists to oversee wellness programs that include one-on-one sessions with employees.
  • Reinforce the importance of regular employee health assessments that allow employees to address any underlying risks or concerns that relate to physical, mental, and emotional health.
  • A proactive leader will seek assistance from relevant specialists involved in the Employee Wellbeing Program to help employees to understand that people at all levels of the organisation are not immune to health issues.   Fostering a supportive environment that encourages employees to speak up when they have a problem without fear of retribution or that their issue may be perceived as a weakness, will go a long way towards making people feel more comfortable. In these circumstances, they know that they have dedicated support in the healthy and effective execution of their duties and responsibilities.

Wellness-promoting tips for employees

Often, there is nothing better than feeling good, full of energy, and inspired to be at the top of one’s game both in the workplace and in other areas of life.  And while not every day will be perfect, one can nevertheless make every effort to establish a healthy lifestyle with all-round benefits.  Here are a few tips to help you achieve small yet vital wellness goals:

  • Create a clutter-free workstation by placing things back where they belong.  Find a place for everything and put everything in its place.
  • Set your phone alarm to go off every hour so that you are prompted to take regular breaks to stretch, go for a walk, and have a drink of water.
  • Make meditation part of your regular routine.  Even book a conference room and invite a few co-workers to join you for a meditation session at a mutually agreed time at the office.  This is not only a healthy mental practice but also fosters employee unity.
  • Make it a point to eat healthily to sustain energy levels.
  • Put a plant or two around your workstation to create a space of zen and comfort while you are working.

Best practices for creating wellness in the workplace

In the past ten years, corporate wellness practices have grown significantly.  Here are some of the best practices that have emerged:

Developing an Annual Operating Plan

Developing an Annual Operating Plan assists organisations in evaluating existing circumstances to establish which programs will be of benefit to both employees and the organisation.

Establishing a Wellness Team

Establishing a dedicated wellness team that focuses on a healthcare plan can make a huge difference.   The formation of a wellness team goes a long way toward promoting a culture of wellness within the organisation.  Members of this team should be chosen based on their relevant experience and ability to take on the responsibility of running a wellness program.

Offering Employees Lifestyle Coaching Programs

Lifestyle coaching programs go a long way toward empowering and inspiring people to navigate obstacles both in the workplace and in their personal lives. 

Fostering a supportive environment

Those organisations that are either revamping or implementing employee wellness programs for the first time should position Employee Wellness as a benefit and not a perk and should ensure that such forms part of the employment package that includes healthcare, paid leave etc.

Communicating Effectively

Effective communication is key in getting everyone on the same page since without it employers will not be able to fully understand the needs of their employees and risk spending huge amounts of money on wellness plans and programs that do not work.

Regularly evaluate wellness program outcomes

In the same way companies rely on statistics and performance metrics in order to track marketing initiatives for example, likewise, it is important to track, measure and evaluate the health of the workforce and adjust wellness programs as necessary.

To recap on the importance of creating and sustaining a healthy workforce, when employees feel that a wellness program is part of their everyday lives they are more inclined to embrace and benefit from it.  Therefore, employers should aim to make wellness initiatives part of the everyday work scenario to encourage employees to be the best that they can be.

Reference sources: Wellsteps.com

Keep searching for the spirit of the great heart and stay in SA

While load shedding has hit hard into the collective psyche of all South Africans and Covid has hammered our economy, for many of us, it is easy to get bogged down and even become overwhelmed by the number of problems we seem to be dealing with in South Africa right now.  And without detracting from the fact that for many people, life is indeed no walk in the park, there are many positive aspects of South African life that we forget about simply because like wallpaper, we have become so used to them that even if they are truly amazing, they have faded into the background. Since, when we are under stress, we tend to bring the negative aspects of a situation into the foreground and forget about the positives.

In these circumstances, some people also believe that life must be better overseas since there is less crime and no load shedding either.  But, this is not the case – especially post Covid.  It is easy to start envying people in other parts of the world.  Europe is great, it has a lot more money than we do and is better equipped to deal with crises such as the recent pandemic, but it is not the utopia many South Africans think it is.  As a First World country, even the US has its own set of challenges.

So, while we may tend to think we don’t have our act together when it comes to solving the country’s most pressing issues, let us take a look at what is going on in some of the countries beyond our borders.

Schools

  • Schools in many parts of Europe are finding it difficult to cope with the influx of children from war-torn countries who are traumatised and cannot speak the language.  While teachers and staff are doing their best to integrate these children, local children are overlooked. 

Healthcare

  • The healthcare system in Sweden, for example, is not working very well.  People who are already paying high taxes are having to take out private medical insurance at great expense since the wait time to see a doctor is way too long, to see a specialist is even longer and one can wait years to have surgery. 

Public Transport

  • Due to staff being retrenched during Covid, the trains in Sweden are over-filled, often late or don’t run at all since many workers have not been re-hired.

Food and Accommodation

  • In Montmartre, Paris, apartments are hugely expensive yet incredibly small, with some dwellings a mere 25 square metres in size.  To call them compact would be an understatement.  With everything in miniature, using the toilet can be like climbing into a cupboard.  While landmarks like the Eiffel Tower make Paris seem quite magical, food is exceptionally expensive and in South Africa, the French family owned bakery and restaurant Paul, serves patisseries as good if not cheaper than any Parisienne cuisine.

Power Outages

  • According to CNN, power outages in the US are on the rise due to worsening bouts of extreme weather caused by climate crisis and increased demand for electricity as the country’s energy infrastructure ages and becomes more vulnerable.  Energy experts in the US warn that their power grid is not designed to withstand the impacts of climate change.  Researchers revealed that power outages in the US in the past 10 years have increased by 64% as compared to the previous decade. This has necessitated the implementation of ‘Brownouts’. A brownout is caused by high electricity demand that is beyond a utility’s production capacity. When this happens, the utility may therefore reduce the flow of electricity to certain areas to prevent a blackout.

A quick snapshot of what is going on in other countries also reminds us that in spite of economic challenges, and the stress of load shedding, we are not completely powerless in South Africa since there are so many positives about our country that, compared to other countries around the world, simply cannot be ignored.

Some of South Africa’s beaches are simply breathtaking

From fashionable Camps Bay to Boulders Beach with its colony of endangered African penguins, arguably, Cape Town has the best urban beaches in the world.  And all the way along the KZN Indian Ocean coastline, there are long stretches of soft sand churned by waves that become warmer the further north you go.

South African food and wine is simply splendid

While Johannesburg is not far behind, Cape Town is still South Africa’s oldest ‘foodie’ destination.  Both cities boast all types of flavours, from great coffee, and craft beer and fabulous restaurants that combine international trends with local flavours served with a huge dose of South African hospitality.  From KWV to Fairview Estate, the Cape Winelands produce award-winning wines and boast some of the world’s finest cuisine.

In South Africa, we need never wonder whether the weather will be good

If you are ever in any doubt whether to wonder about the weather in South Africa, it is worth remembering that Durban, Ballito and the beaches of the KZN Coast average over 300 days of sunshine per year.  South Africa is infinitely blessed with a temperate climate that offers spectacular summers and mild winters and even the rainy season over the Kruger is ultimately quite sunny with rainfall consisting of late afternoon, short-lived thundershowers.

A culture of friendliness

People from other countries who visit South Africa often remark how friendly South Africans are.  We are a melting pot of one nation comprising many fascinating cultures that delight and enthuse at every turn.  So, enjoy the many great things that we have in our beautiful country as you drive past Nelson Mandela’s house in Houghton and walk in the footsteps of our history in Soweto.

Keep searching for the spirit of the great heart

In true South African spirit and echoing the words of the late Johnny Clegg, let’s keep searching for the spirit of the great heart.

“I’m searching for the spirit of the great heart
To hold and stand me by
I’m searching for the spirit of the great heart
Under African sky”

Reference sources: CNN|SApeople.com

Courses for Managers

Managers need to  organize and oversee  an organization, project or sector within a business to achieve company goals.

How to Benefit From Managers Training ?

In order for a business to succeed you need high motivated and effective managers and leaders. Investment in management training is a key driver for business growth. See how management training can address key company objectives:

Manager courses can address key company objectives including:

Whatever your objectives are BOTI, a top SA Corporate Training Company, can assist you as we have over 400 Courses. Tell us what you want to achieve and we will tailor a course around your needs.

BOTI offer 400 courses (SETA Accredited if required) that can be held at your venue or at one of our venue. Our Aim is for you to achieve your company objectives.

Testimonials

Maxion Wheels – various interventions on Improving Efficiency (Six Sigma)   2021/2022

“Six Sigma was Concise Lively and Informative” ….“Very Informative, Systematic Approach”

Seaton Leather – various initiatives on Improving Efficiency (Six Sigma) – 2018

“From my side everything went well”…“Learning how to improve the process and avoid waste as much as we can”

Amanda Cunningham – Endeavour, Gold Mining

‘I gained better insight and understanding of Excel and am more comfortable operating the app.  I learnt formulas, pivot tables and consolidating.  The course was relaxed and informative.’

Bianca Steytler – Meridian Agrochemical Company (Pty) Ltd

‘I learnt a lot of new formulas and tricks to automate processes.  What went well for me was hands-on learning with examples from our own work put into perspective.  The best thing about this course was formulas and actual examples to practice on.’

Kelly-anne Smith – Meridian Agrochemical Company (Pty) Ltd

‘What went well for me was the use of formulas and pivot tables and I now have more knowledge on how to use Excel better.’

Katrien de Ridder – Meridian Agrochemical Company (Pty) Ltd

‘I learned new skills regarding formulas, functions and pivot tables..

Diederick Klopper – Meridian Agrochemical Company (Pty) Ltd

‘I can now easily set up my data into Excel.’

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Let’s dance the last dance – New Normal leadership is at a different frequency and dances to a whole new rhythm

The changes to the business landscape and the ushering in of the New Normal and hence, the New World of Work, present a whole host of opportunities for organisations to develop a culture of innovation and inclusion whereby all employees are engaged.  This new window of opportunity that has opened in the world of work can only be maximised to its full potential if leaders are equipped with the necessary skills.

Recent global research indicators point towards the fact that the top three leadership traits that will see organisations successfully navigating the New Normal are:

  • Adapting to change
  • Innovation
  • Collaboration

Adapting to Change

According to the recent Deloitte European Workforce Survey, 40% of employees experienced difficulties in adapting to changes in the workplace brought on by the pandemic.

“Change is the only constant in life.  One’s ability to adapt to those changes will determine your success in life.” 

                                                                                                  Benjamin Franklin

But, while change may be an intimidating reality, in truth, it is an inevitability.  Since, companies will either adapt to change and survive, or resist change at the risk of becoming obsolete.  While adaptability in the workplace has become ever more important for employers, adapting to change does not come easy to everyone since people react to change in different ways.  When change management is not handled effectively it can cause a whole host of emotional reactions from slight discomfort to extreme panic or fear.

Strategies for coping with change

  • Take into account the positive aspects of change
  • Prepare for imminent change
  • Embrace change
  • Adjust your mindset to incorporate a new perspective
  • Set new goals under the new circumstances
  • Communicate any concerns you may have
  • Focus on those things that are within your realms of control
  • Make notes around what you perceive as the worst-case scenario
  • Above all, give yourself a break and relax

Innovation

Innovative leadership is primarily concerned with improving the longevity of a business and innovative leaders are those that make every effort to enhance existing business models to include large-scale changes that help the business to adapt and improve.  Innovative leaders use research as well as practical experience to help businesses transition to the next level. 

Innovative leaders therefore help to ensure that a company does better than their competitors by applying time, energy, and resources in the development of more efficient and effective methods of operation.  This can include implementing changes at all operational levels, from experimenting with and implementing new technologies to investing in upskilling employees.  Innovative leaders are those who are willing to be brave in the execution of implementing changes on behalf of the company that result in outstripping their competitors.

Characteristics of Innovative Leaders

Most innovative leader share some of the following common characteristics:

  • Strategic
  • Customer focussed
  • Create a culture of trust
  • Focussed on organisational health
  • Geared towards employee satisfaction

Collaboration

Collaborative leadership is a management practice that seeks to bring staff, managers and executives out of their silos to work together in pursuit of common company goals.  In a collaborative setting the sharing of information is organic with each individual taking responsibility for the whole.  Collaborative leadership greatly differs from top-down organisational models whereby a small executive team is responsible for the dissemination of information. 

According to Harvard Business Review, collaborative leaders constantly seek a diversity of ideas and opinions from their team members to solve problems and build strategies.  This has the resulting effect of making employees feel more engaged and trusted and in this respect employees are more likely to take ownership for their work.

In fostering a collaborative culture, let the empathetic leader take the stage

Research the world over points to the fact that empathy is a critical characteristic that today’s leaders must embrace in a collaborative culture, since the ability to connect with and understand various perspectives has risen to the surface in the wake of the New Normal.  The pandemic radically changed the relationship between employers and their employees as well as between managers and their reports.  And those leaders who emerge as empathetic, who use their emotional intelligence skills to guide them, connect with people at a different level.  This makes a world of difference in terms of positively engaging with employees and keeping them motivated, especially when staff are working in a hybrid setting or remotely.

To be empathetic as a leader involves how one listens as well as how one acts.  An empathetic leader is not demanding, instead they encourage their teams and colleagues to join them in their quest.  In the post-pandemic scenario, those leaders who are empathetic are the ones who will maximise the latent potentials within their teams and get the most out of them. 

Reference sources: Indeed.com|Slack.com

Staff Training & Development

How to Benefit From Corporate Training ?

So you want to  train and develop your staff. Why do you want to do this? is it to

  • Improve Sales
  • Increase Staff Motivation
  • Get BBEE Points
  • Help You get tax incentives
  • Reduce Waste & Costs
  • Uplift Staff
  • Improve Efficiency  (time management or performance management, excel training)
  • Reduce Staff Stress Levels
  • Know where you filed things?
  • Keep control over assets?
  • Train New Staff?
  • Reduce Risk?
  • Improve Computer Skills (eg excel)?
  • Achieve KPIs (performance management)?
  • Improve Customer Service

Whatever your objectives are BOTI, a top SA Corporate Training Company, can assist you as we have over 400 Courses. Tell us what you want to achieve and we will tailor a course around your needs.

BOTI offer 400 courses (SETA Accredited if required) that can be held at your venue or at one of our venue. Our Aim is for you to achieve your company objectives.

Testimonials

Maxion Wheels – various interventions on Improving Efficiency (Six Sigma)   2021/2022

“Six Sigma was Concise Lively and Informative” ….“Very Informative, Systematic Approach”

Seaton Leather – various initiatives on Improving Efficiency (Six Sigma) – 2018

“From my side everything went well”…“Learning how to improve the process and avoid waste as much as we can”

Amanda Cunningham – Endeavour, Gold Mining

‘I gained better insight and understanding of Excel and am more comfortable operating the app.  I learnt formulas, pivot tables and consolidating.  The course was relaxed and informative.’

Bianca Steytler – Meridian Agrochemical Company (Pty) Ltd

‘I learnt a lot of new formulas and tricks to automate processes.  What went well for me was hands-on learning with examples from our own work put into perspective.  The best thing about this course was formulas and actual examples to practice on.’

Kelly-anne Smith – Meridian Agrochemical Company (Pty) Ltd

‘What went well for me was the use of formulas and pivot tables and I now have more knowledge on how to use Excel better.’

Katrien de Ridder – Meridian Agrochemical Company (Pty) Ltd

‘I learned new skills regarding formulas, functions and pivot tables..

Diederick Klopper – Meridian Agrochemical Company (Pty) Ltd

‘I can now easily set up my data into Excel.’

Please Phone Us Now To Speak to One of Our Friendly Consultants to Design Courses around your objectives

Tel:011-882-8853

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The importance of Computer Literacy in the workplace

Why is computer literacy a vital skill in today’s world?

Computers are everywhere, and in our digital world, becoming computer literate is not negotiable.  From the chip that powers your smartphone to social media applications and email software, computers permeate every aspect of our daily lives.  And since we are living side by side with information technology, understanding the nuts and bolts of what drives these technologies and learning how to use them will enable you to better manage your personal affairs and enhance your career.   And as new technologies constantly deploy into the workplace at an exponential rate, arming yourself with the right digital skills is important for the following main reasons.

  • Computer literacy is a foundational advantage

Even basic computer literacy skills will enable you to better perform in the workplace.  You can carry out essential computer-related tasks in any job from the outset.  This foundation will also give you a foot in the door in terms of allowing you to quickly grasp any company-specific programs and software.  This also means that any company you work for will spend fewer resources on training you in basic concepts and instead you will move straight into more advanced applications.

  • Improved computer literacy means increased productivity and efficiency

Technology offers a variety of solutions in the workplace and even more so where enhanced productivity and efficiency comes into play.  For instance, more tasks can be tackled in less time, and job efficiency is improved through enhanced workflow processes, thereby freeing up resources to focus on other priorities and tasks.

  • Computer literacy improves communication

Those who are computer literate are better equipped to connect with people across the globe almost instantly and keep abreast of current events in real-time.  An understanding of computer programs and applications such as email service providers and search engines like Google and Yahoo helps to streamline communication.  Internal communication is enhanced through document sharing and meetings can be held virtually using platforms such as Teams and Zoom. 

Examples of computer literacy skills

Basic Computer Skills

If working on a computer is completely unfamiliar to you, you will first need to acquire basic computer skills such as how to power a computer on and off, use a mouse, type, and learn simple commands.  Upon mastering the basics, you will be ready to move on to learning different programs and software.

Proficiency with Operating Systems

Every computer uses an operating system.  An operating system is a framework that enables the computer to manage key functions.  Most organisations use Windows but others also use MacOS which is the computer operating system for Apple desktops and laptops.

Operating knowledge of productivity suites

An operating knowledge of office productivity suites is a vital skill.  An office productivity suite consists of a collection of software programs that offer spreadsheet, word processing, and presentation tools.  The most popular office productivity suites are:

  • Microsoft Office, which operates via Windows
  • GSuite, which is a cloud or Internet-based suite
  • iWork, which operates via macOS

Within each productivity suite, the commonly used programs are:

  • Word processing programs such as Microsoft Word, Mac Pages and Google Docs
  • Spreadsheet programs such as Microsoft Excel, Mac Numbers and Google Sheets
  • Presentation programs such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Mac Keynote and Google slides

Proficiency with email and communication programs

Since effective communication is essential to every organisation, a critical skill to develop in the workplace is an understanding of how to use email platforms such as Microsoft Outlook and other applicable communication programs.  Email is necessary to communicate information to customers as well as employees.  Other programs enable connection such as video conferencing programs like Teams and Zoom.

A working knowledge of search engines

Search engines are used to access the world wide web.  Skill in using a search engine is vital for most employees since it provides the means to independently conduct research.  Proficiency in this area includes the ability to search using appropriate keywords or phrases.

Social media skills

Social media skills are especially important to those who fulfil a marketing function.  Platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and TikTok are used extensively to post content and advertising. 

Computer literacy increases your chances of getting that dream job

There is no doubt that in the digital age that we are living in, computer literacy skills provide better job opportunities for everyone.  Most employers will seek candidates who are computer literate.  When drafting your CV, it is vitally important to highlight your level of computer literacy and knowledge of the various programs, platforms and different types of software.  In so doing, you will improve your chances of getting that dream job.

Reference sources: Indeed.com

Answer your calling and achieve call centre customer service excellence

In a nutshell, a call centre can be seen as a continuous link between a business and its customers.  It is also a high visibility platform for meeting and exceeding customer expectations.  The modern call centre is no longer only a facility for answering calls, it has more importantly become a powerful tool to engage with customers, resolve queries and boost sales.

To gain a broader understanding of what value customer service in a call centre means to business, it is vital to grasp how managing each communication channel is currently the focus of call centre agents as far as customers are concerned.  Hence, more call centres these days not only focus on customer service but also fulfil a customer relationship management function.  Over and above regular phone calls, to enhance the customer experience, they also engage in other customer touchpoints such as social media, email and web chat systems.

What does customer service in a call centre entail?

Customer service should be a key driver of every business.  The purpose of a call centre is to be consistently available to serve and guide customers through the various stages of the purchasing cycle and ensure a seamless brand experience.

Businesses that make use of call centres navigate an easier path towards improving customer communication and this is usually demonstrated by a positive impact on the company’s bottom line.  Yet, the ultimate goal of customer service within a call centre is to enhance customer relationships and instantly solve customer issues and queries.  And for a number of businesses the call centre is the perfect tool to reinforce customer retention, present loyalty programs, generate leads and drive sales.  The call centre is also the ideal platform for gathering market research and leveraging customer data for better customer engagement.  

How call centres positively impact customer service

Here are some of the numerous ways by which call centres positively impact service.

  • Call centres can remain open 24×7

Most call centres have the capacity to remain open around the clock.  This enables customers to reach the business any time of the day or night and provides customers with a reliable and easily accessible instant port of call.

  • A fully-operational call centre provides a platform for quality customer communication

Due to increasing call volumes most businesses are simply not able to deliver quality customer service without the aid of a call centre.  Hence, a fully-operational call centre not only enables a consistent customer communication flow but also adds more value to the business by providing a dedicated customer engagement platform.

  • A company with a dedicated call centre is perceived as more reliable

A company that has a dedicated call centre in place is often perceived as more reliable since customers can engage with the business at any time whether it be to resolve queries, make sales enquires or for any other particular reason.

  • A call centre is an ideal platform for lead generation

A call centre provides the ideal platform for lead generation and driving sales as it is an effective tool for engaging customers.

Tips on how to achieve customer service excellence when operating a call centre

Customer service improves tremendously when call centre representatives are knowledgeable and experienced.  Hence, ensure that your call centre is equipped with highly-trained and experienced call centre agents who can handle difficult customers queries as well as difficult customers themselves.  Here are a few tips on how to achieve customer service excellence when operating a call centre.

Know your target audience and understand their needs

Customer service excellence can only be achieved with an in-depth understanding of the target audience and an accurate interpretation of customer needs.

Actively listen to your customers

When customers make the effort to contact the call centre they expect to be heard and understood.  They count on the fact that the call centre representative will listen to what they have to say and take appropriate measures to resolve the issue at hand.  The art of active listening will go a long way towards keeping customers engaged with emphasis placed on showing genuine interest in the problem and concern towards customer needs.

Keep call hold time to a minimum

For most people, when contacting a call centre, there is nothing more frustrating than being kept on hold for long periods of time.  The more hold time a customer has to endure the more irritated they will become.  One of the main areas of focus for every call centre agent should be to keep customer hold time to an absolute minimum.

Make efficient call routing a top priority

In customer service, the role of efficient call routing should be a top priority.  Call centre agents that understand this often deliver a better quality service since customer service representatives that are good at routing calls to the right departments improve overall response times and enhance the customer’s experience with your brand.

Track metrics and collect relevant data

Delivering a high level of customer service is never achieved by accident.  It relies on detailed planning as well as the effective use of analytics.  Call centre representatives should track metrics and collect relevant customer data on a daily basis so as to become more aware of trending customer expectations.

Request feedback from customers

Requesting feedback from customers helps to measure satisfaction levels as well as identify how customers feel towards the ways in which their problems are solved.  Requesting customer feedback is also vitally important for the following reasons:

  • 91% of dissatisfied customers will not readily do business with you in the future.
  • 70% of purchasing experiences are based on how customers feel they are treated.
  • 70% of customers will return if their problems are resolved.

Reference sources: revechat.com

Load Shedding Training

Beating the dark and staying productive during load shedding

Due to permanent load shedding, South Africans have reached a point where everyone is literally fed up with being constantly left in the dark.  And, over the past year, we have gone from wearing masks to using thermos flasks.  Yet, despite growing frustrations and exacerbating disruptions caused by recurring power outages on a daily basis; with no sign of relief in sight, the reality is that load shedding has now become a permanent feature of the South African way of life.

Especially in a world driven by technology, and with a consistent loss of power often several times a day, it is difficult to cope when you are trying your best to get your work done.  But, power loss doesn’t always have to mean a total loss of productivity or that one needs to shut one’s doors.   Alternatives can be put in place to beat the hours of darkness and there are ways to use dark downtime constructively.

Course Outline

Day 1

Alternative power supplies

  • Inverter
  • Gas
  • Solar Power
  • UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) devices

Staying up and running

  • Planning around the load shedding schedules
  • Staying connected: keeping the Internet running during load shedding
  • Keeping your WiFi running during load shedding
  • Using a mobile WiFi dongle (MiFi)
  • Implementing cloud-based technologies
  • Backing up your data
  • Working remotely during load shedding
  • ‘Load shedding hopping’
  • Employee shift work around the load shedding schedules

Day 2

Managing and adapting to change

  • Stress Management
  • Time Management
  • Anger Management
  • Plan your work – work your plan
  • Keeping people motivated and keeping employee morale high during load shedding
  • Mental health tips for keeping calm during load shedding

Trouble Shooting

  • Dealing with loss of planning when load shedding schedules keep changing
  • Preventing damage to equipment due to power surges
  • Dealing with security issues: digital security systems and firewalls
  • Keeping batteries charged
  • Dealing with heavy traffic

Course duration

2 days

Who is this course suitable for?

This course is suitable for anyone that is interested in maximising their potentials during load shedding.

In the New World of Work, good presentation skills will take you very far indeed

In the workplace, fewer things are more frightening than delivering a presentation.  Yet, by the same token, in the New World of Work, fewer things are as vital, since good presentation skills are a critical success factor both for personal and business success. 

Forbes Magazine research reveals that for the average person, the number one fear is public speaking.  Among other things, stage fright can be caused by the fear of making mistakes and feelings of humiliation as a result.  But, while not everyone is a natural at taking to the stage, these challenges can be overcome.  Here are some effective techniques to get you started.

Set the tone with the audience at the outset

Before you even begin, set the tone with the audience.  Do a welcome and introduction and put house rules in place.  House rules help to regulate the flow of the presentation. House rules can therefore involve such things as when to take a break and how to minimise disruptions. Ask your audience members to switch off their cell phones and put their laptops away.   If your presentation is long, inform your audience of the times you have set in place to take a recess for refreshments and body breaks.  A Q&A session should only be held only once the presentation is over. Since, allowing the audience to raise questions during the presentation can waste time and disrupt the timing and flow of your presentation.

Preparation is key

Good preparation is key to delivering your presentation clearly and with confidence.  Ensure that you have thoroughly researched any facts and figures beforehand and don’t be afraid to revise your work if need be.  Do a dry run ahead of time and rehearse your presentation out loud at least three times.  This will help you establish your ‘flow’.

Quickly capture your audience’s attention

Start every presentation by giving your audience a reason to listen.  You only have a 45-second window to grab your audience’s attention so make the most of it.  A clever icebreaker in the form of a quote, startling statement or question is a great way to rapidly engage your audience.  Avoid using humour unless you know your audience.  Not everyone sees life’s ironies in the same way. 

Avoid ‘death by PowerPoint’

A good presenter will use their own notes as prompts to keep on track.  Conversely, a bad presenter will only ‘talk to their slides’.   This is where ‘death by PowerPoint’ comes into play.  Typically, this happens when someone proceeds to read 40 slides out loud from a PowerPoint presentation that is so graphic intense and cluttered, and laden with so much text that the audience is left completely overwhelmed and confused.

Be authentic

It is important to remember that when on stage, the more you try to act like someone you are not, the more your audience will see right through you.  So, be genuine, and use gestures that reflect what you are feeling to help convey those sentiments that you can bring to life in front of your audience.  The more you can be yourself, the more confident you will come across and in this manner, you will better connect with your audience.

Remember that ‘Ums’ and ‘ahs’ have a purpose

The seemingly meaningless sounds that we make to fill a gap in speaking while we pause to think such as ‘ums’ and ‘ahs’ are called ‘fillers’.  Essentially, fillers are voiced when our brain stops our mouth from talking so that we can think for a moment.  Everyone uses fillers.  The most noticeable effect on the audience when using fillers is to demonstrate that the presenter is human too, which is another form of authenticity. Often, when a presenter is feeling nervous and fearful the brain suffers a lack of oxygen and the recall of information is not clear.  This is also when fillers are spoken or ‘pauses’ in the speech take place.  Pauses can be a good thing since they also give the audience time to process information. 

Last but not least – save the Q & A session for last

Once your presentation is complete, you may want to open the floor for discussion and run a Q&A session.  Even if you are completely familiar with the subject matter of your presentation, there will always be that one person who puts up their hand and asks a question that you don’t know the answer to.  When this happens and you are literally lost for words, there are three things you can do:

  • Ask the person framing the question to repeat the question.  This will give your brain time to formulate or find the answer.
  • Pose the question to the group.  Simply say:  “good question.  Let’s open it up to the group.  Does anyone in the audience know the answer?  If so, please share it with the group.”  This technique will stimulate audience discussion and briefly take you out of the spotlight, once again, giving you more time to prepare a suitable response.
  • Say to the audience:  “this is a very good question so, let’s park it for now and save it for last.”  Once again, this will give you time to come up with an appropriate answer.

While giving a presentation can often seem like a daunting task, with preparation and practice the art of good presentation skills can be mastered.  Knowledge, passion for and enthusiasm around the subject matter is key, so ensure that you are well-informed and your audience will be more attentive and engaged.  Mastering the art of good presentation skills can unleash many career opportunities, so, don’t be afraid to take to the stage.

Reference sources: careerwise.com

How to develop a change management framework to manage the winds of change

Change is part of life, it is natural, normal and positive change leads to great progress. Yet, in the wake of the winds of change blowing across the landscape of our lives, It is never easy to pick up from where we left off before the change hit. But, it can be easier to manage the impact of change when one has a dedicated change management framework in place.  

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus is quoted to have said:  “Change is the only constant in life”.  Taken a step further, Charles Darwin notes that:  “It is not the strongest of the species that survives.  It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” 

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives.  It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”  – Charles Darwin

In business, change is most definitely a constant that the movers and shakers of the world rely on to create new opportunities for growth.  Hence, the positive aspects of change bring new ideas and new approaches to the way things are done. 

Let’s take a brief look at some of the global events that have brought lasting change over the past three years:

  • Pandemic-related changes in shopping behaviour with a skew towards online shopping forever change consumer businesses.
  • With the arrival of the pandemic and the global shift towards remote and hybrid work, the future of work arrives ahead of schedule.
  • The pandemic triggers innovations that unleash a new generation of entrepreneurs.
  • Accelerated use of technology, digitisation, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) are shifting and changing the world of work as we know it.

What exactly is Change Management?

Simply put, change management is the process used in business to manage systems, structures and processes during times of transition.  Irrespective of whether a company is planning for change or whether change has occurred due to an unexpected challenge such as the pandemic, a change management framework can help organisations better adapt to and manage the implications of change. 

Those companies that use a defined set of principles and guidelines in dealing with organisational change are in a better position to cope with the resulting challenges, especially in the face of unprecedented change.   A recent Forbes Insights and PMI survey reveals that at least 85% of more than 500 executive respondents stated that change management is critical to success during times of change as opposed to expecting that employees will automatically respond well to the change. 

Furthermore, Forbes Insights findings also reveal that at least 38% of respondents stated that their employees are considerably threatened by change.  It is therefore abundantly clear that the fear of change among employees is very real indeed and should be properly managed and effectively addressed.  Most change management approaches take these factors into account.  When developing a framework for managing change there are many issues to tackle and the following principles can serve as a basic guideline to get you started.

Ascertain the nature of the problem

Most often, change happens when one least expects it to, which means that, ultimately, we have no choice but to adapt.  It is therefore critical that when a problem occurs, the crux of how and why it happened must first be established, and then steps need to be put in place to determine how it should be solved.  While certain changes are planned, such as introducing new technologies, launching new product innovations or embarking on a transformation process, the nature of the change must first be understood before it can be effectively managed.

Champion change through company culture

The way that organisational employees interact with one another is determined by company culture.  By its very nature, change not only interferes with daily workflow processes and business operations but also disrupts the social status quo.  During times of transition, leaders should therefore take company culture into consideration when dealing with resistance.  Companies that champion change through culture are also more successful in terms of ensuring that everyone in the organisation is aligned.

Unify upper-level executives

Starting from the top, that is, upper-level executives, an organisation is only as effective as the sum of its employees.  Therefore, all senior leaders within the organisation should form a united front to succinctly disseminate the same information to junior and lower-level employees and ensure that everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet.

Involve staff at every level

Change causes a shake-up that ripples throughout the entire organisation, affecting each employee in one way or another.  When mid-level employees are involved in the change management process from the outset this creates opportunities for employees to voice any fears or concerns.  This approach also provides a platform for them to share any process challenges or technical or logistical problems that may help to resolve any issues involved with the change.

Bring change agents on board

Informal leaders or people with influence in the organisation can act as change agents and greatly assist organisational leaders to advocate and propel change and get all employees involved.  Such people are usually those expert individuals with a reputation for leading by example and who have already won the trust of other employees.  Organisational leadership, along with resident change agents, can help to integrate teams and ease fears.

Develop a new set of critical behaviours

In the wake of change, employee behaviours will not automatically change overnight.  In this regard, it is important to develop a new set of critical behaviours for employees to work towards at the outset.  Since old habits die hard, new ways of doing things should be introduced immediately to enable a seamless transition.  Such can be rolled out through training and regular meetings with managers in small groups so as to communicate the implications of the change and draft new employee expectations.

Maintaining a healthy outlook towards change

Change can be disruptive, and often a frightening experience for some people.  Yet, when an organisation has a sound change management strategy in place to deal with unprecedented change such can also be used as a strategic tool to help re-evaluate and redefine organisational goals.  It can further be used as a means to improve business overall and explore how employees can help the organisation to grow.   

Strategies for coping with change

If you are struggling to cope with change, these simple strategies can help you to maintain a positive outlook.

Stick to your routines

As everything changes around you, keeping to structured routines can give you something to hold on to.  Your regular morning routine of getting up at the same time each day and eating a good breakfast can help your emotional and mental well-being during times of uncertainty.

Change your perspective

The way you perceive change can determine how you cope with change.  Negative perceptions can make it difficult to focus on positive aspects and negative self-talk can significantly diminish your sense of well-being.  In gaining a healthy perspective around change, remind yourself that change brings growth, new ideas and new ways of doing things that can often lead to better outcomes.  Without change, there would be no progress in life.

Surround yourself with people who lift your spirits

During times of change, it is normal to feel a little vulnerable and at this point instead of having people around you who are negative and drain your energy, it is important to surround yourself with those individuals within your support system who can provide positive moral support and literally lift your spirits. 

Above all, be kind to yourself

Taking time out to relax or do the things you love to do can bring a little more joy into your life when everything seems to have been turned upside down.  Planning to do the things you love to do will give you something to look forward to and help you to better navigate each day. 

Reference sources: voltagecontrol.com | Mckinsey.com | psychcentral.com

New Normal leaders need to develop these key traits

The changes to the business landscape and the ushering in of the New Normal and hence, the New World of Work, present a whole host of opportunities for organisations to develop a culture of innovation and inclusion whereby all employees are engaged.  This new window of opportunity that has opened up on the world of work can only be maximised to full potential if leaders are equipped with the necessary skills.

Recent global research indicators point towards the fact that the top three leadership traits that will get us through this post-pandemic New Normal are:

  • Adapting to change
  • Innovation
  • Collaboration

Adapting to Change

According to the recent Deloitte European Workforce Survey, 40% of employees experienced difficulties in adapting to changes in the workplace brought on by the pandemic.

“Change is the only constant in life.  One’s ability to adapt to those changes will determine your success in life.” 

                                                                                                  Benjamin Franklin

But, while change may be intimidating, in truth, it is an inevitable part of life.  In order to survive, organisations must either adapt to change or run the risk of going out of business.  While the ability to adapt to change is critical in the New World of Work, dealing with change is not a skill that everyone is comfortable with.  Since everyone reacts differently to change, many people find that when change is not managed effectively it can trigger a wide range of emotional responses, from minor discomfort to intense fear or panic. 

Strategies for adapting to change

  • Accept that change has happened
  • Remain positive
  • Seek a fresh perspective
  • Focus on those things you can control as opposed to what is out of your control
  • Put new goals in place
  • Maintain connection with co-workers and direct reports

Innovation

Innovative leadership involves the use of innovation and creativity when managing people and projects.  Leaders who are innovative motivate people by using novel and different approaches and often challenge the status quo.  In times of uncertainty, such as the recent pandemic, the ability to innovate is critical to business survival.  Peter Drucker is noted to have coined the phrase:  “innovate or die”.  This holds true in light of the current business climate in that if you don’t stay ahead of the pace of change you will go out of business.

Collaboration

Collaborative leadership is a management function whereby everyone is involved in decision making.  Collaborative leadership is the opposite to the traditional top-down hierarchical style of leadership that no longer fits in with today’s purpose-driven workplace. 

The New Normal requires collaboration and inclusion at every level, which, in turn, requires a new model of leadership.  Remote and hybrid work are now the norm and online collaboration tools have bridged the gap between leaders, employees, teams and functions.  With collaborative leadership everyone has a role in creating impact and all employees understand the part they play within the larger context which enables them to feel that the work they do is significant and meaningful.  When people feel valued and included they are more likely to be more engaged and motivated to perform at their best.

The writing’s on the wall – Find out why there’s no instant recipe for good business communication

There is no doubt that the pandemic both tested and transformed business communication as we know it – from integrating new communication software like Teams and Zoom to becoming an ‘instant soup’ email writer in a New World of Work, where remote and hybrid working rule the order of the day.   How we communicate in the workplace as well as in our personal lives, will never be the same again.

With remote working, hybrid working, and flexible working, traditional ways of communicating have become obsolete, and people have been forced to adapt to the shifts that have taken place.  This means that more so now than ever, getting your message across succinctly is a vital skill, especially when your target audience’s time is limited.  And this has become a critical factor since a simple spelling mistake, typographical error or grammatical faux pas can give the impression that you haven’t put in the necessary effort. The truth is that in the New World of Work technology has made a writer out of just about everyone and writing is a visible skill that is a direct reflection of your level of professionalism.

The writing’s on the wall

Yet, not everyone is an expert. And there is no instant recipe for good business communication. While technology and social media have provided us with instant communication and publishing platforms of every description, using a ‘Just add water and stir’ approach can often do more harm than good. In essence, while new communication technologies make things easier, there are certain guidelines that need to be followed to ensure that you are communicating effectively when your writing is literally on the wall for everyone to see.

Don’t make these common ‘comma’ errors

The importance of the correct use of punctuation and grammar cannot be over-stated. Often, incorrectly punctuated sentences can convey an entirely distorted meaning. Here are some examples:

The intended meaning of the following sentence is to illustrate the importance of a woman in a man’s life. The punctuation in sentence a) conveys the opposite meaning with the inappropriate placement of the comma. Sentence b) is the correct way to punctuate this sentence to convey the intended meaning. The same words punctuated differently convey completely different meanings.

  • a) A woman, without her man, is nothing.
  • b) A woman, without her, man is nothing.

The intended meaning of the following sentence is to invite Grandma to dinner. However, using no punctuation in sentence a) suggests that one would like to eat Grandma! The correct placement of the comma in sentence b) alters the meaning entirely and conveys the correct sentiment.

  • a) Let’s eat Grandma.
  • b) Let’s eat, Grandma

The intended meaning of the following sentence is to convey the message that people who are travelling often worry about their luggage. The correct placement of the comma in sentence a) conveys this message clearly. However, the incorrect placement of the comma in sentence b) shifts the meaning of the sentence entirely and conveys the message that people who are time travellers often worry about their luggage. Hence, the meaning of sentence b), with the incorrect placement of the comma, is suddenly changed from something ordinary into a scenario from a science fiction book involving time travel.

  • a) Most of the time, travellers worry about their luggage.
  • b) Most of the time travellers worry about their luggage.

Stick to the 7 C’s and you won’t go off course

In basic terms, the 7 C’s of Communication is simply a set of principles to follow when writing and speaking to ensure that communications are effective.  Their function is therefore to make sure that those who you are communicating with accurately understand the message you are putting across.  Accordingly, these principles are:

  • Clear
  • Correct
  • Complete
  • Concrete
  • Concise
  • Considered
  • Courteous
  • Technology is the way to go

    Since the pandemic, we are constantly reminded of the important role technology plays in business communication.  Recent statistics reveal that over 80% of employees feel that problems in the workplace are a result of the lack of effective communication.

    In the wake of remote and hybrid working, it is vital that businesses ensure they have the most appropriate communication tools such as live chat software like Zoho Desk and video conferencing tools such as Teams and Zoom to ensure their employees stay connected and remain productive. 

    Keep on keeping on with Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

    Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requires that most individual working professionals in most sectors, including healthcare professionals, engineers, teachers, social workers, architects, and accountants need to comply with a CPD program in one form or another as stipulated by the governing body of their relevant profession. CPD is especially important in the Healthcare industry.

    What is CPD?

    A Continuing Professional Development Program, CPD, is a program designed to help professionals develop their professional and academic skills on an ongoing basis, beyond their initial studies and training.  The CPD process involves evaluating and verifying the learning and development of the professional, which is submitted to and monitored by the governing body to which the professional is affiliated.

    The importance of CPD

    In the wake of new technologies and improved processes, CPD is a learning process that is designed to ensure that professionals continuously update their skills and knowledge so as to continue to provide services of the highest standard and quality to the communities that they serve.  To illustrate the importance of CPD, consider whether you are likely to trust an engineer who qualified 10 years ago and whose knowledge and expertise are not up to speed with the latest trends and technologies to build a high-tech bridge. This single example hits home in demonstrating the importance of Continuing Professional Development.

    Is the CPD Process Compulsory for Professionals?

    The CPD process has been deemed compulsory by the majority of professional governing bodies and in certain cases, the renewal of the professional’s license to practice is contingent upon whether they have met the necessary CPD requirements.  Hence, the main purpose of any CPD program is to uphold public safety and guarantee a high level of service.  A CPD program also safeguards professionals and employers alike in making sure that expertise and knowledge are current and in line with the latest developments in a particular field.

    How does one become CPD Compliant?

    The conditions for compliance differ widely from one professional governing body to another. 

    Each governing body has specific requirements in terms of how CPD points should be obtained.

    Here is a guide to the CPD requirements for each of the main professions.

    Teachers

    South African Council for Educators (SACE)

    Every teacher must earn 150 PD (Professional Development) points every three years. Please visit the following link for more information.

    South African Council for Educators (SACE) 

    Engineers

    Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA)

    Five credits are earned per year in each of the three categories of CPD activities, for a total of 25 credits earned over a five-year period. CPD credits must be earned in at least two of the three categories as stipulated, with at least one credit earned in Category 1. Registered individuals who intend to participate in a Category 1 CPD Activity must ensure that the Activity has been validated and that the credits awarded will be recognised by ECSA. Please visit the following link for more information.

    Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA)

    Accountants

    South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA)

    The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) requires a member to obtain a minimum of 120 CPD hours over a 3-year rolling cycle.  Of these 120 hours 60 hours must be verifiable and a minimum of 20 CPD hours must be attained annually.  Please visit the following link for more information.

    South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA)

    Architects

    South African Institute of Architects (SAIA)

    Registered professionals are generally required to accumulate at least 25 CPD credits in each five year renewal of registration cycle. At least 3 CPD credits must be accumulated in any one year of the cycle and at least 1 Category CPD credit must be earned each year. Please visit the following link for more information.

    South African Institute of Architects (SAIA)

    Lawyers

    Law Society of South Africa (LSSA)

    Attorneys will need to obtain the following credits over a three-year cycle:

    • 72 credits if they have been practising for less than six years;
    • 54 credits if they have been practising for six to 12 years; and
    • 36 credits if they have been practising for more than 12 years.

    Attorneys must obtain a minimum of three credits in every year of the cycle. Please visit the following link for more information.

    Law Society of South Africa (LSSA)

    Health Care Professionals

    Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA)

    Healthcare professionals need to earn 60 CPD points every 24 months. Without the required CPD points, the healthcare practitioner is open to a CPD audit, after which the Professional Board may consider or take appropriate action. Please visit the following link for more information.

    Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA)

    How can professionals benefit from CPD?

    • Ensures that knowledge is kept up-to-date and in line with developing technologies.
    • Enables higher standards of service delivery.
    • Keeps professional credentials current.
    • Opens up greater opportunities for employment.
    • Allows one to better take advantage of new business opportunities.
    • Creates a higher level of professional standing.

    How is CPD calculated?

    Certain professional governing bodies measure CPD compliance using a point system while others calculate CPD hours.  Typically, professionals are required to obtain a specified number of points or hours over a 2/3-year cycle.  For instance, for the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) it is compulsory for healthcare providers to obtain 6 Ethics points and 30 CPD General points every two years.  For example, a standard online course counts for 3 General points.  Hence, a healthcare provider should attend 10 courses each year.

    CPD Hours

    Where certain professional governing bodies measure compliance in hours, for the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), a CPD hour would usually take the form of a 60-minute formal lecture or an online lecture comprising 4 courses of 15 minutes each.

    Does a CPD course require a written exam?

    Apart from those professional governing bodies that make provision for non-verifiable CPDs, the majority of online courses require that one complete a multiple choice questionnaire at the end of the course and one needs to obtain a minimum pass rate of 70%.  For face-to-face training courses, no exam is required and one is merely required to verify attendance by signing an attendance register.

    Short Courses can help you obtain CPD points

    Even if you are an architect or engineer, you might need to upskill yourself in other disciplines, such as business administration, management and leadership or computer skills. Give us a call and we will help you leverage your training to earn the CPD points you need.

    Reference sources: cpdexpress.co.za

    Driving Customer Service Excellence in a digital world

    There is no doubt that as new technologies emerge they will continue to usher in new ways of doing things and delivering beyond expectations where the customer is concerned is no exception. It, therefore, follows that the modern customer experience needs to be achieved by going beyond traditional customer service techniques. 

    Yet, achieving this is by no means simple.  Recent research reveals that at least 67% of customers state that their standards are higher than ever when measuring the customer service experience.  Yet, in the modern era, technology lies at the heart of every customer experience.

    Today’s emerging technologies are therefore driving tomorrow’s customer experiences.  From cloud technology, to augmented reality, to voice assistants and much more, the new ways to connect with customers will continue to grow. These new technologies can also help to engage with difficult customers over various different platforms.

    But, finding the right technologies for your business will allow you to engage with and convert your customers in new ways and will also give your business an edge over competitors who have yet to align technology with the customer experience.  By leading customers to new technologies and tools, and incentivising them to use them, you will find better ways to capture both new customers and retain existing ones.  Here are some of the latest technologies that can be used in conjunction with existing platforms such as Call Centres and Contact Centres.

    Technologies that improve the customer experience

    As new technologies continue to emerge, today’s businesses must find the right digital tools to create a positive customer experience, entrench brand loyalty and drive sales.  Here are some of today’s key technologies that can improve the customer experience.  Chances are you are already using some of them.

    The Cloud

    With new technologies emerging at a rapid rate, the number of available sales channels increases.  Think about the different ways in which consumers can make purchases today.  Such as regular brick-and-mortar shops, phone orders, mobile apps like Uber Eats – there are endless options to choose from.  Most businesses currently use at least eight different channels to engage the customer.  No matter what channels customers prefer to use, brands are able to gather, centralise and manage the data.  More and more organisations are relying on cloud technologies to manage customer interactions, integrating every touchpoint into a central repository.

    Chatbots

    With smartphones and mobile search capabilities, most consumers today have become accustomed to gaining immediate answers to their queries and instant access to web solutions.  Nevertheless, research indicates that as far as online queries go customers are willing to wait up to four hours to gain a response, yet 90% of these queries are not dealt with on time.  This failure to respond has a negative impact on sales conversions, revenue generation and brand reputation and sustainability.  Yet, chatbots, which are an Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered technology designed to engage customers, have rapidly overtaken certain customer service functions since they are able to address customer queries and fulfil the demand for instant customer support.

    Voice Capabilities add value to the customer experience

    Voice capabilities have begun to gain traction in adding value to the customer experience using technologies such as Google Home and Amazon Echo.  In recent years, research shows that at least 31 million people in the United States alone used a smart speaker to shop.  The consumer buying process that is equipped with voice capabilities is a very useful customer tool since it harnesses data and audio feedback to ensure that the customer’s task is simpler and more seamless.  Hence, using voice commands can make for a speedy shopping experience. 

    Smartphones

    The most important technology we have these days that can be leveraged in so many ways for a better customer experience is the smartphone.  From any smartphone a customer can access the cloud, call and send texts via SMS that are answered by chatbots, use VR/AR tools, and shop, educate, inform and interact with customers using voice capabilities.  However, what is also hugely important is that customers want to be assured that their data is secure.  Hence, the smartphone is still the best gateway tool that can be used to shop, research and review products.   

    Let’s welcome the next stage of our evolution – the 5th Industrial Revolution

    A harmonious partnership between humans and machines

    This is the first in a series of articles about the arrival of the 5th Industrial Revolution. At this point in time, the widespread deployment of new technologies into the home, the workplace and in fact, most aspects of our daily lives, is making us more aware that we are living symbiotically with these new technologies. And while it seems as though the world is still grappling to come to grips with the 4th Industrial Revolution, what is not yet apparent to everyone is that we have been catapulted into the next stage of our evolution – the 5th Industrial Revolution.

    Introducing the 5th Industrial Revolution

    Throughout history, each industrial revolution has been built upon the preceding one.  The 1st Industrial Revolution, which involved the introduction of mechanisation and steam engines to replace human labour and horsepower, took place between around 1760 to 1840.  The 2nd Industrial Revolution came about with the arrival of electricity, the production of steel and the development of the internal combustion engine which began in the late 1800s.  The 3rd Industrial Revolution, otherwise known as the ‘Digital Revolution’ began in the 1980s with the widespread introduction of computers, digitisation and the Internet. 

    More recently, the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) began at the start of the 21st Century, ushering in a wave of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, The Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain and Crypto.  While the Covid-19 Pandemic and climate change might once have been thought to have accelerated the adoption of 4IR technologies, it is now clear that the shift that has taken place has moved humanity way beyond 4IR and fast-tracked us into the 5th Industrial Revolution (5IR), which began at the start of the second decade of the 21st Century.

    “When the moon is in the seventh house
    And Jupiter aligns with Mars
    Then peace will guide the planets
    And love will steer the stars.

    This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius.”  Aquarius – The 5th Dimension:  1969

    Fears around automation disappear in the comfort of collaboration

    In October 2018, which is only four years ago, the World Economic Forum (WEF) in their Future of Jobs Report, revealed that the impact of 4IR technologies would both disrupt existing jobs as well as open up new job avenues.  In this report it was further predicted that by 2022 more than 50% of all tasks in the workplace would be handled by machines and algorithms.  This is where we are at.  However, the fears associated with mass automation displacing humans and kicking them out of their jobs, has been rife across the world.  Yet, the flipside to this coin is only emerging now as we move into a new era of understanding.  This ‘new age’, as it were, is not about humans losing their jobs to machines.  Instead, it is about the harmonious partnership, or collaboration between humans and machines.  This is what the 5th Industrial Revolution brings.

    An article on this very subject that was compiled in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF) puts it in this way:

    In contrast to trends in the Fourth Revolution toward dehumanization, technology and innovation best practices are being bent back toward the service of humanity by the champions of the Fifth… In the Fifth Industrial Revolution, humans and machines will dance together, metaphorically.”

    Looking back over the events of the past three decades we can clearly see that the 3rd and 4th Industrial Revolutions were indeed hard on humans and the environment alike.  Preceding generations needed to radically adapt their work processes, habits, and lifestyles according to how the machines function.  With the 5th Industrial Revolution, the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction – the focus is on the well-being of all stakeholders – that is, society at large, businesses, employees, and customers.  Human beings now occupy front and centre stage.  Thus, the 5th Industrial Revolution paves the way for a change in consciousness.  That is an evolution towards leveraging the collaboration between humans and machines to create a better world for us all. Let the sunshine in.

    Keep a look out for our next article on the 5th Industrial Revolution as we enter a new age of consciousness.

    Helen Fenton – Head of Research at Business Optimization Training Institute (BOTI)

    Reference sources: WEF|sciencedirect.com|skillsportal.co.za

    What trends are shaping the future of work?

    Pay attention: the workplace is about to get an extreme makeover

    Trends and styles will forever come and go.  And as fast as fads come in, they are just as quickly replaced when a hot new craze appears on the horizon.  But we are not only talking about the latest hit single or the newest clothing trends.  The expression out with the old and in with the new is now state-of-the-art and is set to grace the corporate catwalks the world over during the next few years as shifts and changes in the way we work give rise to the New world of work.  So, step into your sneakers, or stretch on your leggings, but remember there is no one size fits all.  Let’s welcome the agents of change – the workplace is about to get an extreme makeover.  

    What significant trends are shaping the New World of Work?

    There are major shifts taking place in the world of work, due to underlying structural shifts as well as the residual effects of the pandemic.  As a result, businesses are restructuring their operations to create efficiencies and recruiting staff based on the skills they have to offer as opposed to their latent potentials.

    From a Hustle Culture to “Quiet Quitting”

    “Quiet quitting” is the latest buzzword doing the rounds through the workplace grapevine.  While quiet quitting may sound like it refers to the action of quitting one’s job, what it actually describes is the act of turning against the ‘hustle’ culture of going the extra mile to deliver beyond the expectations of a job.

    Post-pandemic Fallout

    Not only did the pandemic cause major disruptions and restrictions the world over, but it also caused certain people to rethink their career strategies.  In the United States alone, according to the U.S. Bureau of labor Statistics, 71.6 million people quit their jobs between April 2021 and April 2022 in what has become known as the ‘Great Resignation.’ Due to the pandemic-induced economic slowdown, other changes in the world of work are rife across the globe.  For instance, a global shortage of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) skills has led to companies embarking upon programs to upskill and reskill employees in an attempt to bridge the gaps.

    Hard fact: Soft Skills on the Rise

    A recent career survey indicates that many of the top skills that respondents identified as those high on the agenda for upskilling involve ‘soft skills’ such as management and leadership (34%), critical thinking (24%), creativity (24%) and problem-solving (20%).

    Leadership and People Management Course

    What shifts are likely to remain with us in the New World of Work?

    Certain shifts that are influencing the New World of Work predate the pandemic, which leads us to conclude that the pandemic acted merely as a change agent that accelerated the pace of the adoption of new trends based on these shifts.  Yet, despite their origins, there are certain trends that are firmly bedding down and by the looks of things, and at least for the foreseeable future, are here to stay.  So, what are some of these prevailing trends in the New World of Work?

    Companies are restructuring to become more efficient

    Due to industry structure changes as well as disruption of traditional business models, companies the world over are restructuring to make themselves more relevant and achieve greater competitiveness.  This has come about largely due to rapid technological developments involving automation, robotics and AI which are dramatically influencing the types and numbers of available jobs.

    Companies are hiring people based on the types of skills they have

    More businesses are hiring people based on their skills and experience as opposed to potential.  This is linked to strategies that are now more short and medium term based in line with the current economic climate.  Since the skills-based hiring trend began to kick in less people are being hired based on the degrees they have.  In fact, many employers are now doing away with making degrees part of the hiring criteria in favour of skills-based hiring.  Interestingly, only 11% of global business leaders believe that students are graduating with the required competencies.  This means that young people making their way into the world of work should make the most of work-integrated learning in the form of internships and apprenticeship programs so as to develop their skills and acquire the necessary experience.

    Talent Mobility

    The current climate has led to a global scramble for skilled talent which has also given rise to opportunities for workers to move across jobs, industries and countries.  The culture of remote work, powered by digital collaboration technologies fast-tracked by the pandemic has created the opportunity for employees to move across jobs or tackle multiple jobs at the same time.  This also means that a shift to a mindset of career mobility must incorporate the idea that one must develop skills that are transferrable across job categories, which also places the onus on training and development specialists to tailor their skills programs accordingly.

    The decline of the ‘employment contract’ and the rise of the gig economy

    The disappearing employment contract and the emergence of the gig economy is perfectly exemplified by companies like Uber.  Uber has effectively created employment opportunities for millions of drivers worldwide and none of the drivers are bound by an employment contract.  The gig economy, which, simply put is a labour market comprising short-term jobs, contracted or freelance work as opposed to permanent jobs, has made it possible for individuals and companies to gain access to a global talent pool with diverse skills to complete tasks on demand.  However, the flip side to this coin is that it eliminates those structures that lie at the heart of employment security.

    Digital skills for a digital world

    Organisations across all industries and sectors, from manufacturing to media, are evolving into technology businesses.  This has resulted in huge shifts in the world of work.  Employability now revolves around whether people possess the necessary digital skills to operate in a digital workplace.  Hence, the digital workplace is now not an option.  It is now an imperative to move out of the comfort zone and redesign systems and processes to compete in a world dictated by continuous technological advancement.

    Reference sources: techtarget.com|pwc.com|investec.com|world economic forum

    What Are The 4 Most Important Elements Of Negotiation?

    Effective negotiation skills are necessary for every successful business transaction. These include emotional intelligence, which is the ability to control one’s emotions and recognize the emotions of others. This helps to improve situational awareness and foster constructive communication. In negotiation, it is important to avoid entering the process in a negative mood because it will negatively affect the communication style of both sides. Also, entering the negotiation in an aggressive mood will cause the other party to respond in the same manner.

    Preparation

    A successful negotiation process begins with thorough preparation. The parties should list their priorities and make an agreement that will benefit both of them. Clarification is crucial for identifying common ground and removing barriers to a beneficial outcome. A win-win approach is often the best result. A win-win approach is based on mutual positive feelings about the process and the outcome. Negotiation strategies should include both parties feeling good about the process and not being overly partisan.

    Integration

    Integrative negotiation takes many forms. It involves the formation of a relationship between the parties and the creation of value. It often involves more than one issue and opportunities for tradeoffs. In an integrated negotiation, each party receives value from the agreement. For example, the client and company may negotiate for a $900 service, where each side “wins” by getting $100 in return.

    Strategy knowledge

    Everyone approaches negotiation differently. People instinctually default to a specific strategy. However, a skilled negotiator will adapt the strategy to fit the situation. Using different strategies is key to success. Know your strengths and weaknesses. If you know your limitations and weaknesses, you can tailor your discussion to your strengths. That way, you’ll be better prepared for any situation. Try adapting your style to a particular situation if you can’t find a compromise.

    Logic and emotion

    Negotiation requires a balance between logic and emotion. Negotiation requires various people skills regardless of your position in a business transaction. While being assertive and listening to the other party is essential, a balance of emotion and logic is equally important.

    Regardless of the negotiation, you’re involved in, the four most important elements of success are preparation, confidence, and knowledge. Having the right knowledge of issues will increase your participation in the process

    What Are The Five Negotiation Skills?

    Developing effective negotiation skills starts with gaining experience and repetition. Try different negotiation scenarios and practice them in a low-stress environment. You can use negotiation tactics in your daily life, too. You can negotiate your way into getting that salad you want at lunch. Or, you can convince your boss to give you more time to sleep! No matter what kind of negotiation you’re involved in, you’ll need to learn the five essential negotiation skills to be successful.

    Confidence

    As negotiation is a two-way street, your ability to adjust to the personalities of others is key to achieving your goals. You also need to learn to project yourself in a confident and friendly manner. Perhaps the most challenging part of the negotiation process is approaching others and building rapport. Polish your interpersonal skills and learn how to listen and understand other people’s needs. You’ll be glad you did.

    Preparation

    Know what you’re negotiating for. The target point is the goal of the negotiation. You can only reach that goal if you understand what you’re trying to achieve and what you’re willing to compromise on. Be prepared, and you’ll be able to gain respect from your counterparts. If you don’t know the game’s rules, practice negotiating before the meeting to learn what makes it work for you.

    Passiveness

    The passive style is the most difficult to master but often requires the least assertive style. Passive stylers avoid conflict and are more cooperative than assertive. They try to avoid creating tension and focus on establishing a positive relationship. They will often avoid conflict by remaining neutral and objective and focusing on the agreement’s substance. These people usually end up with reasonable satisfaction in the agreement but don’t really focus on winning the argument.

    Communication

    Everyone has a different style of communication. The most effective negotiators know which style works best for them and alternate between them. Negotiation styles are communication patterns used in a negotiation situation to get the desired outcome. These styles include accommodating, avoiding, collaborating, competing, and compromising. Master negotiators know when to use each one and when to use the others.

    Compromise

    Negotiation is about reaching a mutually agreeable agreement. In most cases, negotiations result in a compromise between the two sides. If you can’t compromise, you’ll be unlikely to reach a successful agreement. A good negotiator can get both sides to agree to their terms and reach a common ground. However, it’s crucial to practice to perfect these skills.

    Which Are The Most Important Skills To Negotiate?

    Negotiation is an art. While every person’s skill level will vary, some universal skills exist. Empathy and self-awareness are two of the most important qualities. You should know when your manager displays emotional signs, such as fidgeting in a meeting. It might not be the time to make a non-urgent request. Being emotionally intelligent also means not crying when you don’t get what you want. You should remain positive and stay strong even when the outcome is not what you had hoped.

    Despite these qualities, you should start by learning to identify your limitations and strengths. You can improve only by identifying your weaknesses and addressing them. You should be aware of your weaknesses to develop stronger negotiating skills. It can be difficult to admit your shortcomings, but it can actually help you become more persuasive and effective. If you’re uncomfortable presenting your strengths, practice self-awareness so you can improve on those.

    Building rapport is one of the most important skills in negotiations. Developing rapport with your counterpart can improve your chances of a successful outcome. According to the American Psychological Association, less than 40% of negotiations via email ended in a deal. People genuinely interested in you are more likely to work with you, and that connection will be an advantage in negotiating. It’s also important to remember that your body language affects the conversation’s outcome.

    The most important skill for effective negotiation is effective communication. The best communicators aren’t necessarily the best negotiators, so having excellent listening and speaking skills is crucial to your success. However, you won’t be as successful if you don’t have either of these traits. But some essential elements make a top-notch negotiator. These skills can help you position yourself as an irreplaceable member of your firm.

    Although negotiation can be a complex art, it is a vital skill for any job. In many areas of our lives, we negotiate. For example, an ad salesperson might propose a schedule and advertising budget. Afterwards, the two parties could discuss ways to tweak their plan. Developing strong negotiation skills will benefit employees, managers, colleagues, and the organization. There are many other skills, but these are the most crucial.

    Another skill in negotiations is the ability to think ahead. Effective negotiators know that emotion plays a key role in negotiations. However, they recognize that negative emotions can lead to irrational behavior and even break the negotiation. Positive emotions, on the other hand, will lead to positive behavior and increase the chances of resolving. In addition to patience, the ability to communicate positive emotions is a crucial aspect of effective negotiation.

    Types of Negotiation Skills

    There are several types of negotiation skills, but each style focuses on a particular goal. The first type of negotiation skill is active listening if you are trying to establish a positive relationship. During a negotiation, listening carefully and retaining what you hear are essential. Asking thoughtful questions is also an important part of the process. Those who engage in active listening are more likely to achieve win-win situations. Learn more about the different types of negotiation skills below.

    Effective communication

    Effective communication is the foundation of any meaningful negotiation. Practice your listening skills by listening more than you speak. Small talk and listening to others are fruitful because it helps you learn about their perspectives. Developing rapport with other people will also make the process easier. Finally, never rush into a negotiation. Always prepare thoroughly and follow a plan. Make sure to set a time limit for the negotiation. This will keep you from wasting your time on unnecessary discussions.

    Integrity

    One of the most important types of negotiation skills is integrity. Integrity means being honest. The other side will trust your word if you’re sincere. In addition to integrity, you must be able to follow through on your commitments and listen to their needs and wants. Building rapport is important since it will ease tensions and help to establish collaboration. It also increases the likelihood of an agreement. A final tip: don’t be afraid to be assertive. You’ll be glad you tried it!

    Analysis

    Another type of negotiation skill is analysis. This involves discussing threats and examining the situation objectively. A good negotiator will be able to see the positive and negative points of each situation. You’ll be able to reach a mutually agreeable agreement in the end. An effective negotiation skill allows you to converse intelligently with two or more people to resolve differences.

    Most negotiation outcomes fall into one of two general categories: distributive and integrative. Knowing these terms will help you identify which negotiation skills best serve your situation. Once you know which type of negotiation you’ll be engaging in, you can focus on developing these skills to get the best outcome possible. So, you can be better prepared to negotiate with your co-workers and clients. If you’re an aspiring business leader, consider investing in a negotiation course

    The process of dividing the value pie in a negotiation is known as distributive negotiation. The back-and-forth exchange of proposals, usually price offers, that the late Harvard professor Howard Raiffa referred to as the “negotiation dance” is what is known as distributive negotiation.

    In a distributive negotiation, the most successful negotiators are usually those who put a lot of effort on pre-negotiation. Negotiators should specifically decide what their best alternative to a negotiated agreement, or BATNA, will be if they are unable to accomplish their goals in the ongoing negotiation. For instance, a job seeker may opt to apply for more positions. The amount at which a negotiator is undecided about accepting the bargain they have reached or turning to their BATNA, such as $3,000 for a certain used car, is known as their reservation point or walk-away point.

    Integrative negotiation is the type of negotiation where everyone benefits from the agreement. It is usually a complicated process involving many issues and opportunities for tradeoffs. In integrative negotiations, the other party must receive something in return. For example, a client and company may agree to pay a hundred dollars for a service but get a discount for the extra $100. This means both parties “win” because they were able to make compromises on their needs.

    Why Negotiation Skills Are Important

    Learning good negotiation skills is not just for salespeople. Negotiation is one of the most important aspects of a business. A good negotiator will work to get what they want from a deal while also getting a good result for the other party. Negotiating does not necessarily mean getting everything you want, as aggressive negotiation can leave both parties without the goodwill and lead to problems in the future. It is much more difficult to find a deal that makes everyone happy, but if you have the right attitude and knowledge, you can do it successfully.

    It is important to take the time to reflect on your past negotiations. Evaluate your tactics and identify areas that need improvement. Then, make an improvement plan. Consider concepts such as ZOPA and BATNA and develop new ideas to create value for both sides. The more preparation you put into negotiating, the easier it will be. Then, you can start negotiating with confidence. You can convince the other party why you should be their representative.

    When negotiating with strangers, make sure to know your target before you start negotiating. You can use this information to your advantage by knowing where you stand and what resistance exists. While this type of negotiation is not recommended for your workplace, it can be an excellent way to negotiate a property deal, for example. And because you will probably not be dealing with the other party again, it is best to approach it carefully.

    Negotiation skills help people recognize their worth and skills when done correctly. They allow them to make concessions that will help them in the future. They will also reduce the possibility of future conflicts by removing barriers and promoting collaboration between the parties. Aside from the obvious benefit of negotiating, there are also other reasons to learn negotiation skills. You’ll benefit financially as well as professionally from mastering these skills. If you don’t like conflict, learn how to resolve it before it begins.

    One of the best ways to learn good negotiation skills is by practicing in your personal life. Not only will it improve your communication skills, but it will improve your chances of landing a great deal. It will improve your communication skills, so learn about negotiations as much as possible. After all, it’s important for both parties to be happy. There’s no such thing as a perfect negotiation. A good negotiator analyzes the situation from all angles, determining what is important for each of them.

    Developing your negotiation skills is essential for any businessperson. It is a skill that can be learned and useful for formal and informal interactions. Developing your negotiation skills can help you build relationships and foster goodwill with others despite your differences. You’ll be glad you did. They’ll help you succeed in business no matter where you are. If you’ve studied good negotiation skills, you’re already on your way to becoming a great negotiator.

    Examples of Negotiation Skills at Work

    Effective negotiation is an art. This skill requires a combination of empathy and self-awareness. Recognizing another person’s feelings can help you navigate the conversation and find an agreeable solution. A manager fidgeting during a meeting, for example, may signal that it’s not the right time to raise an issue that isn’t urgent. Emotional intelligence also means you don’t cry when you don’t get what you want. You remain positive even when the outcome isn’t what you expected.

    As you develop your career path, you’ll likely face negotiating situations daily. This could be when you’re booking a hotel or shopping for everyday items. You’ll also likely have to advocate for yourself in situations where the other party is not willing or unable to give you what you want. These types of situations are similar to negotiations, and developing effective negotiation skills will make them easier for you to handle.

    People who practice effective negotiation skills often find they can increase their sales and improve their overall productivity. Many employers are looking for people with a keen ability to negotiate and influence others. They need people who can persuade others and create mutually beneficial relationships. If you learn how to engage in negotiation effectively, you’ll be on your way to being successful in any situation. Just remember, success lies where both parties’ interests align.

    Effective negotiation requires good preparation. Knowing relevant facts about the situation and the rules and regulations of your organization is essential. You’ll be able to spot your opponent’s negotiating points even before you’ve entered the room. By actively listening, you’ll be able to respond to their points later. This will give you the upper hand and help you avoid leaving the table with nothing. Moreover, if you can make the other party agree with your terms and conditions, you can then move to a successful conclusion.

    Regardless of your field, negotiation is a crucial part of doing business. Today’s market demands that you can successfully negotiate. Research shows that businesses lose an estimated PS9 million per hour due to poor negotiation skills. However, improving your skills could increase your profitability by up to 7 percent. And while you may be able to earn more with improved negotiation skills, you should be prepared for anything.

    It takes patience and persistence to master negotiation. An effective negotiator is renowned for their patience. You should never abandon your position too soon or end up shortchanging yourself. Likewise, you shouldn’t hold out for too long – you might lose an opportunity if you’re too stubborn and don’t negotiate at all. And you should always remember that a skilled negotiator knows when to hold on to a position.

    How to Improve Negotiation Skills

    When it comes to improving your negotiating skills, there are several methods you can use. One of these methods is to practice playing both sides of the negotiation process. This way, you’ll understand the other party better and develop stronger arguments. Negotiating is a skill that takes practice, so you must train your brain to think like an adversary. Practice makes perfect, so make sure you spend enough time practicing before a negotiation.

    The best neophytes know that good planning is essential for successful negotiations. Having a backup plan for the worst-case scenario can inspire others and help you resolve a dispute faster. Good negotiators know how far they are willing to compromise. In the end, negotiation is a mixture of strategizing, arguments, and planning. But most of all, you must be willing to reach a deal.

    Talent Management Strategies in South Africa

    If you want your company to attract and retain the best talent, you must implement effective talent management strategies. These strategies can help you define your brand and talent pool, streamline the hiring process, and measure the potential of candidates. Here are some examples of talent management strategies. Read on to learn more. This article will highlight some of the most popular talent management strategies. But how do you implement them? It all starts with defining your brand and determining your talent pool.

    CEOs are the most obvious source of pressure, and the pressure is felt up and down the org chart. That’s why talent management strategies are becoming more important than ever. CEOs are increasingly putting pressure on their companies to find and retain quality employees. But what about the rest of the org chart? It’s all about building a competitive advantage and attracting and retaining top talent. In addition to hiring quality employees, companies must also maintain a positive work environment.

    Your talent management strategy should be closely linked to your organisation’s business strategy. Your key strategic priorities are listed in order of importance and should take into account the short and long-term future. Be sure also to identify potential drivers and challenges. Once these are defined, the next step is to create a talent management strategy. It will guide the development of your company’s talent. Once this process is complete, you’ll be ready to implement your strategy.

    A planned succession process is vital for developing your future leaders. Many organisations spread their development resources equally across their employees, but the best results are achieved when you focus disproportionately on the most promising individuals. However, this strategy is not for everyone. It’s an excellent way to retain the best talent and gain a competitive advantage. You can also implement talent management strategies tailored to your business’s unique needs. And the best way to do that is by following the proven methods outlined above.

    Organisations must attract, develop and retain the best talent to compete in today’s hyper-competitive global economy. However, most organisations don’t have a sufficient supply of talent. There are critical gaps in the first-to-mid-level leadership ranks and on the front lines. Talent management is critical, but it’s a delicate process. You must take the time to implement a comprehensive talent management strategy.

    Talent management in South Africa

    The broader focus of this paper is on the role of talent management strategies in South African banks. The importance of talent management practices in South African banks is evident in their positive effect on employee satisfaction and retention. In this article, we will discuss some of these practices and discuss their contribution to the overall performance of banks in South Africa. This study also explores the differences between talent management strategies adopted in South African banks and global talent management practices. The study has important implications for talent management practices in South African banks and can be used to guide future development and improvement of talent management.

    Despite government intervention, the South African employment landscape has remained relatively static in recent years. Unemployment rose to 27.1% in the third quarter of 2016, compared to 26.6% in the second quarter. The number of youths unable to secure employment has doubled since 2010.

    A key component of talent management strategies in South Africa is creating a culture that nurtures employee motivation. Companies can enhance the organisation’s culture and attract top talent. However, effective talent management strategies require careful planning and execution. It’s important to understand the key challenges associated with developing a culture of talent. The benefits of a culture of excellence go beyond the ability to recruit and train top talent. The culture of a company can have a direct impact on the performance of employees.

    The South African construction industry faces challenges regarding skilled workforce and graduate output. In addition, the low productivity of graduates makes it difficult to compete with the global market. Thus, the construction industry must adapt and innovate to attract the best talent. The research conducted in this study is an attempt to provide a framework for talent management practices in South Africa. This study is available to the general public and will continue to evolve and improve with further research.

    Despite the benefits of a talent management culture, companies have difficulty recruiting talented staff. Companies cannot afford to lose their best employees to their competitors because they do not recognise their development potential. This explains why companies often do not seek talent from competitors. Moreover, only 15% of companies assess the development potential of their employees during the recruitment process. This, coupled with the fact that talent management is a complex process, can have adverse consequences for a company.

    Companies that have established a talent management framework have found significant success quickly. In addition to the functional operation of talent management, it has an effective interface with the organization. A company must ensure its employees are happy to achieve the desired results. It is crucial to maintain a culture of talent. Ultimately, the success of an organization depends on the management’s efforts to implement talent management processes. But even if the talent management process fails to deliver desired outcomes, the results of such initiatives are substantial.

    A research survey involving 21 closed and open-ended questions was conducted to assess the effectiveness of talent management in South Africa. The survey was administered electronically to all prospective respondents. Moreover, the questionnaires were split into three sections: background information, reward preferences, and talent management. They were distributed via email to all eligible respondents. The survey results were analysed to see if the data provided were reliable and if the survey was representative of the population.

    The study has many advantages. In addition to being useful in assessing the effectiveness of talent management in South Africa, it also identifies gaps in the market for such initiatives. Despite being a relatively new field, it has gained considerable momentum in recent years. As of this writing, the study’s findings continue to provide useful insights for managers in South Africa. If you are considering talent management in your company, consider the advantages and drawbacks of this practice.

    An effective talent management system should give managers the necessary tools to assess employees’ skills and develop succession plans. It also has flexible reporting options and can be accessed from any device. It is easy for managers to update their talent profiles from home or while traveling, thereby reducing capital equipment costs. Talent management systems must also support employee and manager interaction in cyberspace. Moreover, the future of work will see the emergence of virtual teams, flexible working hours, and contingent workers.

    The importance of talent management in South Africa cannot be underestimated. A lack of talent management will hinder the growth of any company. Without proper talent management, no company will benefit from its services. If talent is not utilised, it can prove to be a drain on resources. The benefits package and rewards for top talent should be attractive and reward the best. Further study should be carried out to determine the impact of these issues on the South African talent market.

    What are the 7 Components of Talent Management?

    The talent requirements of a company can be filled either internally or externally through referrals, social networks, and job portals. Talent pools need to be identified, but the quality of applications also depends on the company’s employer brand. The company should develop a clear and compelling employer brand to find the best candidates. The brand should communicate the organization’s values and culture to potential employees. This will improve its reputation among applicants.

    Career development

    A successful talent management strategy focuses on the identification and growth of employees. It should also focus on the motivation and identification of employees. By fostering career development at all levels of the organization, managers can create a positive impression with potential employees from the beginning. The overall objective of talent management is to keep employees engaged and dedicated to the organization. This is accomplished through effective recruitment and retention practices and by ensuring a positive and professional work environment.

    Talent management is a critical component of any organization. It promotes employee development and keeps people within the organization longer. Talented employees generate more revenue, increased customer satisfaction, and improved business performance. However, a company must choose the talent based on its unique traits and goals. If a company fails to develop employees appropriately, it will quickly lose a valuable asset. This is where talent management comes in.

    Performance management

    Performance management involves periodic evaluation of employee performance and feedback on how well they meet goals. Continuous progress review helps identify unacceptable performance. Similarly, performance management helps improve processes and methods of work. Performance management aims to identify development needs and improve individual and group performance by measuring and comparing results against a set of standards or elements in a performance plan. This process ensures that employees are motivated and feel a sense of ownership in their work.

    Talent management and performance management both aim to develop and retain effective employees. In the long run, both of these approaches lead to greater productivity, efficiency, and return on investment. Both practices are based on a shared understanding of organizational goals and the purpose of generating value. They will provide a foundation for an effective management program when properly implemented. You can start by introducing employee development programs. Then, when the time comes to evaluate and reward performance, the process is an integral part of talent management.

    Learning and Motivation

    The performance management pillar includes ongoing learning during the employee life cycle. This enables workers to improve critical skills and increase productivity. Performance management also includes implementing HR measures, one-on-one meetings, and reward and recognition programs. Retention means keeping top-performing employees with the organisation, ultimately leading to greater productivity and successful completion of the company’s strategic goals. This approach is essential for attracting, retaining, and developing the best talent.

    Onboarding

    Onboarding is a critical part of talent management. It involves guiding new hires into the company and helping them grow within the company. Onboarding must be aligned with the company’s employee development plan and should focus on expanding workers’ knowledge and skills to meet new challenges. Successful onboarding is crucial for employee motivation, so make sure to provide value and guidance to new hires. By providing value, new hires are more likely to remain with the company and develop their careers.

    In addition to onboarding new employees, an organization should also provide exit checklists. Employees who leave suddenly can follow these steps to transition quickly to another job. These steps improve employee retention and save money in the long run. Start by identifying the skills and experience needed in each department to get started. Then, develop targeted job ads and post them to top job sites. HR branding is another important part of this process. Plan interviews, conduct reference checks, and give tests and personality assessments that simulate real-world situations. Onboarding is also an essential part of the culture of a company.

    Talent acquisition and retention

    As a part of talent management, employees must be provided with a clear career path and education opportunities. The best talent retention plan incorporates a critical assessment of current employees. This helps to determine if they are compatible with the company’s vision and mission. It also helps to identify gaps between the plan and the company’s goals. With the right talent retention plan, a company can hire and retain the best talent for its needs.

    Once you have identified the skills needed in your organization, you can begin the process of recruiting new employees. This involves advertising on job boards, encouraging current employees to refer new applicants, and using headhunters to find good candidates. Once you have identified a pool of talented candidates, vetting the candidates is critical. Once hired, make sure to communicate with the hiring manager the information they need to know about the candidate’s qualifications and potential career progression.

    Strategic Employee Planning

    Strategic workforce or personnel planning is what a firm focuses on most. You develop your strategy and specify the objectives of your company. You may then determine which individual is most suitable for certain roles to achieve your desired goals. You can fill the gaps by reclassifying employees into the right responsibilities. You recruit him if you don’t already have a suitable individual for the task. Strategic Employee Planning differs according to the demands of each company since they have different priorities.

    You might want to start by looking within your own company to fill positions. Your staff have latent abilities that are seldom adequately used. Interview your current staff one more before you recruit anybody else. To learn about their secret skill sets, speak to them as friends rather than as subordinates. It can help you save a lot of money.

    Compensations

    If you truly value your employees’ efforts, you won’t allow them to go unappreciated. They merit a bit extra if they are accomplishing their goals and contributing to the business’s success. Additionally, by doing this, you can show them that you appreciate their efforts and that nothing has been missed.

    In many cases, offering bonuses based on performance goals is a good idea when employees cause trouble for their companies and fail to fulfill deadlines. You’ll observe the magic at work when workers realize the benefits of hitting targets.

    6 Principles of Talent Management

    To attract top talent, companies must differentiate themselves from competitors. They must apply talent management practices that align with their company’s overall strategy and leadership philosophy. They must also create opportunities for their top talent to find new careers. Here are six key principles to follow when looking for talent:

    Alignment with Corporate Strategy

    Talent management must be seen as a long-term investment in the company’s future. To make it work, the organization must provide employees the right tools and support to maximize their potential. Continuous development is important for the improvement of the organization and ensuring that cumulative skills within the company are constantly updated. To implement talent management, organizations should have a clear succession plan, a strong one, and a culture that promotes growth.

    Internal consistency

    Internal consistency is another important principle in talent management. In a company, all talent management practices must fit together. This is important because talent management cannot run itself. Efforts should be made to ensure that talent management practices do not interfere with other aspects of a business. For example, companies should ensure that compensation rates are fair and focus on retaining top talent. Otherwise, it will be difficult to retain top performers.

    Integrating Culture

    Integrating culture into the process of managing talent is the third principle. When hiring employees and retaining them, it’s important to consider the culture. Every organization has a culture that permeates its staff. As an illustration, Google has a distinctive corporate culture and is known to search for “goodliness” when hiring new employees. This guarantees that the new applicants will fit in well with the company’s culture.

    Build Talent

    Building a strong talent pipeline is one of organisations’ biggest challenges worldwide. In a collaborative research study, researchers from several leading institutions studied consistently superior companies in performance and reputation. The study revealed six core principles that leading companies follow. Although best practices are beneficial, they can only go so far. Principles are more broad-reaching, allowing companies to apply them across their entire organizations. They challenge current thinking.

    Employer Branding through Differentiation

    In addition to creating an internal talent pipeline, companies should differentiate themselves from competitors. Differentiation is important in attracting top talent. Resourcing should align with the HR strategy and local legislation. Companies should also ensure that the talent they hire is aligned with their company’s values. When selecting talent, companies should be mindful of the following key principles. In addition, they should ensure that the recruiting process is in line with their corporate social responsibility.

    Avoid mismatch costs

    When hiring top talent, companies should consider the costs and time involved in training and development. Hiring top talent and then failing to retain them is often costly. Additionally, too many top performers can lead to underperformance. The hiring process can take more time if companies cannot retain them. Conversely, hiring promising specialists can save the company money on salaries. While this strategy can fail, it is a good way to ensure that their employees are highly motivated and skilled.

    Conclusion

    Talent management strategies can help to manage a company’s workforce. In a global environment, talent diversity and intercultural competency are key attributes that contribute to effective management. This study explores how talent management practices are applied in the construction industry in South Africa. It will explore the role of diversity and intercultural competence in attracting and retaining talented employees. Developing countries should strive to find new ways to attract and retain talent. To attract talent, developing countries must create opportunities that make people want to work in their organizations.

    Organisations should also ensure that their talents’ job satisfaction and aspirations align with their organisation’s objectives. Aims to attract talented individuals reduce talent turnover, and increase employee retention. This also reduces the hiring cost. An improved performance of talented employees will boost organisational output and customer satisfaction, improving the organisation’s reputation. The whole talent management approach focused only on leadership potential and ignored the potential of all employees. Therefore, many talented individuals remained underutilised in their core areas.

    The management process is another important element in talent management. Managers are responsible for general planning within the organisation and for developing the organisational culture. They usually perform talent management activities themselves. However, this is unproductive since managers tend to be hands-on. Developing talent management policies is the first step to attracting and retaining top talent. Developing an effective talent management strategy requires a thorough understanding of how people work, how they think, and what they need to do to improve it.

    Supply Chain Management for the New World of Work

    The way that supply chains work has changed dramatically in the last decade with the rise of outsourcing and the shift towards more automation of processes and operations across most industries, especially within manufacturing. This makes managing your supply chain more complex than ever before, but it also provides new opportunities to improve cost and efficiency if you know what you’re doing and how to manage your supply chain in this new environment. Here are some tips on how to do just that.

    Finding your ideal customer

    In order to create a strong and efficient supply chain, you need to start by understanding who your ideal customer is. This means taking into account their needs, wants, and preferences. Once you know these things, you can devise a plan to help you reach them. For example, if your product appeals to millennials, then an event at a popular nightclub might be the best way for you to make contact with potential customers.

    Knowing what to sell

    To be successful, you need to understand what products or services you want to sell. This can be difficult if you’re not sure what direction you want your business to go in. Do some market research and talk to potential customers to get an idea of what they would be interested in buying from you. You might find that there is a lot more demand for one type of product than another. It’s important to remember that it will take time and money to start manufacturing these items. If you’re unsure how much of each item people buy, start with something small and adjust accordingly.

    Implementing a comprehensive influencer marketing strategy

    To be successful, you need to have a plan for your influencer marketing strategy. This includes understanding your target audience, what platforms they use, and what type of content they consume. Additionally, you should consider the relationship you want to build with each influencer. Once you have all this information, you can start reaching out to potential partners and building relationships. One way to do this is by commenting on their posts, sharing them, or retweeting them. You also might try finding common ground with influencers by being active on the same social media platform as them or having similar interests.

    Building trust with influencers

    To build trust with influencers, be transparent about your relationships with them. Explain why you are working with them and what you hope to achieve. Be clear about what you expect from them, and ensure they are comfortable with what you want from the relationship. Don’t try to control them or their content; be upfront about any financial arrangements. Finally, don’t forget to show your appreciation for their help! Whether it’s a shout-out on social media, a mention on a blog post, or just a quick thank-you email, take time to recognize people who have helped you grow your business.

    What Is The Modern Concept Of Supply Chain Management?

    The modern concept of supply chain management includes various activities, including make, move, and replenishment. The making process involves manufacturing, conversion, and assembly of materials. Supply chain managers support the manufacturing process by ensuring that key materials are available when needed. The moving process involves the logistical flow of goods throughout the supply chain. Transportation companies and third-party logistics firms ensure the safety of goods. The customer interface process involves planning interactions with customers and fulfilling orders.

    The modern concept of supply chain management addresses non-value-adding processes in the manufacturing process to reduce operating costs. The modern supply chain allows businesses to see where each product is in the production process, eliminating bottlenecks and keeping players responsive to changes. An optimised supply chain increases customer satisfaction and increases sales. This is especially important for products with short shelf lives. Small businesses and corporations can dedicate an entire team to optimisation of the supply chain.

    The modern concept of supply chain management includes creating an optimised supply chain. A well-functioning supply chain can reduce costs and boost customer satisfaction, resulting in a higher order rate and lower cost-to-serve. All processes and people involved in the supply chain must be efficient to achieve maximum performance. This means reducing waste. This can be done through a variety of methods. In turn, this will increase the efficiency of the entire chain, allowing businesses to make more money.

    Quality assurance is another aspect of supply chain management. Companies must ensure that their products are free of defects and have a high level of customer satisfaction. The quality of their products will be crucial to their success, and involvement in unethical activities will reflect negatively on the organisation at the top of the chain. Managing the quality of goods is a complex process that requires precise standards and adaptive change management. All of these factors have a profound effect on a company’s profitability.

    The modern concept of supply chain management focuses on creating effective and efficient communication between stakeholders in the supply chain. Without effective communication between stakeholders, products can be delayed or even disrupted. To achieve optimal customer satisfaction, supply chain managers must ensure that they know what to make and buy and that they can make it quickly. With two-way data flow, supply chain managers can quickly detect issues before they become a problem.

    The modern concept of supply chain management encompasses the entire supply chain, from raw materials to finished goods. The goal is to maximise the value of products while creating a competitive advantage for companies. The main difference between logistics and supply chain management is the focus. Logistics, or the movement of goods and services across a chain, focuses on improving supply chain processes. The more efficient the supply chain, the better it will be for the business.

    The traditional concept of supply chain management is centered on product production and relies on manual handling. However, a modern approach to supply chain management involves leveraging technology insights and automation to improve business efficiency and revenue. This modern concept of supply chain management is highly complex and requires a nuanced understanding of the supply chain realm. This requires a deeper understanding of supplier performance, global regulations, and economic concerns.

    What Are The Four Main Activities Of Supply Chain Management?

    In the supply chain, organisations participate as either producers or customers. Producers mine raw materials, drill for oil, cut wood, farm and raise animals. Consumers depend on these products and services. Similarly, service providers offer a variety of products and services to support the supply chain. These service providers evolve with the needs of the different participants. What are the four main activities of supply chain management?

    Sourcing

    Sourcing is the process of identifying and vetting potential suppliers. Whether a product is perishable or non-perishable, sourcing involves establishing a minimum lead time. This helps maintain inventory levels and prevent revenue losses. Procurement has strategic implications for the supply chain. In some cases, it is even strategic. For example, a company may use a sourcing strategy in case of a crisis, which could lead to stock shortages.

    Integration

    Integration is another key activity of supply chain management. Often, small businesses are unaware of the customer base. The entire supply chain must be understood by all participants, including the suppliers, customers, and suppliers’ partners. Failing to understand this can lead to significant disruptions in the business, increasing costs and destroying value.

    Demand management

    Demand management is one of the most important activities of supply chain management. This activity requires accurate forecasting of demand. An accurate demand forecast is crucial to avoid inventory losses. Successful supply chain management relies on demand forecasting and planning to ensure the supply chain is well-equipped to meet that demand. In addition, demand planning and inventory management are crucially tied together. These activities are interdependent and must be linked with each other.

    Supply chain management improves overall business performance by allowing a company to streamline processes at all supply chain stages. It ensures that consumers receive the right amount of a particular item at the right time. A company that delivers on promises is more likely to secure future business and maintain its competitive edge. It’s no wonder supply chain management is vital to modern business.

    Getting the product to the customer

    When a product lands on a store shelf, it is considered the final part of the supply chain. The next step is getting the product to the customer. For this to happen, a company must carefully plan and manage its shipping process. Most companies use logistics software to handle shipments and source them to third-party providers. A well-managed supply chain will move products efficiently from point A to point B.

    How does this process integrate information? In SCM, information sharing is key to ensuring a smooth supply chain. Poor communication and information flow can destabilise the entire supply chain. By improving visibility, companies can avoid costly disruptions and wasting valuable time renegotiating contracts. For instance, a real-time S&OP system can allow all stakeholders to collaborate on new scenarios, analyse profitability, and make informed decisions.

    What Are The 5 Main Goals Of Supply Chain Management?

    The first goal of supply chain management is to ensure that inventory is available to meet customer demand. An organisation needs to match demand with supply on time. To achieve this goal, supply chain partners must collaborate to optimise resource productivity, eliminate duplication of effort, and reduce inventory levels. Ultimately, these collaborative processes will improve efficiency, reduce expenses, and reduce waste. But these are not the only goals of supply chain management.

    Supply chain management can help businesses improve productivity and prevent costly lawsuits and recalls. It involves a complex network of people, companies, activities, and technologies that begin with the delivery of raw materials to a manufacturer and ends with the delivery of a finished product to a customer. Below are the 5 main goals of supply chain management.

    Cost reduction

    Supply chain managers help firms reduce costs, resulting in dramatic profits. For example, by reducing costs, firms can reduce inventory and labour costs, thereby enabling them to sell more products and services. It also helps firms build strong relationships with distributors and suppliers. These relationships are essential for success. The benefits of supply chain management are numerous. But each goal is crucial. To achieve these, companies should understand the five main goals of supply chain management.

    Risk reduction

    By reducing the risk of supply-chain disruptions, supply chains can improve their ability to respond and bounce back from major incidents. Supply chain managers must engage in continuous testing and redesign to minimise risks to achieve these objectives. It’s vital to have a robust and resilient supply chain. And to make it resilient, they must have a good plan in place to respond to disasters.

    Adaptation

    Volatile business conditions characterise today’s global economy. Globalisation and increasing government regulation are just a few factors that make it important for companies to stay nimble. Adaptive supply chains respond to these changes with minimal disruption. Likewise, flexible supply chains can respond to atypical events without causing any harm to the flow of goods and improve customer relationships.

    Improve profitability

    The third goal of supply chain management is to improve profitability. By reducing costs, companies can increase their net profits. In the case of large companies, increasing profit margins requires reducing the cost of goods sold and improving supply chain performance. Manufacturing costs can account for 80% of a company’s sales. By reducing manufacturing costs, businesses can increase sales and profits. This process can result in huge savings in the long run.

    Positive customer experience

    Another major goal of supply chain management is ensuring a positive customer experience. A happy client is more likely to become a loyal one who can help you increase income, therefore a pleasant customer experience is essential to the success of your business. The best marketing investment you can have is a client who will advertise your company on your behalf. These are people who are devoted to your brand, spread the word about it, and recommend your products and services to others.

    What Are The 3 Main Flows Of Supply Chain Management?

    The term supply chain refers to the overall management of a supply chain. There are three main flows in a supply chain:

    1. the product flow (the movement of products from supplier to customer)
    2. The information flow (the sharing of information)
    3. The money flow (the money that goes from the consumer to the manufacturer and vice versa).

    Each of these three flows is critical to the success of a company’s supply chain management. The three flows must be in sync with each other for the company to reach its desired goals. For example, every dollar that flows into a supply chain originates from the customer. Because every dollar comes from a customer, companies must work together to capture that dollar and hold onto it as profit.

    The top level of supply chain management is responsible for the company’s long-term plans and policies. These decisions set the stage for all subsequent stages in the chain. Decisions made here include how to make products and services and where they’ll be sold. The next stage, retailer, is where the product is offered to customers and is available in small quantities. As a result, the entire supply chain process is affected.

    A typical supply chain situation involves a customer, supplier, and retailer. The former may be an internal customer of the company, while the latter may be an external one. A typical example of a supply chain can include a fabrication shop that processes raw steel and fabricates it into building components. From the fabrication shop, the raw steel goes through several assembly steps. Its final destination is the consumer.

    In addition to the value and price of the products, companies are increasingly empowering their products with design capabilities. This can increase the cost of customer procurement and provide added value to the consumers. However, blindly contacting downstream customers is not a scientific approach. For example, booking a booth at an exhibition could cost 20,000 USD. By contrast, a shorter supply chain can result in higher profit but greater transaction costs.

    In addition to managing materials, information, and money, supply chain management also involves financial, product, and information. Supply chain management is an effective strategy for maximising customer value and minimizing the overall cost of a supply chain. Companies can cut costs and deliver their products faster by optimising, adjusting, and redesigning the supply chain. The concept behind supply chain management is that each product is created from the combined efforts of several organisations, each with its own set of goals and resources.

    Jobs That Will Change In The Future

    Supply chain management has always been an integral part of business operations, but it will only continue to evolve as business needs do. You can start preparing yourself now by learning about these five supply chain management jobs that will change in the future and how they might be different in the years to come. If you are interested in pursuing any of these jobs in the future, make sure to brush up on your skills now, so you’re prepared to meet any challenges and take advantage of new opportunities.

    1. Freight Broker

    In the past, freight brokers were responsible for coordinating shipments and finding carriers to transport goods. However, with the advent of technology, this job is changing. Now, freight brokers must be able to use data and analytics to find trends and optimise shipping routes. They must also be familiar with various transportation management systems (TMS) and have strong negotiation skills. The Bureau of Labor Statistics in the US predicts that due to the projected growth in e-commerce sales, demand for freight brokers will increase by 18% from 2016-2026. Freight Brokers can expect an average salary of $65,040.

    2. Third Party Logistics

    In an ever-changing business landscape, the third-party logistics provider (3PL) role is becoming increasingly important. 3PLs are third-party companies that manage part or all of a company’s supply chain. As the world becomes more connected, the need for companies to outsource their supply chain management will continue to grow. Here are five 3PL jobs that will change in the future

    Channel Manager: These managers work with the retailer and manufacturer to get products on shelves and into customers’ hands. Channel managers can also be responsible for marketing and promoting products within retail stores.

    Inventory Manager: Today’s inventory managers need to be experts in managing inventories at every level, from raw materials through to finished goods inventory. The position requires expertise in various fields, including production planning, purchasing, warehousing and shipping operations.

    Freight Forwarder: In many cases, freight forwarding is outsourced as it provides significant value by reducing costs and providing faster delivery times than if the freight were handled internally by the shipping department alone. It’s not uncommon for a company to partner with a few different freight forwarders to ensure they have access to the most economical transportation solutions.

    Data Analyst: A data analyst researches and analyses large data sets for use in analytics such as fraud detection, pricing optimisation, and predictive modelling. Data analysts may also be responsible for reporting these findings to other stakeholders who may use them to make critical decisions about how their supply chains should be managed.

    Warehouse Supervisor: Supervisors must stay current on industry trends, best practices, and regulations related to order fulfillment, warehouse management, pick/pack processes, lean manufacturing principles, order accuracy and performance metrics. They often lead teams to ensure orders are filled quickly while meeting high-quality standards.

    3. Inbound Logistics Analyst

    Inbound logistics analysts will be responsible for managing the flow of goods into a company. They will need to have a strong understanding of supply and demand and experience with forecasting techniques. In addition, they will need to be able to negotiate with suppliers and understand customs regulations. For example, there are different laws on what can and cannot be imported from other countries.

    4. Fleet Manager

    The fleet manager role will become increasingly important as businesses move to electric and autonomous vehicles. Fleet managers will need to manage large numbers of vehicles and understand the financial and technological aspects of these new types of vehicles. For example, they’ll need to decide when it makes sense for an employee or company to lease or buy a vehicle, given all the available options for financing.

    5. Product Data Analyst

    In a world where data is becoming increasingly more important, the role of product data analysts will become increasingly more important in supply chain management. Product data analysts collect and analyze data to help improve product quality and optimise production. They will need to be able to use statistical methods and software to analyse data and have strong communication skills to present their findings to stakeholders.

    What Are the Top Trending Business Skills in South Africa?

    South Africa is a country where people are very fond of their culture, traditions, and customs. This is because they feel that they belong to a specific ethnic group, which makes them feel proud of their identity and culture.

    When it comes to business, South Africa has its own unique culture as well. The business community in South Africa is growing rapidly due to the presence of different companies in different parts of the country. This growth has brought many changes in terms of technology, management techniques, and other factors related to running a business.

    South African businesses need special skills to succeed in this highly competitive marketplace where competition is high, and margins are thin. Business owners need to be able to handle their businesses efficiently so that they can grow their businesses successfully and make profits. This will help them generate more income for the company itself or themselves if they want to start their own business from scratch.

    The following are some top trending business skills in South Africa:

    What Skills Are in High Demand in South Africa?

    South Africa has been very successful in the past few decades. It has a lot of natural resources and a strong economy.

    South Africa is also known for its high education level, making it one of the most educated countries in Africa. The demand for skilled workers in the country is very high. The skills that are in high demand are:

    Software Development Skills

    Software developers are in high demand. Rapid technological advancements also increase the need for skilled software developers. The increasing demand for skilled software developers has led to job opportunities in this field.

    The South African government is trying to ensure that trained and qualified professionals are available to fill these jobs by providing incentives for those who want to undertake postgraduate studies or training programs. Higher education institutions also promote postgraduate studies to train more people in this area.

    Health Professions

    The health sector is one of the fastest-growing sectors in South Africa. And, there is a high demand for qualified health professionals who can provide services like:

    • Nursing
    • Physiotherapy
    • Occupational therapy
    • Speech pathology

    The country needs people who can treat patients and provide them with medical advice. In addition, more people want to work as doctors and nurses now than ever before. They have realized that it is very rewarding work and provides good health care at home rather than going abroad for treatment.

    Regulatory Skills

    South Africa is a country that has a well-established regulatory framework. This ensures that the markets are well regulated and that there is no conflict between the regulators and investors. Regulatory skills are in high demand in South Africa because investors need to have access to financial markets without being faced with any restrictions.

    Financial Risk Specialist Skills

    Financial risk specialists are required for companies who wish to invest in financial products, such as bonds or shares. These specialists ensure that these investments are safe and secure by advising them on how they should be invested and managed. They also ensure that they comply with all laws and regulations set by the government.

    Business Management Skills

    Business management skills are also growing in demand in South Africa. As a result, it is becoming one of the most important fields of study at university level. Some of the jobs that require these skills include:

    • Marketing executives
    • Financial managers
    • Resources managers

    Banking and High Finance Skills

    Banking and high finance careers are becoming more popular in South Africa. As a result, people are becoming increasingly aware of their importance for business growth and economic development. This is because banking requires people with excellent analytical and communication skills who can work well under pressure. Some examples include:

    • Investment bankers
    • Sales bankers
    • Credit management executives

    Engineering

    Engineering skills have been in high demand in South Africa for some time now. The country has been building many infrastructures, and it needs engineers who can ensure that it is built to the highest standards possible. Engineers are also needed to build dams and other structures to help solve the water crisis many places worldwide face.

    Manufacturing Skills

    Manufacturing companies need people working with machinery and equipment to make products. In addition, manufacturing companies also need people who can perform maintenance on these machines to run efficiently at all times.

    What Are the Top 2 Greatest in Demand Skills in Business?

    In-demand skills are those that are in high demand by employers now or will be in the future. They include skills like:

    • Software design and development
    • Graphic design and marketing
    • IT support and management
    • Business analysis
    • Computer programming and data analysis
    • Web design and development

    As you can see, there are a lot of skills that are in demand in business. However, there are a few skills that stand out as being the most valuable. These skills make all the difference in your career and the quality of life you have.

    Business intelligence and communication skills are the top two greatest in-demand skills in business. Let’s discuss them below:

    Business Intelligence Skills

    Business intelligence skills are crucial to the success of any business. You cannot be successful without them. The demand for these skills is always high, and continues to grow yearly.

    Business intelligence is the ability to extract value from data, which an organization can analyze to make informed decisions. Business Intelligence helps organizations improve their operations and create value for their customers. By providing insights into their business processes, businesses can make better decisions and deliver more value to their customers.

    The demand for Business Intelligence skills has increased significantly over the years. With the increasing adoption of cloud computing and mobile technologies across various industries, organizations are relying more on technology and less on human resources to get things done. The new demands have resulted in an increase in the demand for Business Intelligence professionals.

    Communication Skills

    A candidate’s communication skills are an important consideration when employers recruit new employees. A good communicator can be a great asset to any team and help you stand out from your competition.

    Communication skills are essential to success as an entrepreneur or employee at a large corporation. This includes being able to communicate effectively with your team (both verbally and nonverbally) and being able to make yourself understood by others at all levels of the company (management and employees).

    Today, there is a huge demand for skilled professionals in the marketplace. The demand for these individuals has increased exponentially over the last decade due to the rise in technology and innovation.

    The benefits of having these skills are numerous and range from financial to social. With these skills, you can command higher salaries than your counterparts who do not possess them. This is largely due to the high demand for them in the marketplace and their scarcity.

    Another benefit is that people with these skills tend to be more efficient at their jobs than those who do not possess them. Because they are proficient in using technology, they are able to use it efficiently and effectively. Consequently, they are able to work more effectively and spend less time on administrative tasks. In addition, they tend to be more productive since they can achieve more in less time than those without these skills.

    Additionally, people with these skills feel confident about themselves, leading them to better communicate with others. This confidence translates into better relationships between coworkers, which leads back to higher productivity levels.

    What Are the Top 10 Scarce Skills in South Africa?

    In South Africa, the skills shortage is a significant economic concern. It is expensive to hire employees with a shortage of skills, since the employee may have to be trained.

    The cost of training an employee increases as more time is required for training and as the cost of training is high. In addition, less productive work can be performed by those who lack skills.

    The following are some of the top 10 scarce skills in South Africa:

    Chemical Engineering

    South Africa has a shortage of chemical engineers, which is why it’s so important to be on the lookout for this skill. This career requires extensive training and education, but once you have it, you’ll be able to work in many different areas of the chemical industry. You can use your knowledge of mathematical modeling and engineering principles to help solve problems related to manufacturing, processing, or storing chemicals.

    Quantity Surveying

    The term “quantity surveyor” refers to someone who designs and manages construction projects that involve large numbers of people, materials, and equipment. As such, they must communicate clearly with others, both verbally and in writing.

    A career as a quantity surveyor involves:

    • Working closely with architects and engineers throughout the planning stage
    • Conducting site inspections during construction
    • Collecting data about materials being used
    • Performing calculations using models based on observed data
    • Preparing reports about what needs to be done next

    Program or Project Management Skills

    A program manager oversees all aspects of a project from start to finish; they ensure that each phase of work delivers a quality product or service at an agreed price within budgeted timeframes. They also oversee staff responsible for ensuring that their teams work efficiently toward common goals.

    Finance Management Skills

    The role of a finance manager is to ensure that the company has the funds it needs to operate. They ensure that all financial transactions follow regulations, policies, and procedures.

    External Auditing Skills

    An external auditor audits the books and records of a company, and is also responsible for assuring that all transactions are accurate, honest, and fair. The external auditor ensures that there are no irregularities in the accounts and that all transactions comply with regulations and policies.

    Nurse Educating Skills

    A nurse educator plays an important role in providing care and education for patients who cannot speak or write due to illness or injury. Nurse educators are trained in clinical nursing skills and can provide care for patients during their recovery process. They also educate patients on how they can improve their overall health and quality of life through self-care techniques like eating healthy foods and exercising regularly.

    Agricultural Scientist Skills

    The goal of agricultural scientists is to improve agricultural practices by researching plants and animals. The results are increased crop yields through better farming methods or improved crop varieties.

    Agricultural scientists may also design new types of equipment such as tractors or irrigation systems used on farms or other agricultural operations.

    Software Development Skills

    Software developers are among the top 10 scarce skills in South Africa. They have the potential to make a good income, even though they are not always highly paid. People with good programming skills can create products and services and run their own business. This is extremely important when there is no competition for the same types of products in developing countries.

    Educator in Chemical Engineering

    Educators in chemical engineering are also scarce skills in South Africa. In most cases, they work for companies specializing in handling chemicals and other substances safely and efficiently. These educators work in various sectors like pharmaceuticals, food processing, etc. They work with hazardous materials, so they need training and experience in this field before being hired for a job.

    Physicists and Engineering Skills

    Physicists and engineers are scarce in South Africa. Small businesses employ them to build, design, or manufacture machines or equipment that require expert operators to operate safely or efficiently. These people need high technical knowledge levels, making them attractive candidates for these jobs because they have no competition when applying for these positions.

    What Causes the Skills Shortage in South Africa?

    There is a major shortage of skills in South Africa. The country has a high unemployment rate, which leads to a large number of job seekers. A high number of people also want to get into the workforce but do not have the required skills.

    • Lack of investment in education and training facilities. The first cause of the skills shortage in South Africa is the lack of investment in education and training facilities. The government has been investing very little in its education system, which makes it difficult for students to further their studies after they finish school. This is because there are not enough places available at universities or technical institutes. As a result, even if they want to study further, they cannot do so because of a lack of space at the university or institute where they want to study.

    South Africa lacks enough skilled people who can fill vacancies in various industries and sectors of the economy. This means that these companies have to either hire unskilled workers or hire migrants from other countries where they can find more skilled workers than at home. However, this may not be the best solution because it will mean that they will have to pay higher salaries, which could lead to inflation in the local economy and increase unemployment rates.

    • Inadequate government funding. The government spends a lot of money on development programs but does not provide adequate funding or resources for industry or business sectors. Due to this lack of funding, many companies cannot afford trained workers or even basic equipment that would enable them to perform their jobs effectively.
    • Many people leaving home. Another reason why companies are having difficulty finding skilled workers is that many people are leaving their homes, often due to poverty or political instability. This makes it difficult for companies to attract new employees because there aren’t enough people available for them to choose from when hiring new employees. For example, some people might leave their homes because they want an opportunity for a better future, while others might leave because of political instability or unrest in their country.

    Other factors include:

    • The rapid growth of an economy has not yet caught up with itself. This has led to more people entering the job market than can be absorbed by employers, who are forced to look abroad for talent.
    • Lack of training for young people. Inadequate vocational education and training (VET) places young people at a disadvantage when they enter the job market.
    • VET schools and colleges lack adequate funding. This makes it difficult for students to study at all levels. As a result, fewer graduates are available than there should be.
    • Lack of apprenticeships available for people to learn new skills.
    • Rapid population growth
    • The high cost of living due to poor salaries makes it difficult for employers to attract qualified workers.
    • A mismatch between the skills and needs of the industry

    As a result of these factors, many South Africans find themselves without jobs and any opportunity to improve their qualifications or careers. However, there are ways that businesses can help overcome this problem. One option would be for companies to start offering more apprenticeships so that more people can learn new skills and increase their chances of employment.

    Conclusion

    The world has changed. The business environment is more competitive than ever before, and there are more opportunities to make money. Many companies are looking for employees with the skills and knowledge of today’s technology-centric business environment.

    In South Africa, the demand for skilled professionals is increasing exponentially. Several industries could benefit from the skills of a large pool of job seekers. While many people still struggle to find employment, others are ready to take up any opportunity that comes their way.

    There are many different types of businesses: from small retail shops to large corporations, to individuals running their businesses to career-minded professionals who want to join a team at a large corporation.

    There is no doubt that these businesses offer some exciting opportunities for those who want to make money while doing something they love.

    Nevertheless, South Africa is taking the following measures to address skills shortages.

    Educating the Deserving

    South Africa has a large section of its population who are not qualified for any job due to their lack of skills, education, and experience. Through the Education Development Initiative (EDI), South Africa is educating these people to help them gain access to jobs in the private sector and other sectors.

    Promoting Employment Opportunities

    South Africa also supports job creation through such programs as the Enterprise Development Program, which aims to create jobs by supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The program also provides training, skills development, and mentoring to entrepreneurs so they can start their businesses.

    Entrepreneurial Empowerment

    The government has also introduced entrepreneurship programs to empower unemployed graduates with skills needed by business owners or professionals who want to start their own companies. These include:

    • Business Financing Program, which offers loans for starting up SMEs
    • Entrepreneurship for Start-Ups (E4S) which focuses on training young entrepreneurs
    • Job Creation – A Pathway to Self Employment (JPSE) which focuses on career changers who are looking for new employment opportunities.

    There are also other several ways that companies can combat skill shortages in South Africa:

    • Employers should invest in training their employees as much as possible. Regardless of whether they have to pay more than they would normally pay for employees who are already skilled. Training will benefit both employees and employers by ensuring that they have more qualified staff, which means less time and money spent on recruiting and hiring new employees.
    • Employers should provide better career development opportunities for their employees. This will allow them to move into different areas within the company or into new industries if necessary. As a result, they will be able to expand their skill set and become more employable when they are ready to look for work elsewhere or retire from their current position.
    • Employers should encourage employees to take advantage of any available education or training opportunities outside of work hours that may help them advance their careers within their company or industry.

    Sailing on the 7 C’s of Communication

    When communicating in business, one should not only strive to get one’s point across in a professional manner but also seek to be clearly understood.  But, it is not all plain sailing.  The art of communicating effectively follows certain dedicated principles which in recent years have been popularised as the ‘7 C’s of communication’. 

    What are the 7 C’s of Communication?

    In basic terms, the 7 C’s of Communication is simply a set of principles to follow when writing and speaking to ensure that communications are effective.  Their function is therefore to make sure that those who you are communicating with accurately understand the message you are putting across.  Accordingly, these principles are:

    • Clear
    • Correct
    • Complete
    • Concrete
    • Concise
    • Considered
    • Courteous

    Let us examine these simple principles in detail.

    Clear

    Being clear in your communications essentially entails making sure that what you are saying or writing is not misunderstood.  Here are some tips to ensure that your communications are clear:

    • Use simple, plain language and emphasise the key points of your message.
    • To prevent confusion, avoid using idioms, vague expressions, or figures of speech.
    • Prior to communicating anything, first be clear in your own mind as to the purpose of why you are communicating and what it is you are trying to get across.

    Concise

    Make sure that each point of your message is conveyed succinctly and concisely.  In this respect, less is more counts greatly in your favour.  Use as few words as possible.  Short sentences are more likely to keep your listeners or readers engaged.  Communicating concisely saves time, is non-repetitive and easier for the audience to grasp.

    Concrete

    For a message to be concrete it should come across with an element of confidence and supported by relevant stats, facts and figures. 

    Correct

    To be correct implies using the most appropriate form of communication as well as the type of language most suited to your specific message.  Correctness also means that your message should be accurate in terms of spelling and grammar and free from typographical errors.

    Considered

    Considered or coherent writing and conversations have a logical flow and consistently make sense.  This is where the order of the points to be covered comes into play.  Each point should come across in a manner that is easy to understand.  Considered communications should also be consistent in style and content when using more than one communication platform.

    Complete

    It may seem obvious, but, any communication should include sufficient information to ensure that the target audience understands the entire story.  Ways to achieve this include:

    • Incorporating a ‘call to action’ statement which is the desired response that you seek to achieve from your audience.
    • Adding appropriate hyperlinks to written content to provide as much relevant information as possible.

    Courteous

    Lastly, it goes without saying that being polite and respectful towards your audience is vital to effective communication.  Coming across in a professional, friendly and considerate manner will incite a better response from your target audience.  Being courteous also involves transparency, honesty and a willingness to engage in open discussion and answer any questions where necessary.

    Reference sources: www.professionalacademy.com

    Importance of Strategy in Virtual Customer Service

    Customer service is one of the essential parts of any business. It helps you to retain existing customers and attract new ones. It provides a way for your business to grow and prosper in the market.

    It is even more important when you are dealing with virtual customers. Virtual customers are often not as loyal as their real-world counterparts, so they can easily switch to another company if they feel your company is not meeting their needs.

    To avoid this, you must have a good strategy in place for your virtual customer service efforts. This will help you ensure that your customers get what they need from your business while ensuring that you do not lose them along the way.

    The importance of strategy in virtual customer service cannot be understated. The lack of a strategy can lead to poor customer service, which is not only bad for the brand but also for the customers.

    Strategy is an essential part of any business and greatly impacts your company’s operations. Without a solid strategy, your company will be unable to achieve its goals and objectives within the industry in which it operates. The strategy helps you identify what needs to be done to reach your goals effectively; it also gives you a direction on how to go about achieving them.

    By having a solid strategy, you will make better decisions when faced with issues that require immediate action or long-term planning. You will also focus on what matters most as opposed to getting distracted by other aspects of your business that may not have any immediate impact on the bottom line.

    There are many things that a good strategy should have, but the most important thing is that it should be flexible and adaptable.

    The key ingredients of a good strategy are:

    • A clear vision. A clear vision of what you want to achieve and how you will get there. It’s not enough to say, “we want to increase sales.” You have to know why and how.
    • Strategic focus. You need to know what your customers want from you and how far you can go with them.
    • Key success factors. You need to measure what works well for your business to continue improving it.
    • Complete control over customer service. If something goes wrong, this will affect all customers who use the service in question – not just one group or another. Your strategy should allow complete control over the service being provided so that any issues can be rectified quickly and efficiently.
    • Concise. A good strategy should be simple and easy to understand yet still powerful enough to impact your business or organization.

    When developing your strategy, keep the following questions in mind:

    • Who are you trying to reach?
    • What is your target market?
    • What key points of differentiation make your product/service better than any other?
    • What are the major problems that your target market is facing?
    • How will you solve those problems?

    How Do You Create a Customer Service Strategy?

    It can be difficult to develop a customer service strategy at times. An effective strategy requires time, money, and energy from your daily operations. This step-by-step guide will help you create a customer service strategy that works:

    Develop Customer Service Vision

    The first step in creating a customer service strategy is developing your customer service vision. Your vision should be based on your customers’ needs, your goals for your business and its products or services, and your organization’s culture.

    For example, suppose you operate a small business selling Christmas tree lights, but you want to expand into other products to increase revenue and profits. In this case, you may want to create a vision statement that focuses on expanding into other types of products rather than just selling Christmas lights only.

    Identify the Customers’ Needs

    Once you’ve developed your customer service vision, it’s time to identify the customers’ needs. This will allow you to start developing products or services that meet them effectively and efficiently while keeping costs low enough so that profits can remain high over time. A good way of doing this is by looking at the data from surveys taken from previous clients who have used similar products or services in the past (or even ones who have never purchased anything from you before).

    Set Customer Service Goals

    It is important to set goals for customer service. If the goal is not clearly defined, the results of your efforts will be less than optimal. You should state the specific objective you want to achieve and describe how you will measure success.

    Hire Customer Service Driven Employees

    Hiring employees who are driven by customer service is key to creating a good customer service experience. Hiring these employees means they will be more likely to go above and beyond for customers because they want to provide them with the best possible experience.

    Offer Customer Service Training

    If you want your employees to be effective at providing excellent customer service, they must receive training on how best to do so. A customer service training program should discuss how to provide excellent customer service and handle any problems that may arise while serving customers. For example, what happens if someone calls in with an issue; what are some solutions?

    Reward Good Service

    You can motivate employees through recognition, incentives, and rewards for their efforts. A good customer service strategy rewards employees for providing good customer service. This can be done through formal recognition programs or informal channels such as newsletters or personal notes of thanks.

    Develop a Consistent Feedback Loop

    Your customers will always tell you when they’re unhappy with service, so it’s important to have consistent feedback on what areas need improvement. This can be done through surveys or feedback forms, which are very common in many companies today. Also, an open communication line between your employees and customers is vital.

    What Are the Benefits of a Customer Experience Strategy?

    A customer experience strategy is a plan that helps you improve your customer satisfaction and loyalty by providing exceptional service. It’s also an effective way to increase revenue and reduce costs.

    Here are some of the benefits of a customer experience strategy:

    Increased Customer Value

    Customer loyalty and repeat purchases are likely to increase when you provide a high-quality customer experience. As a result, they’ll have more positive interactions with your brand and spend more money over time. This is referred to as higher customer lifetime value.

    A customer experience strategy can help your business increase the lifetime value of each customer. Customer service plays an important role in the customer experience. As a result, customers feel that they are receiving more than they expected and develop lasting loyalty.

    Better Customer Management

    A customer experience strategy helps to create a more effective customer management process. It helps to manage the customer relationship by providing regular updates on their orders and delivery status.

    It also ensures that customers are provided with accurate information regarding their order and a detailed description of the products they ordered. This improves the overall communication between both parties and enables you to provide better customer service.

    Increased Brand Identity

    A strong brand image is important to any company, but it’s especially important when dealing with consumers online. A good customer experience helps build brand recognition, leading to higher sales and greater loyalty among your audience.

    Reduced Sales and Marketing Costs

    A well-executed customer experience strategy can result in lower marketing costs. It helps you build loyalty among existing customers, who are more likely to share positive experiences with others (online or offline). This makes it easier for you to reach out to them when they have questions or need assistance, meaning less time spent on communication channels like email or phone calls.

    Higher Customer Retention

    A well-designed customer experience will help your company retain and grow its customers. Your customers will feel valued and appreciated, so they’re more likely to tell their friends about your business. And when people talk about you, they’ll share information about your brand with others.

    More Customer Acquisition

    Getting beyond your current base of loyal customers is critical to your company’s growth. You will gain new customers if you implement a good customer experience strategy. Through word-of-mouth campaigns, viral campaigns on social media platforms, and other powerful strategies, customers can learn about your products or services easily.

    Improved Crisis Management

    A customer experience strategy can help reduce the number of crisis situations your business experiences. It can also help prevent them from occurring in the first place by understanding what is causing them and how they should be addressed. A good customer experience strategy will provide information on how customers can contact your company in case of an issue or problem and ways for them to resolve it themselves if necessary. This ensures that there are no delays when dealing with issues such as these and that you can respond when needed.

    What Is the Strategy To Improve Customer Service?

    Focusing on understanding your customers is the key to improving customer service. This will help you better understand their needs and wants than any other company. Once you have that information, you can design a solution for them.

    Here are some tips on how to improve customer service:

    Set Goals

    Establishing goals for your team and yourself is the first step toward improving customer service. For example, you may want to increase the number of repeat customers or improve the average time spent on your website. You can also create goals for individual employees, such as increasing sales by 10 percent or improving customer satisfaction by 10 percent.

    Seek Customers’ Feedback

    Most companies have a customer service department that is meant to serve the needs of their customers. The success of this department relies on the ability to hear what customers want and need. A company needs to understand what their customers want and do not want and how they would like to be treated. This can be accomplished through surveys, focus groups, and other feedback mechanisms.

    To ensure that customers give their feedback about your service, you need to:

    • Provide a simple and easy-to-use form
    • Alert customers of the survey after they complete their purchase
    • Ask questions that are relevant to your product or service

    Understand Your Customers Needs

    The next step is to understand your customers’ needs.:

    • What do they want?
    • Do they need more information about a product or service?
    • Do they have any specific concerns or problems with your product or service?

    Always Exceed Customers’ Expectations

    One of the most important things you can do to improve customer service always exceeds their expectations. When customers are unhappy with something, they need to know that someone at the business cares about them and takes their complaints seriously. If an individual feels like there is no one listening to them or no one cares about what happened, then they will likely not return as a customer any time soon.

    Use Customers Relationships Management Platforms

    Customer relationship management (CRM) platforms help you improve your customer experience. They enable you to understand your customers better and automate your interactions with them. They also allow your company to connect with its customers across multiple channels, such as email, social media, text messaging, and web chat.

    By using CRM tools, businesses can:

    • Track how customers interact with the business. This allows companies to see what they’re doing right and wrong. For example, it might show that a certain type of communication is not resonating with customers because they don’t receive it regularly enough or at all.
    • Automate interactions with customers. If a company has a strong reputation for providing excellent customer service, then it will naturally attract more customers. Automating these interactions means that they can be done automatically instead of manually by an employee. This saves time and money for the business and its employees – who are much more likely to follow through on tasks when they know someone else will do them for them.
    • Make data-driven decisions. CRM systems allow businesses to analyze customer data to decide better how best to serve them.

    Customer Service Strategy Examples

    A good strategy has been thought out carefully and put into place at the right time. You can make sure that your customer service strategy is working well by looking at some examples of customer service strategies:

    Customer Service Center

    A Customer Service Center is a centralized location where customers can go to complain or ask for help. This can be a physical location or virtual. Customers usually use this service when they have a problem with the product or service. Still, it also serves as an information center for new customers or customers who want to learn more about the company and its products.

    24/7 Customer Service

    This is another example of a centralized customer service center that allows customers to communicate with a team of employees 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This type of customer service center can be operated by the same company or by another company that has partnered with the first one. The advantage of this strategy is that you will have your customers’ needs covered 24/7, which means you can avoid lost sales and refunds due to the unavailability of your services at certain times during the day when your business might be closed (for example, on weekends).

    Virtual Assistant Service

    Virtual assistant services are becoming more popular as people increasingly rely on technology in their daily lives. In this type of strategy, you hire someone who works remotely using virtual assistant software such as GoToMyPC. These services allow you to communicate with your assistant through email or text message so that he can take care of any issues that might come up during business hours when you’re not available because you’re busy running your business.

    Email Blasts

    Email is a great way to keep customers informed and involved. It’s a low-cost communication channel that can be used as often as you like, with no additional cost or time investment. You can use email blasts to send out important announcements and information about your company, product, or service. You can also use them to send out promotional offers and discounts.

    Social Media

    The use of social media helps you maintain relationships and reach out to customers and prospects at a time when they are most likely to respond. Social media allows you to connect with people who may not have access to your other marketing channels as efficiently or at all. This means that it may take more time and effort to reach potential customers through social media than through email, but the results are well worth it if you can successfully connect with them.

    Bottom Line

    A powerful strategy in virtual customer service is vital to the survival of your business. The lack of a solid strategy will prevent you from achieving your goals and maximizing opportunities. In today’s world, where companies expect more from their employees than ever, they must have a solid strategy.

    A good strategy is a foundation for all of your business decisions. It’s a plan that lays out how you want to run your business and how you will get there. A good strategy also helps you answer the following questions:

    What are your goals?

    This is the most important question you can ask yourself as an entrepreneur because it will help you focus on what matters most. Do you want to build a large, profitable company? Or perhaps you want to make a small mark on the world by providing an important service or product? Your goals should be clearly defined so no one can argue with them.

    How are those goals going to be achieved?

    This is where your strategy comes in. You need to know exactly how you will achieve each goal and what steps must be taken along the way. If you don’t know how this will happen, no one else will either.

    What resources do I have available? You need to know what tools and technology are available right now so that when things change or evolve in the future, they won’t cause problems for your business.

    Strategy development can be a complex process that requires careful planning and execution. The challenge for businesses is to ensure that their strategies are aligned with their goals and objectives and with their customers’ needs and desires; this way, they can successfully achieve the desired results.

    Strategy development should be based on:

    • A thorough understanding of your business environment
    • Markets and competitors
    • It should consider the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats likely to impact your performance over time.

    In addition, strategy development should consider factors such as regulatory influences, demographic trends, and economic conditions.

    A strategy is a blueprint for your business operations. It outlines how you intend to make money and how you will accomplish these goals over time. It also helps define what success looks like for your company and what it takes to get there.

    When developing strategies, companies should consider their industry, competitors, customers, and employees—and the future environment in which they operate—before making important business decisions.

    A good strategy should answer the following questions:

    • What are the goals of your business?
    • Who is the target audience for your product or service?
    • What type of customers do you want? Who are they? What makes them different from other people in their field? (If you’re selling books, why would someone buy them?)
    • How will these customers find out about your business? (Is it by word-of-mouth or through advertising?)

    Finally, virtual customer service is an important part of any business. It is a vital service that helps to keep customers satisfied with their purchases and services. A business without good virtual customer service will not be able to survive in today’s competitive world. Customers today expect the level of quality they have become accustomed to in the past, but they do not want to wait for it.

    Providing excellent customer service requires a good strategy to help businesses achieve their goals. This strategy must be flexible enough to meet the needs of different types of customers and their changing needs over time. It must also be easy for employees to understand so they can implement it effectively daily.

    How the office has evolved – from Ancient Rome to the modern hybrid workplace

    There is no doubt that today’s workplace bears little resemblance to how the workplace was structured only a few decades ago.  In fact, it is vastly different from what it used to be just a few years back.  Looking back through history in terms of how the workplace has evolved into what we have today is indeed fascinating.

    From Ancient Times

    Evidence points to the fact that the first offices were founded in Ancient Rome.  Yet it wasn’t until the 18th Century that dedicated office buildings were established.  The first office, known as the Old Admiralty Building, was created in London, and was built to cater for the volume of paperwork generated by the Navy across the British Empire.  Subsequently, the advantages of creating a workspace where many people were all in one place was soon recognised and the East India House, which was the office from which the East India Trading Company was managed, was soon built.  These premises housed employees and stored huge amounts of paperwork.

    The emergence of the open plan office

    During this period, the bosses who ran the businesses were the only people who would work together in the office.  But, throughout the 19th Century and into the turn of the 20th Century, as businesses started to grow and flourish and more employees were hired, open-plan offices became the norm.  This workplace style was configured as rows of people sitting at desks in straight lines.  Cubicles hadn’t yet been invented which meant that bosses tended to march up and down the floor, while continually monitoring what people were doing.  For most employees, this was more than likely a nerve wrecking experience.  Whether this work style was truly effective is debatable.  Since, bosses sought their pound of flesh from every employee, didn’t allow employees to speak or engage with one another and the hours of work were excessively high.  A huge contrast to the workplace of today where the focus is more on collaboration, connectivity and, of course, employee mental health and wellness in the workplace.   

    The emergence of the Skyscraper

    Technological inventions such as electricity, air conditioning systems and elevators enabled the first skyscraper buildings to be constructed in London and other cities across the USA.  As more skyscrapers were built, more offices were built and equipped with private offices, open-plan offices, canteens and boardrooms.  Certain offices were built with better acoustics and a warmer environment for the purpose of increasing productivity levels by making employees feel more comfortable.  Interestingly, at the start of World War 2, many offices either closed down or changed focus as many men went to war and the workplace became more female-dominated.

    The Standard Bank Centre (also known as the Hanging Building or the 78 Fox Street) is a skyscraper in JohannesburgSouth Africa. It is located at the corner of 5 Simmonds Street and 78 Fox Street in the Central Business District of the city. Construction of the building started in 1966 and was completed in 1968. It is 139 m (456 ft) tall. It was also home to Standard Bank, until the company moved to other site in 1990.
    Source: Wikipedia

    The emergence of the Modern office of the 20th Century

    The next phase of development was in the 1950s and 1960s, when the structure of the workplace really started to take shape and offices were built that resemble what we have today.  Along with this the concept of Burolandschaft, which literally translates into ‘office landscape’ was introduced in Germany in 1958 by two brothers, Wolfgang and Eberhard Schnelle,who founded the Quickborner consulting group.  Upon founding Quickborner as a space planning firm, the brothers soon became interested in office space.  They regarded the current status quo that consisted of uninspired rows of desks and a stringent office hierarchy as an opportunity for change.  They were intent upon creating a system whereby the focus is on the individual.  Hence, they rebelled against the harsh grid of desks and corridors and instead replaced it with a more natural setting where employees could interact with one another and share ideas.  This was the first step towards creating a culture of workplace collaboration which has become a hugely important factor in the operation of the workplace of today.   Burolandschaft then spread across northern Europe and eventually rolled into other parts of the world.

    In the 1960s cities including the likes of London started to rapidly expand and it became common practice to work in an office.  At that time, computers were still a rarity and instead employees worked by hand and used a typewriter.  It wasn’t until the 1980s that most employees had their own desktop computer which was anbulky, cumbersome machine.  The 1980s also saw the introduction of the office cubicle or ‘cube farm’ whereby employees were separated by partitions that were squared off into a cube-like layout.  By the 1990s, individuals worldwide were working in offices, and as the Internet started to gain traction, business expanded globally into what we know today as the ‘global village’.  But, it wasn’t until the 2000s when people began using laptops, that the trend of being able to work anytime anywhere, became popular as people spent more time out of the office and hence, started to work from home. 

    The 21st Century office

    Two decades into the 21st Century and the office is undergoing a digital transformation.  And with the advent of the Covid-19 Pandemic remote work is becoming the norm in what is being referred to as the New World of Work.  This shift is thanks to modern technology, which enables people to work remotely and become possibly more productive than they would working from the confines of an office. 

    Working Remotely and the Mobile Office

    The workplace of today is no longer about the physical workplace but is instead more concerned with online connections, working in home offices and even from cafes and coffee shops.  Working in this manner is also referred to as the ‘Mobile Office’.   While the emphasis is focussed on collaboration, with technology, employees can remain connected online.  The benefits to working remotely are far reaching.  From improved mental health, increased productivity levels to flexible work schedules, working remotely enables people to achieve a greater work-life balance since employees can tailor their work commitments around their life or their life responsibilities around their work. 

    Working remotely became part of the ‘New Normal’ during the Pandemic enforced lockdowns, when all but key workers who had no option but to be ‘on site’ mainly worked from home.  But, in 2021, as the severity of the disease started to abate, many employees made their way back into the office.  However, this has led to the trend of hybrid working which finds employees working in the office on certain days of the week and working remotely at other times, as and when appropriate.

    The Future of the Workplace in the New World of Work

    As far as the future of work and the workplace is concerned, the trends are similar to those that are emerging today but more exaggerated in certain areas.  While there are many predictions around how the workplace will continue to evolve, the consensus agreement is that remote work is here to stay.  Yet, technology will dictate the pace as well as the nature of what will evolve and how human beings will adapt.  So, what can we expect to happen beyond 2022?  Here is what is on the cards:

    • Artificial Intelligence (AI) will lead the way

    While Artificial Intelligence (AI) will certainly lead the way as far as the evolution of technology is concerned, automating systems and helping humans to fulfil mundane tasks, many people are naturally concerned that they may lose their job in favour of a robot.  Yet, when the right forms of AI are effectively deployed, this frees up time for people to focus more on creativity and critical thinking, which according to the World Economic Forum (WEF) Future of Jobs Report 2020, are the top skills required in the New World of Work. 

    • Remote and Hybrid Work

    As we move into the workplace of the future, with more people working from home on more flexible schedules, leaders and business owners the world over are gearing up to learn how to effectively manage remote employees to maintain productivity and instil company culture, vision and values. 

    • Workplace Diversity

    Encouraging equality and rallying in favour of workplace diversity is expected to be high on the agenda in the New World of Work.  This means that more and more businesses will be required to introduce anti-discrimination policies that employees will naturally embrace in becoming truly global citizens.

    There remains no doubt that the workplace of today bears little if any resemblance at all to the workplace of 250 years ago.  Yet, what is even more staggering is that the workplace of only 20 years ago bears little resemblance to today’s New World of Work.

    Reference sources: Avocor.com|Wikipedia

    Shifting towards a ‘skills first’ mindset in the New World of Work

    There is no doubt that the New World of Work presents an ever-evolving landscape that requires our constant attention as we, ourselves, shift and evolve to embrace a whole new way of being in business and earning a living.  Yet, this new landscape has become a highly-trafficked highway, with technology, business and people doing their very best to establish a meaningful and consistent flow of activities while avoiding crashing into one other.   But, the only constant that can be relied upon as we navigate the challenges that we face in a world that is still vaguely familiar, yet, comes with a whole new modus operandi, is change. 

    While the pandemic is largely responsible for these unparalleled changes in the workplace, along with that many jobs now require a whole new set of skills.  The fact is employers need to change their approach in terms of how and who they recruit by paying less attention to technical qualifications and degrees and instead focussing more on skills.  This is not to say that employees must not be technically qualified in their respective fields.  Rather, it is the ‘how’ that we are concerned with in terms of the way people use their expertise in a setting that bears very little resemblance to the pre-pandemic world of work.  The idea is to build upon existing technical expertise, and employers who go the whole hog and invest in the training and upskilling of their employees will find it that much easier to retain talent.

    Focusing on skills makes the hiring process that much easier and more efficient

    The world around us has shifted to such an extent that when we take a quick snapshot of the economies of today, it becomes apparent that many businesses are either technology businesses or technology-enabled businesses.  Data recently released by LinkedIn reveals that job skill sets have changed by approximately 25% since 2015 and by 2027 this number is likely to double.  This means that whether you like it or not, your job is changing even if you aren’t changing jobs, as it were.  This runs parallel to the fact that business demands are changing even if you are not changing your business.  In the light of this, we can say that the world of work has been turned on its head and many leaders the world over have concluded that the best way to navigate the New World of Work is a skills-first mindset for people, businesses, economies and societies at large.  Hence, an increasing number of CEOs worldwide are emphasising the need for businesses to reassess the hiring process entirely.

    Focussing on career development and improving talent retention

    Traditionally, individuals were hired based on three primary factors:  their technical competence as demonstrated by a qualification such as a degree or diploma, their previous track record and forging the right connections, that is, ‘who they know’ in the grand scheme of things.  Skills did not factor into the equation.  However, as quickly as the world has changed, hiring strategies too are changing. Since, in seeking work that is more personally rewarding, individuals now understand the need to specify and describe what skills they have as well as those skills that they seek to acquire.  Whereas businesses who are keen to fill roles in a historically tight labour market, have shifted their thinking towards whether potential hires have the right skills needed to accomplish the tasks at hand and effectively get the job done.  This sees a skills-first labour market unfolding as we speak.

    Skills-first hiring is the new way to match talent with opportunity

    According to the World Economic Forum, it is estimated that over 1 billion people worldwide will need to be reskilled by 2030,  This plays out not only as far as digital skills are concerned but also stretches into what are known as ‘Soft Skills’ which are high on the agenda in the new hybrid workplace.  So, as jobs shift and evolve and demand new skill sets, talent managers need to evolve their hiring strategies towards making qualifications less of an issue and instead source talent with the skills that match the role in question.  This means that established hiring practices that have been in place for decades need a complete overhaul.  Yet, we still have a long way to go given that recent research from Harvard Business School reveals that 88% of hiring managers are still in the habit of screening out highly-skilled talent because they do not have traditional qualifications.  This needs to change in the face of the accelerated advancement of technologies used in the workplace ushered in by the pandemic.  Therefore, the demands of work along with the required skills needed in constantly-evolving job roles are radically different to what they were prior to the pandemic for individuals and companies alike.  According to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) forecasts, in the next decade, over 1 billion jobs, which equates to close to one-third of all jobs worldwide, are expected to be transformed by technology.  The upside is that many of the top skills needed in emerging and high-paying roles are comparable to those in other fields.  For instance, a driver has 57% of the skills required to switch over into the role of supply chain associate and a supermarket cashier has 70% of the skills required to take on the role of customer service representative.

    Upskilling employees to succeed in the New World of Work requires a strategic shift at management level

    The urgent and critical need to focus on upskilling employees requires a strategic shift in mindset at management level.  From maintaining the organisation’s competitive edge through to satisfying the need to grow employee potentials and equipping them with the right skills to embrace the changing workplace, companies that ensure that their employees remain abreast of new technologies are the ones that will succeed and indeed thrive, in the ever-evolving landscape of the New World of Work.

    Reference sources: LinkedIn|weforum.org

    Top Leadership Skills in The New Normal

    What is Leadership in the 21st Century Skills?

    There is so much new and different about leadership in the 21st century. While the past years considered leadership to be an avenue for controlling and assigning roles to subordinates, 21st-century leadership requires more than mere management. In the digital age, leadership demands more skills than were required in the past years. Leadership principles remain, but the application criteria have changed significantly.

    In the 21st century skills, leadership is at the centre of all components of organisational management. It is impossible to work in any role within an organisation without possessing the qualities of a leader. A 21st-century employee must demonstrate the core leadership skills to successfully accomplish his or her responsibilities.

    Before you are considered a leader, there are core abilities that must be demonstrated by the individual. The person must showcase the ability to work in a team, commit and focus on their responsibilities, and have a high emotional quotient (EQ). These are important abilities that are vital in managing oneself and others. Therefore, leadership is an essential skill in the 21st century. It is impossible to work in any setting, either as an employee or entrepreneur, without possessing leadership skills. Even when you possess massive educational qualifications, there is a need to exhibit leadership qualities to succeed.

    What is leadership in 21st-century skills? It is the ability to collaborate with others to meet your obligations in a particular position. Leadership is vital for the successful management of organisations. Besides, it is through leadership that 21st-century organisations optimise service delivery and value addition through customer service.

    Leadership is the skill that brings focus and ensures that the daily operation does not swerve from the primary goals. The organisation’s mission is at the centre of every strategic decision made by team leaders, administrators, and executive managers. This is a vital component that requires every team member to possess leadership qualities to work successfully within an organisation.

    What are the 7 Core Skills of a Leader?

    There are numerous core skills that define a leader in the 21st century. A leader should be able to guide people in an ever-changing environment. There is a need to be able to lead people through emotional challenges, including conflicts and crises, without being harsh or insensitive.

    Here are seven core skills that are important to any leader.

    Emotional Intelligence

    Emotional intelligence is an important skill for a leader in the 21st century. This is the ability to understand, identify, and manage emotions. In the contemporary business setting, leaders manage diverse emotions each day, including the experiences of other workers. Therefore, it is important to understand how to identify these emotions and make clear judgements about the issues being raised.

    Empathy

    After emotional intelligence, a leader must be empathetic. This skill enables leaders to understand what others feel professionally and personally. Every decision is not just made to increase sales or make the business successful. The advancement of business goals is hinged on the ability to understand people and be human enough to empathise with their situations.

    Confidence

    As a leader in the 21st century, one must be bold and assertive. Confidence is a skill that ensures leaders possess convictions about their decisions and the company’s mission. They can also withstand criticism and successfully face challenges without feeling discouraged.

    Creativity

    A leader must be able to adapt to the changing business environment in order to succeed. It is important to think outside the box and solve challenges creatively.

    Communication

    In the 21st century, a leader must be able to communicate effectively and get others to understand their goals. This involves expressing their thoughts and feelings through meetings, emails, phone calls, or any other form of communication.

    Inspiring

    Another core skill is the ability to inspire others. A leader must ensure that the team maintains high morale and a sense of hope during challenging times. Also, the leader’s actions can also inspire others to act in a smarter and better way.

    Inclusivity

    The final important skill is the ability to be inclusive in decision-making. All decisions a leader makes should be inclusive and support all people in the organisation. Every member of the team must feel included and supported in the team.

    What is the Greatest Leadership Ability?

    The greatest leadership ability in the 21st century is emotional intelligence. While people get promoted because of their educational qualifications and technical know-how, their ability to lead organizations and succeed hinges on emotional intelligence.

    What is emotional intelligence?

    Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, including recognising how these emotions influence the people around you. The idea was first developed during the 1990s by researchers Peter Salovey and John Mayer. It was popularised later on by Daniel Goleman.

    Goleman underscored the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership. Reporting in the Harvard Business Review, he noted that the most effective leaders have a similar level of emotional intelligence. While having a high IQ and technical know-how is vital, the success of a leader is strongly determined by emotional intelligence.

    Over the years, emotional intelligence (EQ) has become a must-have skill for all leaders. One of the strongest predictors of leadership performance is emotional intelligence. Unless an individual can manage their emotions, they cannot perform optimally in their roles.

    Many employers also report that they value EQ compared to IQ. Individuals with high emotional intelligence are deemed to stay calmer under pressure and can resolve conflicts effectively. Moreover, they can respond to team members with empathy.

    There are four major aspects related to emotional intelligence, which include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. All these components are vital in enhancing emotional intelligence.

    Emotional intelligence matters because leaders set the tone for the organisation’s approach to issues. When leaders lack emotional intelligence, the consequences are far-reaching and result in reduced employee engagement. Even if a person has excellent technical skills, they can fail to manage an organisation effectively because they lack emotional intelligence. Mastering emotional intelligence ensures that one is able to advance in their career on many fronts.

    What are the Top Three Leadership Skills?

    Several leadership skills are in demand in the job market. While leadership skills are many and varied, every employee must have three top leadership skills to advance faster in their career. These traits enable people to lead, deliver projects, initiate programs, collaborate, and empower others within the organisation. An individual with these three top skills will be able to guide other people to achieve the organisation’s goals and drive change.

    Decisiveness

    Decisiveness is an important leadership skill that every leader must possess. An effective leader must be able to make decisions faster within specific time frames. As one gains experience, they are also expected to make their decision-making more efficient. There is a need to create proper incentives to support all team members by ensuring that decisions apply to all. As a leader, one must never exhibit any sense of favouritism towards certain team members. Another aspect of decisiveness is the need for research, evaluation, problem-solving, and goal-setting. These are important traits that ensure each decision attains the desired outcomes.

    Problem-Solving

    Another important skill for leaders is the ability to solve problems. The organisation experiences challenges in the day-to-day undertaking of its roles. Therefore, leaders must have incentives to solve any emerging issues within the organisation. There is a need to create a solution for all emerging issues and ensure sufficient resources are allocated to alleviate the issues arising from the challenges. The leader must be at the forefront of dealing with the issues and advance their pursuit of success.

    Ability to Teach and Mentor

    A leader is an essential member of the team. Every member of the organisation looks up to the leader for guidance on various issues. Therefore, the leader must be able to teach and mentor others competently.

    Leadership in the New Normal Post-Pandemic World

    The coronavirus pandemic imposed many challenges on how organisations are managed. There are also permanent changes that have occurred in the workplace, which require a drastic change in leadership approaches. Hybrid work is now a new normal that organisations must deal with.

    The pandemic has accelerated a trend unfolding over the last few years. As the world becomes more digital, complex decisions must be made to address the issues in the post-pandemic world. So, leadership in the new normal requires specific skills that are a must-have for all leaders.

    All leaders must be able to communicate effectively and express their feelings, expectations, and thoughts. As workers become more independent, there is a need to be able to communicate to achieve success across the organisation. Communication includes making first impressions, building relationships with co-workers, and expressing the organisation’s goals. In the post-pandemic era, communication must be done effectively to guarantee positive results and success. Moreover, stellar communication enhances the bonds between team members and clients. This will lead to long-term benefits for the organisation.

    Leaders in the new normal must be able to collaborate and set examples for subordinates. Instead of enforcing rules and outlining expectations, the leader must be hands-on in creating spaces for sharing and exchanging information. This is the basis for driving performance and ensuring that top talent is retained within the organisation.

    The new normal also requires prioritisation of family values, learning, and promoting common interests. The pandemic was a death blow to the old-schooled leadership approach. Therefore, succeeding in business requires connection and corporate fluidity. Employees usually feel better when their needs are addressed and understood.

    In the post-pandemic world, leadership succeeds through collaboration, understanding, and empathy. This new type of leadership ensures that health and family values are promoted. There is also a commonality in protecting each other and ensuring that workers adopt healthy lifestyles.

    Leadership Challenges in the New Normal

    The pandemic has shown that no one is immune to leadership challenges. There are still many roadblocks to the successful management of workplaces in the new normal. Leaders in different multinational organisations have reported several core challenges that have emerged in the post-pandemic world.

    Communicating Purpose and Value

    One of the major challenges experienced by organisations in the new normal is the communication of purpose and value. More than ever, employees would like to understand their purpose and value within an organisation. Some of the core questions that employees need to answer include why they are in the organisation, the company’s vision, where they are going, and how they fit into the organisation’s plans. Having the inspiration of the shared vision is important. Also, the emergence of a hybrid work environment complicates this aspect and causes more challenges in bringing employees together.

    Fear of Causing Problems

    The post-pandemic period has many people living with a high level of anxiety, causing many to fear making mistakes. Moreover, people always want to be perceived as an important part of the organisation. This also contributes to the fear and anxiety experienced by employees. Therefore, leaders must deal with these issues and ensure that individuals feel confident as part of the team. The leader is mandated to create a favourable environment where people can learn and grow. This is vital in guaranteeing long-term growth for the company. With the fear of causing problems, team members cannot ask questions or get guidance when they feel stuck.

    Overcoming Talent Shortage

    The new normal has also led to a shortage of talent in the job market. Many people have left the workforce since the emergence of the coronavirus. There are knowledge gaps because the pandemic displaced talented and experienced workers from the workplace. In this regard, leaders are mandated to prevent and bridge these knowledge gaps, ensuring that companies focus on their core mandates in delivering results.

    New Normal Leadership Styles

    After the coronavirus pandemic, most leadership styles do not seem to work in the new normal. Many aspects have changed in the workplace. Companies require leaders who can step up and identify novel ways of handling issues. Through the pandemic, poor leadership styles were exposed, and it became apparent that strict measures were needed to meet the obligations.

    Empathetic Leadership Approach

    Before the pandemic, leaders thrived by committing long hours to their roles. Spending many hours in the office was regarded as a badge of honor. In the new normal, leaders succeed by focusing on people and ensuring they thrive. This can be achieved by building a culture of wellbeing. The culture should foster engagement and productivity across the organization. There must be focused care for workers’ physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing.

    Change-Ready Leadership Approach

    In the new normal, many organizations have realized that change is necessary and should be possible at any time. While many companies consider change an unimportant issue, the current leaders understand that change is a constant and unrelenting transformation to meet the immediate needs or demands of the environment. Leaders must be ‘change leaders’ who work hard to improve the whole team.

    Inclusive Leadership Approach

    Inclusive leadership is important in the new normal. Successful leaders embrace inclusion and psychological safety. Therefore, effective leaders perceive their role as simply giving back to the community and enabling everyone to thrive. Through this approach, everyone has a chance to grow and explore their potential.

    Continuous Learning Leadership Approach

    Another core leadership trait in the new normal is continuous learning. The pandemic forced many organizations to embrace technologies that they were complacent about. In the new normal, the leader must create an enabling environment for people to learn. This is important in ensuring that organizations adopt new technologies without experiencing many lags in service delivery.

    Leadership Capacity in an Era of Change: The New Normal Leader

    One of the major qualities of leaders throughout history is the ability to predict issues. Individuals who can foretell the future and create incentives to mitigate any dangers would easily thrive over the years. The recent pandemic caught many businesses off guard because they never understood what was happening. Another aspect is that the pandemic brought about significant changes in how organisations operate.

    Through the pandemic, organisations were forced to consider how they could strengthen leadership and ensure sustainability. Leadership capacity has been redefined in this era of change. Leaders are expected to change their approaches to management and assist their organisation in innovating to stay relevant.

    Leaders must also be proactive in rebuilding the culture of the organisation. It is impossible to thrive as a leader if you cannot create a culture of collaboration and constant change. Another aspect is automating systems and optimising operations by leveraging technology. Aspects like cloud computing, Zoom meetings, and other technologies can assist companies in organising their work and achieving greater results. The era of relying upon physical meetings and manual labour is gone. In the post-pandemic world, organisations must change and adopt technologies that make the work process seamless.

    Leadership capacity is also measured through adaptation to new customer behaviours. The pandemic forced many people to stay indoors. Therefore, most business transactions were done online. Goods and services were delivered through digital platforms. Thus, leaders must be able to constantly adapt to consumer behaviours and prioritise what they need. This requires rapid transformation of the organisation’s systems to serve clients effectively.

    Another aspect of leadership in the new normal is ethical organisational operation and sustainability. Leaders must be able to promote sustainability and reduce emissions across their operations. This is an important component that guarantees success and leads to positive outcomes in the organisation.

    Transformational Leadership in the New Normal

    The coronavirus pandemic affirmed that the potential for having similar cases in the future is high. This requires organisations to prepare and ensure that they are ready to deal with any emerging issues from epidemics. The most important solution to future pandemics is a quick adaptation to change. This can be achieved if leaders are proactive and ready to assimilate these changes into organisations. It is impossible to navigate through challenges without having effective leadership at the centre.

    Transformational leadership is important in addressing such challenges, especially in the new normal. With many changes that have been made in companies, it is through transformational leadership that we can see through these challenges. This is an era that requires leaders who are agile thinkers with organisational intelligence and foresight to pursue change and achieve results despite the prevailing challenges. Another leadership aspect has an individual who is focused on the people. This implies that a leader must consider issues affecting workers and customers. Through such an approach, it will be easier to navigate and address challenges arising in the new normal.

    Transformational leadership usually guides people against conventional trends. This requires commitment, creativity, imagination, and innovation. As many people are oriented toward short-term profits, it is important to see beyond the veil and focus on future possibilities. Transformational leaders can read through the changes and guide organisations into new positions by creating novel approaches to dealing with issues. This is a vital aspect that guarantees positive outcomes in an organisation.

    The future of companies is hinged on transformational leadership. In the new normal, it is impossible to deal with these issues without a transformative leadership approach. Such leaders intend to make a positive social impact and always centre their decisions around the well-being of the organisation, employees, and customers. Each change implemented is aimed to benefit all stakeholders across the organization.

    Conclusion

    Leadership is an important ingredient for company growth. It is impossible to navigate numerous challenges without an effective leader. In the new normal, core skills are necessary for leaders to succeed. Leaders are expected to show empathy, commitment, decisiveness, trustworthiness, flexibility, and emotional intelligence, among other qualities. These are crucial components that guarantee productivity and performance across the organisation. When these qualities are lacking, it is impossible to succeed in the organisation. Leaders also thrive when they have outstanding soft skills, which are hinged on emotional intelligence.

    The leader must always lead by example. This is demonstrated through actions, words, and commitment to goals. The ability to communicate and articulate one’s thoughts and ideas is also vital in achieving the organisation’s goals. There is a need to have an elaborate plan on where one desires to take the organisation. If one needs to transform an aspect of the organisation, this must be communicated clearly to the team members. People desire to work in a place where they are valued. It is the leader’s responsibility to ensure that all individuals are supported and guided appropriately.

    In the new normal, companies require continuous development and growth. Success is hinged on the ability to advance in many areas of specialisation. The leader must be at the centre of organisational goals and objectives. This includes communication and implementation of these goals. Leaders in the new normal should never be slack in their duties. They must proactively engage with workers to understand the issues affecting their day-to-day responsibilities.

    Employees must be supported in enhancing their skills and pursuing growth. The aim is to ensure that the organisation is prepared for any changes. Leaders must prepare to see their roles evolve every year. It is the leader’s sole responsibility to ensure that the company adapts to any changes without delay.

    Developing mindfulness in the workplace can take you that much further

    What exactly is mindfulness?

    In a nutshell, mindfulness is the mental state of focussing one’s awareness on the present moment, whilst at the same time recognising and accepting one’s thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations. In other words, mindfulness involves being cognisant of what is going on within ourselves and what is going on around us.  It can also be defined as an inner and outer awareness of yourself, other people as well as your environment.  Mindfulness is about living with intent and any time you practice mindfulness, whether it be at home, in social settings or in the workplace it can help you become a better version of yourself.

    Mindfulness plays an important role in our daily lives since, often, we tend to multi-task.  Certain people claim that they can do several things at once.  While this might be the case, balancing a cup of coffee in one hand while trying to answer the phone with the other will often result in something being spilt.  Those who try to multi-talk are more often than not less effective than they would otherwise be if they focussed their attention on one task until it was done.  This is where mindfulness comes to the fore.  A person who has been trained in mindfulness is more alert to the workings of their own mind.  He or she is aware of how their filtering process affects their perceptions and hence, how they make decisions.  Those who have learnt to habitually practise this technique are more receptive to listening to and learning from others.  They are conscious of their own preconceived ideas and are more receptive to a greater range of potentials that they were previously unaware of.

    Those who are mindful have learnt to concentrate on one task at a time.  They seek the best solution to any problem and as far as ‘thinking outside of the box’ is concerned, there is no box.  Mindful individuals are also more conscious of how they connect with others.

    How to start practicing mindfulness in the workplace

    Your daily mindfulness rituals should begin with a short meditation of say between 5 to 10 minutes.  Take deep breaths to relax your body and mind and then focus on one thing only.  This can be literally anything – a small object, an animal, anything at all.  Don’t be concerned if your mind drifts or if you start thinking of other things.  This is likely to happen.  When your mind wanders steer your thoughts back towards what you were focussing on. 

    When you regularly practise mindfulness a new vista of awareness unfolds, allowing you to more vividly see how you are connected to everything.  You will more readily understand your connection to other individuals, the community and the world at large.

    When you make the effort to practise mindfulness you will have realigned your thinking by being present and focussing on the here and now. 

    Why is mindfulness important in the workplace?

    As we move from a manufacturing to a knowledge-based economy, mindfulness in the workplace is coming under the spotlight.  Whereas the body was the primary means of production in a manufacturing economy, in a knowledge-based economy it is the brain, and in line with this philosophy employees are considered to be ‘capital assets’.  Part of the reality that we are living with in today’s workplace is that we are not yet up to speed in terms of learning how to transform our greatest tool in a knowledge economy, the mind.  Even those who manage others are often not skilled in self-management.  If a manager is unable to properly focus, this can cause problems since every negative thought and emotion affects their decision-making capabilities.  Being mindful in the workplace enables managers to let go of thoughts and emotions relating to the past as well as the ‘what ifs’ of the future and instead allows them to focus on the ‘here and now’.  Managers who master the art of mindfulness are able to hold meetings ‘in the present’ without being influenced by past actions and behaviours. 

    Mindfulness and the Annual Performance Review Process

    Often, the annual performance review process revolves around highlighting criticisms directed at the employee with the employer seeking, among other things, to justify not having to award the employee with a larger salary increase.  The employee naturally becomes defensive.  This activates the part of the brain that deals with emotions.  However, a different approach can yield a completely different and better result.  If the manager instead asks the employee to describe how they feel they have performed during the course of the year, this shifts the focus to a more positive angle and allows the employee to highlight their own strengths and weaknesses without feeling threatened.  Ultimately, there will always be performance gaps that need to be addressed but, approaching the situation in this manner enables the employee’s brain activity to shift towards that part of the brain that involves judgement and ambition as opposed to operating in ‘fear mode’.

    Mindfulness and Multi-tasking

    Research reveals that when one reduces the time spent on multi-tasking, quality of work and productivity levels notably increase and one is able to better connect with family, friends and colleagues. Since, through mindfulness, one’s listening skills are also significantly improved.  Even still, practising mindfulness in the workplace can elevate our connection to the world at large and emphasise our sense of interdependence.

    How does practising mindfulness benefit employees?

    There are numerous published studies that show that the human brain is flexible and can be rewired through consistently practising mindfulness.  For example, Google employees have learned to calm themselves under stressful circumstances and this helps them to be more productive. 

    Dealing with difficult managers

    While difficult managers will more often than not remain difficult, employees who practise mindfulness will be able to deal with difficult managers with greater perception, can respond in a more disciplined manner and are able to see the situation for what it actually is. 

    Reference sources: wellsteps.com|

    What is Skills Development in The Workplace?

    Skills development is essential in the workplace because it allows companies to improve productivity by empowering workers with knowledge. There are several benefits of skills development in the workplace.

    • Developing workers’ skills improves employee and organizational performance. As workers gain new skills, they become more productive, perform better, and positively impact the bottom line.
    • Assists workers and companies in preparing for future growth, expansion, and adaptation to market trends. Skills development centres around improving the skills where the company has identified skills gaps and usually focuses on the long-term and short-term benefits and aligns with the business’s future goals.
    • Skills development is also vital in retaining and engaging workers. When an entity invests in developing workers’ skills, employees will be motivated to work for an extended period. As people commit to the same organisation for long periods, the company benefits by ensuring that experienced workers and skilled employees remain in the organisation. According to research, more than 90% of workers claim that they are willing to stay in the same organisation if the company invests in their learning and skills development.

    With these core benefits, the organisation needs to create incentives that support employee growth. Before initiating any skills program, it is essential to identify the skills gaps and evaluate the kind of training appropriate that is appropriate. These considerations should also include the immediate and long-term benefits of the skills gained for the company.

    When the best methods for training workers are identified, the organisation should provide a comprehensive program schedule. There are diverse approaches that can be used by companies to highlight existing skill gaps.

    To identify the skills that need to be improved, the organisation’s human resources team can undertake a training needs analysis (TNA). This is a procedure that companies use to understand or evaluate areas where the learning and development of workers are needed. The process is comprehensive and touches on every area of the organisation. After understanding the skills gaps, training programs are created to enhance employee skills development and bridge performance gaps.

    Performance reviews are also essential to offer critical data and information regarding employee strengths and weaknesses. This approach will highlight the areas where skills are absent or weak. The company can address these issues through appropriate skills-building programs.

    Workers can also make requests to the organisation for training in areas where they feel they lack the required skills. Another technique is using the skill-will matrix, which compares the willingness of workers to fulfill a particular task based on the degree of skills they have. This can be used to identify gaps and create programs to train workers as appropriate.

    Why is Developing Skills Important in The Workplace?

    More than ever before, many workers switch jobs regularly. Therefore, it is vital to train and equip workers to guarantee talent retention. Employee skills development is essential in enabling workers to meet the company’s standards, reduce the cost of replacement, and improve workplace performance. Therefore, more human resource managers focus on upskilling their teams with tools such as learning management systems.

    Developing employee skills is essential for several reasons. There are many skills gaps experienced by organisations across the world. While many companies seek to hire new workers to fill these gaps, it is prudent to train internal workers to meet these obligations.

    When workers are trained with appropriate skills, they can influence retention and turnover rates. Here are some reasons why developing skills in the workplace is important.

    Attracting Top Talent

    Self-driven and successful employees usually pursue opportunities to learn, grow, and advance their careers. According to the LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2021, upskilling and reskilling are priority factors among Learning and Development programs worldwide. This is not just a good strategy to make workers happy. It is also vital to the company’s health to create a positive and developmental workplace environment. Therefore, an organization with workplace skill development programs retains and attracts top talent, increasing the organization’s returns.

    Developing People

    Every person has his or her own career goals. Therefore, employees are always looking for opportunities to reach their full potential through applying appropriate skills. Suppose the workplace does not have the right programs to advance workers’ skills, in this case, they will most likely quit and seek alternative employment. When the organisation has skills development programs, employees will more readily commit and stay with the organisation for a longer period of time. This is because working within the same organization should offer workers opportunities to advance and take up new roles and responsibilities with added capabilities. As a business owner, you must always seek to understand what your workers intend to achieve and leverage their goals with the company’s needs.

    Planning for Future Success

    Developing skills in the workplace is also important because it creates the managers of tomorrow. Therefore, employees are trained to acquire leadership skills and are given incentives to manage diverse roles affecting the organisation. As part of the succession plan, the company should have skills development programs to prepare for transitions and the replacement of retiring managers. Through talent management and skills development, it is possible to identify the candidates who add the most value to the company and leverage these components to attain positive results.

    Performance and Productivity

    Talent is one of the most vital assets of an organisation. Therefore, there must be internal incentives to develop employee skills and make them valuable resources for the organization. The company should invest in training opportunities for workers at all levels. The goals are not only to retain workers but also to enhance performance and productivity. Training and development ensure that skills gaps are bridged, and continuous growth across the company is achieved.

    Why is Developing Skills Important in South Africa?

    As discussed above, skills development ensures that individuals can access better opportunities and advance their careers. Therefore, individuals can venture into their desired careers because they possess the right skills to expand their knowledge in this area and advance their goals. Skills are vital in ensuring economic growth and the expansion of businesses.

    There are concerns that the quality of education in South Africa continues to decline. Many South Africans lack the right skills to work effectively in the digital economy.

    Many skilled workers migrated away from the country in the wake of the first democratic election. In the last two decades, many workers also left the country. The rise in violent crime and perceived better opportunities in western countries have been the main cause of the mass exodus.

    Therefore, skills development is vital in South Africa because it addresses the numerous challenges experienced by workers. Many people are taking positions where they lack the right skills to deliver or accomplish the job responsibilities.

    The transformation forced the unskilled workforce to take up positions that required skilled labour. Without up-skilling and reskilling, the workforce will not be competent enough to fulfill the required job obligations.

    This is clearly seen in the billions of Rands organisations spend to outsource skills. Many companies hire consultants and contractors to accomplish certain tasks that would otherwise be addressed through training and skills development.

    To transform the current workforce into skilled labour, companies must be proactive in creating incentives for training and developing employees.

    In South Africa, developing skills is important because it addresses the nation’s short-term, mid-term, and long-term economic goals.

    The Skills Development Act aims to empower the workforce with skills. This will ensure workers are able to access more opportunities for skills development, create space for new entrants into the labour market, and allow everyone to advance their careers. Therefore, skills development is an intended output of education and training efforts within companies, which is an important enabler of growth.

    Through skills development, business owners in South Africa aim to enhance company efficiencies in areas where an employee is engaged.

    Through the skills development strategy, the short-term goal is to entice skilled individuals to come to South Africa. This will ensure good packages and prospects for expatriates and foreign workers. There should be favourable requirements for skilled people to allow them to migrate to South Africa.

    The government is at the centre of implementing the Skills Development Act to offer all people equal access to growth opportunities. Currently, the demand for the right skills to ensure that hospitals and other professional roles are managed effectively is required.

    Another aspect that must be considered is transferring skills to junior-level workers to prepare for transitions as senior managers retire or advance to executive roles. People working in government departments must ensure that their employees have the skills to deliver services in all parts of the nation. This includes properly utilising technology and harmonising skills growth programs in all government institutions.

    Impact of Skills Development Act on Businesses

    The Skills Development Act intends to improve workplace productivity and employee competitiveness. Moreover, successful implementation of the Act will ensure increased levels of education and training within organisations. This has a direct impact on the career growth of employees. Another aspect of the Act is ensuring that individuals possess the right skills to pursue self-employment opportunities. Through these incentives, many businesses will emerge and increase competition. With healthy competition in different sectors, service delivery will be optimum, and all employees will be able to access opportunities to train and advance their skills.

    The direct impact of the Skills Development Act on businesses is streamlining training and development opportunities for workers. It is expected that workers advance through the ranks of the company by accessing opportunities to grow with international and local companies. Moreover, employees will be more motivated to commit more time to their work, which enhances company profits.

    In business, skills development is vital in assisting employees to keep up to date with the current trends in the industry. This is beneficial to the business because it enables the achievement of set goals. As employees are updated with industry trends, they will enhance their performance and productivity. Therefore, the Skills Development Act ensures that the organisation adopts the right incentives to equip workers with proper and relevant skills. It is also the basis for ensuring that businesses remain competent by changing or adapting to market needs.

    The Skills Development Act has also been vital in enhancing job satisfaction and boosting the moral of workers. Training and development offers benefits for businesses. When employees perceive that the organisation is invested in their growth, they will ensure that they give their best and become more satisfied with their role. The Employee Development Act ensures that continuous education is encouraged within companies. This is central to guaranteeing success in the organisation.

    Knowledge management is another important aspect that makes businesses thrive. Through the Skills Development Act, businesses can improve the skills and knowledge of their staff because they provide room for constant growth. Having internal training programs refreshes employee skills and expands their knowledge based on current trends and developments.

    Businesses have also been able to gain a competitive edge by implementing the Skills Development Act. In the current business environment, technology and consumer needs are evolving rapidly. Therefore, for businesses to stay ahead of their competitors, they must acknowledge the importance of training and development. When employees are taken through robust training and development programs, they can easily adapt to industry changes and deal with any emerging environmental issues.

    Employing skills development has become an integral part of business across South Africa. Training and development not only retains workers but also enhances the workforce’s skills and abilities. This ensures that service delivery is continuously improved in the business.

    What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of the Skills Development Act

    Skills development is an important pillar of economic growth, stability, and career growth in South Africa. The creation of the Skills Development Act was intended to oversee and coordinate all affairs related to skills development and training in the country. Since it was first established, the Act has continued to provide numerous benefits to workers.

    Advantages

    Through the legislation, employees can advance in their careers without imposing limitations on business owners. After an individual completes the training, they are entitled to a salary increase. This is an important aspect in guaranteeing economic growth and career advancement.

    The Skills Development Act is also vital in enhancing employee motivation. Individuals understand that training is the best way to advance in their careers. Moreover, employees become more motivated to fulfill their responsibilities because they know that the position offers them prospects for growth. Acquiring better skills is also a motivational factor because workers can accomplish roles easily and with less effort.

    Through skills development, individuals can self-employ, which is an important ingredient of economic growth. When people learn market trends, new technologies, and business management, they will invest in areas they are skilled in and expand the tax base. This is a vital strategy that enables South Africans to attain economic independence and enhance their quality of life.

    Another advantage of the Skills Development Act is that it makes workers employable across industries. Undergoing training enables individuals to change careers and pursue their goals. Also, people can attain new work experience, which is vital in exploring other industries or sectors. In administrative roles, an enabling environment is created to transfer skills and create seamless transitions in role advancement. The company takes a central role in creating incentives for skills transfer between senior workers and subordinates. Therefore, team development is guaranteed, and gaps are eliminated in case of death or accidents. The team will continue to work hand in hand to promote business goals. This is an indirect benefit that results from the Skills Development Act.

    Disadvantages

    One of the major disadvantages of the Skills Development Act is that workers are forced to do training. Therefore, the training imposed on an individual may not align with their interests at the time. Although forced training is advantageous to the employing institution, rarely do workers have an opportunity to evaluate whether a particular training aligns with their career goals. Many employees still perceive that training is only targeted to meet the employer’s goals.

    Another major disadvantage is that employees still must deal with the same workload while undergoing training. This is disadvantageous because it imposes unnecessary pressure on the worker, which might affect their productivity. It would be appropriate for employees to be given leave during the training period to ensure that they concentrate on their skills development. Therefore, skills development programs sometimes fail to achieve the desired end because of the duplicity of roles between training and working.

    Permanent workers usually become uncomfortable when trainers outperform them. This is also an aspect that negatively affects productivity in the organisation. Therefore, there is a need to have incentives for the roles assigned to trainees and how their responsibilities are managed in the organisation. Skills development is vital, but proper measures must be taken to safeguard the interests of permanent workers.

    Benefits of Skills Development

    Over the past years, many organisations have heavily invested in the training and development of workers. Training workers is immense and can result in enhanced productivity and performance. In recent times, skills development has become essential to enhancing company growth and career advancement. Also, skills development guarantees higher levels of talent retention and creates a skilled workforce for the future.

    Therefore, skills development goes beyond immediate work roles and ensures that programs are targeted to have a holistic impact on employees. Through skills development programs, employees will gain new skills and acquire specific knowledge that they can apply instantly to improve performance in their current roles. As companies work hard to retain top talent, skills development is an integral part of this strategy.

    There are several core benefits associated with skills development. Each business has different needs. So, the essence of employee training varies depending on the specific areas of functions or responsibilities assigned to the employee. Here are some of the core benefits of skills development in organisations.

    Increased Capacity for Adopting New Technologies and Work Strategies

    Employee skills development is integral to company growth. When adopting new technologies, employees must understand the different roles that arise from working with these technologies. Therefore, it is essential to create incentives to empower employees and prepare them for the ever-changing business environment. There is no time for once-off training. There is a need to have a comprehensive training and development approach that ensures all members of an organisation understand the core skills needed to adopt a specific technology.

    Keeping Up With Changes in the Industry

    In the digital era, companies must work hard to keep up with the changes in the business landscape. Therefore, training and skills development is vital for employees. The essence of employee training is paramount, especially during instances when there are industry changes, new technologies, or regulations. Employees must have updated knowledge about the happenings in the industry and how the new changes impact their day-to-day work.

    Increased Job Satisfaction and Morale

    Skills development is vital in increasing job satisfaction and morale. There is a direct impact of skills development on career growth. When employees sense that their employer is invested in their career advancement, they will be motivated to work hard.

    Lower Employee Turnover

    Another key benefit of skills development is lowering employee turnover. When employees get the opportunity to learn new skills and gain knowledge, it leads to decreased employee turnover. This is the most vital aspect that can lead to higher retention rates in an organisation.

    Knowledge and Skills Management

    Every skill requires regular practice and refreshing to remain relevant. So, regular training assists in refreshing the knowledge of employees while empowering them with new skills trends in the market. It sharpens their skills and guarantees growth for all members of the organisation. This is also an aspect that will enhance the organisation’s competitive advantage. With comprehensive employee training, you will have a better chance of competing in the market. Another aspect related to knowledge and skills management is having a broader scope for promoting employees. This ensures that people with the right skills are assigned senior responsibilities.

    How to manage stress, anxiety and depression during load shedding

    The return of widespread heavy-stage load shedding across South Africa in recent weeks has caused more than its fair share of stress, anxiety and depression.  With a flare-up of emotions experienced by most people ranging from disillusionment and sheer hopelessness through to total anger and indignation, stress, anxiety and depression naturally follow suit. 

    As South Africans, what we are facing is another ‘New Normal’ created by the strain of daily Stage 6 load shedding over and above the ‘New Normal’ created by the Covid-19 Pandemic.  This has inevitably contributed to heightened levels of stress and anxiety.   While we have lived with intermittent periods of load shedding over the past 15 years, this time around, added to the residual effects of the Pandemic, it appears to be much worse and is now taking its toll on the mental health of South Africans at large. 

    Unpredictability

    In and of itself, daily life is hard to plan as it is and in many cases, power outages come unexpectedly and daily load shedding schedules are often altered at a moment’s notice.  Even after planned outages, the power is often not restored as expected due to failing infrastructure that cannot endure being constantly switched on and off.  This unpredictability results in a feeling of being completely disempowered and out of control with the basic rhythms of everyday life.  And for those who are anxious by nature, this only exacerbates the situation.  Stress and anxiety and depression lead to exhaustion and the whole affair becomes a vicious cycle.

    The impact of load shedding on the economy, the constant struggle to keep a business running and the disruption to traffic people are faced with daily when the power goes off all contribute to collective mental tension and exhaustion.  Certain people feel that the underlying stress of not knowing if things will get worse or when this will end, like the Covid-19 Pandemic, translates into higher levels of anxiety and depression.  This creates instability in the home and spills over into the workplace. 

    For many people, keeping our essential devices such as cell phones and laptops charged has become an obsession during sporadic, heightened periods of load shedding.  Keeping the battery charged on one’s laptop results in some income, a failure to do so means the lack thereof.  In many instances, even if one’s laptop is charged, one may not have a stable Internet connection due to poor transmission from cell phone towers during load shedding.  Hence, the ability to work consistently and meet deadlines is severely compromised.  This drives stress levels even higher since when one is not performing at optimal levels, this also leads to increased anxiety around job security.   

    However, notwithstanding the resulting socio-economic pressures that factor into the equation when there is widespread load shedding, there are also biological reasons why being in the dark is causing people to feel more stressed and depressed.

    Reasons why being in the dark makes people more anxious

    Natural survival response

    When we are suddenly plunged into darkness, most of us have experienced these sensations:  our muscles tense, we gasp, and our heart suddenly starts beating faster.  This is the body’s natural response when the brain perceives the threat of danger.  At that point the brain sends alarm signals to the adrenal glands.  Adrenaline, cortisol and noradrenaline are pumped into the body and blood flows into the muscles, heart and brain.  This allows us to see more clearly, focus better, fight harder and run faster and is the typical fight or flight, survival response.  The automatic behaviours that we exhibit when under the influence of adrenaline are instinctive and aligned to specific memory centres in the brain.  This means that the anxiety response can develop into a learned behaviour that can be triggered by any slight changes in the environment that resemble previous circumstances where we were exposed to danger.  When we are suddenly plunged into darkness as load shedding kicks in, our pupils rapidly dilate to enable us to adjust our vision to accommodate the darkened setting.  The brain remembers this as a critical element of our previous fight or flight responses and therefore thinks that we are under threat.  It informs our bodies that we are in danger and this manifests into an anxiety response in the absence of actual danger. 

    Irregular sleep patterns

    A popular theory concerning the onset of anxiety and mood disorders such as depression is that it is not the actual anxiety that triggers sleep disturbances but rather it is the other way round – the sleep disturbance causes anxiety and depression.  Normal sleep patterns are influenced by factors such as:

    Your own personal norm

    A personal norm in terms of how many hours of sleep are required can be anything between 4 and 10 hours per night, as opposed to a one-size-fits-all standard of 8 hours per night.

    How long you have been awake

    The longer you are awake, the more tired you will be.

    Circadian Rhythm

    Your Circadian Rhythm is your sleep-wake pattern over the course of a 24-hour day.   Melatonin is a hormone released by the brain in response to darkness and regulates body temperature to help us sleep properly.  Sunlight, as well as lights from electronic devices, disrupt the body’s normal melatonin secretion.  When we are plunged into bouts of load shedding darkness, our regular day and night rhythms in response to light and dark are completely overturned and our sleep times become erratic due to the sporadic timing of periods of load shedding.  This can severely disrupt our regular sleep patterns and translates into sleepiness during the day, general fatigue, poor concentration and the inability to complete tasks.  The consequences of disrupted sleep patterns result in a general dysfunction in the workplace, at home and in social settings and leads to increased anxiety and depression.

    Mental health tips for keeping calm during load shedding

    • Stick to your regular routines and sleeping patterns, even when the lights go out at inappropriate times.
    • Make use of downtime during load shedding by practising meditation and mindfulness or by exercising.  Often, due to the low levels of EMFs (electric and magnetic fields) during load shedding, it is often unusually peaceful when there is no electricity.
    • Avoid relying on sleeping pills, tranquillisers, or other forms of medication to numb anxiety associated with load shedding.  Seek help from your medical practitioner.
    • Prepare meals in advance and ensure that your laptop, power banks and LED lights are charged. 

    Tips on how to beat the dark and stay productive during load shedding

    Even though South Africans are all tired of being left in the dark, despite our frustrations and the disruption caused by recurring power outages, the reality is that living with load shedding has become part of our daily lives in South Africa.  But, unless you have the money for a generator, solar installations or other costly alternatives, the truth is that you will lose power for a few hours at a time during load shedding until the country’s electricity supply finally stabilises.

    We will keep you on course even when the lights go out

    Especially in a world driven by technology, losing power due to load shedding on a regular basis and often several times a day, can be disruptive when you are trying your best to get your work done.  But, power loss doesn’t always have to mean a total loss of productivity or that one needs to shut one’s doors.   Alternatives can be put in place to beat the hours of darkness and there are ways to use dark downtime constructively. Here are our top tips on how to stay up and running when the lights go out.

    Plan around the load shedding schedule

    Planning ahead of time is vital in the battle against load shedding.  Install the EskomSePush app on your cell phone to help you stay up-to-date with any last-minute load shedding notifications and schedule changes.  Also, follow Eskom or your municipal provider such as City Power on social media to pick up any load shedding news alerts.  Twitter is a great source of up-to-date information on load shedding and general power outages.

    Let people work remotely during load shedding

    When load shedding hits one of our main cities, staff may arrive at work late.  This is after battling their way through congested traffic with robots down due to loss of power.  When they finally arrive at work, only to find that they have moved from one grid currently load shedding to another that is about to start, this can result in a loss of productivity for up to half a day.  Such can be avoided if staff are allowed to work remotely during frequent and extended periods of load shedding such as Eskom implementing widespread Stage 6 load shedding.

    Implement cloud-based technologies

    One of the most effective ways to stay productive during this load shedding period is to implement cloud-based technologies.  If you have online software as opposed to on-premise software, this enables you to work anywhere as long as you have an Internet connection.  This also means that your team will be able to log into your accounting or Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software or other productivity tools at home, from the nearest hotspot or even using mobile data without relying on a server at the office. 

    Invest in a power bank, or two

    Most of us are addicted to our smartphones.  However, the battery life of any smartphone that is subjected to overuse during load shedding is not as efficient as we would like it to be.  A power bank can help you to stay connected and run your business during load shedding, especially when your landlines go down.  A power bank is especially useful if you need to travel and your phone can also be used as a mobile hotspot so that you always have access to the Internet. Don’t just buy one power bank, get two.

    Back up your data

    So that you don’t lose hours of important work or information when load shedding is heading your way, always keep your latest data backed up.  Frequently backing up your data is an absolute must, not only due to load shedding but it can also be a saving grace in the event of a hard drive crash or if your computers are stolen.  If you run a small business, using a simple cloud-based storage and backup solution such as Dropbox or Microsoft’s OneDrive will definitely do the trick.

    Invest in an inverter or UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) device

    Most small businesses may not be able to afford to invest in high-end alternative power solutions such as installing solar-powered batteries or generators.  However, there are other alternatives.  A UPS device will give you time to save your work and safely exit any applications you are working on even if you do have a generator since a generator will take a few seconds to start up when the power goes off.  A backup power inverter system is another efficient solution which is more cost-effective than a generator or solar-powered batteries.   An inverter will power a few computers as well as routers and lights for a few hours. 

    Get comfortable with gas

    Now that we have discussed various ways and means to keep our machines running and staying connected and productive during load shedding, let us now focus on ourselves and how we can keep comfortable when the lights go out. As far as heating and eating is concerned, there is nothing like gas to warm things up. One of the most cost-effective easy solutions is to invest in a small gas stove and if budget allows, invest in a gas heater.

    What are the challenges and tips for leading hybrid and remote teams in a post-Pandemic world?

    The Pandemic has accelerated the adoption of new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics and Automation. These technologies are shaping how we work, where we work and what skills and education and training we need to work, paving the way for an entirely different workplace with an ever-evolving landscape that we call the New World of Work.  Part of this evolution means that remote work is here to stay, and this undoubtedly poses numerous challenges for business leaders as we proceed into a new age of hybrid working.  Not only have leaders been operating under conditions that bear little resemblance to the pre-Pandemic world, they have also come under the spotlight in devising ways and means to successfully manage remote teams.

    Opportunities to grow and learn at every turn

    Yet, while leading remote teams can be a challenge this doesn’t mean that it is more or less of a challenge than leading onsite teams, it is just different.  This difference defines the parameters in terms of a whole bundle of new skill sets that leaders need to develop to successfully lead their companies in a changing world.  We should also bear in mind that change provides opportunities to grow and learn at every turn. So, what are some of these challenges?  The point of departure for most leaders is the need to understand how to best manage the levels of uncertainty that prevail in a post-Pandemic world.  In this article, we discuss the main challenges leaders face when leading hybrid and remote teams along with our top tips on how to overcome some of these challenges.

    Treat all employees in the same manner

    When you are leading a hybrid team, with both remote and onsite workers, it is normal to feel a closer bond with those employees that you see every day.  Yet, it requires discipline and a heightened level of awareness to give as much attention to remote employees as one does to those who are onsite.

    Avoid micromanaging and learn to trust

    The secret to developing a successful working relationship with remote employees is not to micromanage but to learn to trust people to get the job done.  The more you trust people, the better and more confident they feel.  This, in turn, sets the tone for positive relationships with other stakeholders and better quality of work.

    Listen and ask the right questions

    Listening to what people have to say and learning to ask the right questions means that one needs to develop the skill of being able to read between the lines.  In most instances, collaboration tools will require written communication along with video chats.  Learning how to get the most out of collaboration tools when communicating with remote employees is vital to successful remote working relationships.

    Forge a positive company culture across onsite and remote teams

    Company culture is reflected either positively or negatively across both onsite and remote teams.  Hence, how people interact with internal and external stakeholders, including management will define certain cultural norms.  Hence, company culture hinges upon forging positive relationships among people.  Therefore, as a leader, it is vital to find ways to strengthen the bond between onsite and remote team members.

    Rate performance by measuring results

    When rating the performance of remote teams use an approach that measures results and not inputs.  It is also a good idea to ask each team member to evaluate their own performance.  Self-evaluation is an excellent way to encourage people to assess their strengths and weaknesses.  When doing a self-appraisal, individuals are likely to be more honest and will also more often than not skew towards being humble and avoid overrating themselves.  Consolidate your appraisal of each employee with their own self-appraisals and the bigger picture will accurately emerge.

    Now that we have discussed some of the more common challenges facing leaders in the New World of Work, here are a few tips to get everyone on the team singing from the same hymn sheet.

    Lead with Empathy

    Leading with empathy involves, among other things, stepping outside of your comfort zone and reaching out to remote employees in a kind but professional manner.  Sharing common concerns and stress triggers can help foster a sense of empathy amongst colleagues, and encouraging your team to do this will lead to a greater degree of trust.  It is also important to remember that the Pandemic has taken its toll on the workforce at large and that the mental health of many people has also suffered as a result.  In light of this, it is a good idea to make use of any mental health resources available in the workplace that can help people to come to terms with the fallout due to the Pandemic.

    Establish and set clear expectations

    Even though the New World of Work may take a lot of getting used to, the actual business of getting work done still needs to happen.  Hence, when leading your team, you need to set clear expectations and timelines in place and give people enough forewarning to enable them to realistically meet their deadlines. 

    Avoid having too many video meetings

    Online video platforms such as Teams and Zoom have undoubtedly gained huge traction where remote work is concerned.  However, being ‘constantly on camera’ can be extremely draining for many people and certain people may also become self-conscious when looking away from the camera to take notes or even afraid that their meeting could be interrupted by dogs barking in the background or the cat jumping on their lap and walking over the keyboard.  Hence, unless it is absolutely necessary, avoiding having too many video meetings will keep everyone’s nerves intact.  Instead, send an email or pick up the phone.

    Sources: paconsulting.com|alderkoten.com

    Critical Thinking is the Number 1 Skill required in the New World of Work

    In the past two years, the future of work has been accelerated worldwide.  This has happened not only since the Covid-19 Pandemic lockdowns were enforced, but also due to increased automation.  The resulting ‘double-disruption’ scenario that this has created has devolved into a great deal of uncertainty for labour markets worldwide. 

    The adoption of new technologies will transform the workplace as we know it

    According to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2020, over and above the disruption caused by the pandemic and subsequent economic afflictions; by 2025, the adoption of new technologies will transform the workplace as we know it.  This affects the tasks, jobs and skills that will be needed in the New World of Work.  Hence, the workplace landscape is evolving at an exponential rate and will continue to do so as we enter the 4th Industrial Revolution.

    Notwithstanding, the inputs into the Future of Jobs Report from those employers surveyed worldwide reveal that skills gaps remain high as in-demand skills across jobs are set to radically change leading up to 2025.  That is right around the corner.  The workplace of the past demanded a high degree of technical proficiency, which on its own, was sufficient to secure employment.  Yet, in addition to technical skills and qualifications, the top skills that employers predict to gain traction and rise in prominence in the New World of Work, are, for all intents and purposes, not technical in nature at all.  Rather, they fall under the ambit of what is described as “Soft Skills” and include self-management skills such as resilience, stress tolerance, flexibility and active learning.  Skills that top the list are critical thinking and analysis and problem-solving.  In this article, our focus is on the number 1 skill required in the New World of Work:  Critical Thinking.  Yet, it is all very well and fine to bandy around how important it is to harness these skills if we want to succeed in the future, but, do we really understand what they actually are?

    In a nutshell, what exactly is Critical Thinking?

    To think critically or ‘critical thinking’ entails that we put ourselves in a ‘headspace’ that requires that we detach from subjective opinions and viewpoints, emotional responses, or personal bias.  Since, critical thinking means that we analyse available facts, observations, evidence, and arguments to make a judgement.  Hence, critical thinking is an intellectually disciplined process that requires that we skillfully conceptualise, synthesise and evaluate available information and use this to guide how we form our beliefs and subsequent actions.

    Critical thinking also involves using data inputs at hand to make logical choices without giving into the urge to do things in a certain way simply because they have always been done that way.    Critical thinking therefore involves a certain amount of time.  While it may be quicker and easier to take instruction at face value, without taking the time to analyse the reasons for making certain decisions or performing certain tasks, one can easily fall into the habit of taking the easy way out.   That is, performing tasks for the sake of doing them just to ‘tick a box’.  Such activities can include inefficient use of resources or unnecessary meetings.  Hence, the first step towards thinking critically is to ask yourself ‘why’ you are doing something. In describing our transition from ‘the way things used to be’ towards adjusting our thinking in a changing world, American Rock Band Supertramp sums up these sentiments rather well with a song that was released way back in 1979 – The Logical Song.

    ‘…When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful, a miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical
    And all the birds in the trees, well they’d be singing so happily, oh joyfully, playfully watching me
    But then they send me away to teach me how to be sensible, logical, oh responsible, practical
    And they showed me a world where I could be so dependable, oh clinical, oh intellectual, cynical
    …’

    From: The Logical Song – Supertramp, from the Album: Breakfast in America (1979)

    Why is Critical Thinking Critical in the Workplace?

    The short and simple answer to this question is:  people who can think critically most often make the best decisions.  In the workplace, where daily decisions are made around such things as how best to communicate information, draw up a strategy or delegate tasks, critical thinkers are critical to have around.

    Hiring managers that understand the benefits and merits of critical thinking will incorporate this key skill of the New World of Work into the recruitment process.  Hence, when looking at potential hires, it is not difficult to gauge how someone goes about solving a problem.  Ask them how they would handle a particular situation and then give them a chance to use their critical thinking skills as opposed to resorting to stipulated or emotional responses.  Recruiting individuals with critical thinking skills pays huge dividends further down the line.

    Applying critical thinking skills in the workplace will make you stand out as a problem solver.  Not only does this improve your career prospects, but it also demonstrates your capacity for leadership among your team members.

    How should critical thinking be used in the workplace?

    Learning to think ‘outside of the box’

    The first thing that you should do is approach every situation with an open mind, in other words, with a clean slate.  That is, you should be receptive to all available information.  This means doing away with any personal bias or preconceived ideas.  Yet, this is not always easy to do in practice. Learning from past mistakes means that you have formed long-standing beliefs and opinions and thinking ‘outside of the box’ means a whole new approach.  Hence, when applying critical thinking to any situation, it is indeed critical that you analyse all components objectively.

    Once you have objectively analysed a situation, you need to communicate your findings and decisions in an articulate manner.  Always remain humble, tactful, and patient with people when explaining how you developed your conclusions and why you made certain decisions.  Make use of available data to support your findings.  However, one of the most important things to bear in mind when presenting a set of new ideas is that not everyone is able to remove emotions from the equation.

    Reference sources: Wikipedia|WEF Future of jobs Report 2020|criticalthinking.org|learningscientists.org

    Getting the best from your projects with Lean, Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma

    If you are on a journey of learning more about Project Management and the need for streamlining business processes keep reading.  In this article we will introduce you to three very significant methodologies:  Lean, Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma.  Even if you have no experience with any of these concepts, you will gain a better understanding of what each one entails.

    Lean Methodology

    What exactly is Lean?

    The Lean Methodology involves a systematic approach to reducing or eliminating tasks and activities within the process that don’t add value.  The emphasis is around removing any wasteful steps and only taking those steps in the process that add value.  The Lean methodology is geared towards high quality and customer satisfaction and helps to:

    • Reduce process cycle time
    • Improve service or product delivery time
    • Eliminate or reduce the chances of defect generation
    • Reduce inventory levels
    • Make improvements to the overall process by optimising resources

    Lean is a continuous approach towards removing waste thus working towards a constant chain of improvements.

    What is ‘value’ with respect to Lean Methodology?

    Almost 80-85% of all activities involved in any process are non-value adding.  The goal of the LEAN methodology is to improve process efficiency and thus identify these non-value adding activities and use designated Lean tools to reduce or eliminate them. 

    It is also important to define what ‘value’ means in terms of Lean methodology at this stage.  Hence, depending on the industry context and business process type, ‘value’ can be defined in terms of the customer’s perception of the products and services that he or she is prepared to pay for.

    A ‘process’ is defined as an array of activities that use resources to convert inputs into outputs.  These activities can be classified as follows:

    • Non-value-added activities

    Non-value-added activities are those that form the wasteful steps in the process and do not add value to the final product. 

    • Value-added-activities

    Value-added-activities are those that are essential to the process and improve processes in terms of quality and productivity.

    • Enabling value-added-activities

    Enabling value-added activities are those that while they do not add value to the customer, they are essential to the process.

    The different types of waste and waste removal

    The Lean methodology has its origins in the Toyota Production System (TPS).  While the TPS methodology is suitable for a high-volume production environment, Lean can be applied in any environment where process waste occurs.  Therefore, Lean can be applied to manufacturing as well as other typical service industries.  With Lean, the approach is a step-by-step process of reducing waste.  With its roots in the Toyota Production System, the 3M model (Muda, Mura, Muri) used in the Lean Process, reveals those inefficient processes that get in the way of generating customer value.  Let us take a look at the 3M model in greater detail:

    • Muda

    Muda relates to those activities that do not add value to the customer in terms of the creation of the product or service.  Initially, 7 types of Lean waste were identified in manufacturing processes.  Further down the line, an 8th waste was added.  Removing these wastes was thought to be the key in delivering value to the customer. 

    The 8 wastes under the Lean Process

    Overproduction:  This refers to producing earlier, more rapidly or in higher quantities than customer demand.

    Inventory:  This refers to keeping raw materials, works in progress or finished items that do not add value.

    Waiting:  This refers to people or parts that are waiting for a cycle to be completed.

    Motion:  This refers to the unnecessary movement of people, parts or machines within a process.

    Transportation:  This refers to the unnecessary movement of parts or people between processes.

    Rework:  This refers to not getting it right first time round, process repetition or the correction or modification of a process.

    Over Processing:  This refers to processing that is beyond the standard that customers require.

    Underutilization of skills:  This refers to inadequate and ineffective deployment of human resources.

    • Mura

    Mura deals with those variations in business operations that lead to production inconsistencies.  Production or process deviations result in the under-utilisation of resources.  Accumulation of inventory, uneven workloads and waiting are some examples of where Mura is present.  If Mura exists anywhere in the process, Muda follows.

    • Muri

    Muri transpires as a result of too much stress and strain being placed upon human resources as well as machines.  Office staff working for excessively long periods and clocking up overtime and the overuse of machinery in manufacturing plants are examples of Muri.  When processes do not optimise resources, this leads to dissatisfaction among individuals or machine downtime, even though outcomes might still be achieved.  The presence of Muri also leads to Muda. 

    Removing the 8 types of waste using Lean Methodology

    While the 3M Model outlines the concepts of Muda, Mura and Muri, to pinpoint those inefficient processes that hamper the generation of customer value, another model for removing waste makes use of the acronym ‘DOWNTIME’.  This is further expanded upon as follows:

    WasteWaste Definition
    DefectsThe time and effort involved in searching for and rectifying errors and the emergence of other errors in the rework process.
    Overproduction
    The production of an excess amount of products or services beyond what customers require or what the downstream process can make use of.
    WaitingThe occurence of idle time due to various inputs such as materials, information, people, or equipment not being ready on time. This can include long job set-up time in a manufacturing process or disproportionately long data processing time in the services industry.
    Non-utilised TalentEmployee skills and creativity not being effectively leveraged. Empowering employees can counter this waste.
    TransportationProducts, equipment, information, materials or people being moved from one place to another without adding any value to the final product or service.
    InventoryUnnecessary or unwanted stock or storage of information and/or materials.

    The Principles of Lean

    Lean principles can be applied to any process with the aim of reducing wastes.  There are 5 Lean principles as follows:

    • Defining Value

    It is the customer who determines a product or service’s value.  Therefore, the first task is to identify customers.  Questions should be asked, such as:  what does the customer value?  What are customers’ expectations?  Organise the process activities into Non-Value added, Value-addded and enabling Value-added processes. 

    • Mapping the Value Stream

    Mapping the value stream highlights the steps in the workflow process.  Mapping the value stream assists in identifying and removing non-value added activities and tasks.

    • Creating Flow

    Creating flow is a key concept of the Lean process, since waiting in any form constitutes waste.  When creating a flow of value, the goal is to aim for smooth delivery from the moment an order is received through to the point of customer delivery.

    • Establishing Pull

    Establishing a pull approach enables one to meet system beat time.  Beat time is defined as the rate at which a product should be ready in order to meet customer demand.  Just-in-time or JIT is an inventory management approach promoting the pull system, whereby goods are received from suppliers only as an when needed.  This method reduces inventory holding costs and increases inventory turnover.

    • Seeking continuous improvement

    Seeking continuous improvement means applying consistent efforts to improve existing processes to meet the ever-changing needs of customers while removing waste and defects.

    Important tools used in the Lean process

    • VSM (Value Stream Mapping)

    As previously mentioned, Value Stream Mapping assists in identifying process wastes and how these wastes occur.

    • Kaizen

    Kaizen is a continuous improvement method that focusses on small improvements to a process.  It involves the commitment of first-line management towards process improvements, with management support and implemented by subordinates.

    • Just in Time (JIT)

    As previously mentioned, the Just in Time (JIT) method is a pull approach that ensures that customers only take delivery of products as and when required.

    • SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Die)

    SMED (Single-Miinute Exchange of Die) is a system that is used to dramatically reduce the time it takes to complete equipment changeovers.  The crux of the SMED system is to switch as many changeover steps as possible to ‘external’ steps which is done while the equipment is running an to streamline and shorten the remaining steps.

    • Poka-Yoke

    Poka Yoke is a Japanese term that translates as ‘mistake-proofing’ or ‘inadvertent error prevention.’  Therefore, a poka-yoke is any device or mechanism within a process that assists an equipment operator in avoiding mistakes and defects by preventing, correcting or highlighting human errors as and when they arise.

    • Jidoka (Autonomation)

    Jidoka is another Japanese term that translates as ‘autonomation’ which is a combination of the words autonomous and automation and and literally means ‘human touch’.  It is implemented in the Lean process to automatically stop machines from running upon detecting an abnormal condition.  Operators then try to fix the defect to prevent the situation from recurring. 

    • Heijunka

    Heijunka refers to the approach that is used to reduce the unevenness of a production process.  It is also referred to as Line Balancing and the aim is to distribute the production load evenly by balancing production lines.

    • Gemba

    Gemba is another Japanese term, and it literally translates as ‘the actual place’.  To Gemba means to go and visit the frontlines to look for evidence of waste and areas that need improvement.  The Gemba walk is similar to Management by Walking Around (MBWA).

    • Kanban

    Kanban is a Japanese term that translates as ‘the actual place’ and is a visual system that is used to keep track of and manage work as it moves through a process.  It is useful in managing inventory levels.  Kanban boards are displayed in order to reflect current inventory levels on a real-time basis and alert management to excessive inventory levels. 

    Six Sigma Methodology

    What exactly is Six Sigma?

    Essentially, Six Sigma is a data-driven problem-solving methodology that focusses on variations in the process.  The emphasis is around customer satisfaction and the aim of Six Sigma is to implement a continuous improvement process to ensure that as many defects as possible are minimised or eliminated from the process.

    The Aim of Six Sigma

    The objective of Six Sigma is to make a process 99.9996% defect-free.  As a result, this means that a Six Sigma process produces 3.4 defects per million opportunities.

    Six Sigma is focussed on problem-solving and is carried out using the DMAIC framework which has 5 distinct phases as follows:

    • Define
    • Measure
    • Analyse
    • Improve
    • Control

    The 5 phases of the DMAIC Framework in Detail

    • Define

    This phase is where the aims and objectives of the project are outlined an the project charter is drawn up.  The project charter is a critical element of this phase and can be seen as the Six Sigma project blueprint.

    • Measure

    During this phase variables are measured, process data is collected, the baseline is established and metrics are compared with the final performance metrics.

    • Analyse

    This is the phase where the root cause analysis is established.  To identify the root causes of a defect requires complex analysis tools such as Pareto Charts, Histograms and Fishbone diagrams.  Hypotheses testing such as the ANOVA Test, Regression Test and Chi-square Test is also carried out to validate and verify root causes.

    • Improve

    The Improve phase kicks in once the final root causes have been identified.  At this stage, solutions need to be derived in order to remove the root causes.  Tools such as Design of Experiments, Prototyping and Simulations Studies are used to enhance process performance.

    • Control

    Once root cause solutions have been implemented, the effectiveness of these solutions must be recorded.  In other words, a system of control should be put in place to monitor performance.  A response plan is also generated with the purpose of addressing solution failure.  Control charts are also used to demonstrate process performance and actual project benefits are discussed and verified against estimated benefits. 

    Lean Six Sigma Methodology

    What exactly is Lean Six Sigma?

    According to the American Society for Quality (ASQ):

    “Lean Six Sigma is a fact-based, data-driven philosophy of improvement that values defect prevention over defect detection. It drives customer satisfaction and bottom-line results by reducing variation, waste, and cycle time while promoting the use of work standardization and flow, thereby creating a competitive advantage. It applies anywhere variation and waste exist, and every employee should be involved.”

    Thus, Lean Six Sigma amalgamates the strategies of Lean and Six Sigma.  Where Lean principles assist in reducing or eliminating process wastes, Six Sigma concentrates on reducing variations within the process. 

    The key Elements of Lean Six Sigma

    There are three key elements of Lean Six Sigma:

    • Customers

    The old saying ‘the proof of the pudding is in the eating’ applies here.  That is, the moment of truth for the customer is the product or service experience.  Customers today are overwhelmed with more information and choices than ever before.  They also demand more at a cheaper price and expect support throughout their experience with the product.  This requires an approach that deals with business processes from the outside in, which is the crux of what Six Sigma entails.

    • Processes

    An outside-in approach requires the business process value chain to be defined.  In order to derive the best quality within expected timelines, Lean Six Sigma therefore assists organisations in focussing on consistently producing quality outputs and improving the value chain.

    • Employees

    Lean Six Sigma should be entrenched within the DNA of the organisation for it to be wholly effective.  In other words, employee buy-in is critical as stakeholders at all levels of the organisation need to be singing from the same hymn sheet.

    The relevance of Lean Six Sigma in Today’s world

    The ever-changing dynamics in today’s world mean that, in isolation, the Lean or Six Sigma methodologies cannot bring to the fore every improvement scenario.  Hence, when the two work hand in hand, this ensures exceptional improvements with Lean at first removing the waste and Six Sigma improving process variations.  The amalgamation of these two methodologies assists in developing streamlined processes, high quality and exceptional results.

    Lean Six Sigma Belts

    Within the Lean Six Sigma (LSS) school of knowledge different belt levels indicate the different levels of certification as follows:

    • Master Black Belt (MBB):  Expert in Six Sigma methodology and statistical tools. The MBB provides Six Sigma guidance and technical leadership for a specific function or department in an organization. Coaching, mentoring and training Black Belts also fall within the ambit of the MBB. MBBs are the final authorities in signing off BB projects.
    • Black Belt (BB): Usually whole-time professionals leading Six Sigma projects. They are experts in the methods and tools within Lean Six Sigma. Most importantly, responsible for providing coaching and Six Sigma expertise to Green Belts.
    • Green Belt (GB): Usually alongside a functional or leadership role. GBs are leaders responsible for driving operational excellence within their teams or functions. Through the real-time application of Lean  Six Sigma techniques in process improvement and under the guidance of BBs, they manage Six Sigma projects from concept to completion. It is a defining growth and development criteria within most organizations.
    • Yellow Belt (YB): A relatively new and evolving term. YBs demonstrate basic knowledge of Lean Six Sigma. Usually support a GB or BB project as a core team member or SME.
    • (source: 6 Sigma Certification Online)

    Reference sources: ntaskmanager.com|trekglobal.com|greycampus.com|6 Sigma Certification Online|Wikipedia

    Learning Project Management skills can enhance the way we work in the New World of Work

    There is no doubt that managing a project from start to finish in any situation is no mean feat.  Even if you are not a professional Project Manager learning how to effectively manage a project will help you to successfully achieve your goals as we embrace the New World of Work. 

    Since the New World of Work deals with how technologies such as automation, robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are shaping and informing how we work, where we work, and the skills and training we need, learning how to effectively project manage makes integrating these new technologies that much easier.  In this article, we tackle the most basic elements of the Project Management process.  But, there are several different Project Management Methodologies that can be used and it is worth mentioning them since each has its own style and relevance to specific types of projects.  We will cover the most widely-used Project Management methodologies.

    Project Management Methodologies

    The aim of each Project Management methodology is ultimately the same – to achieve a completed project.  However, each methodology has its own approach and methods and one method might be more suitable than another depending on the nature of the project.

    Waterfall

    The Waterfall Project Management methodology is one of the oldest methods used in Project Management.  Yet, it is still popular in this day and age.  This style involves working in waves, as each step is heavily reliant on the preceding one. 

    Even though the Waterfall style is a lot slower than the other popular methodologies, it is still useful for those who need structure and predictability in the execution of a project.  Nevertheless, the Waterfall style is prone to numerous problems, especially if glitches are spotted during a later step in the process that requires previous steps to be revisited.

    Agile

    As the name implies, the Agile Project Management methodology is a great deal faster and a much more versatile solution as opposed to the older Waterfall model.  Yet, Agile is not a precise Project Management methodology, but rather an ethos or mindset that is applied to other versions.  It enables one to work in smaller chunks or sprints that allow projects to pivot as and when required.  A sprint or ‘iteration’ is a short time-period in which a development team works to complete specific project tasks, milestones or deliverables.  A sprint breaks down the project schedule into manageable blocks of time in which smaller project goals can be achieved.

    Scrum

    The Scrum methodology is a variation of Agile and is the epitome of what Agile can achieve.  It is fast, small in scope and projects can be completed on a tight budget.  Scrum involves using sprints to accomplish projects in small chunks, often based on a one-month timespan.  Scrum is therefore suitable for smaller projects that need to iterate quickly.

    Kanban

    Kanban is another variation of the Agile Project Management methodology.  However, unlike Scrum, which concentrates on time-based elements, Kanban focusses on project organisation.  In so doing, Kanban takes into account the number of tasks in the process and how these can be streamlined or simplified.  This methodology is tremendously effective for projects with a standardised factory-like output.

    Lean

    The Lean Project Management style is similar to Kanban in the sense that it focusses on process.  Yet, it puts even greater emphasis upon trimming the fat.  It uses a customer-first approach and concentrates on how processes can be stripped away to deliver the best, most affordable, and appropriate customer experience.

    Six Sigma

    The Six Sigma style of Project Management is a structured data-driven problem-solving methodology that focusses on improving the project output quality.  It is especially useful if the Lean methodology has been used and the end-result falls short of the mark; since Six Sigma concentrates on achieving a better end-result as far as the customer is concerned.  Continuous process improvement with low defects is the goal of this method since it aims to make a process 99.99996% defect-free.  It can be used in conjunction with other Project Management styles and is a good method to use to refine the project.  Problem-solving with Six Sigma is carried out using the DMAIC framework which comprises five stages as follows:

    • Define
    • Measure
    • Analyse
    • Improve
    • Control

    Lean Six Sigma

    Lean Six Sigma is a combination of the strategies of Lean and Six Sigma.  While Lean principles assist in reducing or eliminating process waste, Six Sigma principles are geared towards variation-reduction.  Hence, the principles of Lean Six Sigma combine to help improve process quality and efficiency.  The Lean Six Sigma methodology is a data-driven, fact-based philosophy of improvement that takes into account defect prevention over defect detection.  It drives bottom-line results and customer satisfaction by reducing variation, waste and cycle time while at the same time advocating the use of work standardisation and flow chich creates competitive advantage. 

    PRINCE2

    PRINCE2 is a process-based approach that focusses on organisation and control over the entire project from start through to completion.  Projects are thoroughly planned before project kick-off.  Each stage of the project process is structured and any loose-ends are tied up upon project conclusion.  Essentially, PRINCE2 is all about chunking projects up into product-based steps that can be dealt with one at a time to ensure that no stone is left unturned anywhere during the process.  This methodology mainly focusses on efficiency and minimising risks and errors.

    What does the Project Management Process involve?

    In reality, most projects can appear quite complex.  Yet, all projects follow a common project management process.  The Project Management process can be divided into the following five distinct phases. 

    Phase 1:  Determining Project Concept and Initiation

    The first step to tackle at the outset involves defining the project concept and project initiation which starts with jotting down your ideas around what the project needs to achieve.  It is at this point that all major points should be covered, and stakeholder buy-in should be obtained.  This is the stage where you develop your project charter which is the document that encapsulates the overall project scope, objectives and who will form part of the Project Management task team.

    Phase 2:  Defining the Project Plan

    This next step involves defining your project plan.  It is at this stage that you list the project tasks that need to be completed to achieve a successful outcome.  During this phase you will need to formulate the Who, What, Where, When and How’s of your project.  Bear in mind that the overall success of your project is determined by the quality of your project plan.  Hence, the more comprehensive the project plan, the better the outcome.   This critical step also involves deciding on the project budget, project scheduling and resource management.  These elements may need to change during the course of the execution of the project.  However, it is good practice to ensure that you plan everything in advance.

    Formulating the Project Plan

    Your project plan will be informed by feedback from Management around the first three steps of the Project Management Process.  That is, the project scope, timeline and milestone tasks, and available resources.  The Project Plan includes the following elements:

    • Project schedule
    • Task workflow
    • Critical Path
    • Network Diagram

    The Network Diagram is a graphical representation of your project and comprises a series of connected arrows and boxes to indicate the inter-relationship between the activities involved in the project. 

    Once your Project Plan has been approved your Project Team needs to be briefed in terms of what needs to be done.  This session involves briefing the team around the nuts-and-bolts elements of the project and no stone should be left unturned.

    Phase 3:  Launching the Project (Project Execution)

    This step will help you to prepare to start your project.  It involves determining the available human resources, budget resources, equipment, machinery and any other required resources that will be needed to carry the project through to completion.  However, it is important to bear in mind that you may not have direct control over certain resources.  For instance, in terms of human resources, some people perform better than others which means outcomes vary from project to project.  As a Project Manager, the responsibility rests on your shoulders to manage any project risks or flaws.

    Delegating tasks

    As a Project Manager, you are the one leading the team and delegating tasks among the Project Team members is now the next step you need to tackle in the Project Management process.  Set realistic KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and delegate tasks according to the skill sets, capabilities and strengths inherent within your team to get the best out of each individual.  This will free up your time so that you can focus on monitoring and control of your project.

    Keeping Records

    No matter what happens during the the execution of your project, everything must be documented and recorded.  This is especially important when you make adjustments to your project or a new element needs to be included.  This is a critical step in the Project Management process that helps you in reviewing your project prior to the final delivery milestone date.

    It is important to bear in mind that the third and fourth phases of the Project Management process are not sequential in nature.  Hence, the project monitoring and controlling phase runs simultaneously with project execution, which ensures that objectives and project deliverables are met. 

    Phase 4: Monitoring Project Progress

    Once your project is in full swing, the task before you is to monitor the progress of your project tasks, team, milestone deliveries and everything else that affects your project.  This allows actual results to be measured against planned results.

    During the monitoring phase, the project manager is also responsible for quantitatively tracking project costs.  This ensures that the project remains within budget. 

    Phase 5:  Project Closure

    The project closing phase is the final phase of the Project Management process.  During project closure, the project team reviews the deliverables and compares and tests the quality of the outputs against the intended outcomes.  Such are reported on and shared with the client. 

    Most Project Teams will hold a reflection meeting after the completion of a project.  This is carried out in order to determine successes and failures during project execution and is an effective method to ensure continuous improvement and to enhance the overall productivity of the team for future projects. 

    Final words

    It is important to remember that while most projects can at first appear overwhelming, there is an old adage that encapsulates how best to tackle any large project:  How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time. 

    Reference sources: Smartsheet.com|Greycampus.com|ntaskmanager.com

    Common mistakes online learners make and tips on how to avoid them

    Since the pandemic reared its head two years ago, online learning has become a popular way to study under the ‘new normal’.  Yet, as simple as it sounds, to shift from one way of learning to another does not come without its own set of challenges.  We bring to the fore some of the most common mistakes online students make when they first start learning how to learn online.

    There is always a tremendous amount of excitement involved in starting something new and embarking upon an e-learning journey and doing an online training course for the first time is no exception.  Yet, at the outset, it is critical to have a set of guidelines to help you along your online learning journey.

    With traditional classroom learning much of the organising of the where, how and when you will learn has already been taken care of.  You have a dedicated classroom, you are provided with course materials, the administration is usually in place by the time you get to the classroom, and you have a leader at the helm – an Instructor/ Trainer/Facilitator who runs the entire process.  Yet, with online self-study programs you are the one in the driving seat.  So, buckle up, get comfortable and get ready to enjoy the ride.

    Points to bear in mind at the outset

    There is no doubt that the flexibility online training offers has its advantages.  However, the potential exists that problems and complications will arise.  Over the past two years, online learning has really come under the spotlight and many have learnt where the pitfalls lie through trial and error.  Here are some of the most common mistakes people make when embarking upon online learning programs and tips on how to avoid them.

    Dealing with technical hurdles

    It may seem like common sense but, before you take the plunge into the online learning pool, have you checked to see that there is water in it?  First things first, you cannot start your online learning journey with faulty equipment.  So, make sure that you have dedicated access to a reliable computer that is equipped with suitable hardware.  Your study program should list the required operating systems and browser versions that you will need for each course.  This will enable you to access the required course materials.

    Learn how to navigate your online classroom

    It is critically important that you familiarise yourself with how to navigate your online classroom.  In doing so, you will avoid any confusion which can hamper your time and progress.  You should take the time to analyse your scope of work, do a mental check list of any questions or concerns you might have before you start learning and note any external resources you might need such as materials required for assignments that you may need to upload. If you are not completely au fait with your online classroom, you might make small but costly errors. For instance, once you have completed an assignment, make sure that you correctly submit it and hit the final submission or finish button once you are done. Otherwise, you could be under the false impression that you have completed a module or section that has not been accepted into the system. One small error such as this can cause all sorts of problems.

    Being disciplined enough to manage distractions

    Many online learners are distracted by what is going on around them as they complete projects and assignments.  While it may be tempting to leave the television on in the background to check news updates, switch to social media accounts to stay in touch with friends and get all the latest feeds or listen to inspiring music, all of these activities often add up to a whole lot of wasted time and a lack of focus on the task at hand.  This is where one needs a huge amount of discipline and personal resolve.   And this is where many online students lose the plot.  While it can be extremely difficult for some, getting into the habit of disciplining yourself at the outset will make your life a lot easier in the long run and save you from last minute panic situations.

    Time waits for no one – even when studying online

    One of the biggest mistakes online students can make is to incorrectly assume that they have all the time in the world to get through their online assignments.  Waiting till the final hour to submit an assignment can cause unnecessary anxiety and stress.  This is when many things often can and do go horribly wrong.  For example, you may suddenly lose Internet connection at a critical moment.

    You won’t graduate if you fail to participate

    As mentioned earlier on in this article, with classroom-based learning, everything is already in place for you once you sit down to class.  Whereas, with online self-study, there is no instructor leading any of your training sessions and no one to keep time to ensure that the whole class participates in discussions around the lectures.  The value of classroom discussions cannot be over-emphasised.  While it can be extremely tempting to feel like you wouldn’t benefit from online class discussions where students post various inputs and comments, if you fall prey to this costly mistake you will miss out on the opportunity to take part in a forum where fellow students offer their own viewpoints and perspectives.  In turn, such can and often does help you to solve common problems that everyone is experiencing.  In other words, you will have the opportunity to bounce ideas and problems around the class and put your mind at ease instead of battling through on your own.

    Don’t be afraid to ask for help

    Even if you are completely aware of the fact that you are sitting alone at your computer, it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you are working alone when, in actuality, nothing could be further from the truth.  So, if you are experiencing difficulties with an assignment or having trouble navigating your online course materials, don’t simply freeze in front of your screen and hit the rest button.  You may be sitting alone but that doesn’t mean you are not connected.  You are part of a class whose members are all working towards the same goal as you are.  Reach out to your fellow classmates and instructors and don’t forget that while you cannot physically connect with them, it doesn’t mean that they are not there.

    Reference Sources: Ultrasoundschoolsinfo.com|

    Is Friday the 13th bad for business?

    In the Western world Friday the 13th is often considered to be an unlucky day.  So much so that many people do, in fact, suffer from a fear of Friday the 13th, otherwise known as paraskevidekatriaphobia.  On Friday the 13th many Americans avoid making important decisions, reschedule their meetings for a different day and even adjust their travel plans.  According to a USA study by the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute, it is also estimated that the USA loses $700 to $800 million in business when Friday the 13th comes around. In the UK people tend to avoid the roads, which results in less traffic congestion and fewer automobile accidents.

    Yet, some of the most successful people in the world are superstitious.  Tennis legend Serena Williams has won an unparalleled number of Grand Slam titles to date but seemingly not without the help of some odd rituals that she performs.  Before a match, she ties her shoe laces the exact same way and on-court she wears the same pair of socks during a tournament.  Another ritual she practises on the court is to bounce the ball five times before her first serve and twice before her second serve.  The legendary Coco Chanel was told by a fortune teller that her lucky number is 5.  She then gave her most famous perfume the name Chanel No. 5.

    Celebrity quirks aside, Friday the 13th has been associated with bad luck due to three main historical events in Western tradition:

    • The last days of Jesus Christ when there were 13 people present at the Last Supper.
    • The Trials of the Knights Templar perpetrated by Philip IV of France which began with the arrest of the Knights Templar that took place on Friday 13 October 1307.
    • The Norse myth about 12 gods having a dinner party in Valhalla, whereby the trickster god Loki, who was not invited, arrived as the 13th guest and was responsible for orchestrating the shooting of the god Baldr by the god Hoor.

    Superstitions connected to the number 13

    Ancient superstitions around the number 13 have survived well into the modern era and frequently rear their heads on the business front.  According to Harvard Business Review, many airplanes do not have a 13th row of seats and many buildings simply skip the 13th floor.  This especially applies to hotels where the owners don’t want to frighten their guests.  Airports often skip Gate 13 and software companies avoid releasing edition 13.0. 

    Superstitious beliefs around numbers in the Chinese culture

    Despite the fact that the number 13 is considered to be unlucky in Western cultures, in Chinese culture the number 8 is considered lucky since its pronounciation is similar to the word for ‘fortune’, ‘prosper’ and ‘wealth’.  Whereas, on the other hand, the number 4 sounds similar to the pronounciation of the word ‘death’ and is therefore considered to be unlucky.

    Strange events that happened on Friday the 13th

    The disappearance of a Swedish Military Plane

    On Friday the 13th 1952 that later became known as the Catalina affair, a Swedish military plane with a crew of eight was reported missing.  Two Catalina planes were sent to search for the missing plane but both were shot down by the Soviet air force, which afterwards admitted to having shot down the first military plane.

    Computer virus infects hundreds of computers on Friday the 13th

    On Friday the 13th 1989, a widespread computer virus that later became known as the Friday the 13th Virus or Jerusalem Virus, infected hundreds of IBM computers in the UK.  This virus slowed computers down to such an extent that the ensuing crash led to lost files and widespread anxiety over the new technologies of that time.

    Costa Concordia cruise ship sinks off the Italian Coast on Friday the 13th of January 2012

    On Friday the 13th of January 2012, the Costa Concordia sank of the Italian Coast killing 32 people.  At the time, it was reported to be the largest passenger ship ever wrecked, with almost double the amount of people on board than the Titanic.

    Can Friday the 13th be good for business?

    While some businesses may shy away from the number 13, one study revealed that Friday the 13th might, in fact, be good for business.  Even though rumours abound that the stock market performs badly on this day, it turns out that this is apparently not true.  Marketwatch reports that traditionally, Friday the 13th is a good day for the stock market, with stocks veering upwards of 55.63%.

    A 2008 insurance study in the USA also showed that fewer traffic accidents occur on a Friday the 13th and reports of fire and theft are lower.  As finance becomes more globalised, establishing what influences market forces is a necessity.  While it is not to say that everyone working in finance believes in superstitions, some studies indicate that highly pressurised jobs breed a degree of superstition.  Having said that, investors are subject to market forces as well as the whims and impulses of their peers and colleagues.  The financial industry is one where small waves can cause huge effects, so, Friday the 13th might be a gentle reminder that it is worth taking into account all factors that influence the world’s biggest financial engines. 

    Top 13 job skills employers want in the new world of work

    Superstitions aside, as we move forward, one thing is certain. 2020 turned the world of work on its head. In the wake of the pandemic remote work became the norm, creating and imposing new strategies and new ways of working.

    So, if you are seeking ways to differentiate yourself from the rest of the pool during your next job search, you need to look beyond your technical qualifications and know what top job skills you need in the new world of work. Here are the top 13 job skills that employers are looking for:

    1. Continuous Learning
    2. Time Management
    3. Decision Making
    4. Collaboration
    5. Emotional Intelligence
    6. Creativity and Resilience
    7. Adaptability
    8. Change Management
    9. Coaching Mindset
    10. Project Management
    11. Cloud Computing
    12. Knowledge of new social & digital media
    13. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

    If you are not superstitious Friday the 13th is just another normal day

    There are many different perspectives around why Friday the 13th is considered unlucky.  Yet, if you strongly fear Friday the 13th and that bad luck will find its way to you on this day then chances are you will draw all sorts of ‘bad luck’ towards yourself. Yet, you wouldn’t think anything of it if the same events took place on a different day.  But, if you don’t subscribe to superstitious beliefs Friday the 13th is just another normal day.

    Reference sources:  Fastcompany.com|Technation.io|Blogs.windows.com|Thesouthafrican.com

    Find out how to maximise your potentials using Biorhythms

    What are Biorhythms?

    According to the theory of biorhythms our daily lives are affected by rhythmic biological cycles that influence our abilities in various areas that involve mental, physical and emotional activities.  These cycles commence at birth and oscillate in a continual sine wave manner throughout life and involve periods of exactly 23, 28 and 33 days. 

    Biorhythms are unique to each individual, work in cycles that govern every aspect of our lives from our health to our mental state and influence how we cope in challenging situations. 

    The biorhythm cycles

    Physical Biorhythm

    The physical biorhythm, which runs in 23-day cycles relates to physical strength, durability, stamina, courage, resistance and so forth.

    Emotional Biorhythm

    The emotional biorhythm runs in 28 day cycles and involves emotional stability, feeling, mood, susceptibility, intuition and creativity.

    Intellectual Biorhythm

    The intellectual biorhythm runs in 28 day cycles and relates to intellectual activities such as thinking, judging, analysing and concentration.

    In a nutshell, biorhythms govern our health, emotional state, decision-making ability as well as our reflex actions.  It is thought that if we understand the interactions of our own cycles, we can plan our activities around the high as well as the low points of these cycles.  This ensures that we maximise our potentials around the high points and that we avoid potential pitfalls such as making poor personal or business decisions around the low points.

    The history of biorhythms

    The theory behind the study of biorhythms dates back to fourth-century Greece, where, during treatment, physicians studied the cycles of their patients.  Yet, it was only at the turn of the 20th Century that Dr Wilhelm Fliess, a German ear, nose and throat specialist determined the existence of the biorhythm cycles.  At around the same time, alongside Dr Fliess, the existence of the biorhythm cycles was also confirmed by Hermanna Swoboda, professor of psychology at the University of Vienna.

    Biorhythms became a popular interest in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s but the phase soon petered out.  Yet, recent renewed interest in the topic has given us the opportunity to once again explore how the natural cycles of our bodies can enhance our daily lives.

    How to calculate your biorhythms

    Many resources are available on the Internet that one can use to become more acquainted with how our biorhythms actually work. Click here to calculate your biorhythms.

    How can biorhythms help us at work?

    As individuals, we have a pretty good idea of how our internal rhythms play out in our lives.  For instance, some people are ‘morning people’ – when they are up, they are up.  Morning people, while alert when they first awake usually start to become steadily less functional towards the end of the day.  Conversely, others may be ‘night owls’ – these people thrive on ‘later’.  They eat later, work later, go out later and literally come alive later.  Hence, their productivity levels peak when morning people are ready to call it a day.

    Discussing the implications of biorhythms, as individuals and as teams, can be a potent driver of productivity, creativity and increased morale.  Hence, taking into account the importance of the body’s natural rhythms can significantly benefit overall performance. 

    Working hours

    Individuals can be more productive and able to perform better if we do away with the one-size-fits-all approach to working hours and embrace the natural rhythms of our own bodies.

    How to identify and embrace your rhythms

    Ask yourself these questions:  At what point during the day do you feel most energetic?  When do your energies start to wane?  What works best for you when you need a pick-up?  Monitor yourself over a period of a few days and take notes.  In this way, you will find that a distinct pattern emerges.  For instance, you may want to take that walk around the block at 12pm.  Or you may feel comfortable going to the gym at 6.30am before you start your work day.  The more you embrace the rhythm that makes you feel most productive and creative, the more productive and creative you will be. 

    A working rhythm that works for everyone

    Taking into account the biorhythms of everyone on your team you will be able to get the best out of everyone when they are at their best.  You will maximise your competitive advantage as you will get the best out of everyone on your team around the clock, based on their own biorhythmic clocks.

    10 tips on how to delight the customer and deliver beyond expectations in a world filled with chatbots

    Delivering beyond expectations

    Companies place huge emphasis these days on the importance of meeting customer expectations let alone delivering beyond such expectations.  The word ‘expectations’ in itself also seems to carry the weight of huge responsibility – in this case – to the customer. Customer service is therefore a huge industry that employs an even greater number of people worldwide.  Yet, customers shopping in a range of niches often feel ignored and that their experience with certain companies lacks human connection in a world driven by technology. 

    According to global market research company Forrester, almost 95% of leaders state that being able to deliver a good customer experience is a major strategic priority and 75% emphasise using the customer experience as a competitive advantage.  Yet, we live in a world with a very crowded marketplace where consumers are looking for a whole host of diverse products and services, via different channels and at different times.

    Even in this age of technology, it has been discovered that over 75% of customers would rather speak to a person one-on-one as opposed to relying solely on electronic communication when they are trying to resolve an issue.  While digital communication can be fast and effective in certain ways, from the customer’s point of view, it does not meet most of their critical needs. 

    Yet, there is much to learn from others’ experiences and many pitfalls can be avoided. When looking at other companies as potential role models of customer service, look to those who have managed to combine digital as well as human customer service methodologies to provide consistent and effective customer service, regardless of the customer’s preferred mode of contact.

    Don’t fall into the trap of thinking it is all about technology

    Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that technology can replace human contact.  Rather find ways for technology to augment human interaction as opposed to replacing it.  Combined in the right proportions, both can work well together to offer the customer the best of both worlds.  Nevertheless, technology versus human contact where the customer is concerned has taken the spotlight in so many ways that it is time for us to take stock of what these things really mean for the customer and how to create best-of-breed solutions. The customer is the root that will eventually see your business bear fruit. So, how can you consistently delight the customer and deliver beyond expectations in a world filled with chatbots? Here are 10 tips to help you to decide what best will work for your business.

    1. Customers expect you to understand their needs

    Frustrated customers are often the result of a disconnect between the customer’s expectations of their interaction with you and that which actually takes place.   Numerous businesses have discovered that it is often preferable to under-promise and over-deliver in order to increase their prospects in terms of exceeding customer expectations.  Others still have high expectations of themselves, confident that they can deliver.  Regardless of how you come across, make sure that whatever expectations you set that you can ultimately deliver upon those expectations.

    2. Customers yearn for a more personalised experience

    Even though we seem to live in what appears as a global anonymous culture, where self-service rules the order of the day, customers are increasingly demanding a more personalised experience where it counts the most.  According to enterprise cloud platform Salesforce, 50% of consumers tend to ignore those communications that are not specifically personalized.   Further emphasis here finds 79% of consumers stating that personalised service is significantly more important to them than personalised marketing.

    CRM technology enables businesses to build strong relationships with customers from the shop floor right through to the call centre and companies would be well placed to take advantage of this.  Forging relationships with customers can dramatically increase the likelihood that you will exceed their expectations and turn them into brand ambassadors.

    3. Customers prefer you to offer them different ways of getting in touch with you

    Recent data confirms the importance of channel preferences and their impact on customer satisfaction.  Customers expect companies to communicate with them via their preferred channel, whether it be over the phone, online or in person and depending on the nature of the inquiry.   Over and above this, it has been found that at least 85% of customers expect their conversations with customer service agents or representatives to be handled in real-time and seamlessly between channels which means that they don’t want to have to keep repeating themselves time and again when they are referred to the next agent.  Channel preference definitely depends upon the type of inquiry in question.  For instance, for simple inquiries such as “what is my bank balance?” email, and online self-service options are the preferred channel.  But, when the inquiry becomes more complex, talking to a live representative via live chat or talking to an agent over the phone become the preferred option.

    4. Customers demand a fast response

    Whether it be in a storefront, over the phone or an online interaction – no one wants to be kept waiting.  As such, the response times over the channels that you use to communicate with your customers should not only be acceptable to the customer but also realistic.  However, what is acceptable not only depends on your customers but also on the channel preference.  For instance, one study reveals that on Twitter, 53% of customers expect companies to respond within an hour.  However, that number immediately spikes to 72% when customer complaints are involved.

    CRM technology enables businesses to build strong relationships with customers from the shop floor right through to the call centre and companies would be well placed to take advantage of this.  Forging relationships with customers can dramatically increase the likelihood that you will exceed their expectations and turn them into brand ambassadors.

    5. Customers expect you to solve their problems – there is no denying this

    At the heart of every customer inquiry lies the need for a speedy resolution.  Hence, empowering your frontline representatives and agents and giving them the tools they need to resolve customer queries is critical.  For example, each time a customer is transferred from one call centre agent to the next, they quickly begin to lack faith and lose patience with your organisation to the point where this can result in a loss of goodwill towards your business and can detrimentally affect your ability to retain existing customers and gain new ones.

    6. Customers need you to listen to them

    As with any two-way communication – customers expect you to listen to them.  This means that while you may incite customer opinion and gather feedback via surveys and the like, whether you act on this feedback is a different matter altogether.  Since, around half of the companies surveyed on this point believe that companies fail to take action from customer feedback.  As mentioned earlier, we live in a very crowded marketplace these days and consumers’ voices are louder than ever.  So, if you are not actively listening to your customers, someone else will.

    Those companies that take customer expectations and feedback into account dominate many industries these days.  Take for example Amazon.  By making it easier for their customers to obtain what they want, and creating products based directly on customer feedback, Amazon has wiped out large numbers of more traditional retailers operating in the same space.

    7. Customers demand that you be more proactive

    It does not take much to realise that people strongly prefer companies that are more proactive when it comes to customer service.  This includes both personalised communications regarding service issues as well as public statements via social media and the like.   Customer service has spent way too long on the back foot, being more reactive than proactive.  So, don’t make the mistake of waiting for your customers to reach out to you with their issues, instead be proactive and deliver the essence of your brand in terms of going the extra mile for your customers.

    8. It should come as no surprise that your customers love to be surprised!

    Human beings are built to love surprises.  Those areas of the brain that are stimulated by the element of surprise are those same areas that respond to drug stimulants which is a strong indication that humans do, in fact, yearn for the unexpected.   Hence, surprise can be a powerful tool in moulding the customer experience.  For example, a small discount on a customer’s birthday or a spot prize consisting of a free meal at a restaurant can work wonders in stimulating the customer’s appetite!

    9. Contrary to popular belief, most customers prefer to save time as opposed to saving money

    Time is indeed of the essence these days and it has become increasingly evident that most people value their time more than anything.  Therefore, the best way to convince someone to buy something is to offer them timesaving opportunities or improve the quality of time that they have at their disposal.  Many fast-food chains focus their marketing strategies on this principle.

    10. Customers expect consistency when you respond to them

    One can definitely say that apart from IVR (Interactive Voice Response) systems, the thing customers loathe the most is inconsistency.  Over 75% of surveyed customers state that receiving inconsistent answers from support agents is a major frustration.  Where companies use multiple channels to communicate with their customers, it is especially critical to ensure that consistency of messaging and response mechanism applies across all communication channels. 

    Reference sources: Signius.com | Fonolo.com

    Russia/Ukraine War sparks anxiety in the workplace worldwide – find out how employers can help

    Following two years of severe restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, life appeared as though it was returning to normal. But, the lifeline of hope was soon shattered when Russian troops began their invasion of Ukraine. Social media has been awash with pain, confusion and sadness worldwide, with people voicing fear, shock and frustration over the advancing crisis. Many people across the world are directly or indirectly affected by the crisis and most feel that they are powerless to help. The knock-on effect spills into the workplace.  So what can employers do to help?

    Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) can help with anxiety and depression 

    The Russia-Ukraine War, with its associated humanitarian crisis, has sent shock waves across the world since it began just over a week ago. While anxiety linked to the crisis is completely understandable, employers need to be aware that for certain employees the levels of stress, depression and heightened anxiety associated with continuous live news updates about the war can be serious enough to require counseling.  Not to mention that certain employees, who may have family and friends who are directly impacted by the war are undergoing severe stress and anxiety right now.  At the other end of the scale, employees are also looking to employers to provide channels through which they can help those affected by the war.  This can be achieved through Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).  An employer-driven Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a work-based intervention program designed to identify and help employees to resolve personal problems that may be adversely affecting their work performance. Such programs include wellness programsstress management programs, legal assistance, family and trauma counselling.


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    Encourage employees to talk about their fears at work 

    EAPs can also be deployed through informal channels that seek to address problems related to a particular  situation or event and are often set up during times of crisis.  Yet, at the heart of any crisis, communication is key.  Here are a few tips on what employers can do to help their staff cope better at this time.  People should be encouraged to talk about their fears Even if the crisis doesn’t appear to impact the business, employers are encouraged to let their staff know that it is okay to talk about how they are feeling. This creates a dedicated space for employees to air their concerns, especially if they are directly impacted by the crisis, and to band together to raise money to support those in need. Discourage employees from “Doomscrolling” Doomscrolling or doomsurfing, which involves becoming fixated on continuously monitoring news of an ongoing crisis, is a coping mechanism that is used to try and gain control over a situation by obtaining as much information as possible. Yet, it can make things worse when people are unable to break the habit and especially when they are unable to channel information into useful action. Instead, guide employees to rather seek out platforms to donate towards humanitarian aid. If there are televisions in common staff areas, tune in to non-news channels. 

    Encourage employees to make use of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) 

    Employee Assistance Programs such as a trauma counseling service can help employees to cope better with stress and anxiety. Employers would be well placed to communicate the benefits of such programs to their staff and encourage them to make use of these programs.
     

    Tuesday 22 02 2022 – Are we two early or are we two late, we will never know unless we mark the right date!

    Today is Tuesday, but also ‘Twos-day’, with all the twos falling together – 22 02 2022. Today’s date is also a palindrome day which means that the date can be read the same way backward or forwards and is also an ambigram day, which means that the date reads the same upside down. But, how do we know what day it really is if we follow a different calendar? We don’t use only one way to mark time, since there are actually 40 different calendars used around the world. Some countries and cultures use the Sun (solar) while others use the Moon (lunar) and others still use the Sun and the Moon (lunisolar) to mark the passing of time. Most countries and religions use solar years to calculate time, but the exception is the Hijri and Jewish calendars, which both use the cycles of the Moon.

    Calendars used in the world today

    Gregorian Calendar The Gregorian Calendar, which dates back to 1592, is the most popular calendar used in the world today.  It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII as a revision to the Julien Calendar.  Its use spread throughout most of Europe for the next couple of hundred years before being adopted by Japan in 1873 and then finally rolled out to China, the Soviet Union, and Greece in the nineteen-hundreds. Balinese Pawukon Calendar
    The Pawukon Calendar is one of two calendars used on the Indonesian Island of Bali.  It is two hundred and ten days long with six thirty-five-day months. Many holidays in Bali are determined according to the Pawukon Calendar but some follow their lunar calendar which is known as the Saka Calendar and with twelve months consisting of twenty-nine to thirty days each, it is fairly similar to the Gregorian Calendar. Chinese Calendar While modern-day China follows the Gregorian Calendar, the traditional Chinese Calendar still governs the dates of significant Chinese holidays such as the Chinese Lantern Festival. The Chinese Calendar is a lunar calendar that consists of twelve months of 29 or 30 days that each begins on the first day of the New Moon. It is also used as a tool for choosing auspicious dates for weddings, moving, funerals, and starting new businesses.

    If you live in Ethiopia you are 7 years behind!

    Ethiopian Calendar Based on alternate calculations of the birth of Jesus Christ, if you happen to live in Ethiopia, you are literally 7 years behind! With the new year corresponding to the 11th/12th of September (depending on the leap year), according to the Ethiopian Calendar, we are in early 2015 right now. Hebrew or Jewish Calendar Like the Chinese Calendar, the Hebrew or Jewish Calendar is lunar with each month starting on the day of the New Moon. While many Jewish people outside of Israel have adopted the Gregorian Calendar, they do not use the abbreviations A.D. and B.C.  A.D. means “the year of our Lord”, and since Jews do not believe that Jesus is Lord, they instead use the abbreviations C.E (Common or Christian Era) and B.C.E. (Before the Common Era). Islamic, Muslim or Hijri Calendar The start date of the Islamic Calendar is based on the Hegira, the Islamic Prophet Muhammad’s journey from Mecca to Medina. Like the Hebrew or Chinese Calendars, the Islamic Calendar is also lunar.  In Muslim countries the Islamic Calendar is used mainly for religious reasons while the Gregorian Calendar is used for civil purposes.

    Measuring the impact of the Four Types of Intelligence in the new era of the 4th Industrial Revolution and how they measure up in a post-pandemic world

    IQ is so not the only measure of success in life

    It was once believed that the single measure of success in life was determined by a person’s IQ (Intelligence Quotient).  Schools and tertiary institutions focussed mainly on an individual’s academic potential, and if one didn’t score well in an IQ test the assumption was made that one would struggle to successfully make one’s way in the world.  This was the accepted norm. 

    It was only in 1995 when the concept of EQ (Emotional Intelligence) first emerged, and was made popular by the publication of Daniel Goleman’s book “Emotional Intelligence:  Why It Can Matter More Than IQ”, that existing paradigms were radically altered.  At this stage, it became evident that relying solely on one’s powers of academic prowess was not the only way to succeed.

    Yet, the journey of exploring the different types of intelligence quotients does not start or end here.  Let’s go back 100 years or so.  In 1920 Edward Thorndike coined the term Social Intelligence, now referred to as Social Quotient (SQ), which is an individual’s ability to understand and manage others and to engage in adaptive social interactions.  Referring to Social Intelligence, he was quoted to have said that it is “the ability to understand and manage men and women and boys and girls, to act wisely in human relations.”  Thus, Social Intelligence is equivalent to Interpersonal Intelligence, which is one of the types of intelligence in Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, and closely relates to Theory of Mind.

    As we delve deeper into our investigation into the different types of intelligence, we encounter yet another candidate along the way.  This is where the real paradigm shift happens.  Yes, undoubtedly, most of us are fully au fait with the idea of the importance of having a high IQ, some of us are clued up around EQ and have even embarked upon our own journeys of self-improvement to raise our EQ levels.  Then again, certain people have caught the wave of Social Intelligence and are now surfing higher SQ’s.  Yet, most of us have never even heard of the concept of Adversity Intelligence (AQ).  This is where things start to get even more interesting.

    What exactly is Adversity Intelligence (AQ)?

    In 1997, Paul Stoltz introduced the concept of Adversity Quotient (AQ) with the publication of his groundbreaking book, Adversity Quotient:  Turning Obstacles into Opportunities.  As one of the likely indicators of a person’s ability to succeed in life, AQ is also used to predict mental stress, attitude, learning, perseverance, and responses to changes in the environment. 

    How the different intelligences play out on the business stage in a post-pandemic world

    The general consensus in the world today is that the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is predicted to be worse than that of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis.  Looking at previous economic crises we have also learned that their effects are generally felt for years to come.  In the wake of the pandemic companies globally have been forced to radically alter the way they do things.  Business models have changed, office space has shrunk with the shift towards remote working and meetings are held via virtual platforms.  So, let’s explore the different intelligences in terms of what they are, why each one is important in its own way, and more importantly, why a high IQ alone will get you nowhere.

    Intelligence Quotient (IQ)

    Intelligence Quotient (IQ) is the measure used to determine our reasoning ability.  IQ is used to determine how well an individual makes use of information and logic to answer questions and make predictions.  Skills such as critical thinking, logic, and abstract reasoning all form part of the IQ score.  An IQ test also measures how well an individual can solve puzzles or recall information and how quickly.  There is no doubt that to become at least adequately proficient at any job, skill, or profession, one needs a reasonably sound IQ.  In the past, someone with a degree would have stood a better chance of getting a job than someone without one.  However, technical skills alone are not sufficient when dealing with the fallout in a post-pandemic world and your degree alone does not guarantee success.

    Emotional Quotient (EQ)

    Essentially, Emotional Quotient (EQ) is the ability to control one’s emotions in positive ways to communicate effectively, minimise stress, show empathy towards others, resolve conflict, and overcome challenges.  A person with a high EQ is humble, considerate, and able to maintain harmony with others.  Hence, the four pillars of Emotional Intelligence are made up of:

    • Self-awareness
    • Self-management
    • Social awareness
    • Relationship management

    So, twenty years ago, if you took your IQ and combined it with a relatively high EQ, you may have stood a better chance of being considered for a job over someone with academic qualifications and no interpersonal skills.  But, today, we are dealing with a post-pandemic world while we grapple with the increased pace of adoption of 4th Industrial Revolution technologies that revolutionised both the way we live and the way we work.  Embracing the technologies of the new world means that a high IQ will take us some of the way, a high EQ will help us to deal with the stress along the way, but, this is not where things end.

    Social Quotient (SQ)

    Social Quotient (SQ) has its roots in Emotional Intelligence and is the measure of a person’s ability to build a network of friends and contacts and maintain these relationships over an extended period of time.  Individuals who possess a high EQ and SQ tend to succeed better than those with a high IQ but relatively low EQ and SQ.  This is how someone with a high IQ can be employed by someone whose IQ is not exceptionally high but they have a high EQ and SQ.  For example, think about the technical specialist who sits in the corner.  He is brilliant at creative problem solving and critical thinking and everyone relies on him for these skills, yet, he is the office introvert and has no social skills and despite his high intellect and academic qualifications, he would not be placed in a leadership position.

    Adversity Quotient (AQ)

    As previously mentioned, Adversity Quotient (AQ) is all about turning obstacles into opportunities.  Hence, AQ is the measure of an individual’s ability to experience a rough patch in life and emerge from the situation without literally losing their mind.  Therefore, someone with a low AQ will most likely give up the ghost when faced with troubles that literally get the better of them.  These individuals are the ones who are also presumably potential suicide candidates and those that will abandon their families when things go awry also fall into this category.  Alternatively, a person who possesses a high AQ will likely take life in their stride and provide others with the motivation and inspiration to rise after they fall.  They are the ones who say: “I succeeded in spite of my challenges.” as opposed to “I couldn’t make it because of my challenges.”

    Summing up the scores

    Gone are the days when only those with the highest IQs are given the opportunity to rule every aspect of the game.  In fact, certain of those emotionally intelligent individuals with hundreds of Friends on Facebook and LinkedIn and who possess a reasonable IQ level, will fail dismally in the face of life’s hardest knocks when their AQ levels are not up to scratch. 

    Today, we are integrating 4th Industrial Revolution technologies into our lives at the rate of several knots and this seemingly forced integration, especially in the light of the pandemic, challenges our IQs, EQs and SQs daily.  Yet, none of these skills are of any use to us if we do not seek to equip ourselves with adequate coping skills in the face of adversity.  In a nutshell, today’s successful business leader is the one that is not only equipped with knowledge and emotional maturity, but also has the courage to rise above adversity.  That person is the one who says:  “Look at all this manure – there is so much of it around that there just has to be a pony somewhere.”

    Reference sources: thefunlearning.com | KPMG | sciencenewsforstudents.org | Wikipedia

    When it comes to goal setting, do you know where you’re going to? Learning to visualise will help you achieve your goals

    Can you visualise your path to success?  Only a few decades ago mindset practice in the workplace wasn’t as well accepted as it is today.  But now that has all changed since merging our hard skills with our soft skills has become more of an established practice in business.  We are therefore seeing more companies globally embracing mindset work.  It is now a recognised fact that the use of visualisation has been a key success factor in the careers of professional athletes, musicians, and celebrities and the good news is that it is also being used effectively in the workplace.

    Yet, there are those that will question whether visualisation actually works and how it can be applied in a business setting.  Here we give you three visualisation techniques for success in business.

    See it clearly in your mind’s eye

    Take a task, such as an important presentation, mentally rehearse it and see it going well in your mind’s eye.  This technique is amplified when you make the visualisation more vivid.  Doing this triggers your brain’s reward circuit.  Try setting a timer for two minutes at the beginning of your day and begin to visualise your success.  Then, take the image or ‘movie’ of the achievement of your goal and refine the scenes as far as you can to make them crystal clear.  That means painting the picture with vivid colours and bright imagery.  Adjust any ‘sounds’ that you can imagine and make them pleasing to the ear.  Enhance any positive feelings you experience and make them more intense.

    Gain insight through hindsight

    Time is indeed one of our most precious resources.  When it comes to achieving your goals and objectives, taking stock of how you spend your time can reveal instances where time is being leaked or wasted.  Set aside a few minutes at the end of your day.  Take a few deep breaths and mentally go through the events of your day from start to finish to gain insight around your activities through hindsight.  Mentally visualise what happened and what didn’t happen.  Did you get through your ‘to do’ list or did you allow others to monopolise your time with their own urgent needs?  Which events were planned?  Which events took place unintentionally?  Did you do something on the spur-of-the-moment when you should have been working on an important presentation?  How did you deal with any changes that came about?  By taking cognisance of where decisions are happening and are not happening you create opportunities.  Undoubtedly, we all have enough time, but sometimes we waste it.  Observing how you spend the time that you have will help you to make better decisions that support your goals and objectives.

    Analyse challenges from all angles

    How a problem is defined influences the solutions that will come to light and analysing problems from all angles will give you a better chance of effectively solving them.  Brainstorming is one way that teams use to generate multiple ideas around a problem.  By being curious and not critical, you can enhance your ability to see problems from many different angles as they come about during the course of your day.  The more relaxed alpha brain wave function is responsible for inciting our creative problem-solving abilities and curiosity is a natural point of entry that encourages this function.  To get your brain into the alpha state, try this method.  Firstly, change your environment and take a break from your desk.  Go for a walk, make a cup of coffee, do something to take your mind away from your current problem.  Take a few deep breaths to relax your body and ground yourself.   Then, ask yourself this question:  “What opportunities are present in this current situation?”  To make this easier ask your critical mind whether any limitations that exist are actually real or only presumed to be real.  This will help you to sort the wheat from the chaff as it were.  In stepping back and opening your viewpoint to alternative possibilities, you will discover the real crux of the problem. 

    Setting goals using the 4 P’s

    An important point to remember about goal setting is that you need to be motivated.  Writing down your goals will help to motivate you and you can further motivate yourself when you give yourself a reward for your ‘successes’.  Even a small reward will help – such as treating yourself to a bar of chocolate or an ice-cream each time you ‘tick one of the boxes’ on your list. Goal setting helps you to get things done. Click here to book your seat on BOTI’s Goal Setting and Getting Things Done training course.

    Can virtual learning cause anxiety?

    COVID-19 has had a rapid and dramatic impact on many people’s lives. Sadly, teenagers and young adults may be among those most affected by the virus.

    While student and teacher safety is paramount, online learning can trigger anxiety disorders in students. Everyone, from students, teachers, and professors, is affected by online learning. Virtual classes may exacerbate pre-existing anxiety and mental health disorders in many students. Others may experience new changes in anxiety and mood as a result of the pandemic and online learning.

    Increased Stress & Anxiety

    Aside from the lack of social interaction, the online class structure can have a variety of effects on students:

    • They may experience increased anxiety about keeping up with their schoolwork; • Other teenagers may have trouble concentrating or staying focused at home; and • For some young adults, being videoed in front of others can cause anxiety.
    • It may be difficult for students to obtain the additional educational support they require to succeed.

    As many people are aware, being a student can be difficult enough; however, additional pressures can amplify normal anxieties and stressors.

    In what way can virtual learning cause anxiety?

    The world appeared to change overnight. Teachers and administrators have had to redesign their entire instructional systems with only a day’s notice in many cases. To say that many of us are suffering from disorientation, whiplash, and anxiety would be an understatement.

    Many students are feeling the same way. According to one study, one in every three young adults has experienced clinically significant anxiety at some point in their lives. It’s likely that during a pandemic that has a significant impact on everyday life, anxiety levels in students will be even higher, as will the possibility of subsequent trauma.

    In these unprecedented times, teachers are creatively and quickly rising to the occasion to shift to remote learning amid school closures. Even in a physical classroom, it can be difficult to help students who have a history of anxiety and trauma stay calm and learn. This difficulty is exacerbated by distance learning. However, even when teaching remotely, teachers can do a lot to help students feel less anxious. Teachers must prioritize students’ mental health over academics during this crisis. Because the effects of trauma can last a lifetime, what students learn during this time isn’t as important as whether they feel completely safe.

    When students are isolated from their school parents during a crisis or time of change, they must continue to feel safe, catered for, and connected. Strong relationships with teachers can keep anxious students from spiraling out of control.

    Teachers all over the world are coming up with novel ways to stay in touch with their students. Many communities, for example, have held a “teacher parade,” in which educators drove through the neighborhood while students waved from their front doors. Teachers have also delivered school lunches door-to-door while taking safety precautions.

    Connecting does not have to take a long time to be effective. A video of a teacher discussing a concept, doing a read-aloud, or posing a challenge question is an excellent way to help students feel connected to the teacher and the class. At the start of any class, greeting the students and expressly telling them that they miss them and can’t wait to see them again is an effective way to make them feel cared for.

    Make efforts to connect with each student individually whenever possible. One supportive adult can aid students to surmount a very difficult home situation and alleviate their anxiety. A caring teacher’s connection can be a support system for a vulnerable student. Try using a cell phone-based messaging communication system like Remind—or traditional mail—for students who don’t have internet access.

    Effect of online learning on mental health

    The workload and learning load of implementing a new delivery model are creating a significant burden on the lives of those in higher education as they adapt to teaching and learning at a distance. This is a massive problem that is rapidly worsening. While some students thrive through online learning, the virus’s toll, increased workloads, isolation, and other associated effects are becoming more prevalent among several students, staff, and faculty members. It should not be undervalued. Every institution must address the threats to the well-being of its constituents.

    Faculty members are under a lot of pressure to transform their classes into effective digital formats. Faculty members’ already complex responsibilities are exacerbated by the additional workload and anxiety that comes with it. The increased workload has raised concerns about faculty burnout. So many faculty members who are already on the verge of burnout due to the demands of teaching, advising, research, and publication face an emotional letdown or even collapse.

    Many times, we separate the thought of mental health from the consideration of physical health. These two are inextricably linked. Physical health can deteriorate due to the mental and emotional strains that faculty and students may be under. Stress and anxiety can lower immunity, making people susceptible to illnesses other than the common cold. People who report high levels of self-reported distress are 32% more likely to die from cancer, and depression has been linked to heart disease. These are not insignificant effects. They are both life-changing and destructive.

    The majority of students are under duress. For many people, the strain starts with their eyes. Those who are not used to squinting at poorly adjusted computer screens in poor lighting are subjected to eyestrain, which can have long-term consequences. Ophthalmologists advise taking 20-minute breaks from screen reading and adjusting room lighting to prevent glare and reflections.

    Supporting online students’ mental health needs is a critical mission for all universities. The drastic lifestyle change can exacerbate loneliness, anxiety, and perhaps even depression. Faculty members are now on the front lines of identifying mental and emotional health problems. In most cases, nobody else is watching over the students. On-campus, those students may be observed informally by classmates, resident advisers, and other campus personnel who observe students daily. However, online, those students are frequently invisible to their peers, advisers, and others. They live in unnoticed anonymity. Faculty are frequently the first point of contact for online students. 

    The COVID-19 crisis is imposing a serious burden, much of which is unaccounted for. However, it is clear from the start that the stresses are disparately placed on the shoulders of women.

    Anxiety and online learning performance

    Students experience a range of emotions in response to classroom activities and achievement outcomes, which can impact student success. Anxiety is one emotion that students experience, which can harm their performance and persistence.

    Emotions are human responses to current, future, and past events, and they are always present in academic settings. These course-related emotions can help students by encouraging actions or reflections that improve their learning, motivation, and performance. That being said, not all emotions have a positive effect on student achievement. University students’ positive emotions include enjoyment, interest, hope, and pride, while negative emotions include anger, anxiety, frustration, and boredom. Anxiety has piqued the interest of undergraduate education researchers in recent years, owing to the rising prevalence of this emotion among students and teachers’ reports of anxiety linked with active-learning environments in undergraduate science classrooms.

    Postsecondary pedagogical approaches are changing, with a noticeable shift toward enacting evidence‐based teaching methods in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classrooms. This shift is not without reason: these teaching methods, including active-learning pedagogies, improve exam performance and reduce course failure rates. Active-learning pedagogies have also been proposed as a means of improving student doggedness in STEM undergraduate majors. These findings are encouraging because less than 40% of freshman STEM majors complete a STEM degree. Nonetheless, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology predicted that an additional one million STEM graduates would be required over the next decade.

    The expectation for active learning is that students will respond to the instructor’s questions in verbal, electronic, and written formats. Anxiety is associated with the expectation to respond (and possibly be judged on that response) for some students. Students, for instance, have expressed concern about cold calling. While students appreciated that this practice encouraged them to pay close attention, they did not enjoy being the center of attention, and its use demotivated some students from attending class on non–exam days. Students in introductory biology in England reported varying anxiety levels for different active-learning practices; answering verbal questions resulted in higher average anxiety than clicker questions or group work. Average student general class anxiety levels were higher in correlation with lower self-reported letter grades, and student intention to continue in the major was linked to lower anxiety levels. Active learning doesn’t often make students more anxious. Another research group, on the other hand, interacted with 52 students in large enrollment courses. It demonstrated that, depending on teacher implementation and perceived benefit to the student, group work and clicker questions could increase or decrease anxiety. Simultaneously, random/cold-call was often considered wrong.

    Distance learning causing anxiety

    Several higher education institutions worldwide have been forced to use alternative instructional methods to bridge the gap during these difficult times. As a result, online learning or e-learning platforms have been implemented to simulate a virtual classroom where the instructor and the student can engage and accomplish the curriculum’s learning outcomes remotely. To deliver the content to the students, platforms such as Zoom, Blackboard, Moodle, and Skype were used. Faculty members have been compelled to become acquainted with new teaching methods.

    Over the last two decades, there has been a great deal of research into online learning in higher education institutions, where full courses and even full Bachelor and Masters programs have begun to be delivered via online platforms. Students enrolled in full-time instruction-based programs who were unfamiliar with such an experience, on the other hand, experienced system shock.

    Although there was some confusion during the initial digital transition, an online class has advantages during quarantine periods when students can still catch up on their courses. However, certain topics are much more difficult to deliver online, particularly practical or even clinical aspects in majors related to the health sciences.

    Many factors explain why university students may face specific difficulties and limitations due to e-learning, putting them in a stressful learning environment. University students are predisposed to developing stress disorders and depression. Because of the psychologically challenging conditions they face daily, such implications are expected to grow during COVID19 quarantine. Such students will be deprived of critical incentives to advance in their education or careers. Procrastination and feelings of worthlessness can be exacerbated by social isolation and reduced activity during quarantine. Understandably, the conditions may exacerbate anxiety and depression. The screen creates intense isolation, making it difficult for many people to engage in back-and-forth conversation, making it nearly impossible to provide constructive feedback without appearing to be speaking through a vacuum. Financial barriers may also prevent them from gaining access to technologies that will allow them to keep up with their online learning. Electricity and telecommunications deficits, for example, have been significant barriers to e-learning in many parts of the world.

    The psychological impact of online learning

    During this unprecedented period, online classes are expected to be in high demand as an alternative to institutional closure. Nonetheless, as a result of an ineffective learning approach, both teachers and students face many challenges and difficulties, including psychological issues. The success of e-Learning system implementation is dependent on how teachers and students carry out the program. Even though online teaching is one of the promising alternatives to the physical classroom, students have a negative perception of online learning behavior, which may be a significant cause of psychological distress. According to one study, students are anxious because they are bored in class. Course quality, technological ease, the usability of content, availability of technical assistance, and the possibility of interaction with peer students are all factors that contribute to e-Learning crack-up. The majority of e-Learning glitches are technological, with no software or hardware support available.

    Nonetheless, some developing countries do not fully support e-Learning systems. Another cause of e-Learning failure is a lack of readiness knowledge in the implementation process. An internet-based meta-analysis concluded that current research shows that e-Learning is better than nothing and (on average) comparable to traditional training. In addition, a research study discovered that approximately 25% of students are suffering from severe anxiety as a result of the e-Learning crack-up. According to another study, approximately 83 percent of students are in the worst situation, and 26 percent do not have access to mental health support. This condition provides a situational demand for assessing psychological distress among college students due to their negative perception of the e-Learning system. However, no comprehensive research has been conducted into the psychological distress due to the negative viewpoint of e-Learning among college students during the pandemic.

    According to recent research, students have uneven learning opportunities due to discrimination against better family facilities. Another study looked at digital disparities during the COVID-19 era. While most educational institutions are implementing online classes, the question remains how this approach benefits students from low-income families and those living in remote areas. According to a Pew Research Center study, an increasing number of students come from low-income families. According to research, there is a strong link between poverty and psychological stress. A lack of information technology resources primarily hampers them. Students from lower-income families have restricted or no access to online classes due to digital inequalities and a lack of access to modern technology. At the same time, high internet costs are another barrier to taking online classes.

    Anxiety because of online classes

    This fall, many colleges have abandoned most in-person lectures in favor of online and hybrid teaching. Students have adjusted to new routines and learning environments, but many have struggled to accept this new normal.

    Schools should reconsider how they grade students during this tough period to account for students’ real health problems.

    Just as students are willing to be flexible with teachers who are experimenting with online methods for the first time, it seems reasonable that teachers should be willing to be flexible with students as well. Teachers who adjust their expectations for the semester may find themselves with healthier, happier students.

    The increased screen time of online classes and the lack of face-to-face interaction has negatively impacted many students’ physical and mental health. Increased screen time has been associated with anxiety, depression, and perceived attention issues.

    Some students’ social anxiety has increased due to taking online classes, partly because online classes have increased the pressure to look presentable.

    Many students are concerned about the webcam being too intrusive. When you speak, everyone is staring at a close-up of your face, and it feels like there is nowhere to hide. Many students are hyper-conscious of their looks on camera and are self-critical or self-conscious of how they appear on the screen.

    Although video calls are an ideal solution for remote learning, they can harm one’s mental health. With back-to-back online classes, Zoom exhaustion has become a serious issue. Students may find video calls exhausting because they cannot process nonverbal cues like voice tone or body language.

    This can result in awkward silences or decreased interaction during online classes, making it more difficult for students to ask questions, converse with professors, and engage students.

    According to him, video calls make it easier than ever to lose focus due to the temptation to check social media during online lessons. The fact that students may be taking fewer breaks than previously is not helping, as relaxing can be a suitable way for students to reduce their stress and anxiety.

    The stroll from the classroom or lecture hall can often be a great way for the brain to sit back and relax before the next class, which online lessons do not allow for.

    Countless students are frustrated by video call delays, making technological problems a source of stress and anxiety for college students.

    What are the disadvantages of online learning?

    Offering online learning is a fantastic, game-changing alternative to traditional teaching. Institutions are taking notice. In fact, today, up to 90% of organizations use some form of online learning, compared to only 4% in 1995. And the e-learning market is projected to expand by another 8% by 2026! Not sure if you want to jump on the e-learning platform just yet? Before you replace traditional learning with online learning in your institution, carefully consider the benefits.

    1. Demands self-discipline and time management skills.

    Self-motivation was cited as a barrier to participating in online learning by 41% of 204 employees polled. Why is this so? While we can all concur that self-discipline and time management are always important in learning, online learning requires less guidance from an instructor than traditional learning. Online learning typically eliminates scheduled group meetings and deadlines. As a result, when it comes to continuing education, your employees must take the initiative.

    1. Reduced social interaction

    When you think of a traditional classroom, you probably think of lively group discussions and students raising their hands to ask the teacher questions. To be sure, these opportunities do not arise as normally in online learning. These face-to-face interactions are essential for some people to bring the material to life. Nonetheless, more social interaction can be added to online learning via scheduled Q&A sessions with a teacher, competition, and discussion channels.

    1. Not appropriate for every topic

    Which would you rather learn online: government guidelines on chemical disposal or how to fly a plane? The former is our preference, and we believe it is yours as well. You would not want to be a passenger on an aircraft with a pilot who had only ever piloted a plane in a flight simulator. Complex topics, surgical techniques, and practices that necessitate a physical environment are best carried out in person. However, in a high turnover environment, more repetitive topics lend themselves naturally to online learning.

    1. Inadequate practice-based learning

    Online learning is frequently theory-based, with little practice-based learning. Theoretical knowledge is comprised of facts, theories, and reasoning, whereas practical knowledge is comprised of hands-on activities and tasks. Online learning, for example, would be an excellent tool for learning the theory-based aspects of football, such as its history and game rules. However, it cannot be used to transfer practical knowledge such as how to play the game. That can only be accomplished by getting out on the field. As a result, it is critical to remember that e-learning cannot substitute the knowledge gained through hands-on experience.

    Is virtual learning easy?

    Many students have found it challenging to transition from physically attending school to studying virtually. The new learning style has made it more difficult for many people to understand.

    Because of the physical gap between students and teachers created by the online learning system, students have difficulty communicating with their teachers. It is much more difficult to demonstrate to your teachers just what you are struggling to understand while working online. This is only one example of how difficult online learning can be.

    The way students are taught is one of the most significant changes. Many teachers have resorted to showing videos to their students rather than instructing them. This method of instruction has not been successful for many students.

    Many students have had difficulty grasping those concepts. KVUE-TV reports that approximately 11,700 Austin ISD students are failing at least one class this year. This represents a 70% rise over last year.

    When students are physically present in front of a teacher, the teacher will ensure that they receive the assistance they need. Students should ask teachers questions when they occur, and teachers can respond quickly.

    Although it is difficult to do so online, asking questions is the best way to learn. The teacher’s availability is a major problem, particularly for some students who are returning to school. It is more difficult for teachers to strike a balance between online and in-person students.

    Another recurring problem with online education is the need to rely on the internet. On September 11, many AISD students could not access their classes or assignments due to a wifi outage. This blackout prevented many students from attending an entire day of school.

    Teachers’ tasks have increased as a result of online school. At school, we are given assignments and have entire class periods dedicated to completing our work with the help and input of the teacher. We are supposed to be self-directed at home.

    When studying from home, there are more distractions and opportunities to lose concentration on the task at hand. Distractions occur as a result of the amount of time we devote to asynchronous learning. At college, synchronous learning takes up the entire day.

    Some may argue that online learning is more convenient because you can work at your speed and choose when to complete assignments. These factors eventually lead to procrastination and late assignments.

    How hard is virtual Learning?

    1. For the Students

    While online education can be a highly successful alternative medium of education for mature, self-disciplined students, it is an unsuitable learning environment for more dependent students. Online asynchronous education offers students power over their learning experience and enables non-traditional students to have more flexibility in their study schedules; however, this puts more responsibility on them. To be effective in an online program, students must be well prepared, self-motivated, and have excellent time management skills to keep up with the speed of the course. For these reasons, online education is not suitable for younger students (i.e., elementary or secondary school age) and other dependent learners who struggle to assume the responsibilities demanded by the online paradigm.

    1. The Teacher

    Effective on-site training does not necessarily lead to successful online training. The effectiveness of the online program will be jeopardized if facilitators are not adequately trained in online distribution and methodologies. A teacher must be able to communicate effectively in writing and the language of the course. If the facilitators of an online curriculum are not sufficiently trained to work in the Virtual Classroom, the program will suffer.

    An online teacher should make up for lack of physical presence by creating a welcoming atmosphere in the Virtual Classroom in which all students feel comfortable participating, particularly if they know their instructor is reachable. Failure to do so will cause the class to become estranged from one another and the teacher. Even if a virtual professor is knowledgeable enough to build a safe virtual atmosphere where the class can run, an online program’s lack of physical presence at an institution can be a restriction. Being excluded from meetings and other activities that involve on-site participation may be a limiting factor in an online curriculum for both faculty and participants.

    1. The Faculty and Administration

    Some environments make it difficult to successfully execute an online curriculum. Administrators and faculty members who are uncomfortable with change and interacting with technology or who believe that online services cannot provide quality education often hamper the implementation process. These people are a significant weakness in an online program because they can impede its progress.

    Often administration cannot see beyond the bottom line and views online programs solely as a means of increasing sales, and as a result, they are not dedicated to seeing online programs as a means of delivering quality education to people who would otherwise be unable to access it. In such a scenario, an organization that is unaware of the significance of adequate facilitator preparation, critical facilitator characteristics, and class size constraints will be unaware of the effect these elements can have on the performance of an online program.

    Is online learning easy?

    Here’s a common misunderstanding about online courses – they are less difficult than conventional courses.

    This should not be the case in a good online class. Students should not progress through a course without showing mastery or getting feedback on their assignments.

    We want to dispel this myth and demonstrate what a good online learning experience could entail. Online courses should not be simpler than in-person classes, and this is a positive thing.

    On the other hand, online courses challenge students in ways that teach them important time management, communication, and technological skills that will help them in future professional environments, such as college and the workplace.

    Here are a few explanations why, when performed correctly, online learning isn’t “easier” than conventional learning:

    #1: It takes some time to get used to online learning.

    Many students are shocked to discover that online classes are more difficult than they expected.

    In reality, in some end-of-course surveys, many students say that online courses are at least as difficult, if not more so, than face-to-face courses.

    This may be clarified because students would learn the same material as they would in a face-to-face course but in an unknown learning environment.

    Students need time and assistance to adjust to online learning. They must, for example, learn how to use a new learning management system, apply assignments, and contact their teacher if they need assistance.

    For students who are having difficulty adjusting, having a professional and devoted mentor who recognizes their difficulties and encourages them as they move into the online learning environment will make the transition much easier.

    #2: Students still must turn in assignments and receive feedback.

    Students should still be asked to show concrete proof for their learning and get feedback from an expert teacher rather than just “clicking-through” their online courses.

    When it comes to K-12 online learning, we agree that all online courses should be taught by a qualified teacher who is an expert in their field.

    To pass their class, students must demonstrate content mastery in an online classroom with a teacher. The teacher is the unit in charge of ensuring that a student has satisfied course requirements and is ready to move on to the next lesson.

    Since students can complete course material at their rate, the instructor’s primary function is to provide students with individually tailored feedback to assist them in progressing to the next level of learning.

    What is Virtual Learning?

    Virtual learning is a learning environment enhanced by the use of computers and the internet both outside and within the educational organization’s facilities. The majority of the time, the training takes place online. The teaching activities occur online, so the teacher and students are physically separated (in terms of place, time, or both).

    Virtual learning can be described as virtual learning is delivered in a virtual learning environment with digital study material tailored for live web-conferencing (synchronous) or self-paced (asynchronous) online teaching and tutoring.

    Virtual learning – a glossary of terms

    There are several types and words associated with virtual learning. These seem to be quite similar, but they reflect different facets of learning and teaching and can assist us in understanding the nature of “virtual learning.” Here are some of the most widely used:

    E-learning

    In its broadest context, e-learning refers to the use of electronic technology for teaching and learning.

    The learning activities are either fully or partly conducted online. They can be carried out without the use of the internet by using electronic media.

    Web-based Learning

    The use of a web browser for learning is referred to as web-based learning.

    Online Learning

    Online learning is synonymous with the availability of electronic content on a computer or mobile device. It may involve the use of the internet, but using a web browser is not needed.

    Online learning can be accomplished by installing programs or applications on your smartphone or computer, which can also be used offline.

    Distance learning

    Electronic and web-based technologies are not needed for distance learning. It refers to learning from a distance, in which the learners are physically isolated.

    • Distance learning is associated with:
    • Giving guidance to a student studying in a different location and at a different time than the teachers and other students.
    • With the advancement of digital technology, distance learning is becoming progressively associated with online learning. Online classes for live online teaching put distance learning closer to conventional learning by replicating its key characteristics in the online world.

    Learning that is a combination of traditional and non-traditional methods

    This method of learning blends virtual and conventional modes of instruction. Learning materials should be digitized and made available online. As a result, learners have greater control over the learning process in terms of time, location, tempo, and learning system.

    What is the hardest thing about virtual learning?

    Although virtual learning programs are easy, they do have drawbacks. Also, students who are used to on-campus classes must adapt to the change in lifestyle. Any educational program necessitates a shift in your routine. You must make time to log in to the educational website, read, and complete your schoolwork. Here are some of the drawbacks and obstacles you’ll face if you plan to enroll in an online learning program.

    Challenges with the Study Schedule

    Even though distance learning is much more convenient than traditional classroom education, you must also make time to study. Just because you’re studying online doesn’t mean your study schedule has to change. If a lecture course takes you two hours to learn the curriculum, a distance learning class would most likely take you the same amount of time.

    Finding the right time to study can be particularly challenging for adults who have jobs and families. It would be best if you found a moment when you can be alone to study. This can be one of the most daunting aspects of the process for an adult online learner. Careers and kids always take precedence, so learning takes a back seat.

    In-Person Communication

    A typical classroom surrounds a student with peers and the teacher, allowing for more face-to-face time with classmates for questions and conversation. Students enrolled in virtual learning do not have the same opportunity. It is essential that the student can communicate concerns and questions to the instructor through email, text, phone, or whatever communication method works best for both the student and the instructor. It is also important to know how to reach out to fellow students if possible and how to express your questions and concerns to the teacher.

    Self-Motivation

    Self-motivation is needed for online learning. Students can read and attend classes online, but this can make it easier to ignore schoolwork. When it comes to online learning, you must establish and adhere to a study schedule. It would be advantageous if you had the necessary self-motivation to achieve good grades in the same way you would in a typical classroom environment.

    Effective Learning

    Many students need a teacher to illustrate the content to them. Others find it easier to learn because they have colleagues with whom to collaborate. Before enrolling in an online course, make sure you’re the sort of student who can learn the content on your own.

    Distance learning is one of the most rewarding ways to obtain a career diploma. Only make sure that the difficulties mentioned here do not hinder your academic advancement.

    Advantages of virtual Learning

    There are benefits and drawbacks to attending a physical campus. The same holds for participating in a virtual classroom. Among the many advantages of online education, virtual learning helps you to have a more flexible schedule, lower the cost of your degree, and grow your career while furthering your education more conveniently.

    1. Flexibility

    Among the many benefits of online education, virtual classrooms are ideal for furthering their education while working. Lectures in a typical classroom will be scheduled at a certain time of day, and your schedule will be built around the availability of lessons. If you are already employed and classes are not available during your working hours, juggling a course load in addition to your work duties can be difficult.

    When attending a virtual campus, you have much more freedom in determining your schedule. That implies you can study whenever and wherever it is convenient for you. Do you have any obnoxious roommates? Having more leverage over your schedule also makes it easier to avoid distractions.

    1. Cost

    Education can be costly, but virtual learning can help students save money in a variety of ways. You can save money on transportation by not having to drive to campus. It also saves time because you don’t have to commute to and from campus.

    The average student spends well over a thousand dollars per year on course materials and textbooks. Virtual coursework also makes use of virtual tools, which results in less money being spent on textbooks.

    1. Career Advancement Opportunity

    Virtual learning, including conventional classroom courses, will provide you with several career development opportunities. On the other hand, online students have more chances to interact with foreign peers and frequently have more individual interaction with other students. Online learning allows students to spend more one-on-one time with their professors, which is useful for learning and networking.

    Virtual students are better suited to continue working when obtaining college credentials because they control their timetable. In addition, academic work will clarify any holes or discontinuities in a resume for students who aren’t working. The benefits of virtual learning can be seen on a resume in any case.

    Disadvantages of Online Learning

    E-learning is a tremendously important method that many institutions have adopted over the last decade. But, to their detriment, are some institutions too reliant on it?

    Training is an unavoidable part of any institution that cares about its future, but relying solely on an e-learning platform can make learning less intimate, less engaging, and ultimately less successful. Let’s look at some of the drawbacks of e-learning and why it might not always be the right choice for you.

    1. No self-discipline

    The biggest benefit of e-learning, according to proponents, is that it is self-paced. This is right. You can watch a video again if necessary. If you want to take a break from the content, you can do so and return to it when you’re ready.

    However, because of this inherent independence, “e-learning” often translates to “no learning,” as people can become disengaged from the content and see the experience as a tick box exercise – just another thing on an ever-growing “to-do” list.

    An e-learning assignment can be pushed to the bottom of the list in a self-paced setting, where it may remain for days, weeks, or even forever.

    In fact, many people find that active training sessions with other people are much more effective than impersonal e-learning modules for internalizing new skills and information.

    1. No face-to-face interaction

    Although video conferences, webinars, and face-to-face video chat can make e-learning more immersive these days, it still is not the same as sitting across the room from a real person. Simply stated, there is no replacement for interacting with and learning from another human being.

    1. Lack of flexibility

    E-learning can be very useful for learning new skills and transferring knowledge. However, putting together a successful e-learning curriculum with more diverse skills and competencies is more challenging. And, in a business context, these nuanced skills are often the most important.

    These abilities can only be learned when you begin to think critically and engage in an activity or subject that has the potential to make or break an organization. The best learning occurs when students find ideas on their own – by posing questions and seeking guidance – and this is more difficult to do with e-learning.

    Virtual learning examples

    Vedamo

    Vedamo is a virtual classroom platform and learning management system that focuses on online tutoring. There is no need to download and install anything to participate in the virtual classroom because it is browser-based. You can also check out a virtual classroom demo without creating an account. Collaborative resources include an online whiteboard, breakout rooms, screen sharing, and media sharing. Vedamo is also compatible with Moodle, Google for Education, Canvas, and Schoology learning management systems.

    Adobe Connect

    You’ve almost certainly come across Adobe Connect if you’ve been working in the virtual classroom app space for a while. Adobe Connect was the industry standard for virtual classroom applications, and it gained popularity in the higher education sector early on. Flash is still needed for today’s web-based edition. There is, however, a client download version that does not. Among the features are a content management system, cloud recording, quick polls, an interactive whiteboard, and numerous modules and templates for a highly customizable classroom.

    Newrow Smart

    Newrow is specifically developed for online learning – interactive classroom software is at its core! You can create online courses and connect with your attendees in virtual classes and webinars using an entirely branded platform. Virtual classes are entirely web-based – no downloads, no Flash, no installs – and provide interactive resources such as a virtual whiteboard, a content management system for displaying presentations and videos, screen sharing, breakout rooms, live quizzes, real-time notes, and more. Newrow adheres to LTI requirements and integrates seamlessly into all major LMSs. It’s certainly worth a try.

    What is a virtual learning environment (VLE)?

    It is a teaching and learning design space. For some, the term “virtual” conjures up images of a fictitious world that replaces real life. However, virtual learning environments do not replace traditional classrooms or educational practices. They improve them. They add value by expanding the physical learning environment’s space. They provide opportunities for both teachers and students to stretch their imaginations.

    Virtual learning environments are technically designed spaces that look similar to architecturally sophisticated buildings. Consider an ideal teaching and learning environment, one in which the messy desk covered in coffee-stained assessments and the equally massive pile of lesson plans are all moved to your laptop. Teachers can easily switch between assessment, feedback, sharing, and monitoring without spilling their coffee. Students’ assessments are returned quickly and undamaged.

    A virtual learning environment provides an elegantly designed space for teaching and learning and a comfortable environment for learners, teachers, and students. A good VLE enables users to co-create their learning environments over time. Why not just use virtual learning environment software to plan, share, and process everything that goes into a physical classroom – the lesson plans, assignments, and conversations?

    The right VLE, rather than being an anti-social space that substitutes real life, improves the social space of a classroom. It allows for the creation of discussion threads, surveys, and polls. It enables students to submit assignments without having to locate their teachers. It serves as a central location for an unlimited number of resources in the form of worksheets, documents, and PowerPoint presentations. Teachers can use a VLE to connect students to other online resources, articles from newspapers, embed videos from YouTube, and provide platforms for student-created podcasts. More than just a virtual database for learning resources, the most highly valued virtual learning environments and virtual learning software provide access to endless pathways of connection, content, and learning for students, teachers, school leaders, and parents.

    Evolution and the Future

    “Tell me, and I’ll forget,” an ancient Chinese proverb says. ” I’ll remember if you show me. Involve me, and I’ll understand.”

    Evolving VLEs are embracing that ancient wisdom. They include technologies that promote collaboration, interaction, and modeling for students, teachers, school leaders, and parents. They work to break down educational barriers and increase social interaction between individual students, classmates, and the classroom content. VLEs provide students with motivating, self-learning experiences.

    Importance of virtual learning environment

    Within the last few years, the concept of traditional education has shifted dramatically. Being physically present in a classroom is no longer the only way to learn — not with the advent of the internet and technological advancements, at any rate. Nowadays, as long as you can access a computer, you can get a good education whenever and wherever you want. We are now ushering in a new era — the online education revolution.

    There is no need to dismiss the skepticism surrounding online education. It’s difficult to comprehend the idea of abandoning the traditional classroom, especially when confronted with this vast space known as The Internet.

    However, this is not a reason to avoid this option, which has repeatedly proven relevant and useful for several students. According to the most recent Babson Survey Research Group survey, more than 30% of higher education students across the United States are enrolled in at least one distance course. Whether you’re a youngster or an adult, online education is a wise choice. As a student, this can be an effective method of honing your skills in a challenging subject or learning a new skill.

    The importance of virtual learning varies from increased flexibility to a much more individualized learning experience that can assist adult learners in improving their educational attainment rates.

    1. Online learning has the potential to increase access to and affordability of higher education.

    Among the most pervasive barriers that may prevent you from pursuing a degree are the financial constraints of returning to school. Besides tuition, campus-based programs frequently include additional student fees, costly textbooks, transportation, or living expenses.

    On the other hand, many online degree programs can assist you in lowering the costs of obtaining a degree, whether it be through savings on the fees of the school itself or by saving you the cost of journeying to campus, employing additional childcare, or lessening your work hours.

    Because of the flexibility it provides, online learning allows more adult learners to graduate. To complete classroom-based learning, several adult learners have had to relinquish job roles, re-negotiate hours, and accept lower pay in the past.

    1. Online learning can help adult learners achieve higher degree completion rates.

    Obtaining a degree has never been easy, but the challenges are magnified if you are also working or raising a family. However, online learning may be able to improve your chances of finishing your degree.

    According to National Center for Educational Statistics data, the percentage of students aged 25 to 29 who earned a bachelor’s degree or higher improved from 25percent in 1995 to 36percent in 2015.

    At the same time, virtual or distance learning is becoming more popular. According to the annual Online Report Card from Babson Survey Research Group, 28 percent of all higher education students in the United States – 5.8 million students – were taking at least one online course in 2015, a 3.9 percent increase compared to the previous year and the thirteenth consecutive year of population increase for distance education enrollments.

    This has enabled online learning, and the flexibility of that format has made lifelong learning viable in ways that classroom setting learning would not have made possible for many adults.”

    1. Online learning may improve one’s career prospects.

    In today’s workforce, post-secondary education is more valuable than ever. According to the NALC, by 2020, 65 percent of American jobs will necessitate some level of post-secondary education. Online degree and professional training programs, with their increased flexibility and accessibility, can help you gain the skills you need to succeed in today’s economy.

    Today, most people who enter the labor force will probably hold a couple of different extra jobs in various fields throughout their careers. Career development and certification of knowledge, skills, and ability are required for advancement and employment in today’s rapidly changing labor market. Online learning is the path to acquiring the skills and knowledge required for new jobs and careers.

    The advantages of online learning have no intention of abating. As new technologies, such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence improve learning opportunities, online degree programs are primed and ready to become even more powerful.

    Virtual learning environment advantages and disadvantages

    Virtual learning is a comparatively new method of obtaining an education in various subjects, and it, like most things, has advantages and disadvantages.

    Advantages

    Accessible – Virtual learning is available to anyone with a smartphone, tablet, or computer.

    Location – You can participate in an online course from any location that has a Wi-Fi signal.

    Flexible – Virtual learning is usually available at a time that works best for the student. There is no longer any requirement to be present in a classroom at a particular time on a particular day.

    Affordable – Since you can learn from the convenience of your own home, there are no travel costs associated with virtual learning.

    Convenient – you can study whenever and wherever you want, making this learning ideal for those with young families, full-time jobs, and other responsibilities that necessitate input at specific times or locations.

    Suits a Wide Range of Learning Styles – Each student has a unique learning journey and learning style. Some students prefer to learn visually, while others prefer to learn through audio. Similarly, some students thrive in the classroom, while others prefer to learn alone and are easily distracted by large groups.

    The online learning system can be personalized in various ways thanks to its variety of options and resources. It is the most effective method for creating a perfect learning environment tailored to the needs of each student.

    Disadvantages

    Self-Discipline – You must have the motivation to sit and complete the course. For those that are susceptible to procrastination, this type of learning seems to be more difficult.

    Impersonal – Since there is no real human interaction, the virtual environment can feel so lonely.

    Isolation – because there are no other students to review the course with, the type of classroom discussions that can contribute to understanding the subject do not occur.

    Solo Learning – If you need elaboration on a topic, you won’t be able to get it right away, as you would if a teacher were present and you could ask. In a virtual learning environment, you can still ask for clarification, but the response may be put on hold due to the online availability of the person who can answer your question.

    Technology problems – Technology issues are often frustrating, but when they occur while you’re in the middle of a virtual class, they can be disruptive. The technology that powers a virtual classroom is just as good as the technology that powers it. Assume the learning software doesn’t perform well with your computer, or your Internet connection goes down in the middle of a lesson. In that case, you might spend extra time tinkering with the software or troubleshooting your connection than learning the material.

    Inability to Focus on Screens – For several students, one of the most difficult aspects of online learning is the inability to focus on a screen for extended periods. With online learning, students are more likely to be easily sidetracked by social media or other platforms. As a result, teachers must keep their online classes engaging, crisp, and interactive to keep students fixated on the lesson.

    What are the benefits of a virtual learning environment?

    One of the many advantages of online learning is the flexibility provided by the virtual classroom.

    The virtual classroom is at the core of online degree programs, serving as a convenient, central location for your university courses to take place. Although there are many resemblances between traditional campus-based education and the online school experience, learning in a virtual classroom provides many advantages that traditional college degree programs do not. Here are a few of the most significant benefits:

    Coursework can be accessed at any time and from any location.

    You have the liberty to study and finish your schoolwork at any time and from any location that works for your hectic schedule. If you’re in town on business, you can do your homework at the hotel while having to wait for a connecting flight or between meetings. You only need a laptop or some other digital device.

    You’re at school once you sign in to the student portal on your online university’s website. You can view assignments, watch faculty presentations, conduct research, participate in student discussions, post homework, contact your classmates and teacher, seek help from student support services, get feedback and view your test grades.

    A broader perspective

    Online degree programs draw students from all over the world, bringing various perspectives from various cultures with them. You may be able to work on group work and work collaboratively with international classmates. Views into other cultural backgrounds, attitudes, and problem-solving approaches can help you think about problems and opportunities differently.

    On-the-spot feedback on tests

    When you enroll in one of several online degree programs applicable, you won’t have to worry about waiting for test results for days. You take your online tests, and they are usually graded once you are done. You can promptly see where you succeeded and where you need to improve. When submitting papers and projects, you will use a confidential “dropbox” where your teacher will have confidential access to your assignments and give written or video feedback.

    Improved digital skills

    You will improve your knowledge and skills in your field of study while also sharpening your digital skills on the most advanced online learning technology. As you continue to learn and study online, you will become more confident and productive in using interactive online tools like online tests, collaboration tools, drop boxes for assignments, email communications with faculty and classmates, and instructional videos by faculty.

    How does a virtual learning environment enhance a student learning experience?

    Technology has effectively led to the development of numerous innovations that are progressively changing the world. Technology has advanced learning in the educational sector by instituting virtual classrooms that offer students improved learning experiences. The virtual classroom is an online learning system that enables students and teachers to communicate in a corporate setting effectively.

    1. On-demand access to learning materials 24 hours a day, seven days a week

    Every student’s dream is to have access to learning materials 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and virtual classrooms provide that access. A virtual classroom allows you to have unlimited and unrestricted access to learning materials at your leisure, regardless of where you are, without having to drive to the school campus. Furthermore, you can have unlimited access to lecture notes, assignments, papers, and class discussions with a smartphone, laptop, or any digital device that can connect to the internet.

    1. Facilitated learning

    Because of the more structured learning structure and pattern that the system adapts, virtual classrooms make learning easier for everyone. Deadlines are used in virtual classrooms to submit projects, assignments, and tests, and a student’s schedule can be adjusted to meet the deadline. The use of a deadline in a virtual classroom allows students to work under less pressure, allowing them to do a better job.

    1. Improved time management

    Virtual classrooms enable a student who is a family man or woman to manage their time effectively by allowing them to learn without depriving their loved ones of genuine family time. In the traditional classroom-based learning system, a student wastes a lot of time traveling from one campus to another for lectures. On the other hand, virtual classrooms address these issues by allowing students, particularly adults, to better manage their time by eliminating the stress of moving from one location to another.

    1. A broader learning perspective

    Because mobility is not an issue in most online schools, students come from almost every continent. As a result of this advancement, students now find it easier to associate with people from cultural and social backgrounds that are vastly different from their own. This broadens a student’s learning perspective, keen insight, and thoughts. For example, an African in the same research team as an Asian can gain knowledge about some of the Asian race’s deep histories.

    Types of virtual learning

    Students can choose from a variety of online learning models based on their preferences. Each of these types is complete and well-equipped. With all due respect, the following are some examples of online learning:

    1. Synchronous Online Learning/Live 

    Communication between those interested occurs instantly in this type of learning, and members can access information in the meantime. Some examples of synchronous e-learning include virtual classrooms, video/sound conferencing, and an ongoing graph powered by ezTalks Video Conferencing. One of the most important benefits of synchronous online learning is that it provides instant feedback on their performance.

    This type of learning also hastens the formation of teaching groups, allowing for a greater connection to better understand a specific subject. The best part about synchronous online learning is that it allows for better member inclusion.

    The main disadvantage of this type of learning is that it does not provide self-managed learning or logistics of planning. It also necessitates the management of students’ accessibility across time zones.

    1. Online Asynchronous Learning

    This is also known as store and forward online learning because communication between members does not occur instantly. Taking a self-managed course, presenting information on various discussion gatherings, and exchanging email messages with at least one coach are examples of asynchronous learning. Asynchronous e-learning provides flexibility, availability, and much-desired self-guided learning.

    However, one of the downsides of asynchronous online learning is that a student may feel alienated or less compelled because there is no avenue to ongoing collaboration with different members in this procedure.

    1. Blended Online Learning

    This is more commonly known as the blended learning method, which combines regular in-person and online workshops, addresses, and interactive workshops with learning online via exercises such as messaging, discussing through discussion sheets, quizzes, tests, and declarations.

    Students receive feedback from online quizzes and tests in this type of learning, which causes them to identify gaps in their knowledge and ways to cover them. All of the presumed online foundations provide blended learning for the overall benefit of learning communities.

    Virtual learning environment software

    Educational institutions use virtual classroom software to host classes while retaining the functionality of a traditional classroom environment remotely.

    A virtual classroom delivers real-time lessons over the internet while providing the same collaborative tools and degree of interaction as a physical classroom. Educational institutions use virtual classroom software to provide access to students who are unable to attend in-person classes. Teachers can interact with students in real-time via the virtual classroom environment, and students can view presentations and videos, interact with lesson materials, and take tests.

    Online learning platforms have also evolved, so if you want to learn another language, you can do so using language learning applications and online flashcards. There are also the best e-learning online classroom services for children. There are also coding platforms available for schools.

    Learning is available through digital means. It doesn’t take long to discover a fact or to master a skill. With this in consideration, the way educators and training organizations develop courses is also constantly evolving.

    Top Recommended Virtual learning environment software

    1. Zoom.
    2. Adobe Connect.
    3. Cisco Webex Meetings.
    4. Top Hat
    5. Blackboard.
    6. Schoology.
    7. Panopto.
    8. Tovuti LMS

    How does virtual training work?

    What is virtual training?

    These days, the phrase “virtual training” is frequently heard. If you said these words in a corporate setting 20 years ago, people would have looked at you as if you had two heads. That is no longer the case.

    For a good reason, virtual training has become a big part of corporate America, but what exactly is virtual training?

    According to Wikipedia, virtual training is a type of training that uses a simulated virtual environment. In this setting, an instructor can explain, demonstrate, or test certain abilities to aid in the learning process.

    This does not always imply that the training is done remotely, though it can be. Some virtual training sessions are conducted in-house (at the workplace) in the same manner as any other training session type. The only difference is that communication takes place via computer.

    Some cool things you can do with virtual training include sharing digital files with the entire group and administering tests and quizzes online.

    Another upper hand of virtual training is that it allows you to access top-tier trainers who would otherwise be unable to visit your workplace. On the other hand, employees who work remotely can benefit from virtual training because they will never be left behind when it comes to new material that needs to be trained on.

    How do you deliver effective virtual training?

    Teaching in a virtual classroom is many people’s dream job, and learning in a virtual classroom is many people’s dream education system. Gone are the times when a simple board meeting necessitated the physical presence of all parties involved. A feat that is stressful for the participants and causes a drop in productivity in most cases because they must navigate from their divergent geographic areas to the venue of such events. Welcome to the future, where online virtual classroom technology is used to organize scheduled online classrooms, events, and meetings with the full participation of all relevant parties located at a remote location. Welcome to virtual classrooms for live training.

    1. Don’t Let Your Technology Obstruct You

    Your students are your customers, and they are the heart of your business. You must ensure that you are providing them with the best possible customer experience. Given the virtual teaching environment’s reliance on technology, it makes sense to double-check everything before going “live.” The competition is stiff, and if your platform fails once or twice, some of your students will not hesitate to switch to your competitors. The ability to organize live sessions virtually anywhere in the world by utilizing a critical feature such as data center selection increases redundancy and fault tolerance in the event of a disaster.

    1. Ensure that your employees are resourceful and well-trained.

    Your employees and instructors are the second most important factors determining the success of your live training. Your online facilitators must be trained and kept up to date on setting up and using audio properly. Furthermore, a virtual classroom can be difficult to manage, particularly when learners are not actively participating or do not understand something. Instructors must be trained in how to approach these students while maintaining the interest of the other participants.

    1. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

    It’s easy to get derailed by other topics that don’t strictly adhere to the syllabus in virtual and physical environments. Although a healthy discussion and active participants are preferable to inactive ones, losing sight of your goal is not a good idea. While instructors should encourage students to voice their opinions, students must remain focused on the tasks at hand.

    How effective is virtual training?

    With more employees working remotely worldwide, you must invest in a dependable virtual platform. Zoom, WebEx, Join me, and Microsoft Teams are some of the platforms that are frequently recommended.

    Most businesses use the professional version of Zoom, but the most important thing for you to consider is using a platform that makes the most sense for your organization.

    • Consider the following factors:
    • Whether the session is intended for a small or large audience.
    • Whether the session will require live demonstrations or will rely primarily on recorded content.
    • Is there more than one way to access the training session, other than through a PC?
    • Access to tools that enable participants to send messages, answer questions, and interact with the instructor and other attendees.

    These are just a few of the factors to consider when selecting a platform for virtual training.

    Use Professional Speakers and Trainers Who Are Energetic and Skilled.

    An effective virtual training session is heavily reliant on the speaker’s abilities and energy. The fact that the attendee is already in a potentially distracting environment is an additional reason to hire a professional keynote speaker or trainer.

    A skilled professional trainer or keynote speaker should capture and hold the audience’s attention while also encouraging participation and engagement.

    Simply put, the speaker is responsible for facilitating the overall audience experience and steering the session in the right direction.

    This is a skill set that you’ll never find in many speakers who are accustomed to delivering a presentation in front of a live audience. As a result, the speaker must understand how to engage a small audience for the virtual training to be effective and successful.

    Have a Host or Co-Facilitator available.

    The most important reason for having a host or Co-facilitator is to provide support during the training session. Several times, the speaker is so focused on delivering the content that they miss a few of the attendees’ real-time questions.

    A host or co-facilitator can collect questions and direct them to the speaker promptly. This improves the program’s overall engagement and effectiveness.

    Prepare Pre-Session Activities

    Getting in touch with participants a few times in the weeks leading up to the training is a great way to generate excitement and interest in the virtual event. We use three pre-event activities that we have found to be effective in ensuring the virtual training session’s success.

    Benefits of virtual training

    Virtual training, also widely recognized as VILT (Virtual Instructor-Led Training), is becoming more popular, with more than 86 percent of organizations already using it or planning to do so shortly.

    VILT is an online learning environment that replicates a face-to-face (F2F) learning workshop, with learning facilitated and delivered by skilled virtual trainers engaging and fun as a well-run F2F workshop.

    If you want to dispel any myths about virtual training and persuade others of its benefits, consider the following:

    Enhancing Learning Transfer

    In terms of learning transfer, well-run VILT workshops can compete with face-to-face training. In recent years, study in this area has shown that VILT can produce learning transfer that is as good as, if not better than, F2F.

    VILT, by definition, is bite-sized and typically lasts 1-3 hours. This method enables participants to process specific learning sections and then apply specific actions and behavioral changes both during and after a workshop.

    Due to travel and related costs, most face-to-face training is delivered in one-day workshops (or even more sometimes). Some trainers may be tempted to “cram” the event with multiple models, key points, processes, and so on. As a result, too much content may be provided, which may not be completely absorbed and used by the participants. Using VILT avoids this and aids in producing high-quality results that result in long-term learning transfer.

    Enhancing Time Efficiency

    Because VILT workshop participants join via computer, time efficiency is immediately improved over traditional face-to-face learning at home or the office. There is no need for learners or trainers to travel, and there is no need for travel time outside of working hours. Furthermore, participants are required to spend less time away from their desk or “day job,” allowing them to return to work immediately after the workshop concludes and apply their learning.

    Likewise, the location’s flexibility allows office and home workers to log on with ease, regardless of where they are, and eliminates early morning departures or late-night returns, thus improving participants’ health and wellbeing.

    Matching a Versatile Workforce

    A recent 2-year Stamford Study revealed the massive performance improvement gained from working from home, so it’s no shocker that the number of people interested in doing so is on the rise.

    Organizations are rapidly moving to facilitate and encourage more employees to work from home. This is due, in part, to the high quality and dependability of the technology available in the digital age. VILT is ideal for today’s more flexible workforce because learners can participate in training from anywhere, using technology that they already own.

    Virtual training vs. online training

    “Virtual” is a word that has crept into many of our everyday conversations in the digital era and eLearning. We frequently discuss virtual meetings or virtual events in the workplace. We talk about virtual schools, virtual classes, virtual conferences, and so on in online education.

    When we hear the term “virtual,” we usually mean “online,” as in through a computer or device. It is used to describe an interaction that does not take place in a face-to-face physical environment. When viewed in this light, the term “virtual” appears to be an appropriate distinction between engagements, in-person events, and interactions.

    Online interactions can be perceived as inferior versions of in-person interactions, pitiful adaptations of in-person events, or inadequate substitutes for “real” engagement. When online interactions are referred to as “virtual,” they enter our mental framework as not real.

    This inadvertent connotation can create and deliver worthwhile online experiences much more difficult, if not unfeasible at times. By formulating online products or events as non-existent, the eLearning team may face the uphill battle of convincing their stakeholders that the outcome will be meaningful and worthwhile.

    The impression of technology can be just as powerful (if not more so) a barrier to creating online content. Studies in higher education, for example, show that simply encouraging faculty acceptance of online courses is a key factor in their success. Indeed, fostering a positive attitude toward online education is beneficial in all sectors, not just higher education.

    Virtual training pros and cons

    As with any training system, there are advantages and disadvantages to using a virtual learning environment.

    Advantages of Virtual Training

    Deliveries are made as quickly as possible.

    Every employee, regardless of when he or she is hired, has access to the same material. Your message has remained consistent over time; when company policy changes, they can be updated in your learning system, and all employees have access to them.

    Savings in Time

    You never know when you’ll need to hire a new employee. If an employee leaves unexpectedly and is replaced, you may not have enough time to train the new employee properly. She may have to wait for an annual seminar; in the meantime, she is unprepared and overwhelmed, putting the position at risk once more. Your new employees will receive thorough training right away if you use a virtual learning environment.

    Flexibility

    Employees have the option of where and when they complete their training. They can go back over ambiguous sections, or they can go over the entire curriculum periodically. It is also adaptable for you because you can add or remove material at any time.

    Cons

    Attention spans are dwindling.

    How many browser windows are you currently using? Despite studies showing that 98 percent of people are not good at multi-tasking, many people are conditioned to multi-task when they are on the computer. This could result in skimming articles or starting a video that becomes background noise while working on another project. Of course, you can help prevent this by keeping lessons and videos brief and straightforward.

    Getting Lost in the Text

    Some employees may feel lost if they cannot ask an instructor for elaboration in real-time, depending on their learning style. Others may require more visual, hands-on, or auditory lessons than you end up providing on your platform.

    Dissatisfaction with Technology

    Although many industries rely solely on technology and employees are well-versed in its application, you may work in an industry that does not require that knowledge level. In this case, you may have employees who believe they face two daunting tasks: completing the training and comprehending the virtual learning environment software that enables them to complete the training.

    Types of virtual training

    There are two types of e-Learning

    • Synchronous training
    • Asynchronous training

    1. Synchronous, which means “at the same time,” refers to participants interacting with an instructor in real-time via the Web. VCRs, or virtual classrooms, are simply online versions of real classrooms. Participants communicate with one another and with the instructors via instant messaging, chat, audio and video conferencing, and so on, and all sessions can be recorded and replayed. Its advantages are as follows:

    • The ability to record and track learning activities.
    • There is the possibility of continuous monitoring and correction.
    • Opportunities for global connectivity and collaboration among learners.
    • The ability to tailor training to each learner.

    2. Asynchronous, which means “not at the same time,” allows participants to finish the WBT (Web-based training) at their own pace, without having to interact with the instructor in real-time. Essentially, it is self-help information that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The advantage is that this type of e-Learning provides learners with the information they require whenever they require it. It also allows participants to interact via bulletin boards, message boards, and discussion forums. Web-based training accessed via intranet (WBTs), Computer-based training (CBTs) modules on CD-ROMs or well-written articles, and other write-ups are examples. Its benefits are as follows:

    • Available ‘just in time’ for on-the-spot learning and reference.
    • The ability to access information from any location at any time.
    • The ability to communicate with an unlimited number of employees at the same time.
    • Content consistency and a one-time production cost.

    Blended learning is a new type of learning that is gaining popularity. It is, as the name implies, a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning methods. Using online training pieces through virtual classrooms and giving CDs and study material for self-study is becoming more popular than any single type of training.

    Tips for Virtual Training

    The key to a good virtual training, similar to an offline event, is to ensure that your audience is listening to the training (rather than checking their email or phone) while also having the opportunity to practice the skills they’re learning. Here are some virtual training tips to help you run a successful session.

    1. Use virtual icebreakers.

    Icebreakers aid in the development of human connections and are especially useful when conducting online training. Begin the session with an interesting icebreaker. Make a trivia game out of the training topic to see what participants already know, or encourage everyone to come with a virtual backdrop from their favorite movie or something else they’re passionate about. This is a great way to start the conversation and calm people down.

    1. Design eye-catching slides.

    Great content wins in every medium, so you can keep the slides you would have used offline with just a few minor changes. Put the main takeaway in a complete short sentence as the header on each slide. Highlight key points in the text and use bullet points instead of paragraphs to emphasize key points. Make use of high-quality images that are relevant to the topic. Consider including some memes or Mad Lib-style fill-in-the-blanks, as humor can help keep online audiences engaged.

    1. Promote active participation.

    Throughout the training, maintain a calm, charismatic, and informative tone. Encourage your students to ask questions, share their experiences, and work together. Consider turning on your webcam and even asking attendees to do the same. While not everyone enjoys having their faces captured on camera, it will keep everyone engaged and ensure that they are at the computer for the training duration. Call on participants who have not have volunteered to respond to questions to let them know you are aware of their presence and value their input.

    1. Hold breakout sessions.

    Breakout rooms are extremely useful, especially for idea formulation, and allow for true creativity and application of what is taught. To maximize engagement, consider including 4-10 participants per “room.” Once completed, ensure that all groups present to the entire training class. Platforms that allow you to create breakout rooms include Adobe Connect, GoToMeeting, and Zoom.

    Examples of virtual training

    There are several types of programs delivered through virtual classrooms, the most widely known of which we’ll discuss below:

    1. Massive Open Online Courses

    Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs, are online courses in which anyone can enroll and participate. MOOC providers provide a variety of courses. Some are accredited, while others are not; some are offered through universities, while others are not; some are free, while others require tuition; and some are provided with live virtual classroom work, while others are not. Courses offered through edX and Coursera are examples of MOOCs.

    1. Bootcamps

    Bootcamps are also another example of a course that can be delivered through virtual classrooms. Bootcamps for graphic design, web development, and data analytics (among many others) are available in virtual or in-person settings and provide students with highly focused education and training in an industry that they are attempting to enter or advance in. General Assembly, Thinkful, General Assembly, and Galvanize are examples of Bootcamp providers.

    1. Online Degree Programs

    Universities and colleges offer online degree programs to deliver their academic programs in a virtual world. Schools can admit online students for their degree programs delivered through a webcam rather than a lecture hall using online program management enterprises or their internal resources. A comprehensive list of accredited online degree programs is available from a variety of schools.

    Virtual training workouts

    Suppose you intend to hold your training events virtually. In that case, you will want to ensure that your audience is paying attention to your training materials (and not checking their email or Whatsapp) and enjoying, learning from, and, most importantly, retaining them. The following are some effective strategies for properly planning and executing your virtual training sessions.

    Invest in Reliable and Stable Virtual Technology

    The most important factor to consider when implementing virtual training is researching and commissioning a dependable and robust platform for running your events.

    One of the most common yet potentially disastrous mistakes is experimenting with virtual training as a small side project with insufficient time or resources.

    If you want to take advantage of virtual training’s capability, convenience, and cost-efficiency, it only makes sense to invest in a dependable and versatile virtual platform.

    Find a Co-Facilitator

    If you’ve ever attended a webinar, you’ve probably noticed that there are almost always two facilitators. This is for a variety of practical reasons, as well as mutual support. For example, while one person is leading or speaking, the other can monitor the conversation, provide feedback, and answer any questions that arise.

    Empower Your Facilitators

    If your facilitators are already familiar with virtual events, you must provide them with pertinent information to make the session as easy to moderate as possible:

    Create a Facilitator’s Guide: Develop a guide for them to follow to moderate the virtual classroom. It should include your event’s objectives, background on your audience, and some strongly outlined do’s and don’ts from you and your organization.

    Communicate Training Objectives: What should employees subsequently gain from the overall training experience? Make sure that the instructors understand the goals and what “success” looks like in achieving them.

    Virtual classroom learning

    What is virtual classroom learning?

    A virtual classroom is an Internet-based learning environment that enables real-time interaction between the tutor and the students while engaging in learning activities.

    Simply put, a virtual classroom is a shared online space where learners and tutors can collaborate simultaneously. Videoconferencing is commonly used for these interactions. Participants are provided with tools to present learning content in various formats and engage in individual and collaborative activities. The teacher serves as a moderator in this interaction, guiding the learning process and supporting group activities and discussions.

    The most commonly used tools found in a virtual classroom are as follows:

    • Video conferencing
    • Instant messaging tool
    • Breakout rooms
    • Participation controls
    • An online whiteboard that allows for real-time collaboration.

    Synchronous virtual classrooms can significantly improve online learning by addressing learners’ social interaction and psychological safety needs. They can also establish a new learning standard that goes beyond traditional teaching methods and the classroom’s physical space.

    The virtual classroom provides numerous opportunities, especially when combined with self-study platforms (learning management systems) or when used in tandem with traditional classroom learning activities. As against asynchronous learning environments, the synchronous virtual classroom gives direct teacher-student interaction, immediate feedback, and engaging activities to increase motivation and active participation. Immediate communication fosters group bonding and a sense of community.

    Despite the fact that teaching and learning in a virtual classroom provides a similar experience to that of a physical classroom, it requires innovative learning initiatives and a revamp of the instructional model, which comprises the following features:

    • Instruction focused on the student

    Because the emphasis is on the content and students must work individually with little collaboration, the lecture, a traditional teaching format, often makes students more passive. This method is better suited to asynchronous virtual teaching, where the teacher sets up video lectures and self-directed activities for students to finish at their own pace. Synchronous virtual classes preclude student-centered instruction in which tutors and learners interact equally – active participation, collaborative work, and communication are encouraged in this type of classroom. The tutor provides independent and collaborative learning opportunities and guides students in developing and practicing the necessary skills. This boosts the learners’ motivation and interest in the learning activities.

    • Collaborative Learning

    When students work together to achieve a common goal, share ideas, solve problems, or clarify the meaning of concepts, they are engaging in collaborative learning. It opens up opportunities for collaboration in skills development. The emphasis is on interaction, in which common understandings are addressed and precisely developed by investigating differences in the participants’ levels of skills, knowledge, and positions. This approach is linked with an active process of collective knowledge construction when used in a virtual classroom. The group acts as an information source, a source of inspiration, and mutual support.

    • A Wide Range of Learning Activities and Content Presentations

    This method is similar to segmented instruction in that it takes into account differences in learners’ needs, levels, and learning styles. It encourages the creation of a more personalized learning experience as well as individual success. When a tutor utilizes different sources to present content – text, diagrams, images, video, audio, and so on – it can greatly improve the learning process by providing a flexible learning experience tailored to the students’ diverse needs and preferences. Presenting the content in a variety of media formats maintains the learners’ attention and interest.

    What is an example of a virtual classroom?

    You are only one click away from your learners’ learning alongside their colleagues from anywhere in the world. With good quality, real-time audio and video, and suites of collaborative tools that can help you transform distracted audiences into more active learners, virtual classroom platforms will offer an opportunity to keep everyone focused and engaged.

    When you have a clear understanding of what you need and want, it is easier to peruse these platforms and others with a consistent perspective. We must remember that the finest virtual classroom software for online teaching will not only provide you with a consistent, dependable experience 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but it will also delight your learners and facilitators. Learning is intended to be engaging and enjoyable, as well as collaborative and interactive. Picking the right virtual classroom software for your organization will allow you to transfer knowledge to your learners and achieve better results more effectively.

    Common virtual classroom software

    Vedamo

    Vedamo is an online tutoring-focused virtual classroom platform and learning management system. The virtual classroom is browser-based, so there is no need to download anything to participate. You can even try out a demo virtual classroom without registering for an account. An online whiteboard, screen sharing, breakout rooms, and media sharing are examples of collaborative tools. Vedamo is also compatible with the Google for Education, Canvas, Moodle, and Schoology LMSs.

    Adobe Connect

    If you’ve been working in the virtual classroom software space for a while, you’ve undoubtedly come across Adobe Connect. Adobe Connect was the industry standard for virtual classroom software, gaining a lot of traction early on in the higher education sector. Today’s web-based version still necessitates Flash. However, there is a client download version that does not. A content management system, an interactive whiteboard, cloud recording, quick polls, and various modules and layouts for a highly customizable classroom are among the features.

    Newrow Smart

    Newrow is designed specifically for online teaching – virtual classroom software is at its heart! Through an entirely branded portal, you can develop online courses and interact with your participants in virtual classes and webinars. Virtual classes are entirely web-based – no Flash, no downloads, no installations – and include collaborative tools such as a virtual whiteboard, a content management system for sharing presentations and videos, cloud recording, screen sharing, breakout rooms, live quizzes, real-time notes, and more. Newrow adheres to LTI specifications and integrates easily into all major LMSs. It is definitely worth a look.

    How do you teach a virtual classroom?

    The demand for virtual classes is skyrocketing and expected to continue. More students want to have access to learning that is tailored to their specific needs. The Internet has democratized learning, and there has never been a better time for people to enroll in online courses, improve their skills, and obtain qualifications.

    One of the most important side effects of this democratization of learning is that it is no longer just young people who want to learn new skills. Individuals of all ages are now enrolling in online courses. This new age distinction has had a significant impact on the practicalities of offering online courses.

    A greater proportion of older students will have additional responsibilities, such as full-time or part-time jobs and families to support. This means that training courses must become more adaptable to accommodate their students’ existing responsibilities while ensuring that success is still possible.

    Technology has greatly aided in this endeavor. Many educational institutions and training providers have invested in a learning platform, such as a learning management system (LMS) or a learning content management system (LCMS), to provide high-quality online courses, many of which are taught in a virtual classroom.

    What is the best way to teach virtual classes on a learning platform?

    Invest in the appropriate digital tools

    Your organization will need to invest in some crucial pieces of technology to expedite a successful online course. Learning management systems and learning content management systems are software packages that will provide your organization with a critical platform to give your online classes.

    There is one critical point to remember here: the LMS or LCMS platform you decide to invest in should include a virtual classroom. Virtual classrooms provide you and your students with digital learning space to give live classes to students that can be broadcast directly to whatever tech device they are using, whether it is a tablet, laptop, or smartphone.

    Recognize the full scope of your learning platform’s capabilities

    You will be able to teach integrated live classrooms that are compatible with Skype or Telephony if you use high-quality virtual classroom software. The virtual whiteboard is likely to be the most useful feature for both tutors and students. This virtual classroom feature allows you to quickly, easily, and efficiently share documents, videos, and exercises. The virtual whiteboard also provides an excellent opportunity for tutors to incorporate additional learning resources, as it can be used to share any application that your students may find useful.

    Classes can also be recorded using virtual classrooms. This means that any students who cannot access the virtual classroom during the class will be brought up to speed later.

    How does a virtual classroom work?

    While you may be new to distance learning, you’ll quickly realize it’s not as mysterious as you first thought. Online classes are generally a combination of live lectures or video recordings and readings and tests that students can undertake on their own time. However, nothing about education in this age is typical, as the pandemic has forced a sudden shift to online learning with very little time to prepare.

    How is an online classroom typically structured?

    According to experts, the structure of an online classroom varies. However, most online students log in regularly to a learning management system. On this virtual platform, they can view the curriculum and grades, communicate with professors, classmates, and support services, access course materials, and track their lessons’ progress.

    Experts advise prospective students to check whether a school’s LMS is mobile-friendly so they can complete coursework whenever and wherever they want. They will also most likely require a strong internet connection and any necessary software, such as a word processor.

    Experts point out that the forced shift to remote instruction that colleges experienced this spring due to the coronavirus is not typical of online education. As a result of the pandemic, students are experiencing “emergency remote teaching” in an online format.

    How online lectures work

    While we recommend accessing your online learning platform from a pc, there is the option of an app to alert you to assignments and more on your mobile device, making it simple and easy to check in each day.

    Your weekly lectures are accessible via your online learning platform and may be presented in various formats, like PowerPoint, audio files, video chat sessions, or some blend of these. The majority of your online learning platform classes are asynchronous, which implies you don’t have to worry about logging in and listening to your lectures at a particular time each week.

    We would advise that you speak with your advisor about each class’s expectations before the start of the semester so that you are well prepared on day one and that you check your curriculum and your online learning platform for project and homework due dates.

    Types of virtual classroom

    Online learning is an extensive term that encompasses a range of instructional approaches and environments.

    Synchronous Online Learning

    Synchronous online learning allows groups of students to partake in a learning activity simultaneously, from anywhere in the world. Real-time synchronous online learning frequently includes online chats and video conferencing. These tools enable training instructors and participants to ask and answer questions instantaneously while communicating with the other participants.

    The rapid development of online learning technologies has made this type of community-oriented online learning possible. Before the introduction of computer networks in the 1960s, synchronous e-learning was nearly impossible to execute. These days, synchronous e-learning is highly advantageous because it reduces many of the major disadvantages of e-learning, like poor student-to-student and teacher-to-student relationships and social isolation. Synchronous e-learning is perhaps one of the most widely known and quickest growing types of e-learning.

    Asynchronous Online Learning

    Asynchronous online learning occurs when groups of students study autonomously at different times and locations without real-time communication. The e-learning methods are often regarded as more student-centered than synchronous, as they provide students with more flexibility.

    For such reasons, students who may not have flexible schedules often prefer asynchronous e-learning because it makes it possible for them to use self-paced learning; they can set their learning schedules and are not expected to learn at specific intervals other students.

    Fixed E-Learning

    Fixed e-learning is fancy terminology for something you’re probably already familiar with. “Fixed” in this sense means that the content used during the learning experience does not shift from its original state, and all enrolled students receive the same information as everyone else. The materials are preordained by the teachers and do not adapt to the students’ preferences.

    Adaptive E-Learning

    Adaptive e-learning is a unique and innovative type of e-learning that allows for the adaptation and redesign of learning materials for each learner. By taking into account, various parameters such as goals, student performance, skills, abilities, and characteristics, adaptive e-learning tools enable education to become more personalized and student-centered than ever before.

    Interactive Online Learning

    Because interactive e-learning allows senders to become receivers and vice versa, it effectively enables a two-way communication channel between the parties involved. Teachers and students can change their teaching and learning methods based on the messages sent and received. As a result, interactive e-learning is significantly more popular than linear, as it allows teachers and students to collaborate.

    Advantages of virtual classroom

    The virtual classroom is at the core of online degree programs, serving as a convenient, central location for your university courses to take place. While there are several foundational similarities between an online university experience and a traditional campus-based education, learning in a virtual classroom provides many advantages that traditional college degree programs do not. Here are a few advantages:

    Coursework is available at all times and can be accessed from any location

    You can study and finish your coursework at any time and from any place that works with your hectic schedule. If you’re away on business, you can do your homework at the hotel while waiting for a connecting flight or in between meetings. You only need a laptop or other digital device.

    Structure and freedom combined

    Online degree programs are designed on a weekly assignment and due to date structure, whether posting homework, projects, papers, taking an online test, watching a faculty presentation, or partaking in discussion with classmates. However, within the program’s framework, you have the flexibility to choose the best times to participate that work with your schedule.

    Effective time management

    Working adults who need to balance family life and work with the new demands of going back to school will find an online education welcoming environment. You immediately save hours per week by not having to commute to campus classes—and that’s just the beginning. Returning to school improves your time management skills because you must be disciplined and find time to study.

    A broader perspective on the world

    Online degree programs draw students from all over the United States and the world, bringing various perspectives from various cultures with them. You may also be able to work collaboratively on group projects and work collaboratively with international classmates. Insights into other problem-solving approaches, attitudes, and business cultures can help you improve how you approach problems and opportunities.

    Improved digital skills

    You will improve your knowledge and skills in your field of study while also honing your digital skills on the most advanced online learning technology. As you continue to learn and study online, you will gain confidence and become highly productive using interactive online tools such as homework drop boxes, online tests, e-mail communications, collaboration tools with faculty and classmates, and instructional videos by faculty.

    Disadvantages of virtual classroom

    A virtual classroom enables technology-enhanced learning. The term “virtual classroom” refers to online or correspondence learning in which, despite the absence of a physical classroom, classroom-like learning and teaching take place. Virtual classrooms are widely known with digital technology for a variety of reasons. They do, however, have several drawbacks.

    Lack of Socialization

    The social interaction that comes with spending some time with peers, irrespective of age, is a crucial component of physically attending school. Learning through a virtual classroom has the same disadvantage as homeschooling in terms of a lack of socialization for the student. You may learn a lot at home and on your schedule, but your educational experience could suffer if you aren’t around your classmates.

    Problems with Technology

    Technology issues are always inconvenient, but they can be extremely disruptive when they occur in the middle of a virtual class. A virtual classroom is only as great as the technology that powers it. If the learning software does not work well with your computer, or if your Internet connection fails during a lesson, you may find yourself spending so much time working with the software or fixing your connection than learning the material.

    Lack of Structure

    Though not everyone enjoys getting up early and going to school, the structure of traditional education can be beneficial. Taking online courses in a virtual classroom necessitates a significant amount of self-discipline. If you are easily motivated, this may not be a problem for you. However, if you are prone to procrastination and find the traditional school structure beneficial, you may find it difficult in a virtual setting.

    No Hands-On Learning

    While some subjects can be taught effectively online, others warrant hands-on experience. Students can learn about science experiments by reading about them, but they may not get the full experience unless they experiment themselves. Many subjects are not well suited to virtual classrooms because they are best learned through hands-on experience.

    Difficult Interaction

    Though virtual classrooms allow students to communicate with instructors and other students online, it is not the same as standing in front of a teacher and having her make clear a problem for you. Similarly, many people learn best in groups, so group projects are prevalent at all levels of education. A chat with a classmate online may not be as beneficial as discussing the subject at a table at lunch.

    Virtual learning environment problems

    E-learning issues and challenges

    The time and place flexibility of eLearning attracts an increasing number of students to online education. However, many of them face serious obstacles that prevent them from completing their courses. Here are some of the most common issues that students face in eLearning and some solutions.

    • Self-Motivation

    Self-motivation is an essential requirement for eLearning; however, many online learners lack it, much to their surprise. Many learners fall behind after registering in distance learning courses and consider giving up because the difficulties in navigating a technological medium appear insurmountable. Students must find the motivation to follow new educational trends while also adequately preparing themselves for challenges in their education and chosen career paths. Only a positive attitude will help them deal with the challenges of eLearning. At the same time, this isn’t easy to practice. Students must understand that it is required to reap the benefits of eLearning in the future.

    • Struggle with Adaptability

    Switching from the traditional classroom and face-to-face instructor training to computer-based training in a virtual classroom completely transforms students’ learning experience. Their resistance to change prevents them from adapting to the online learning environment. It takes time to become acquainted with Course Management Systems (CMS) and computer-based education methods. While passive listening and taking notes are expected in a traditional classroom, online discussions or creating a website necessitate taking action. Students with a “traditional” mindset struggle to adapt; nevertheless, they must accept the new learning conditions with an open heart and mind. Understanding the perks of eLearning and even debating them with peers may help change this mentality and better equip students for online classes.

    What are the biggest challenges facing online education today?

    Online training is becoming more popular in the world of education and learning. The advantages are undeniable: lower costs, greater flexibility for students, and the ability to train thousands of people simultaneously worldwide. Furthermore, you can monitor what students are doing at any given time, which breaks the inertia and passivity of traditional classroom courses.

    E-learning, on the other hand, is not without flaws. Online training has its own set of characteristics that can jeopardize (or limit) the training’s success. E-learning should not be viewed as a cure-all. Only by understanding the issues that other organizations and corporations have faced can you implement programs to their full potential.

    Problem 1: Online training is tedious

    Although online training is intended to alleviate the boredom of traditional classroom learning, this is not always the case. Many e-learning courses comprise endless texts followed by a long list of multiple-choice questions that fail to engage students. It feels more like e-reading than e-learning.

    Because of these types of courses, students frequently become bored with online training, and this lack of motivation and engagement is one of the primary reasons e-learning courses fail. Students aren’t interested in taking the training, so they don’t use the platform and don’t finish the course. MOOCs (massive open online courses) are a perfect example: only 10percent of students who enroll in a course complete it.

    Solution: Look for an online course that is entertaining, dynamic, and interactive

    To keep students from becoming bored, look for an online course that is interactive, dynamic, and enjoyable. While this was difficult in the early days of e-learning, it is now much easier: several providers are offering all types of interactive training, including challenges and adventures, storytelling, videos, simulators to ensure practice, gamified solutions, and game-based learning.

    Problem 2: Technical difficulties

    While it may seem obvious, technical issues are one of the most common roadblocks to online training. Frequently, there are compatibility issues (with operating systems, browsers, or smartphones), the courses never get started, or the student is unsure how to proceed. All of this adds to their dissatisfaction and decreases employee engagement; the learning experience is disrupted, and they are likely to drop the course.

    Solution: Provide multi-device courses as well as personalized attention

    Keep it simple when faced with this challenge. Choose online courses with a solid and simple script that does not require much internal memory or a high-speed Internet connection. Priority should be given to courses that do not require you to download any programs or print any documents. When presenting the training to your students, pay attention to the audio quality (an issue that is frequently overlooked) and make sure to test the course on a variety of smartphones, browsers, and operating systems.

    Additionally, look for online courses with a simple and straightforward help page, a detailed FAQ section, and an outstanding student care service. If the online course has an email address, chat service, or forum for resolving technical issues, you can be confident that technology will not be a barrier to learning.

    Online classes problems and solutions

    The population of students who enrolled in some online courses increased by 5.7 percent between 2016 and 2017. The lecturer devotes a significant amount of time to prepare the course material. Students must also improve their technical skills to comprehend the set of instructions, even though using it allows an institution or university to reach a more diverse geographical student community at a lower cost than traditional classes. There are some issues with online courses that put their success in jeopardy. However, there are solutions available to alleviate your concerns and assist you in making the most of the courses.

    • Problems with Connectivity

    Online courses provide you with the convenience of being able to access them from any location. However, many students do not have a stable Internet connection or a device with sufficient storage or specs for online courses: internal storage and low bandwidth result in their inability to participate actively in their class. As a result, they fall behind their virtual classmates, and their learning experience suffers.

    How to get around it:

    • Students can switch service providers and gain access to high-speed Internet.
    • Make a list of nearby cafes and public libraries that have a good wifi connection.
    • They can seek assistance from the administration of the company they work for.
    • Absence of Motivation

    As shown in a survey, only 10 percent of students who enroll in a course complete it. Many students attend classes with zeal at first, but this quickly fades as the session progresses. Online classes may appear unappealing to those who have completed their primary or secondary education through the traditional face-to-face system.

    Some of these courses consist of lengthy texts and a slew of MCQs, which deprive students of their interests by failing to motivate or engage them. And they eventually abandon the training.

    How to get around it:

    • Students can engage in positive conversations. It will aid in the cleansing of their psyche and the affirmation of their focus.
    • Learning can also be made more enjoyable by using innovative videos, witty challenges, quizzes, and other interactive teaching methods.
    • Lectures can also spark competition among students such as rankings, awards, and certifications. It will motivate them to do better and learn more in the process.
    • Physical Relationship

    The inability to discuss a specific topic with classmates due to physical isolation. In addition, a teacher’s physical absence can often cause students to become disinterested or frustrated. It also deprives them of practical experience when compared to a traditional classroom. Teachers spend a lifetime honing their skills as traditional teachers, and the majority of those skills are made obsolete in an online lecture.

    How to get around it:

    • The instructor can organize forums, groups, or webinars for students to ask questions and exchange information. Tutors can also promote classes in person.
    • Simulators may be used to practice in a safe environment by recreating real-life scenarios. This will help to keep students interested and motivated to attend more lectures.
    • Blended training is a popular method for improving the experience of online learning.

    e-learning problems and solutions

    When historically developed methods in any industry are confronted, reimagined, developed, and redistributed, everyone involved must adjust.

    Here are five issues that new students enrolling in online courses may encounter; don’t worry, we’ve also included solutions to these issues so you can make the most of your online learning opportunities.

    Credibility

    Problem

    Often, online learning value is not fully recognized, nor is it accorded the respect it deserves. Though prestigious university institutions accredit qualifications, credibility and validity are met with skepticism because the format is relatively new, and students’ progress is not monitored in person. The perceived value of attending a campus institution, social education, is also regarded as something not to be overlooked, leading to pessimism when considering enrolling in online degree programs.

    The solution

    In terms of the value of online education, employers see the benefit of hiring those who have succeeded online because of the implicit job skills required by e-learning – discipline, initiative, and time management, as well as technological familiarity. Furthermore, accreditation from institutions such as The University of Law, the UK’s oldest specialized legal training provider, is gold-standard in terms of material and tuition quality, whether you study on campus or online. Remember, when it comes to online learning’s sociability, you have the freedom to study anywhere, at any time. If you manage your time well, you may find that you have even more time to socialize than your on-campus counterparts. Plus, you’ll have more money to spend on socializing.

    Hardware and software that is out of date

    Problem

    Solution

    Students all over the world can now access standardized education through online learning. This is a tremendous benefit for online education providers, students in remote locations, and those who do not have the financial means to begin traditional campus study programs. However, to run online learning platforms, e-learning requires the necessary computer equipment. This could cause issues for students that have old, out-of-date hardware and software.

    While a slew of obvious solutions may spring to mind, such as purchasing a newer computer, for some, this may not be an option. However, there are solutions available from e-learning providers that address a wide range of students’ issues. Course materials are downloadable, which means that an entire course can be downloaded and studied offline with some planning and time. Learning platforms may also use a useful video feature known as “Dynamic Stream Switching,” which allows for real-time changes in connection strength and bandwidth. That means your content will always stream, regardless of the speed of your Internet connection.

    Challenges of online learning for students

    Because of the spread of COVID-19, millions of students and teachers/lecturers have had to shift their communication online. During the lockdown, teachers, lecturers and administrators are working hard to keep students on track and to transition to online learning as soon as possible.

    Although technological advancements have made many previously unthinkable things possible, the transition to e-learning has not been as smooth as we would like it to be. Faced with the pitfalls of digital learning, both lecturers and students may become discouraged and frustrated.

    • Connectivity

    Millions of people worldwide are experiencing technical difficulties due to the widespread use of online learning systems, video streaming software, and other digital tools. The platforms are overburdened: low-quality video and audio, as well as Internet issues. The Internet connection is either unstable, or the current data plan is insufficient to meet the progressive e-learning requirements. Students in both rural and urban areas are affected by the “homework gap.” During online lessons, lecturers and facilitators are attempting to manage the poor Internet connection.

    • Trying to adapt online courses for students who are deaf or hard of hearing

    Deaf and hard of hearing students were removed from their offline classes with interpreters and sent home with limited ability to adjust and amplify remote learning to their needs. Given that online learning is already a challenge for students, those who are deaf or hard of hearing face a double challenge, increasing their chances of falling behind.

    • Data security

    Teachers and students have been connected using several digital tools since the beginning of the school shutdown, with little regard for the amount and nature of personal data they collect. To achieve our main goal of a quick transition to online learning, we had to sacrifice our privacy, especially since large e-learning software suppliers offer time-limited free subscription plans.

    The recent case of Zoom, a virtual conference services company that seems to store all video conference recordings on storage space without a password, demonstrates the importance of selecting digital tools for online learning delivery with care.

    • Security

    The covid-19 outbreak, like any other crisis, serves as a breeding ground for cybercriminals, unleashing a wave of cyberattacks. Protecting sensitive data from theft is a top priority for digital tools that aid in the delivery of e-learning.

    • Isolation

    This rather psychological factor continues to have a significant impact on student’s motivation and learning progress. Students became accustomed to instant eye-to-eye communication with one another in the classroom, allowing them to react together, share their experiences, joke, and make nonverbal contact, thereby strengthening their social skills. A classroom has become a kind of sanctuary for several students, which has now been taken away. It’s no surprise that most of them feel isolated, scared by the pandemic, and their friends’ disconnection.

    • Work process organization and time management

    A comprehensive learning management system typically costs an arm and a leg, so lecturers must deliver e-learning using various digital tools. They begin each day by opening multiple tabs for various purposes and switching between them.

    They grade the assignments that come from various locations. They work online for 10 hours a day to clean up the mess, set up, and streamline processes to make online learning more efficient. And this isn’t the end of the list of difficulties associated with online education.

    • Gadgets shortage and crashing systems

    Not every student owns a personal device that can be used for online learning. Many of them share devices with others.

    Another issue that everyone has encountered is a computer crash, which usually occurs at the most inconvenient time.

    • Lack of interaction

    It isn’t easy to keep students actively involved during online lectures without a lecturer’s physical presence and face-to-face contact. Furthermore, a major concern is linked to science labs (physics, chemistry, etc.), which are difficult to put into practice without in-person instruction and courses that rely heavily on hands-on work (i.e., art classes, nursing).

    • Imperfections in the LMS

    One of the industry’s foundational issues is a lack of understanding of the psychology of teaching and learning and a lack of understanding of how trainers and students work during LMS development.

    • Computer literacy

    Without additional training, it is difficult for trainers and students to begin using a learning management system or any other digital tool. They may be swamped by the amount of data they must deal with as they attempt to go digital, as well as overwhelmed by the unknown.

    Challenges of online education and possible solutions

    For students who want to be flexible while studying, online learning offers numerous advantages. Among the benefits are:

    • The ability to take classes in your own time.
    • The opportunity to meet students from various backgrounds in an online course setting.
    • The ability to learn on any connected device without having to relocate or attend a physical class.

    The advantages are obvious, but online students may face some particular challenges when compared to in-classroom students. Here are some of the things to be aware of and how to deal with them.

    • Digital Literacy

    You will need a certain level of technical proficiency to attend class online, including the capacity to successfully log in, take part in classes, submit tasks and assignments, and effectively communicate with classmates and teachers.

    Recognizing online communication etiquette and student rights and obligations in an online learning environment are examples of this.

    How to Overcome This Challenge

    Choose an institution that offers a full range of support services, such as technical support by email, phone, and live chat, which you can use if you have technical questions.

    Pay close attention to how your instructors ask you to label and submit files and follow those instructions. Remember the following netiquette best practices for the online learning environment:

    • Make thoughtful and meaningful contributions—only add on-point comments or ask relevant questions.
    • Avoid using all caps (this is interpreted as yelling).
    • Motivation

    To complete tasks, stay engaged, and progress in online learning, you must be motivated. It may be tempting to procrastinate when classmates and instructors do not physically surround you.

    Some online learners may begin fully engaged, only to discover that their motivation has waned. They may fall behind if this occurs.

    How to Overcome this Challenge

    Low motivation is a common issue for all students. Know that this may be an issue, and be prepared to deal with it.

    • Be present. The more involved you are in your education, the more important it becomes. Log in daily to view course updates and class discussions. Connect with other students and share your thoughts or questions. Communicate with faculty members. Ask for assistance if you require it.
    • Use positive self-talk. Speaking positively to yourself can help you stay focused on your goal and boost your confidence. Finally, you are the sole determiner of your success. When you repeat positive statements, you will begin to ingrain those beliefs and reap the benefits.
    • You should include studying in your schedule so that you have time to check in. Don’t forget to concentrate on one task at a time and use time management techniques to improve the effectiveness of your study sessions.

    Virtual learning when the power goes out

    How can I get the Internet when the power is out?

    As more people learn and work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more necessary than ever to remain connected online. Unfortunately, power outages may occur due to weather, unforeseen circumstances, critical work, and public safety. Staying equipped for power outages and unforeseen emergencies will help reduce stress when they occur.

    Here are several ways to remain connected online when there is a power outage:

    Make backup arrangements in advance of a power outage.

    If you are informed of an imminent outage, try to make alternate arrangements as soon as possible. Check your school district or local libraries’ websites to see whether they have or loan hotspot equipment to access the Internet or if they have temporary accommodations for students with technical difficulties if you are doing adult education. Some school districts have local multipurpose rooms that follow safe distancing guidelines so that students can connect to the Internet.

    Consider discussing with instructors the possibility of submitting lesson plans ahead of time so that students can download and access them offline.

    Having safe distancing protocols in consideration, you may also attempt to secure an alternative WiFi location, such as a friend’s or relative’s home or city WiFi locations. Search your county or city website for a WiFi hotspot locator.

    Virtual learning when the power goes out

    Always have a battery pack or backup charger at hand.

    Prepare for a power outage by completely charging your computers, cellphones, tablets, and rechargeable battery packs before the power goes out.

    It’s necessary to create or revisit your power outage preparedness kit- That should include a solar charger, external rechargeable battery pack, or hand-cranked charger. If there is sunlight, a solar-powered charger can keep your devices charged. On the other hand-cranked charger takes a lot of manual work to produce electricity. It can be helpful in an emergency when sunlight is unavailable.

    Portable power stations- can also keep your gadgets, including your router, powered. Southern California Edison offers a $50 refund on eligible portable power stations sold on SCE Marketplace- Opens in a new window.

    During a power outage, you can also use your car battery to charge your batteries. Make sure you have enough car adapters on hand. 

    Make use of your smartphone as a WiFi hotspot.

    Ascertain to know if your smartphone can be used as a hotspot to connect to the Internet. If this is the case, you can tether your laptop or tablet to your phone’s WiFi hotspot. Remember that when you use your phone as a hotspot, it shares your monthly data allowance with other devices.

    To avoid running out of data and incurring additional costs, tether only when necessary and switch off your hotspot when not in use. Before tethering your devices, contact your cellphone service provider to decide your data allotment and if any extra charges apply.

    Connect to the Internet using your cellular data.

    Many programs and online learning sites, such as Zoom, Google Classroom, Chrome apps, and so on, can be enabled and accessed on a smartphone or tablet with a cellular subscription if you do not have access to WiFi. For more information about monthly data allotment, you should contact your phone service provider.

    Does VoIP work when the power is out?

    The effect of digital convergence and technological advancements has resulted in the widespread use of VoIP phone systems by individuals and businesses. Businesses use them to significantly raise their company’s image and increase communication efficiencies. VoIP is used by all users to significantly reduce their communication costs, especially for international and long-distance calls.

    There is one significant distinction between conventional PSTN phone systems and digitally hosted VoIP phone systems. This is about performance during a power outage. The PSTN provider powers PSTN systems, and as a result, they continue to function during a power outage.

    Since a VoIP phone system is installed on ICT infrastructure, either on a hosted site or internally, it is the infrastructure provider’s duty to provide backup power.

    This necessitates several considerations.

    VoIP for Personal and Home Office

    The majority of domestic VoIP systems are hosted by voice-enabled applications such as Telegram, Skype, and WhatsApp. A deskThe user may use a desktop app or a smart device connected to the Internet via WiFi. Larger home offices have a software PBX that supports a WiFi-based internal phone system and specialized VoIP functions. Handsets are usually softphone applications that run on desktops or mobile devices.

    The trick here is to keep the laptop, WiFi, and Internet access turned on. A UPS that will continue to supply power for some time during the outage is an obvious requirement. The UPS should be connected to the laptop, as well as the WiFi and Internet interface equipment. It may not be essential to keep the desktop running in some domestic setups, especially Fibre To The Home.

    The UPS size will be determined by the power draw of the equipment and the length of time you want to keep it going. A home office setup would need significantly more uptime than a simple domestic setup for communicating with friends and family.

    If you have multiple PCs on a broader home office network, try and limit your use to one computer that supports the PBX software. Independent power support, either to the desktop or the handset supporting the softphone app, is required if the individual phone extensions remain operational.

    In some instances, the extensions are hosted on smart devices via SIP. As a result, extension services will be available for as long as the devices are paid.

    A decent UPS won’t take up much room and keep the setup going for a few hours. Remember: printers use a lot of electricity, so avoid using them during a power outage.

    Another alternative, especially in areas with frequent power outages or insufficient power supply, is to go off the grid and supply domestic power with solar panels or an inverter and generator.

    Will the Internet work when the power is out?

    When the power goes out due to extreme weather, a transformer failure, or even a stray squirrel, your internet-connected gadgets can be rendered inoperable for the duration of the outage.

    Power utilities aim to keep their customers’ energy on at all times by using technology to alter paths to reroute power if a problem occurs automatically. Even so, some outages will leave homes and businesses in the dark for hours.

    The amount of trouble it causes you is determined by how much your life is reliant on the Internet and online services.

    Possible impacts

    A power outage at home used to mean lighting candles (which is no longer recommended due to the possibility of fire), opening or closing windows, turning on flashlights, and waiting it out. However, in our globalized world, we expect more than just light.

    Let’s take a look at the technology that has been impacted:

    Internet-delivered via cable or fiber should be accessible in most situations, and even if the internet service provider (ISP) experiences a power outage, backup generators are in place. Other equipment along the way is usually – but not always – powered by batteries. Otherwise, you won’t be able to communicate. DSL-delivered Internet service will normally continue to function. Dial-up services and satellite internet will be unchanged.

    If your home is still linked to the Internet, your modem’s next connection, which requires power, is followed by your WiFi router, which also requires power.

    Now we get to the things that most people care about: computers, printers, speakers, gaming consoles, and so on. Laptops with charged batteries and tablets and smartphones can operate as long as their connected devices are powered.

    The TV or monitor needs power as well, and it can be a real power hog.

    If the power company fails, your online activities will suffer as well.

    Alternative solutions

    The feasible solutions are determined by the period of the service interruption.

    If it’s only for a short period of time, say less than an hour, having all of your technology on a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) may suffice. This is basically a backup battery device that charges when the power is on and starts working when the power is turned off. Many are only intended to keep a computer running long enough to save your work; longer run times necessitate the purchase of a more costly UPS.

    Extended blackouts can necessitate the use of a generator, which, if properly fueled, may potentially keep you going indefinitely. The generator’s output, which may also have to supply other household appliances such as a refrigerator and freezer, is a significant factor here.

    Suppose you still have wireless phone coverage, which is likely because providers have backup generators assuming you have a charged battery or extras ready to go. In that case, smartphones can be used to tether a laptop (also known as using it as a “hotspot”) and give the laptop internet access. Your wireless provider must enable tethering, and the amount of bandwidth you can use for it is usually limited. Know that you’ll be using data rather than WiFi, so it might get costly if you don’t have an unlimited plan.

    Make use of a mobile broadband device. This is similar to tethering, except instead of using your phone, a dedicated system connects you to the Internet through a mobile signal. For Verizon’s 4G LTE Jetpack, for example, you can purchase a prepaid plan. Some telecommunications companies, such as AT&T, have them as well. The unit itself would cost you about $100 if bought directly, or it can be billed monthly.

    Why does the Internet go down when there is a power outage?

    If you work from home, a power or Internet outage is more than just inconvenient; it can cost you money. So make a contingency plan now for the inevitable power and Internet outages, and you’ll be glad you did.

    A power failure and an internet outage are not the same things. However, they sometimes occur concurrently, and some of the solutions are the same. Planning ahead of time is the secret to minimizing headaches during all forms of outages.

    WiFi routers are generally solid-state devices with no moving parts; thus, their energy consumption is minimal, and they are typically left 24 hours a day to provide continuous internet connectivity. A WiFi router is estimated to use 2 to 20 watts, with 6 watts being the norm for a wireless router. The good news is that heat damage, also known as heat stress, is the most common cause of failure for routers, PCs, and other network equipment. Routers are rarely affected by power outages. However, if your router is not plugged into a surge-protected socket, it can be fried when power is restored.

    However, if you are experiencing a power outage and your WiFi has also stopped working, here is what you need to do.

    Wireless internet access is based on devices that need electricity, such as our field towers or routers in the home. When the power goes out, certain devices cease to operate, causing you to lose your connection. Power outages are unavoidable, but we want to assure you that we have processes in place to deal with them as quickly and effectively as possible.

    Planned power outages: Anyone who’s ever been in the middle of writing a lengthy email or report on their computer when a power outage occurs, causing them to miss 20 minutes of work, would definitely agree that learning about a power outage ahead of time is preferable to unforeseen outages.

    Suppose there will be maintenance in your service area or a scheduled SMUD/PG&E power outage. In that case, you will be notified well in advance on the company’s Facebook page, Twitter account, or the Network Status page on their website.

    Unexpected power outages: Weather, heat, and even events, such as falling trees, can cause power outages and internet outages. Both Softcom internet towers have backup power supplies that will keep our systems going for a limited time while sending local crews to assess and fix the issue as soon as possible. In these situations, we will post updates on social media as soon as possible to keep our customers updated while we try to solve the issue as soon as possible.

    Finally, if your electricity is restored, but your Internet still isn’t working, one of the most common reasons is a defective wireless router. Most of the time, what you need to do is “reboot” the router by unplugging it from the wall for 30 seconds and then plugging it back in.

    Effects of power outages on learning

    According to a new Michigan State University study, power outages or limited internet connectivity from rural homes can lead to students falling behind academically. Academic achievement, college admissions, and job prospects can all suffer as a result of educational setbacks.

    The seemingly insurmountable complexities of online learning, combined with the widespread focus on test results, may be stressful for students coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. In a recent interview, a psychologist confirmed that the interactive teaching and learning environment has a range of inherent obstacles that can be stressful for both learners and teachers. Many of these problems adversely impact students. The first anxiety that can trigger stress is the fear of being disconnected. This could be due to limited, unreliable, or even non-existent internet connectivity; it could also be due to power outages (commonly called blackouts).

    An outage is “more stressful” since there is usually confusion about when electricity will be restored, and it can cause discomfort in addition to disrupting virtual learning. Our culture places a high emphasis on test results, and the possibility of losing out on material or a class weighs heavily on students in general. According to the Philosopher, the idea is that if you fail this, you do not have what you need to do well on the next exam.

    These disruptions can impair learners’ motivation to learn in addition to causing stress. Dropping out on schoolwork, the psychologist explained, may have a negative impact on the students’ desire to learn. A study titled “Challenges of Online Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nepal” conducted by psychology lecturers Kavita Khati and Khem Raj Bhatta raised the issue of learner motivation. According to one student interviewed for the report, virtual learning sounds more like a teacher talking and less like interaction.

    Learners who still lack any of the services needed to fully profit from online learning, such as a quick internet connection or a consistent energy supply, are further disadvantaged. It is unjust to ask such people to meet the same requirements as those who have lightning-fast Internet.

    Effects of power outages on students

    Poor management, deteriorating facilities, and load shedding may negatively impact a student’s education. This is a fact of life in the developing world. In several first-world nations, the words “load shedding” are greeted with blank stares… Mention it in South Africa, and you can hear, “It’s a part of our life.”

    Many countries and cities around the world are experiencing full blackouts for prolonged periods of time. Assume you’re a student learning English and preparing for a critical exam when load shedding or a power outage happens.

    With online education and access to learning materials and the Internet, a reliable and predictable energy supply is crucial, and tutors and lecturers need it for proper communication and the resources built into learning management systems. It is also required for the contact between students and lecturers who are in different geographical locations.

    As time goes on and we concentrate on geographically distributed students having equal access to equal learning opportunities, especially in higher education, we expect that they will have some access to a digital computer and the Internet, which is already difficult in many parts of the world. Add to that an inadequate power supply, and the development of online distance and location-based learning faces increasing challenges.

    Inequalities in social and economic status are prevalent in global education. Many people are experiencing the energy crisis adds another dimension to the unequal playing, or rather the “learning” sector. This has a major effect on whole populations’ socioeconomic status in developing countries in the short, medium, and long term.

    The power crisis affects both teachers and students, restricting their ability to participate in the digitally activated educational climate fully and forcing the educational process to rely on outdated methods and systems in many cases.

    The bright light of optimism in a young student’s mind gradually disappears, and their hopes are extinguished by a lack of access to reliable power systems and the Internet.

    Unfortunately, the students who already have the least access to the benefits of digital education are most likely to be affected by an unreliable energy supply, compounding the issue and widening the socioeconomic divide.

    Virtual learning space at home

    What makes a good learning space at home?

    Adult students are increasingly doing homeschooling and e-learning, and they can thrive from having a decent home study space.

    Even in “regular” times, having a dedicated study space in the home enables you to be more productive and relaxed, helping you stay focused on your studies.

    If you are an adult student, here is how to set up the ideal home study room for yourself.

    A home study space will assist in increasing learning performance

    Adult students would not be able to get the best out of their study time if their learning atmosphere is aesthetically boring, cluttered, cramped, and unnecessarily noisy.

    Psychologists have discovered that a person’s atmosphere has a huge impact on the quality of their study time. Adult students’ knowledge retention and job efficiency improve when they study in a relaxed, familiar atmosphere and have as few distractions as possible.

    Adult students will benefit from a dedicated home study room that can be tailored to their specific needs. Organized Interiors specializes in designing lovely home offices. Here are seven important features and ideas to remember when designing your work area.

    Location

    The location of your study area is very important. Many of the advantages of even the most well-designed and beautifully designed study area will be diminished if the location is not ideal.

    A study space, similar to a home office, is ideal for a spare room. You’ll have more space to integrate all of your desired design elements while still providing you with more privacy.

    Transforming a spare room into a home study space often enables you to create a separate, designated space solely for learning.

    Naturally, not everyone has the luxury of a spare room to set up a work area for themselves. We can work within the confines of your home to design a study area in a bedroom, a basement, or almost anywhere you have a decent amount of space to spare.

    Consider possible disturbances such as foot traffic and noise levels when deciding where to set up a home study room. A study space next to a noisy laundry room, for instance, does not make for the best learning environment. Remember that a quiet study space would be more productive.

    Think about who will be accessing your home study space.

    How many people can use your study space? Clearly, the more students who will use the study space, the more room you need to design it well.

    If you have two or more friends or adult students, you will need a shared study space in your home. That is not an issue. To meet your home study sp design needs, several desks and workstations can be set up.

    Each adult student should have their own dedicated space in the study space to build the most comfortable learning atmosphere possible for them.

    You may also want to build a multi-purpose home office/study space within a room, which is something we can do. If you have a limited amount of room in your house, this might be a good option.

    Get your desk custom-made to suit your unique specifications.

    The desk is the base of every workspace. Your desk surface should be wide enough to fit all of your textbooks, notebooks, school supplies, and laptop.

    It would be best if you also took note that your desk is not too big. If you have a larger desk surface than you need, it is more likely to become cluttered.

    Add as many desk drawers as you need to house your stationery, school supplies, and printer paper (in the width and depth that you require). Do you prefer a desktop computer to a laptop? To save room, install an under-desk keyboard drawer!

    A well-designed desk will make it easier to keep your study space organized and clutter-free. You will be able to keep commonly used supplies nearby while keeping less frequently used supplies out of sight but readily accessible.

    A complete lack of clutter in any workspace promotes a more efficient workflow by allowing you to focus more easily.

    Make out the most of your storage space by using smart custom storage solutions.

    Adding extra storage systems to a home study room or office will boost its functionality. A custom bookcase has plenty of storage space for your books.

    Upper storage cabinetry may also be attached to your study room to provide additional storage space. Using the vertical storage space in your room (which can also involve adding library shelves) can help you remain more organized. Vertical storage is also useful when your study space is in a small room.

    Cupboard doors, lower drawers, file cubbies, and file drawers can all be added to your home study space’s custom cabinetry. Include finishing touches such as a tack board for posting sticky notes, calendars, and course schedules.

    A study space does not have to be a drab, uninspiring setting. To add some character to space, you can choose from a wide range of finishes and features.

    Upper cabinetry may have mesh doors or frosted glass. LED lighting with puck lighting and touch switches can also be integrated into your home study room design.

    Don’t overlook the significance of a decent desk chair.

    As previously stated, a comfortable learning atmosphere is necessary, and comfort in a home study space begins with a good desk chair.

    You should invest in an ergonomic chair that allows you to maintain a healthy posture easily. Adult students would appreciate having a chair that offers excellent lower back support, especially during long study sessions.

    Having a good desk and chair set up at the proper height will also help relieve issues that can affect other areas of the body, such as the spine, wrists, and hands.

    Check the lighting and color scheme of the room.

    Just as a good chair can reduce back pain, good lighting reduces eye strain in a study room.

    You don’t want to keep your home study room too dim, as this can cause the occupants to nod off. Use as much direct sunlight as you can if at all possible. Choose ambient lighting that is augmented by strategically positioned task lighting and a small desk lamp.

    The colors of the walls and ceilings in the room can also influence students’ moods and attention levels. Lighter blues, yellows, and greens are thought to be good color options for increasing productivity.

    The wall and ceiling colors you choose for your home study space will complement the finishes you choose for your custom cabinetry, enhancing the room’s appearance.

    Make your home study room exclusive.

    Although your home study area is supposed to be a dedicated learning environment, it never hurts to add a few personal touches to it.

    To make a room feel warmer and more welcoming, add plants, inspirational quotes, or pictures of family and friends. Just keep the personal touches to a minimum, so you are not too distracted. A home study room can be a valuable asset that allows you to excel in your studies.

    What is the best device for virtual learning?

    The first step in enhancing the e-learning environment is to discuss the online learning resources and technologies that students and educators have access to during the virtual school day.

    Because of the coronavirus pandemic, several schools and colleges run remotely. Long story short, online education had mixed results, as both teachers and students struggled to adapt to a virtual curriculum on such short notice. Distance learning necessitates a slew of innovations to complement the educational experience since it lacks the face-to-face aspect of the traditional classroom. A range of devices is available this fall to help educators and students enhance online learning, ranging from flexible computing options to simple devices to increase home connectivity. This roundup has been selected to highlight some of the best online learning resources for improving virtual education.

    DTEN ME – Zoom for Home

    Zoom recently introduced Zoom for Home, a new product category aimed at distance learning and remote work. DTEN ME, the first Zoom for Home product, is an excellent all-in-one workstation for virtual learning. The 27-inch 1080p LED touchscreen offers students a lot of digital space for immersive lessons. Many laptops come with mediocre webcams and microphones. The DTEN ME includes three an eight-microphone array and wide-angle cameras that improve audio and video during lessons.

    Microsoft Surface Pro 7

    The ever-popular 2-in-1 laptop design is an excellent choice for virtual learning. These devices allow students to use a conventional screen-and-keyboard interface while still providing a standalone tablet’s functionality and versatility. With this in consideration, the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is a sturdy 2-in-1 model for those who like it.

    The Surface Pro is fitted with a 10th generation Intel Core i7 processor and about 1TB of storage for optimal virtual learning performance. Front and rear cameras (1080p) allow for visual collaboration in interactive lessons. According to the manufacturer, the Surface Pro 7 is supposed to last more than 10 hours on a single charge.

    Tablet – Apple iPad

    Some students may prefer the feel and look of a 2-in-1 device, whereas others may prefer a dedicated tablet. The classic iPad is a great choice with up to 128GB of storage and now supports the Apple Smart Keyboard for additional flexibility. The 10.2-inch Retina display provides a generous amount of digital workspace in a thin, compact handheld device. These handy tools may assist in digital collaboration during more interactive exercises, and some students may prefer to take notes on the tablet.

    Logitech C270 3MP Webcam

    Not all computers have high-quality webcams, and certainly, less costly systems lack this hardware completely. A simple webcam is also an excellent option for those looking to improve their e-learning experience. This Logitech model provides widescreen HD video and also auto-corrects lighting for clearer images. The C270 3MP comes with a universal clip that allows it to be conveniently connected to a wide range of monitors and laptop screens.

    COWIN E7 PRO noise-canceling headphones

    Learning at home can be a big source of distraction for both students and teachers. Headphones are an excellent choice for students who want to cut out outside noise and focus on the lesson at hand. This COWIN model includes noise-canceling technology to minimize background noise during lessons. According to the manufacturer, this model will run for 30 hours on a single charge, which is more than enough for many school days.

    DOSS SoundBox Touch Wireless Bluetooth Portable Speaker

    Not all computers are equipped with high-quality speakers. These factory components can pop and crackle at higher volumes, significantly reducing sound quality. Clean, crisp audio is important in an online lesson. A Bluetooth speaker is an ideal alternative for those who want to pump up the volume and dial in for a lecture. Students may use the speaker to play their favorite study playlists during independent learning. This DOSS model is one of the most common Bluetooth speakers on Amazon, and the battery is more than enough to get students through a full day of classes and beyond.

    Shure MV5 external microphone

    Another convenient way to enhance virtual collaboration is to use a dedicated external microphone. The Shure MV5 is an outstanding compact model with various preset modes (flat, instrumental, vocals) to provide superb audio quality in a variety of acoustic environments. In addition, the microphone disengages from the small mount for a lower-profile fit on a workstation.

    Atolla 7-Port USB Data Hub Splitter

    Many students need to use several devices, often at the same time, for an effective online learning experience. Several newer laptops have few (if any) USB ports for external recharges. Furthermore, using both of these devices on the laptop will easily deplete the battery midway through the school day. For this and other reasons, a dedicated external USB charging hub is an excellent way to keep all of your devices completely charged without hiding your laptop under a pile of cables and dongles.

    NETGEAR WiFi Range Extender EX2700 – WiFi Extender

    The remote education experience of an adult student is entirely dependent on the household’s WiFi connection. Getting thrown out of a lesson on a daily basis can have a negative effect on participation and information retention. For some people, upgrading their home network could be the first step toward improving online learning.

    In certain cases, purchasing a completely new router is not required. In reality, for many, simply connecting a WiFi extender to an existing network may be sufficient. These devices operate by enhancing the signal from your installed router in the house. This will help to improve areas of the house that have low or poor-quality connections.

    Virtual learning space ideas

    Because of our continuing fight with the COVID-19 virus, educational facilities will be closed for a long. Although lessons can still be completed through online learning, many adult students have found it challenging to complete schoolwork at home. Many factors contribute to homeschooling being an exhausting challenge for the entire family, ranging from room constraints to budgeting difficulties.

    Fortunately, there are many methods we may take. And if we don’t have enough space in our home for a classroom, we can still make a study area for adults. Here are some innovative ideas we can put in place at home to assist adults in continuing their education in the new normal age.

    Designate task areas

    If you reside in a tiny studio apartment or a large mansion, assigning areas in your home to accommodate your learning activities and materials is beneficial. Designate a location for shoes, books, and writing materials. This will assist you in developing a routine and staying organized at home.

    Turn your closet into a mini study

    An astute writer for the online public school Connections Academy, Heather Ryan, in the United States, suggests that a spare closet at home can be turned into an efficient learning space. You can turn an existing cabinet into a plywood desk for yourself. Mount a few overhead shelves to store your school supplies. At the end of the day, what you need to do is shut the cabinet to make room for all the other things you have to do at home.

    Make your desk.

    Another option for dealing with a shortage of room at home is to make a desk out of whatever you have on hand. To ensure comfort, your writing surface should be about 750 mm above the floor. However, depending on your child’s height, you can adjust existing storage boxes or cabinets to create a desk that fits his or her needs. Simply put a flat surface on top of two even and solid supports, and you’re done! You’ve set up a makeshift workstation for your boy.

    Create a writing board

    You can easily make a writing board at home if you have easy access to chalkboard paint and an extra picture frame lying around. Remove the glass cover from the frame first. Then, cut a piece of plywood to the frame’s size and paint it with chalkboard paint. After the paint has dried, place the plywood within the frame. The chalkboard frame can then be hung on the wall to be used.

    Alternatively, you can buy a whiteboard sticker from an online store. Simply stick it to a blank wall, and you’ve got yourself an effective whiteboard surface.

    Use color to designate positions

    Consider separating workspaces and materials by color if you have several adult students at home. This not only makes their learning environments more lively and vivid, but it also reduces the occurrence of conflicts. This works especially well for young students, but it can also be extended to adult students with a child’s heart.

    Facilitate learning everywhere

    If you are easily bored, consider taking lessons outside of your study room. Your kitchen, garden, and even your dining room could all be turned into learning spaces.

    Make sure you get enough sunlight.

    Although your workspace can theoretically be situated anywhere in the building, ensure that it has access to natural illumination. The desk should ideally be positioned near a window. This does not only allows you to get some fresh air during long lectures, but it also allows you to take a break from schoolwork by looking out the window.

    Make Use of What You Already Have

    Learning spaces do not have to be opulent or stocked with high-end materials. Organizers, bookshelves, buckets, and bins do not have to be costly. When social distance is important, there is no need to make unnecessary trips to the supermarket when you can create a successful student workplace out of resources you most likely already have.

    A foldout table or coffee table can easily be converted into a desk. To avoid pencil or pen marks, cover with a table cloth. You can also use newspaper or wrapping paper to create your table cover.

    The secret to success is organization.

    Whatever your home learning setup is, organizing is key. Set aside a room for all study materials and activities to help you develop a routine. Although you may not be able to replicate your physical classroom at home completely, it is still beneficial to create an environment where they can feel at ease—using cabinets, storage boxes, shelves, and drawers to minimize clutter. Cups can also be made use of to hold small items like writing pens and erasers. This cuts down on clean-up time after school and gets you prepared for new lessons the next day.

    Despite our current challenges and ongoing pandemic, you can continue their education at home with the proper setup. Don’t let budget, space, or time constraints prevent you from creating the best learning environments for yourself. Approach issues creatively and make use of what you have on hand to find solutions. Even if traditional schools reopened tomorrow, you’d still be able to use the learning sanctuary you have built at home. So don’t be afraid to give him or her your everything.

    Virtual classroom norms

    What are some virtual classroom rules?

    If you have ever received one of the most wonderful lectures of your entire student life, only to have your climax ruined by a cell phone ringing throughout the lecture hall, you understand the value of classroom etiquette. With the required reforms brought about by teaching during a pandemic and the abrupt shift to virtual lectures, students and faculty are attempting to navigate unfamiliar territory when it comes to our virtual spaces’ etiquette, particularly when a video is involved. This article will deconstruct the common guidelines for creating virtual classrooms with respectful and inclusive environments conducive to teaching and learning.

    Virtual classroom norms

    Video Etiquette

    First and foremost, t There has been a spike in virtual interactions, and Zoom fatigue is real. However, video is one of the tools that many faculties use to connect with students. Using video in the virtual classroom boosts instructor presence and fosters a sense of community among students.

    Put on clothes

    This may appear ridiculous, but believe it or not, some people do not! Dress as if you’re going to class.

    Be conscious of your background

    Virtual meeting participants can see more than you might think. Ensure you don’t have anything inappropriate in your background before entering the meeting. A wall behind you can also ensure that other people you may live with aren’t distracting in the background. Finally, avoid having a window behind you; having a large light source behind you will make it difficult to see you.

    Sit at a desk or table

    Your virtual meeting is the same as if you were in class. You would not be lying down in bed if you were on campus for a class. A video-enabled virtual class meeting is no different.

    Use the mute button.

    Have something to eat. Take a breather and chew your gum. Clear your throat and cough if necessary. Unlike in-person classes, virtual meetings can be much less distracting since no one can hear you if you are muted! Unless you are speaking, it is customary to mute your microphone. If you don’t use earbuds or headphones, the sound from your computer and background sound from your surroundings will be picked up by the microphone, resulting in feedback that prevents everyone from hearing properly. Just keep in mind to unmute yourself when it’s your turn to speak.

    Being present is essential.

    Being present entails more than simply clicking the “Join Meeting” button. You should attend your class meetings in a way that allows you to see the screen and the content your teacher is presenting, and also pay more attention with minimal distractions – not while driving, getting a haircut, putting on makeup, or watching Netflix in a separate tab.

    Don’t multitask

    It may be very enticing since your computer is already open; all it takes is one click, and you’ll be in a new tab browsing the vast internet. But still, keep in mind that this is still a class. A virtual meeting can quickly derail if you are distracted and miss out on information or an invitation to speak.

    Make use of the chatbox

    While in a virtual meeting, Webex, Zoom, and Google Meet all provide a chat option. This is a good place to ask questions or get clarification without interfering with the meeting. Please let your teacher know if they missed anything in the chat!

    Be extremely cautious not to interrupt

    Video conferencing applications such as Zoom and Webex must choose between competing audio streams. When you interrupt or speak simultaneously as someone else, participants are likely to hear only a portion of what both people are saying. As a result, no one hears anything meaningful. — When you want to ask questions or take turns speaking, one good strategy is to use the chat features of Zoom, Webex, and Google Meet. Another option is to use a view in Zoom, Webex, or Google Meet that makes it possible for you to see all participants and a visual cue such as raising a hand.

    Embrace silence

    In-person awkward silences are just that: awkward. However, in this virtual environment, silent pauses can provide the necessary space for everyone to contribute without the technical issues that come with interrupting.

    What is a virtual classroom example?

    When you search for what a virtual classroom is, you will find a wide range of definitions. Some of them associate the virtual classroom with course materials, tests, homework, and assignments commonly used in self-paced (asynchronous) learning. However, all of these activities take place outside of the classroom. As a result, the definition of a virtual classroom should be linked to synchronous online learning, which occurs in real-time and provides participants with an experience similar to traditional face-to-face teaching.

    What is a Virtual classroom?

    A virtual classroom is an online learning area that allows for real-time interaction between the tutor and the students while engaging in learning activities.

    Put simply, a virtual classroom is a shared online space where learners and tutors collaborate at the same time. These interactions are typically carried out via videoconferencing. Participants are given tools to present learning content in various formats and carry out individual and collaborative activities. In this form of interaction, the teacher plays the crucial role of moderator, guiding the learning process and supporting group activities and discussions.

    The following are the most common tools found in a virtual classroom:

    • Video conferencing

    • Participation controls

    • Breakout rooms

    • Online whiteboard for real-time collaboration

    • Instant messaging tool

    Synchronous virtual classrooms have the potential to significantly enhance online learning by resolving learners’ needs in terms of social interaction and psychological safety. They can also set a new standard for learning that goes beyond the traditional teaching methods and physical space of the classroom.

    The virtual classroom offers numerous opportunities, particularly when merged with self-study platforms (learning management systems) or when used in conjunction with traditional classroom learning activities. In contrast to asynchronous learning environments, the synchronous virtual classroom provides immediate feedback, direct teacher-student interaction, and engaging activities to boost motivation and active participation. Immediate communication promotes group relationship building and a sense of community.

    Although learning and teaching in a virtual classroom provide an experience similar to that of a physical classroom, it necessitates new pedagogical approaches and a redesign of the instructional model, which includes the following features:

    • A wide range of content presentation and learning activities are available.

    • Collaborative Learning

    • Virtual Classroom’s high Interactivity

    • Positive and Constructive Feedback

    • Psychologically Safe Environment

    • Instruction that is centered on the student

    1. Instruction that is centered on the student

    The lecture, a traditional teaching format, often makes students more passive because the emphasis is on the content, and students must work individually with little opportunity for collaboration. This approach is more appropriate for asynchronous virtual teaching, in which the teacher creates video lectures and self-directed activities that students complete at their own pace. Synchronous virtual classes necessitate student-centered instruction in which learners and tutors interact equally – in this type of classroom, collaborative work, active participation, and communication are encouraged. The tutor provides independent and collaborative learning opportunities and guides the students in developing and practicing the necessary skills. This increases the learners’ motivation as well as their interest in the learning activities.

    1. Collaborative Learning

    Collaborative learning occurs when students work together to accomplish a common goal, exchange ideas, clarify the meaning of concepts, or solve problems. It creates prospects for collaboration in skills development. The focus is on interaction, in which common understandings are discussed and precisely developed by exploring differences in the participants’ level of skills, knowledge, and positions. When used in a virtual classroom, this approach is associated with an active process of collective knowledge construction. The group serves as a source of information, a motivator, and a source of mutual support.

    1. Variety of Learning Activities and Content Presentation

    This method is related to segmented instruction, which considers differences in learners’ needs, levels, and learning styles. It promotes the development of a more customized learning experience as well as individual success. When a teacher uses multiple sources to present content – text, images, diagrams, audio, video, etc. – it can greatly enhance the learning process by delivering a flexible learning experience suited to the students’ various needs and preferences. Presenting the content in various forms of media keeps the learners’ attention and interest.

    Infusing different learning activities within a single virtual session also provides opportunities to meet a broader range of student needs. Transitioning between independent work, class discussions, and small group collaboration addresses each student’s specific learning preferences – whether to work alone, engage with others, or express themselves in front of a larger group.

    Classroom norms for online classes

    Most people are familiar with proper etiquette. You most likely grew up hearing your parents tell you to mind your manners all the time. However, in a digital age where unwritten online “rules” are constantly changing, proper “etiquette” may appear a little perplexing. When you factor in the atmosphere of an online classroom, proper etiquette guidelines don’t seem as simple as a simple “please” and “thank you.”

    As you might expect, Etiquette is essentially a set of rules and norms for engaging with others on the internet in a respectful and considerate manner.

    Learn how to be on your finest behavior in a virtual class by following these ten etiquette guidelines that every online student should follow.

    1. No Yelling

    Everything has its time and place, but in most cases, typing in all caps is inappropriate. Most readers will interpret it as shouting and have difficulty taking what you say seriously, regardless of how intelligent your response is. If you have vision problems, you can change how text appears so that you can see without appearing angry or upset.

    This is valid for postings to online discussions or course walls and personal email communications with advisors and professors. When writing, use appropriate capitalization and concentrate on your tone. This will improve your virtual communication.

    1. Sarcasm Can Be Toxic

    Sarcasm has been the source of many misguided arguments on the internet, as it can be difficult to understand the commenter’s intent. What may appear to you to be an obvious joke may come across as offensive or rude to those who do not know you personally. As a general rule, sarcasm should be avoided in an online classroom. To avoid these issues, lean toward being polite and direct in your communication.

    1. Do Not Abusively Use The Chat Box

    Many online classes include chat boxes as a medium for students to ask questions and share ideas about the lesson. It can be a valuable resource or a big distraction, depending on how well students understand classroom etiquette.

    “Instead of asking relevant questions or providing clear answers, students may use the chatbox to ask pointless questions or discuss irrelevant topics,” says Erin Lynch, senior instructor at Test Innovators. The class chat box is not like an instant messenger that you might use with friends. Treat it as the learning tool that it is, and avoid distracting your classmates with off-topic discussions. Rather, use it to ask pertinent questions and actively engage in class when the professor requests it.

    1. Attempt to find your answer.

    If you’re stuck or confused about an assignment, your first inclination may be to ask your instructor for clarification. But, before you ask, spend some time attempting to figure it out on your own.

    Refer to your syllabus and course FAQ for questions about class structure, such as deadlines or policies. Try using a search engine to find answers to every other question you have. If, after some effort, your questions remain unanswered, feel free to take them up with your instructor.

    1. Make efforts to use proper spelling, punctuation, and grammar

    Trying to decode a string of spelling errors with chaotic punctuation infuriates the reader and diverts attention from your message’s main point. While this is important for all virtual communication, it is particularly important for the assignments and papers you submit. Don’t be disheartened if spelling and grammar are generally weak spots for you.

    On the other hand, it is critical to be understanding of others’ grammatical errors. Nobody likes the grammar police, so chastising a classmate for using “your” instead of “you’re” isn’t good etiquette.

    Virtual classroom rules and expectations

    Communication is a little different for online students than it is for face-to-face students. We take pride in offering various opportunities for social interaction, but the majority of communication takes place via written text in an online world. Because you will be missing body immediate feedback and language cues from your “listener,” it is critical that you understand some general rules for good online etiquette. This guarantees that the message you intend to express is correctly received.

    1. Establish A Respectful Tone

    In an online classroom where you don’t see anyone in person, every day may feel like a casual Friday. However, a certain decorum level is still required in your communication with instructors. Aside from proper punctuation and spelling, it is proper etiquette to use courteous signatures and greetings, full sentences, and even the same old “thank you” and “please” that you use in real life.

    1. Submit Files Correctly

    Because you will not be printing assignments and submitting them in person to your teacher, knowing how to submit your work online appropriately is critical to your success as an online student. Online course instructors frequently establish basic rules for file assignment submissions, such as naming conventions to aid in the organization of things or acceptable file formats. Ignoring these guidelines is a popular example of poor etiquette.

    If you do not follow instructions, you run your instructor’s risk is unable to locate or open your assignment. Be kind to yourself and your instructor by carefully reading their instructions before submitting them.

    1. Read First

    Before writing your response, read through all the previous discussion post responses. If the original post posed a specific question, it’s likely that someone has already addressed it. Submitting an answer that is suspiciously similar to one of your classmates indicates to the instructor that you haven’t been paying attention to the discussion thus far.

    Remember that discussions can move quickly, so take in all of the information before composing your response. Building on a classmate’s idea or attempting to make tweaks to the conversation will demonstrate to your instructor that you have been paying attention.

    1. Think Before You Type

    A passing remark made in class may be forgotten a few minutes later, but what you share in an online classroom becomes a permanent digital record. “Whether or not you have privacy settings in place, the internet has a tendency to keep things forever, and what you say privately can easily become public,” says etiquette expert Devoreaux Walton.

    Not only is it good practice to be cautious with personal information, but you should always be as respectful to others as you would be if you were sitting in the same room with them. According to Zink, a good rule of thumb to follow is that if you’re comfortable standing in front of a classroom and delivering your message, it’s most likely okay to share.

    1. Be Professional While Being Kind

    When you communicate online, you have an anonymity level that you don’t have when you talk to someone in person. When people disagree with one another, this can lead to rude behavior. Although online students do not have the absolute anonymity that comes with using a screen name, you may still be tempted to treat someone poorly due to the distance between screens. Even if you disagree with someone, make an effort to be kind and respectful in your comments.

    Good etiquette entails treating an online class with the same respect, politeness, and professionalism that you would in a traditional classroom.

    Furthermore, practicing professional communication skills while in school will benefit you in your workplace, whether you end up working remotely or not.

    Virtual classroom rules for students

    Most people are aware of the term etiquette and what it entails. We are taught from a young age to behave properly and with good manners. With so many aspects of our lives moving online, including education, a need for several specific online etiquette rules that pertain to virtual classroom behavior has arisen. Because all communication for online students takes place online, these rules are particularly important to them. Students should be aware of the following ground rules for virtual classes.

    1. Use the correct titles for your professors.

    Although it is important to use the proper title for your professor, many students forget it once classes are online. As a result, a certain level of formality is an important part of student netiquette guidelines. Unless otherwise specified by the professor, you should always relate to them professionally.

    Aside from using their full title, it would be best if you always were courteous to them in all facets of online communication. You should conduct yourself in the same manner as you would in a traditional classroom.

    1. Turn in assignments with care.

    Being cognizant of how to turn in online assignments to professors should be something that every student is aware of. Because there is no face-to-face interaction, if you forget to put your name on it or make a mistake in the subject line, your assignment could easily get lost in a blizzard of emails.

    Attachments are another thing to be cautious of when submitting assignments online. You should not attach files that you are unsure whether the other person will be able to open. Furthermore, you must adhere to any assignment-specific instructions provided by your professor.

    The online community has its own set of rules, which are known as netiquette. Many considerations should be made by online students, such as accuracy, tone of voice, privacy, proper grammar, and so on. Knowing the guidelines for online interaction and the internet’s unwritten rules can help you with any online communication you have. For even the most part, remember to be courteous and double-check your facts.

    1. Make your points as clear and concise as possible.

    In contrast to face-to-face interactions, taking too long to get to the point can result in the message becoming lost in the text. As a result, it is best to use short, clear sentences when attempting to explain something. It conveys the message more effectively and reduces the possibility of misunderstandings.

    Don’t let your point be lost in translation by using too many words. However, make certain that all of the information you intend to present is still present.

    What are the key differences between Online Learning, Virtual learning, E-Learning, Distance Learning and Blended Learning?

    The vast landscape of online learning

    Online learning has become a vast landscape that is increasingly expanding as we make the transition away from the traditional classroom.  Yet, as we move forward into the world of the ‘new normal’ and the pace of adoption of new technologies that are increasingly shifting and transforming both the way we live and the way we work gain even greater traction; some of the terms to describe education and training delivery methods are new to us and often confusing.  In this article we highlight the main differences between the various online learning methods and their defining characteristics. 

    Online Learning

    • Online learning is an encompassing term used to describe any form of learning that takes place online and includes:
      • Virtual face-to-face interactions such as online lectures, virtual meetings and webinars.
    • Online learning uses various tools for learning, including:
      • Conferencing software
      • Virtual space
      • Online curriculum
    • Online learning is also seen as a fusion between virtual learning and blended learning.

    Virtual Learning

    • Virtual learning takes place where instruction is delivered via the Internet, using software or a combination of both.
    • With virtual learning instruction takes place inside or outside of the physical premises of a training institution or educational body.
    • The learning experience is enhanced using a computer and an online program or software.
    • An individualised self-pacing format or live web conferencing platform is used between learners and instructors.

    E-Learning

    • Broadly speaking, E-Learning makes use of digital tools that facilitate the learning process.
    • E-Learning can take place online or in a classroom environment.
    • Students take a course from an instructor but only interact with the instructor via online channels.
    • Learners are given unlimited access to content.
    • Course completion is handled strictly online.

    Distance Learning

    • With distance learning, the structure is the same as per online learning.
    • Where distance learning is concerned, its main purpose is to engage students from any location.
    • Distance learning is the ideal method of providing instruction for students at different times and in different locations to those of the instructor as well as other students.

    Blended Learning

    • The concise definition of blended learning is the fusion between classroom and virtual learning.
    • The art of blended learning is how it integrates virtual learning in such a way so as to individualise and enhance the learning process.

    Matching the learning style to the needs of the individual

    When deciding on which learning style is appropriate under any given set or circumstances, various considerations must first be taken into account that typically involve: 

    • The overall learning objectives
    • Intended learning outcomes
    • The individual needs of the student
    • Digital literacy competencies
    • Level of access to technology

    Through online learning, the needs of the individual are broadly catered for by leveraging all available technologies to deliver a seamless online classroom experience.

    Download our 2021 Training Catalogue here to discover how online learning can work for you.

    World Health Organisation (WHO) gives us a new lease on life as they extend the age of youth

    There remains no doubt that the world has changed significantly in the past 100 years.  New technologies have changed the way we live and work and and advances in medicine have evolved us in such a way that on average, we are living longer.  Research reveals that today, the life expectancy of a 50 year old has increased to an extra 33 years.  Research conducted in the United Kingdom confirms that in 1851 less than half of the population of England and Wales lived beyond their 50th birthday. 

    An important factor determining the increase in human life expectancy is the decline in infant mortality rates.  It is reported that in 1800 43% of the newborns worldwide died before their 5th birthday.  Let us look at another interesting statistic:  In 1960, which is only 60 years ago, the mortality rate of children was 18.5%, which translates into the frightening reality that approximately 1 in 5 children died in childhood.  Fast forward to the year 2015 and we see a significant rate of decline to 4.3%.

    A report released by Our World in Data revealed that a 5-year-old child in 1841 had a life expectancy of 55.  However, today a child can anticipate that he or she will live to approximately 82 years of age which translates into an extra 27 years.

    In general, a comparison drawn between today and 200 years ago shows that human life expectancy rates have drastically increased due to:

    • More children being vaccinated against disease and having better nutrition, cleaner and safer living conditions and the prevalence of advances in medicine.
    • Children who make it past the age of 5 years have a better chance of surviving till old age than their ancestors due to better public health initiatives and a decrease in health inequality.

    While there are exceptions to every rule, it is safe to say that the world has become a safer place since the Middle Ages.  While the news may often appear to suggest the contrary, deaths as a result of homicide, conflicts, accidents, childbirth and famine have been steadily declining for a long period of time.

    Another recent study by Stanford University biologist Shripad Tuljapurkar revealed that the average death age for those who live beyond the age of 65 increased by three years for every 25 year time span.  This means that currently, on average, we can expect to live approximately six years longer than what can be called our most recent ancestors, that is, our grandparents.

    The same study also indicates that humanity’s efforts to increase the human lifespan are not completely in vain with previous research gauging the human lifespan to be at around 115 years.

    So, while statistics may indeed reveal that humanity is living to a more advanced age than ever before, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has been hard at work in the background and come up with a new criterion for dividing human age that will leave some of us feeling younger than ever.  According to this new age classification, 65 years old is still young.  In the past, and based on the Friendly Societies Act (1875) in Britain, people were considered ‘old’ by the age of 50.  Yet, recent research conducted by the WHO around health quality and average life expectancy benchmarks and defines a new criterion for dividing human age using the following classifications:

    • 0 – 17 years old:  underage
    • 18 – 65 years old:  youth or young people
    • 66 – 79 years old:  middle-aged
    • 80 – 99 years old:  elderly or senior
    • 100+ years old:  long-lived elderly

    What does this new age classification mean for us in the workplace?

    With an increased life expectancy and advances in medicine, people will lead healthier lives for a lot longer than ever before and when people start living longer they are going to keep working longer.

    This means that more and more people of pensionable age will continue to study, launch new businesses and even become work-life mentors to younger people.  According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics people in the workforce who are aged 55 or older will beccome the largest segment of the labor force in the United States.

    It has also been observed that older workers generally have a strong work ethic and research from the Milken Institute’s Center for the Future of Aging and the Stanford Center on Longevity also reveals that older employees took less sick days, demonstrated greater problem-solving skills and were more than likely to be more satisfied in their jobs than their younger counterparts.

    Embracing a culture of lifelong learning and becoming a learning organization

    With an increasing number of people living and working longer, in recent years, education and training providers and business have started to embrace a culture of lifelong learning and the emergence of what is defined as a learning organization has become part of the ‘new normal.’  A learning organization, by definition, is a company that facilitates the learning of its members and continuously transforms itself. 

    The concept of the learning organization was developed from a body of work known as Systems Thinking which is a conceptual framework that enables people to study businesses as bounded objects.  Learning organizations use this way of thinking when assessing their business and use information systems that measure the performance of the organization as a whole as well as its various components.  Systems Thinking affirms that all the attributes of a learning organization must be apparent at once in a company for it to be considered a learning organization.

    You are never too old to learn

    Most of us have heard people say:  ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.’  This may have been true 100 years ago but has no basis in fact in the modern era as we consider the phenomenon of embracing lifelong learning as a way of life.  And people will also say that when starting anything new: ‘there is no time like the present.’  So, no matter your age and stage of life, now is the perfect time to start.  Click here to download our 2021 Training Catalogue and keep learning. 

    Skills development in South Africa

    Skills Development In The Workplace

    Skills Development Levy is a tax imposed in South Africa to encourage learning and growth and is calculated on the employer’s pay bill. The funds will be used to develop and enhance the staff’s capabilities.

    SDL is issued to registered employers. An employer is required to register once for all different tax forms using the Customer Information System. If the employer requires gross payment of R500 000 for the next 12 months, the employer must pay SDL. If the employer becomes liable, they can enroll with SDL.

    The following employers are exempted from the SDL tax:

    1. Any employer in the public sector in the national or regional sphere of government. (These employers will be responsible for an amount equal to the levies attributable to their workers’ training and education).

    2. Where 80% or more of the budget is financed directly or indirectly by the funds voted by Parliament, it shall be paid directly or indirectly to a national or provincial public body.

    3. Any public benefit organization (PBO) which is excluded from paying income tax under the Income Tax Act and which only includes such activities as welfare, humanitarian, health care, religion, philosophy, or public benefit principle, or which only provides funds to the PBO and to which a letter of exemption has been released by the Tax Exemption Unit (TEU).

    4. Any municipality to which the Minister of Labor issues an exemption certificate.

    If this is the basis for an exemption, these categories of employees must not register to pay SDL.

    How much are you going to have to pay?

    One percent of the total amount to be paid to employees in salaries (including leave pay, overtime payments, commissions, bonuses, and lump-sum payments).

    The employer’s sum deducted should be paid to SARS (EMP201) every month by completing the Monthly Employer Declaration. The EMP201 is a payment document in which the employer declares a cumulative payment in conjunction with the UIF, SDL, PAYE, and Employment Tax Incentive allocations (ETI).

    The EMP201 is then pre-populated with a specific payment reference number (PRN), which will bind the actual payment to the relevant EMP201 payment declaration.

    How is this charged, and when?

    It is charged within seven days of the month-end in which was deducted from the sum. If the last day of payment occurs on a national holiday or a weekend, the payment must be made before the public holiday or the weekend of the last working day.

    These are the available payment options:

    1. E-filing

    2. At one of the branches of the relevant authorized banking institutions.

    3. Electronic payments through the web (EFT)

    What happens to the SDL Levy?

    SETA distributes the levies.

    According to regulation, within 21 business days of becoming an employer, the employer must register with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) except if none of the employees is chargeable for regular taxes.

    For registration purposes, the employer has submitted an individual registration of the organization’s branches, and each division is considered a separate employer.

    An EMP102e form- Payroll Taxes-Application for Branch Registration must be completed and presented to SARS to register as a branch autonomously from the central branch.

    Why Is Skills Development Important In South Africa?

    Skills development implies more and better prospects. This means that job positions can be considered where unskilled employees would never be able to work. Skills are vital to the development of the economy, the expansion of enterprises, and job creation.

    The standard of education in South Africa continues to deteriorate. So many school leavers are becoming less skilled. The shortage of skills among job seekers is one of the reasons for high unemployment. The unskilled job-seeker has limited options than the professional graduates.

    South Africa Unique Challenge

    South Africa’s education has been unbalanced for decades. The majority of South Africans did not have the skills needed to work in a modern economy. Bantu schooling was deliberately designed to hinder the advancement of Black South Africans. It ensured that they could work as nothing more than gardeners, domestic workers, and day laborers.

    A lot of skilled workers have left the country in the run-up to our first democratic election. Over the last twenty-five years, several more skilled workers have left the country. The increase in crime rates and perceived better prospects abroad were the reasons for this migration of skills.

    It was also imperative to correct the unjust employment practices of the past. But those who would now take the jobs that had been opened to them had not been qualified with the requisite skills. This problem has never been effectively addressed.

    With a change came unskilled workers filling positions that needed skilled workers. Without growing the skills of the workforce, restructuring leads to unskilled employees working in jobs ineffectively.

    This can be seen in the billions of Rands expended on outsourcing skills. Hundreds of billions of Rands have been invested practically on consultants and contractors. Those who have the expertise the labor force lacks. There’s a need for change. But it is a significant mistake not to equip South Africa’s workforce with the required skills.

    Short, Mid and Long-Term Solutions to Resolve the Crisis of Skills

    Short-Term

    There is a need to lure skilled workers to come to South Africa. That would imply good incentives and opportunities for expatriates and foreign employees. Prerequisites for eligible individuals should be easy for them to relocate to South Africa. This is something that needs to be strongly considered and enforced.

    NGOs are not in that capacity to amend immigration laws directly. They could advocate and educate and influence. But any substantive reform will have to come from the government.

    This could be a short-term solution, but it would be necessary. We need the skills that make sure, for example, that hospitals function efficiently. A lack of skills must not undermine necessary skills.

    Mid-Term

    A mid-term plan would be for organizational roles to be fitted with the requisite skills. These will involve both individuals and management skills. The transition of skills must take place. There should be regular training and workshops. Government agencies specifically need to ensure that their staff has the skills to provide services across the country. Poor service is one of the outcomes of lack of training.

    Long-Term

    A long-term approach would take a far-sighted plan. South Africa needs to have learners and staff trained with the requisite skills. In the future, they would need several professional staff. They need engineers, teachers, and artisans. They need managers and web developers as well as professional sales staff. One in three jobs could be developed in the next few years. This calls for quick and efficient development of skills.

    What skills does South Africa need?

    As the country is grappling with high unemployment rates, it is striking to notice that there are not enough eligible candidates for job opportunities. Disturbing reports on the lack of professionals in some fields have received widespread coverage in the recent past, following employer frustrations in seeking sufficiently qualified employees. As a result, many South African employees are now questioning what skills employers are most in-demand for? Here is the latest list of scarce skills in South Africa.

    It is important to learn about the skills that are bestselling to determine what to study in college. The current complex working climate also calls for a proper understanding of the importance of modern applications skills. Tragically, some of the courses that thousands of learners take every year are no longer feasible in the new economic system, partially due to modernization. What’s the scarce skill? In short, these are skills for which only a few people are eligible for work. Scarcity also occurs when a vocation is new, and only a few practitioners have appropriate expertise in the field.

    Given the postmodern working environment and the massive industrial boom, South Africa is a favorable destination for career growth. The critical skills in South Africa are useful for both local and foreign staff involved in filling on-demand vacancies, so here are the most sought-after jobs in South Africa 2021 based on the list of the essential skills of South Africa.

    Information technology and communication

    • Information technology and telecommunications directors 
    • IT project and program managers 
    • IT business analysts, architects, and systems designers 
    • Web design and development professionals 
    • IT specialist managers 
    • Programmers and software development professionals 
    • All other ICT professionals not elsewhere classified 

    Engineering

    • Mechanical Engineers 
    • Structural Engineers 
    • Civil Engineers 
    • Electrical Engineers 
    • Electronics Engineers 
    • Façade Designer 
    • Setting Out Engineer 
    • Site Engineers 
    • Design and Development Engineers 
    • Material Scientists 
    • Production and process engineers 

    Health professionals and related clinical sciences

    • Radiation Therapists 
    • Vascular technologists 
    • Radiographers 
    • Medical Practitioners 
    • Gastro-Intestinal Technologists 
    • Industrial Pharmacists 
    • Physiologists 
    • Senior health services and public health managers 
    • Perfusionists 
    • Clinical Nurse Managers 
    • Registered Nurses 
    • Clinical Nurse Specialists 
    • Audiologists 
    • Clinical Midwife Managers 
    • Registered Midwives 
    • Advanced Nursing Practitioners 
    • Clinical Midwife Specialists 
    • PHECC Registered Paramedics 
    • Advanced Midwife Practitioners 
    • Orthotists 
    • Orthoptists 
    • Prosthetists 
    • PHECC Registered Advanced Paramedic Practitioners 

    Architects, Town Planners, and Surveyors

    • Construction Project Managers 
    • Quantity Surveyors 
    • Architectural Technologist 
    • Architect 

    Business, management, and economics

    • Taxation experts 
    • Tax consultants 
    • Qualified accountants 
    • Actuaries Statisticians Economists 
    • Chartered and certified accountants 
    • Business and financial project management professionals 

    Natural and Social Science Professionals

    • Biochemists 
    • Medical laboratory scientists 
    • Chemical scientists 
    • Biological scientists 
    • Physical scientists 

    Quality and Regulatory Professionals

    • Quality control and planning engineers 
    • Quality assurance and regulatory professionals 
    • Environmental health professionals 

    Media Professionals

    • Art Director in 2D or 3D animation

    Design Occupations Location Designer

    • Animation Layout Artist  
    • Character Designer in 2D or 3D animation 
    • Prop Designer in 2D or 3D animation 

    Sports and fitness

    • High-performance coaches

    Sales, marketing, and related associate professionals

    • Business sales executives 

    Both critical and scarce skills in South Africa are equally demanding of highly experienced professionals. Therefore, it is essential to consider our list of scarce skills in South Africa when deciding on a career to ensure that you boost your career opportunities in the competitive and highly diverse labor market.

    Skills Development Act

    The purpose of the Act

    The low supply of skilled workers is a major barrier to the competitiveness of South Africa. The Skills Development Act aims to increase the awareness and skills of the workforce to boost employment and productivity.

    The main goals of the Act are:

    • Improving efficiency in the workplace and the competitiveness of employers

    • Enhancing the delivery of services

    • Enhancing the quality of life of employees, their employment opportunities, and the mobility of workers

     Actively promote self-employment

    • Raise the amount of expenditure in education and training in the labor market and boost the return on that investment

    Main problems and obligations of the Act

    The goals of the Act are to be accomplished by creating an institutional and financial structure, including the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETAs), the National Skills Fund (NSF), the National Skills Authority (NSA), and the Department of Labor institutions.

    The National Skills Authority was established by the Act on 12 April 1999. The NSA’s task is to advise the Labor Minister on national skills development policy and strategy and guidance for the implementation of the National Skills Development Strategy. It also advises the Minister on the distribution of grants from the NSF. It reports to the Minister on the developments made in implementing the strategy. The NSA must carry out inquiries on any matter arising out of the implementation of the Act.

    The makeup of the NSA is as follows:

    • Chairperson;

    • Executive Officer:

    • Organized labor (Cosatu, Fedusa, and Nactu)

    • Organized business (Nafcoc and BSA)

    • The Community; (Youth, Rural and Civic Women People with disabilities,)

    • Government departments (Education, Labour, DTI DPSA, and DACST)

    • Representatives from education and training providers (further education, higher education, adult basic education and training, and private)

    The Ministry of Labor is required by the Act to create and, where appropriate, assist SETA for any national economic sector. Within the National Skills Development Strategy framework, SETA must create and incorporate a sectoral skills development plan through skills development grants. It must promote learnerships by recognizing workplaces for real work experience. SETAs have the role of monitoring the quality of education and training in their sectors. They need to liaise with the NSA, the Employment Services, and the provinces. SETA also reports to the Director-General of the Department of Labor on executing its sectoral skills plans and its revenue and expenditure. SETAs are funded from the levies raised from its sector, and the monies allocated to it make up the National Skills Fund.

    One of the roles of SETA is to create a learnership with a formal learning program and a practical work experience of a specific nature and length. The learnership must give rise to a qualification recognized by the South African Qualifications Authority.

    In section 11 of the Act, the composition of the SETA must include:

    • Organized labor

    • Coordinated employers (including some)

    • Professional bodies involved (optional)

    • Relevant government departments;

    • Representatives from the appropriate negotiation board (optional)

    Following Section 22 of the Act, the Director-General of the Department of Labor is obliged to create a Skills Development Planning Unit within the Department and provide it with the personnel and financial resources required to execute its functions. The duties of the unit shall be:

    • Study and review of the labor market to assess the skills development needs of South Africa as a whole, of every segment of the economy and the state organs;

    • Assist in the design of national skills growth policies and sectoral skills development plans;

    • to provide the Minister, the NSA, SETA, education and training providers, and state bodies with information on skills.

    The Director-General has the directive to set up work centers in the Department. The Labor Centers’ task is to provide job services to employees, employers, training providers, and rural communities. Labor centers are to carry out the following tasks:

    • to register vacancies and job opportunities;

    • the registration of job-seekers

    • Engagement in special education and educational activities

    • assist the prescribed groups of individuals –

    • launch the incoming generating projects

    • to find a job

    • Participation in special jobs programs

    The Act formed the National Skills Fund to invest in projects listed as priorities in the National Skills Development Strategy or other projects that the Director-General considers necessary to achieve the Act’s objectives. The Skills Development Levies Act of 1999 accounts for the collection, management, disbursement, and regulation of revenues in the Fund.

    Lastly, the Act makes provisions for the public service employer in the provincial and national government domains to allocate at least one percent of its payroll for its workers’ education and training with effect from 1 April 2000 and, where applicable, to contribute funds to SETA.

    Skills Development Policy South Africa

    Acquiring unique skills at this time and age is important to help a person find a career path but is crucial in distinguishing them from the crowd, with far too many unemployed individuals in South Africa and so few jobs left. Individuals must be qualified enough for employers to need them more.

    This is a much-needed policy in South Africa and should be well-used by businesses and companies.

    How can your business or company benefit from the Skills Development Act?

    Well, it is advantageous both to you as an employer and to your employees. It helps both you and the company as you will have better-trained workers that can function more productively – this allows quicker turnaround times and fewer errors, resulting in better output for the company.

    Employees who are well educated will feel more positive in their jobs and be more proud of how they do their job because they will feel respected for investing in them. These workers will have a higher degree of job satisfaction and will love and enjoy being at work knowing they are respected.

    In general, it’s perfect for everyone in the business.

    How to claim back with the skills development act?

    If your company or organization has a wage bill of more than R500k per year, you are expected to pay a Skills Development Levy of 1percent of that payroll to the policy. Thankfully, there’s hope—you can claim back up to 50 percent of that figure; there’s just a few simple steps you need to take.

    • Firstly, register with your specific Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA).

    • Consider what kind of training will better help the organization and your workers (think about factors such as business growth plans, BEE scorecards, succession planning, training programs, management grooming, employee’s skill needs, and career development).

    • Organize a training schedule for the year and how you expect it to be carried out.

    • Compile and send in a Workplace Skills Plan to SETA ( a template can be found on their website and submitted online). The SETA training calendar runs from 1 April of each year until 31 March of the following year – the Job Skills Plans must be submitted by 30 June of each year.

    Each year, the company is expected to send in one of these Workplace Skills Plans with a comprehensive training outline for the subsequent year and an annual training report documenting the training conducted in the past year.

    As long as you’re meticulous in implementing all of the above, you won’t have a problem claiming back the Skills Development Levy.

    Note that uplifting and developing your staff is as crucial as paying their salaries. If your staff doesn’t feel like they’re respected or rising, they may move on to somewhere better, where they won’t be abused and motivated to improve. Staff is the lifeblood of your business, so they should be treated with respect. If you have a competent staff, there is even more reason to care for them and value them as much you can.

    Skills Development Training Courses

    Various institutions in South Africa offer Skill development training courses and programs. Some of them are:

    Guarantee Trust Corporate Support Services

    This project entails growing the job-readiness program for young people in the micro-finance and banking skills sector operated by BANKSETA, emphasizing the challenges of hiring youths in the finance sector. The program also goes beyond building workplace and communication skills and technical skills among youth participants.

    Manpower

    Manpower has championed a range of first moves, including the launch of an industry-first online training platform, the Training and Development Centre. This offers free instruction to employees of Manpower and also to all employees of Manpower.

    Unilever

    At Unilever, they believe in investing in the future and cultivating tomorrow’s industry leaders – you. Suppose you are a university graduate looking for on-the-job experience through their Management Trainee Program or a college student looking for a hands-on internship. In that case, they have what you’re looking for.

    Mercedes-Benz SA

    The training program consists of an approved Merseta program, which seeks to improve the technological skills and manufacturing skills needed to meet adequately trained employees’ increased demands. This supply of skilled staff would then be retained within the automobile manufacturer to create Mercedes Benz C’s next generation.

    Fetola’s

    Fetola hires unemployed graduates and evaluates them to align graduates with internship opportunities. They are then placed in an involved institution for an internship. Via this internship, graduates get work experience and build relationships with employers, all of which are designed to enhance employability and retention.

    Fluor

    Fluor has been offering instruction on skills growth to local South Africans for almost 35 years. Fluor started on-site training at the Sasol II and Sasol III project facilities and continues to train indigenous South Africans in skills that will serve them in potential job opportunities.

    Coega Development Program

    The Coega Strategic Skills Development Program will offer training in manufacturing skills to 800 unemployed Eastern Cape youth. It will provide additional 150 Northern Cape youth with the opportunity to undergo apprenticeship training. Skilled young people will then be put in the Kalagadi and FAW jobs on a sustainable basis.

    SETA Learnerships

    Learnership, one of the non-PIVOTAL initiatives, refers to a standardized learning framework that helps learners develop learning and functional skills. This is one of the benefits that SETAs offer students. Learnerships give students access to qualifications registered under the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). These standardized learning processes work on an outcome-based basis and understand the need for prior learning. The length of the learnerships varies but usually lasts for 18 months. To acquire an artisan equivalent qualification, students must complete four separate learnerships (NQF level 4). This implies that qualifications at NQF levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 must be obtained to do this.

    Learners must meet certain requirements before beginning a SETA learnerships, which include:

    • Apprentices may be current workers or new entrants.

    • Learners must comply with the selection criteria defined by the learnership organization.

    • Learners must comply with the admission criteria for the particular learnership they wish to register for as defined by the qualification criteria on which the learnership process is based.

    There are clear, step-by-step procedures to be followed by training providers, employers, and other learners to acquire learnership, including:

    1. Employers are accredited at the workplace and are expected to comply with the pre-registration requirements.

    2. Trained assessors are at the learnerships disposal. They may be either hired assessors or in-house assessors.

    3. Training providers are accredited to provide ETQA with specific learnerships.

    4. Companies advertise learnership programs in the media.

    5. A three-way learnership agreement is signed between the employer, the supplier, and the learner.

    6. Applicants apply and are chosen by the recruitment process of the organization.

    7. A short-term work agreement is signed between both the employer and the learner, assuming that the learner is unemployed.

    8. The learnership curriculum and procedure shall be addressed and decided with the training provider.

    9. Employers sponsor a learnership through SETA grants.

    10. Training providers and employers provide appropriate learning and experience, working together to coordinate the training process.

    11. Learners receive support through mentoring and feedback.

    12. Learners are evaluated by certified assessors (formative and summative assessments)

    13. A SETA Quality Assuror is called upon to moderate the evaluation. The provider must carry out internal moderation.

    14. After completing the learnership, a national qualification is awarded to the learner.

    15. Learners are given a statement of results for the unit standards achieved if the learnership is not completed.

    16. Upon completing the learnership, the employer may sign up for a new learnership program for the learner or employ the learner. The employer may also choose to release the learner to another organization for future employment if the learner was initially unemployed.

    A SETA also facilitates the employment of learners and the implementation of learnerships. They subsidize the cost of education and training by accredited training providers. They may subsidize the learners’ allowances, but they do not create the learnerships themselves or directly provide these learnerships.

    For many learnership programs, the learner concerned must have at least a working-age of 15 years, as specified in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. A Grade 12 certificate is acceptable for other programs. There are lots of advantages for learners who participate in a learnership program. These programs offer accessible opportunities for affordably priced learning and more career opportunities for learners. They also enjoy several employment opportunities due to the job experience they have gained and the people within their network.

    What Does The SETA Do?

    There are many factors behind the establishment of SETA, but SETA’s main goal is to improve and strengthen its industry skills. It also aims to define the skills development requirements and maintain the national standards referred to in the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). SETA is responsible for designing and implementing sectoral skills programs to accomplish these objectives. To do this, SETA also supervises education and training within its sector.

    Once SAQA has accredited SETA as an ETQA, it audits and accredits training providers within its sector. Besides, SETAs also manage the accumulated funds raised in the form of the Skills Development Levy and encourage the establishment of learnerships within the sector involved.

    SETA also functions to administer quality assurance tests to ensure that relevant standards are met and that learners and employees of the workforce have the skills needed by employers in the field.

    Under the Skills Development Act, 1998, SETA’s functions and obligations include the following:

    Conception and execution of the Skills Sector Plan

    The Sector Skills Plan relates to the emerging developments in the sector, the high demand for skills, and skill growth priority. SETA is responsible for the implementation of such proposals that should be carried out in different sectors. It is also vital to supervise the functions of the body itself in a sector-specific skill plan.

    Development and Conducting of Learnerships;

    In addition to developing sector skills plans, SETAs also establish and manage learnerships, which are result-based organized learning programs for theoretical knowledge and practical skills. It normally takes 18 months to begin and complete a learnership. People attend four learnerships to acquire an artisan equivalent qualification.

    Facilitating the Implementation of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF)

    NQFs, which have been core components of South Africa’s tertiary education system for almost 25 years, are regulated and enforced by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). This integrated higher education system has been approved to register quality-assured national qualifications and part-qualification. The system’s key goals are to promote high-quality education and training and make a meaningful contribution to the learner’s overall progress.

    Quality Assurance Management Based on The Requirements Of The Quality Council For Trades And Occupations (QCTO)

    The key purpose of the QCTO is to efficiently administer the Sub-framework for Occupational Qualifications (OQSF) to set appropriate standards for national professional qualifications for those who wish to have a career or a job and for professions. They are also engaged with the creation of these professional qualifications and quality assurance.

    The QCTO is one of the Quality Councils (QCs) accountable for part of the National Qualifications System (NQF). These Quality Councils and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) serve employers and learners.

    The four criteria of the QCTO include:

    • Track the regulation to ensure that the programs are followed;

    • Collaborate with other Education and Training Quality Assurers (ETQA)Accreditation of education and training providers;

    • Accreditation of education and training providers

    • Register Assessors;

    Disbursement of levies earned from employers in their sector

    SETA allocates the skills development levies earned from employers. Employers are expected to pay 1% of their salaries to the South African Revenue Services (SARS) every month. 80% of the monies paid are distributed to SETA and will ultimately be allocated to grants and administration expenses.

    Report to the Minister

    SETAs are created by the Act of Parliament and, therefore, carry out their public interest duties. As statutory bodies, they are accountable for public funds. They are also expected to report on the effective and meticulous use of these funds to the Department of Higher Education and Training Director. SETAs are also regulated by the Public Finance Management Act, allowing public bodies to work professionally and economically. SETAs are also answerable to the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on how they perform their educational training and quality assurance body (ETQA).

    How Much Does a SETA Pay For a Learnership?

    A learnership bursary is a substantive training module that encompasses workspace theory and practice. The curriculum lasts six months to one year and, once completed, the learner gets an NQF registered qualification. A monthly bursary is given during the learnership. Learnership support is about R45 500, and R2000 is offered to learners during the program.

    The legislation of South Africa sets a minimum standard. Employers will select the final amount or the limit. It’s in the employer’s jurisdiction to determine how much they can pay, just like salaries vary from sector to sector and from employer to employer, including stipends.

    Few learners receive the bare minimum because they accepted it and did not bargain on their real expenditure. They either have to quit the program or be thankful for what they signed up for and remain professional.

    Visually-impaired learners require specialized accommodation in place. Amenities and full access for those who are blind or wheelchair-bound must be provided.

    Visually-impaired learners get additional bursaries for aids such as transport because they may not readily have access to transportation – especially if they reside in rural areas. Most of them depend on private taxis or pay someone they know a monthly subscription fee for lifts.

    Stipends are not performance-based incentives. Many employers cannot afford to pay their learners an hourly rate, typically provide stipends to help learners with costs that need to be covered during the learnership program. This includes expenses like:

    • Food

    • Housing

    • Entertainment

    • Travel

    If employers settle on a stipend instead of a salary, details on the advertised internship should be available and included in the interview.

    There are also advantages of learnerships for employers. Learnerships benefits not just employers and learners but also training providers. SETA funding provides the training provider with the funds required for the Learnership Program. The training provider ensures that learners gain realistic, hands-on experience by bringing what is learned into practice by enhancing learning quality. They partner with employers continuously to establish a positive partnership with businesses. The Labor Department helps them select and recruit learners who will be part of a learnership program.

    Benefits of a learnership for employers

    • Remote staff who require no supervision;

    • The employer is in a position to raise the level of skills

    • Skilled workers make fewer mistakes;

    • Skilled employees can get their first job completed.

    • They are driven by the understanding of the given task.

    • Cash grant to be given to the employer by their SETA

    • They are loyal and less likely to quit

    A training provider will be in a position to help with the learnership grant process. If an employee is eligible for a learnership grant, you can receive a learnership grant. These grants are conditional and will only be paid out if sufficient funds are available.

    Tax incentives

    Employers are also eligible for tax benefits if a learnership arrangement is registered with SETA. Employers can earn two tax incentives: one at the beginning and one at the end of the training. Employers can consult the SARS representative or visit their website www.sars.gov.za or their SETAs for more details on tax incentives.

    Who Qualifies For Learnership?

    A learnership is a work-based educational program that results in a qualification enrolled in the National Qualifications Framework. Learnerships are linked to an occupation or the field of work, e.g., accounting or office administration. The objectives of learnerships are to tackle the issues of:

    • Decline in employment.

    • the effects of gender, race, and geographical area on the advancement of education.

    • Unequal access to training and education and employment opportunities

    Who Qualifies For A Learnership?

    Learnerships are accessible to those who have finished school, college, university, or learning at other educational institutes or to those who are studying part-time. Unemployed South Africans may participate in a learnership program if an employer is willing to provide the necessary work experience.

    What does the learner get upon completion of the course?

    During a learnership, learners will be expected to complete assignments, tasks and projects, and practical tests. They will be expressly assessed in the classroom and the workplace.

    If all tasks are completed, an NQF-registered qualification that is nationally recognized will be awarded. They will earn a certificate outlining the qualification and the field of skill creation.

    What is required to start a learnership?

    If the learner is admitted, he/she will have to sign two legal documents:

    Learnership Agreement: it is an agreement signed by the learner, the organization that hires the learner, and the education provider that provides the theoretical training aspect of the learnership. This Agreement specifically sets out the rights and obligations of all three parties.

    Job contract: this is a contract negotiated with the employer, which is only valid for the length of the learnership.

    Can a Learnership be discontinued?

    An employer can terminate a learnership contract if:

    • The duration indicated in the Learnership Agreement has lapsed;

    • The learner and the employer have agreed in writing to terminate the Learnership Agreement or, where there is no agreement of such nature, the SETA that endorsed the Agreement accepts the termination of the Learnership Agreement;

    • The learner is legitimately sacked for a reason linked to the learner’s behavior or capacity as an employee.

    Roles and Responsibilities

    The functions and obligations of each group are set out below.

    SETA’s

    • Registration of learnership agreements

    • Advocate learnership across all sectors and levels;

    Learners

    • Engage actively in induction programs

    • Enter a learning arrangement between the employer and the skills development provider

    • Complete and complete all documents relating to the learnership and apply a proof portfolio for assessment at the workplace.

    • conformity to all policies and procedures in the workplace;

    • Register with the provider of skills development for the theoretical part of the apprenticeship qualification

    • To be responsible for and engage in all the theoretical training and formal work experience necessary to complete the learnership successfully.

    • Work for the employer for the duration of the apprenticeship agreement;

    Skills Development Provider

    • Help in providing tuition in accordance with the results of the modules of the relevant qualifications

    • Make sure that they are enrolled with the Department of Higher Education, Science and Technology;

    Employer as a workplace provider

    • Assign a mentor to the learner for the period of the structured work aspect;

    • Induction of learners

    • Introduce a quality management system to handle

    • Oversee the learner for the duration of the learnership agreement

    • Mentoring

    • Learner support

    • Performance management

    • Sign an employment contract with the learner

    • Release the learner for the evaluation and instruction of the learner.

    • Comply with all relevant labor legislation

    • Enter a learning agreement with the certified skills development provider and learner.

    Learning is a positive initiative that improves education and the potential of those joining the workforce.

    Learnerships in Gauteng.

    Gauteng has a very high unemployment rate, but at the same time, there is a shortage of skilled people to fill a wide variety of vacancies in different fields. To resolve both of these concerns, the government found realistic ways of educating the population and organizing training systems for school leavers and unemployed adults. The implementation of learnership has made great strides towards doing this.

    A learnership is a work-based learning program. This ensures that classroom studies at a college or training center are paired with realistic on-the-job experience. People learn a lot more when they can practice what they have been taught in the classroom in the workplace.

    By doing physical exercises taught in the classroom at the workplace, they will see what they have learned and what they have not grasped. This helps them ask the instructor to clarify the lesson’s part until they have completely learned it.

    Learnerships are part of a nationally recognized qualification that is specifically related to an occupation. This ensures that what a person learns from a learnership is for a specific work that they can get after completing their learnership; it is also part of a higher degree than they can further study through other short course learnerships.

    Each learnership has a particular standard of qualification. An artisan like a beautician or a bricklayer, for example, is a Level 4 Qualification. This means that you would have to complete four different apprenticeships (levels 1, 2, 3 & 4). There is no fixed timeline for you to do this since each level certification will remain in the system and count towards the full qualification.

    Who Benefits From Learnerships?

    In summary, everybody!

    The Learner:

    • They have access to free learning and better career opportunities.

    • Can make a living as they study

    • Learnerships can help them get into a workplace or get a formal qualification.

    The Employer:

    • Gets professional, seasoned employees who will need less supervision

    • Increased productivity

    • Recognize and address gaps in training and skills

    • Educates and empowers workers, generating a happier workforce

    The Industry:

    • Access to many more skilled and experienced workers

    • Can improve workers according to world-class standards

    • Becomes much more competitive on the global market

    Seta Learnership Stipend

    SETAs offers stipends to students who are qualified and interested in working in a specific field. Stipends cover school, food, lodging, textbooks, and related costs. SETAs funds qualified candidates with stipends of more than R70,000, and debt-ridden candidates from the previous academic year are deemed eligible for the stipend. SETAs assess students at various levels of study to reward qualifying students with discretionary grants.

    For students to take advantage of this stipend, they do not necessarily need to be academically sound but need to pass the “means test.” This test includes the level of family income and certain academic knowledge. In addition to a scholarship, students can be awarded a stipend if they can show financial need evidence. It is customary for the stipend provider to request that the parents fill out the application form, provide information on their financial condition, and provide evidence in paper, including the assets for receiving such a stipend. The school will review the application in compliance with its stipend policy. Most of the time, the award will remain in place until the student sits for the next public review. Many schools reassess stipends every year to ensure that the grounds on which the student received the stipend are maintained.

    Criteria of qualification for interested candidates:

    • Must be a resident of South Africa.

    • It must be accepted and enrolled to study in a specific academic year.

    • Should be between 18 and 35 years of age.

    • Must study at a public tertiary institution or technology university in South Africa.

    • Has to be unemployed.

    • Must have completed the previous year’s qualifications and awaiting results for graduation.

    Interested applicants should apply the following documents to be eligible for the stipend:

    • A completed application form.

    • Certified ID document duplicate.

    • University student account.

    • Proof of registration as a student of the final year.

    • Certificate of Tax Clearance.

    • Records of the previous academic year.

    • Verification of Tax Compliance Status PIN.

    These documents are to be submitted via e-mail to the relevant SETA.

    SETA list

    What are the 21 SETAs?

    SETA, which stands for the Sector Education and Training Authority, is a South African body responsible for overseeing the development of skills and training in a specific industry sector. This body is a project of the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS), and different SETAs have been developed for different industry sectors under the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998.

    The current registered Skills Education Training Authorities (SETA) in South Africa.

    AgriSETA 

    The Agricultural Sector Education Training Authority (AgriSETA) is a broad and fairly complex organization that manages agriculture and forestry activities and food and beverages.

    CetaSETA 

    The Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) are among the many Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) to be re-certified by the Government with various reforms in 2011. The primary change would be that CETA would absorb the current sub-sector of electrical contractors (now part of ESETA’s energy SETA), which is, of course, a critical component of the construction industry.

    CATHS SETA 

    Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality & Sport Sector Training Authority (SETA) is a merging of the Arts and Crafts sub-sector derived from the old MAPPP SETA, reinforced with an emphasis on sport and tourism.

    ChietaSETA

    CHIETA was formed under the Sill Development Act to promote the development of skills in the chemical industry sector. It is the duty of SETA to ensure that the needs of the chemical industry are clearly defined. Having properly marked these needs, it was the duty of CHIETA to adopt measures that will allow learners to obtain the required education and training. These duties will begin until the current SETA landscape has finally been accepted for 2011 to 2015.

    ETDP SETA 

    (ETDP SETA) is a crucial link in the numerous South African SETAs established between 1998 when the Skills Development Act was first promulgated, and SETAs began functioning in 2000. For this reason, the stated vision of the ETDP SETA was to encourage and facilitate the growth and enhancement of the skills profile of the education, training, and development sector to favor 

    not only employers but also employees and the full range of staff.

    EWSETA 

    EWSETA focused on its unique sector, evaluating and designing the required qualifications and learning programs needed by the sector.

    These apply to anything from a short course alternative to a much more complex college and university degree program.

    FP&MSETA 

    The SETA Fiber Processing and Manufacturing (FP&M) was founded by the Minister of Higher Education and Training on 1 April 2011, following a Government’s resolution on cluster sectors to reinforce value-chain relations between related industries.

    FASSET SETA 

    FASSET has been mandated to ensure that people who are (or will be) employed in specific sectors have the requisite education and training to carry out the needed jobs. In other words, if people are not properly educated, they cannot work within that sector of the economy.

    HWSETA 

    Initially set up to promote the development of skills in both the social development and health sectors, Health SETA focuses primarily on developing skills in the health sector. SETA ensures that the health sector’s skills needs are established and addressed only through a range of current and new programs that SETA and those working in the sector are responsible for.

    InSETA 

    INSETA’s vision is to encourage and facilitate quality skills by financing education and training in South Africa to fulfill the “national skills agenda.” It leads to the transformation of the sector.

    BankSETA

    Under its clear terms of reference, BANKSETA was mandated to develop a sector skills plan that would operate within the context of the national skills development strategy developed at that time for this specific SETA.

    TetaSETA

    The education and training authority of the transport sector, TETA, was formally formed along with all the initial SETAs in March 2000, 2 years after the Skills Development Act of 1998 was made law in South Africa.

    Services SETA

    As is more widely referred to, services SETA were initially formed in 2000 to see to it that the skills demands of the services sector were recognized and adequately addressed. Services SETA has dedicated itself to this mission by establishing relationships with different stakeholders and role-players and executing a focused business plan.

    Other important SETAs include:

    • MerSETA
    • LGSETA
    • MqaSETA 
    • MictSETA
    • PSETA 
    • W&RSETA 

    What is a SETA?

    SETA, which stands for the Sector Education and Training Authority, is a South African body responsible for overseeing the development of skills and training in a specific industry sector. This body is a project of the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS), and different SETAs have been developed for different industry sectors under the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998.

    The acquisition of work-related skills via vocational training is a crucial gain for every young person today. The acquisition of skills enlarges their possibilities and equips them as individuals. The primary skills that students learn allow individuals to improve their time management, networking, and communication skills. Training skills also add value to economic development and growth.

    Millions of young people across South Africa are seeking to acquire new skills and hone existing ones. SETAs help these young people who need further training or additional skills by creating a platform for them to improve their skills. Government agencies, Trade Unions, employers, and bargaining councils (where permissible) constitute SETA in each industrial sector. Today, 21 SETAs serve each economic sector, and these SETAs are accountable for both the private and public sectors.

    The development of SETA aimed to encourage the adequate and careful planning of the sector’s skills within the established structure of the NSDS. Initially, 23 SETAs were formed in 2000 by the Minister of Labor at the time, each with sectors and sub-sectors.

    SETAs are also answerable for the disbursement of training fees payable by all employers across South Africa. They are accredited as an educational and training quality assurance body (ETQA) by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).

    Before SETA was founded, thirty-three established industry training boards had carried out similar roles as SETA. However, SETAs are concerned with internships, learnerships, unit-based skills training, and learnerships, while previous training boards were mainly concerned with learnerships. The training boards did not cover all manufacturing industries, whereas the twenty-one SETAs do this.

    With the funds raised from the employer’s skills levies received by SETA, the body can finance education and training programs and provide scholarships and grants to those registered. SETAs undergo a renewal period to enable them to work in their full capacity in an optimal condition.

    The National Skills Authority (NSA) was influential in the creation and supervision of SETAs. In 2009, this department acquired full responsibility for the growth of skills. The Department of Labor had historically managed the development of skills. A year later, they announced that they would introduce a refined SETA system from 2011 to 2016. It also encouraged the reduction of SETAs from 23 to 21 due to obsolete and non-performing SETAs. They took legislative measures to ensure the efficient management and governance of SETAs.

    Many college and high school graduates set out to look for jobs every year, but many find that their hunt is fruitless and does not deliver anything meaningful. The ratio of available jobs to job-seekers is significantly low, and SETA programs’ value is emphasized. People who want to run prosperous small businesses, people with disabilities, and people who need to improve their existing skills are some of the main beneficiaries of SETAs.

    In a nation where more than 4 million people are unemployed, there is a strong demand for vocational skills. They are one of the roads to financial security, jobs, and better opportunities for young people.

    How do SETAs work in South Africa?

    There are many factors behind the establishment of SETA, but SETA’s primary goal is to improve and strengthen its industry skills. It also aims to define the skills development requirements and maintain the national standards referred to in the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). SETA is responsible for designing and implementing sectoral skills programs to accomplish these objectives. To do this, SETA also supervises education and training within its sector.

    Once SAQA has accredited SETA as an ETQA, it audits and accredits training providers within its sector. SETAs also manage the accumulated funds raised in the form of the Skills Development Levy and encourage the establishment of learnerships within the sector involved.

    SETA also functions to administer quality assurance tests to ensure that relevant standards are met and that learners and employees of the workforce have the skills needed by employers.

    Under the Skills Development Act, 1998, SETA’s functions and obligations include the following:

    Conception and execution of the Skills Sector Plan

    The Sector Skills Plan relates to the emerging developments in the sector, the high demand for skills, and skill growth priority. SETA is responsible for the implementation of such proposals that should be carried out in different sectors. It is also vital to supervise the functions of the body itself in a sector-specific skill plan.

    Development and Conducting of Learnerships;

    In addition to developing sector skills plans, SETAs also establish and manage learnerships, which are result-based organized learning programs for theoretical knowledge and practical skills. It usually takes 18 months to begin and complete a learnership. People attend four learnerships to acquire an artisan equivalent qualification.

    Facilitating the Implementation of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF)

    NQFs, which have been core components of South Africa’s tertiary education system for almost 25 years, are regulated and enforced by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). This integrated higher education system has been approved to register quality-assured national qualifications and part-qualification. The system’s key goals are to promote high-quality education and training and make a meaningful contribution to the learner’s overall progress.

    Quality Assurance Management Based on The Requirements Of The Quality Council For Trades And Occupations (QCTO)

    The key purpose of the QCTO is to efficiently administer the Sub-framework for Occupational Qualifications (OQSF) to set appropriate standards for national professional qualifications for those who wish to have a career or a job and for professions. They are also engaged in the creation of these quality assurance and professional qualifications.

    The QCTO is among the Quality Councils accountable for part of the National Qualifications System (NQF). These QCs and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) serve employers and learners.

    The four criteria of the QCTO include:

    • Register Assessors;

    • Track the regulation to ensure that the programs are followed;

    • Accreditation of education and training providers;

    • Partner with other Education and Training Quality Assurers (ETQA);

    Disbursement of levies earned from employers in their sector

    SETA allocates the skills development levies earned from employers. Employers are expected to pay 1% of their salaries to the South African Revenue Services (SARS) every month. 80% of the monies paid are distributed to SETA and will ultimately be allocated to grants and administration expenses.

    Report to the Minister

    SETAs are created by the Act of Parliament and, therefore, carry out their public interest duties. As statutory bodies, they are accountable for public funds. They are also expected to report on the effective and meticulous use of these funds to the Department of Higher Education and Training Director. SETAs are also regulated by the Public Finance Management Act, allowing public bodies to work professionally and economically. SETAs are also answerable to the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on how they perform their role as an educational training and quality assurance body (ETQA).

    List of Setas in South Africa 2020

    There are presently 21 SETAs, and these have been listed in alphabetical order below:

    S/NList of SETAs
    1.AgriSETA (Agricultural Sector Education and Training Authority)
    2.BANKSETA (Banking Sector Education and Training Authority)
    3.CHIETA (Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority)
    4.CETA (Construction Education and Training Authority)
    5.CATHSSETA (Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority)
    6.ETDP SETA (Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority)
    7.EWSETA (Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority)
    8.FP&M SETA (Fibre Processing and Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority)
    9.FASSET (Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority)
    10.FoodBev SETA (Food and Beverage Manufacturing Industry Sector Education and Training Authority)
    11.HWSETA (Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority)
    12.INSETA (Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority)       
    13.LGSETA (Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority)
    14.MerSETA (Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority)
    15.MICT SETA (Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority)
    16.MQA (Mining Qualifications Authority)
    17.PSETA (Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority)
    18.SASSETA (Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority)
    19.SSETA (Services Sector Education and Training Authority)
    20.TETA (Transport Education Training Authority)
    21.Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority

    Seta Learnerships

    Learnership, one of the non-PIVOTAL initiatives, refers to a standardized learning framework that helps learners develop learning and functional skills. This is one of the benefits that SETAs offer students. Learnerships give students access to qualifications registered under the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). These standardized learning processes work on an outcome-based basis and understand the need for prior learning. The length of the learnerships varies but usually lasts for 18 months. To acquire an artisan equivalent qualification, students must complete four separate learnerships (NQF level 4). This implies that qualifications at NQF levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 must be obtained to do this.

    Learners must meet certain requirements before beginning a SETA learnerships, which include:

    • Apprentices may be current workers or new entrants.

    • Learners must comply with the selection criteria defined by the learnership organization.

    • Learners must comply with the admission criteria for the particular learnership they wish to register for as defined by the qualification criteria on which the learnership process is based.

    There are clear, step-by-step procedures to be followed by training providers, employers, and other learners to acquire learnership, including:

    1. Employers are accredited at the workplace and are expected to comply with the pre-registration requirements.

    2. Trained assessors are at the learnerships disposal. They may be either hired assessors or in-house assessors.

    3. Training providers are accredited to provide ETQA with specific learnerships.

    4. Companies advertise learnership programs in the media.

    5. A trilateral learnership agreement is signed between the employer, the supplier, and the learner.

    6. Applicants apply and are chosen by the recruitment process of the organization.

    7. A short-term work agreement is signed between both the employer and the learner, assuming that the learner is unemployed.

    8. The learnership curriculum and procedure shall be addressed and decided with the training provider.

    9. Employers sponsor a learnership through SETA grants.

    10. Training providers and employers provide appropriate learning and experience, working together to coordinate the training process.

    11. Learners receive support through mentoring and feedback.

    12. Learners are evaluated by certified assessors (formative and summative assessments)

    13. A SETA Quality Assuror is called upon to moderate the evaluation. The provider must carry out internal moderation.

    14. After completing the learnership, a national qualification is awarded to the learner.

    15. Learners are given a statement of results for the unit standards achieved if the learnership is not completed.

    16. Upon completing the learnership, the employer may sign up for a new learnership program for the learner or employ the learner. The employer may also choose to release the learner to another organization for future employment if the learner was initially unemployed.

    A SETA also facilitates the employment of learners and the implementation of learnerships. They subsidize the cost of education and training by accredited training providers. They may subsidize the learners’ allowances, but they do not create the learnerships themselves or directly provide these learnerships.

    For many learnership programs, the learner concerned must have at least a working-age of 15 years, as specified in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. A Grade 12 certificate is acceptable for other programs. There are lots of advantages for learners who participate in a learnership program. These programs offer accessible opportunities for affordably priced learning and more career opportunities for learners. They also enjoy several employment opportunities due to the job experience they have gained and the people within their network.

    Seta Funding

    Certain regulations regulate the allocation of SETA income from employer tax in various sectors in the form of compulsory and discretionary grants. These guidelines also account for how funds are to be distributed. SETA was formed following the Skills Development Act, and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) governs this funding process.

    SETA has a framework that specifies how the body allocates funds to facilitate the implementation of the Sector Skills Plan (SSP), the Annual Performance Plan (APP), and the implementation of the objectives. The Sector Skills Plan was built based on comprehensive research and discussions with stakeholders in the sector. Therefore, it aims to improve job opportunities for those employed in the education, training, and development sectors. The strategy also aims to ensure that the particular sector’s growth meets its needs and adapts to the changing economy.

    Grant policy ensures that the skills levy is tailored to meet the skills needed by employers and employees’ training needs. This policy also advises stakeholders and members of the Board of Trustees how grants will allow interested candidates’ broad participation. SETA is responsible for tracking the utilization of funds and determining the degree to which the grant policy’s goals are accomplished. The body will also use such standards to assess the effect of grants on learners (students), education personnel, institutions, and the education, training, and development sector.

    Subject to the National Qualifications Framework, such training interventions are required to lead to qualifications or part-time qualifications as provided for in the Funding Regulations. SETA makes these funds available at a time when it accepts applications from employers. This time’s opening shall be made public on the SETA’s website and national radio stations and newspapers.

    SETA also provides discretionary funds to non-PIVOTAL programs. These programs do not result in any recognized specific qualifications but are also geared towards expanding their sub-sectors. This includes research projects that the SETA and associated organizations could conduct.

    Ten percent of the discretionary funding is used for particular programs covering the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) of college capacity building and public service training.

    Discretionary grants can also be distributed based on SETA’s discretion. This depends on the availability of allocated funds, the approval of the SETA Accounting Authority (the Board), and compliance with the requirements set out in the SETA Discretionary Grants Policy and Guidelines.

    SETA pays mandatory grants if the educational institution or training center fulfills the grant criteria and the employers have paid their levies. SETA pays mandatory grants quarterly.

    Virtual training pros and cons

    There is no doubt that Covid-19 has accelerated the widespread adoption of virtual technologies that fall under the umbrella of the 4th Industrial Revolution.  And, while interacting with the world from behind the scenes yet in front of the screen in your own little bubble where no one can see your fluffy slippers might, at first, seem glamourous and even cute, there is a lot more to achieving seamless virtual interactions than first meets the eye.

    Hence, as we embrace the landscape of the ‘new normal’ that has become our ‘new reality’, there is much to consider as we navigate our way towards delivering a seamless, interactive virtual training platform.  This involves continuous improvement of online training tools and maximising virtual technologies.

    Elearning has become a necessary resource

    Today, virtual training, otherwise known as online learning, digital learning or Elearning, has become a necessary resource and the new way of learning across the world.  Any teaching method has its own set of pros and cons and virtual training is no different. 

    At this juncture, it is important to bear in mind that virtual training is a relatively new and evolving process, hence, new and improved technologies will keep growing as we, ourselves, grow and learn in the online space.

    What are the advantages of virtual training?

    It is efficient

    Virtual training offers an efficient method of learning using a variety of tools such as videos, podcasts and PDFs and facilitators can incorporate all of these tools into planning a lecture.  Expanding beyond using traditional textbooks to include online resources enables trainers to become efficient educators.

    It is accessible

    Since students can attend virtual training classes from any location of their choice, it enables greater reach of more students without the restrictions of geographical limitations.  Virtual lectures can also be recorded and shared for future use, enabling easy convenient access to the material at a later stage. 

    It is affordable

    Virtual training is indeed more affordable when compared to classroom-based training since costs such as transport, venue hire and catering simply do not form part of this equation and since study materials are available online, this creates a paperless learning environment that also significantly reduces costs as well as being more environmentally-friendly.

    It improves attendance

    Because online classes can be taken from home or any other location of choice, this significantly improves attendance levels with fewer missed training sessions. 

    It accommodates different learning styles

    Every individual has their own unique style of learning.  While certain people are visual learners, others are more attuned to audio; and while some of the more extroverted students thrive in the classroom, others are distracted by large groups and prefer learning solo.  Given its wide range of resources and options, online learning can be personalised in many different ways and is possibly the best way to enable the perfect learning environment tailored to individual needs and styles.

    What are the disadvantages of virtual training?

    Focusing on the screen for long periods of time

    One of the greatest challenges for many people is the ability to focus on the computer screen for long periods of time.  There is also a greater likelihood of students being easily distracted by other sites and social media.  It is therefore crucial that facilitators ensure that training sessions are engaging and interactive to help students to stay focused.

    When technology fails

    One of the most prevalent challenges facing the online training environment is staying connected.  Even though Internet use has significantly increased over the past few years, loss of Internet connectivity and the need for high-speed Internet as a dedicated efficiency in the virtual training environment is not always achievable in remote areas and in South Africa in particular, power interruptions due to unstable power grids and load shedding present an ongoing challenge.  This requires the installation of emergency back-up systems to maintain connectivity.

    Feeling isolated

    Individuals learn a great deal when they are surrounded by their peers.  Whereas, in an online training session there is minimal physical interaction between training professionals, students, and their peers which often results in a sense of feeling isolated.  To counteract this, other forms of communication need to be encouraged such as emails, video conferencing and online messaging which allow for greater interaction.

    Trainers are not always up-to-speed with online technologies

    That we have migrated into a whole new world of virtual learning means that training professionals need to be proficient when it comes to using the various forms of digital learning technologies.  This reminds us that everyone is on a learning curve in adopting new technologies, training professionals included. 

    What systems do we need to have in place to deliver seamless virtual training?

    Now that we have briefly examined some of the clear advantages and disadvantages of virtual training, it is imperative that we ensure that certain systems are in place so as to avoid the common pitfalls and ensure that everyone is on board.

    Structure

    Traditional classroom training offers a physical environment and structure within which individuals can engage in meaningful learning.  And with virtual training this is no different since an efficient and dedicated structure still needs to be in place.  This involves employing the skills of specialists such as meeting planners with good meeting scheduling skills with a support team to seamlessly manage and control the training sessions.  This includes incorporating breakaway sessions as well as ensuring constant engagement and interactive student participation.  The support team will also be responsible for structuring the training with large groups in breaking them down into smaller, more manageable groups.   

    Training Materials and LMS (Learning Management System)

    With virtual training, the training materials used need to be supported by an effective LMS (Learning Management System).    

    Commercial Licensing

    When used for commercial purposes, online meeting platforms such as Zoom require a license beyond the usual 40 minutes allowed for a regular session. 

    Housekeeping issues

    In a classroom setting, housekeeping issues such as keeping attendance registers and filling in feedback forms after a training session are easy to manage, whereas with virtual training, this is a little more fragmented and relies on the competence of the virtual training support team to ensure that all administrative processes are seamlessly carried out.

    Virtual training is a virtual necessity. Click here to access BOTI’s Elearning platform and embrace the online classroom.

    AWS Training

    What is AWS training?

    Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the cornerstone of the cloud infrastructure of several businesses. If you’re involved in several tech-related careers, you’ll need at least some knowledge of how AWS operates because of its fame.

    Fortunately, there is a range of paths to training and qualification that can help enormously, whether your chosen field of specialization is security, machine learning, DevOps, sysadmin, or something else entirely. Once you’re in that spot to interview for a position that strongly leverages AWS, you’ll have to know your stuff. Many organizations will rely on you to keep their cloud going with practically no downtime (and upgrading as appropriate).

    What is the best place to begin your AWS training, the associated benefits, and why should you be ready for a lifelong learning experience?

    Where do I start AWS training?

    Like data science and programming, Cloud computing will prove vital to know in the future, particularly if you want to collaborate with a tech infrastructure. This means that you need to understand how cloud systems operate and how they overwhelm any sector’s growth process. You should begin at the very beginning and start the Cloud Computing course.

    This course will provide beginners with cloud-related terminology and concepts and comprehensive learning about the most common cloud services. Whether Google Cloud, AWS, or Microsoft Azure, the largest cloud providers’ offerings all have unique features, prices, and interoperability problems that technologists need to solve.

    For instance, both AWS and Azure are fully compatible with various software, operating systems, shells (such as Powershell and bash), and database services. Luckily, at this point, the capabilities of these systems are very similar, even though the names and procedures behind those platforms differ. If you can grasp the basics of how containers, databases, and disk storage operate, for example, you can learn the most critical aspects of AWS and Azure quite quickly.

    It is also essential to master other technological basics along the way, like programming languages that developers use to create cloud applications. You may want to learn a language like Python, but that language, embodied in cloud computing, is where you get the benefit. The basics are extremely important. Explore how it differs from other platforms, recognize how the AWS console operates, learn how to set up a database in that environment.

    How long does AWS training last?

    AWS is extensive. It’s not something that you can master in two hours. It’s experiential. There is value in the continuity of learning and the dedication to learning. If you spend 5-10 hours per week for 3-4 months, you’d have a tremendous understanding and competence to become a developer.

    For example, an AWS developer can learn everything about how to use the platform to track app metrics (via CloudWatch) to minimizing resource usage (via “serverless” programming using AWS Lambda) to selecting the right AWS database. If you want to adopt state-of-the-art skills, you might also devote time to researching how AWS overlaps with machine learning. But all of this relies on the understanding of the basics of computer science.

    You also need to understand programming languages such as Python or Java, or databases, without computer science experience. It’s more than AWS; you require more programming skills, you need to understand databases, and how all these things work together.

    Aws training in South Africa

    AWS is working to improve education in South Africa, making training delivery more effective, making research and education management more inclusive, and making skills development opportunities more available.

    AWS has long sponsored the digital transformation of local educational institutions and has recently partnered closely with various sectors – including education – to use cloud technology to drive digital transformation and enable service delivery amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Enabling education

    The University of Pretoria (UP), one of the leading universities in South Africa, unveiled its first AWS workload in 2016 and is now running its AWS website, Learning Analytics, Learning Management System (LMS) Postgraduate Experiments in Machine Learning and Text Analysis. AWS Marketplace has made it possible for UP to deploy third-party applications, Blackboard, a learning management system, and a virtual learning environment that interfaces with AWS Directory Services for LDAP to enable redundant access to approximately 50 000 students. The university ranked the top of all SA universities for research publications using the cloud for scientific research on machine learning and artificial intelligence. Using AWS, the university can deliver research findings in hours instead of days.

    GovChat, South Africa’s biggest citizen engagement network, launched the COVID-19 chatbot on AWS in less than two weeks and is now partnering with the government to accelerate innovation. Working with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Department of Social Development, GovChat launched a program named Vangasali (meaning ‘no one left behind’ in Xitsonga). This program aims to ensure that early childhood development (ECD) facilities in South Africa are adequately funded by the government, particularly during the national lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19. Via GovChat, ECD facilities can be tracked and mapped to help evaluate ECD services coverage, especially in poor and vulnerable communities.

    Building cloud skills

    Digital technology will be vital for future-proof education in the longer term. AWS is making substantial investments in education training and certification programs to ensure that the requisite skills are in place to facilitate this.

    AWS focuses on expanding the influence of cloud skills and technology education across Africa. AWS Training and Certification programs are available to end-users to support them on their cloud journeys. The company has since expanded its regional training team, taking the programs closer to customers.

    Among its skills development programs, AWS is funding the Explore Data Science Academy to train students on data analytics skills to create the next generation of data scientists in Africa. Once students graduate, 95 percent of them land a job with an average starting salary of R360,000, says AWS.

    AWS is also partnering with many educational institutions in South Africa, such as the University of Stellenbosch and the University of Cape Town, to help train the next generation of cloud professionals through AWS Educate.

    Another higher education institution initiative is the AWS Academy, which offers AWS-authorized courses for students to learn on-demand cloud computing skills. The program has already allured major academic institutions in the region, including the University of Johannesburg, the University of Cape Town, and the University of Technology in Durban.

     AWS also sponsors GirlCode, which aims to reduce South Africa’s high unemployment rate via targeted technology skills and training programs, including the GirlCoder Club, workshops, small-medium, and micro-enterprises (SMME) accelerator. This encourages collaboration between women of diverse backgrounds in developing innovative and sustainable solutions that improve South African youths’ lives.

    Security

    Planned for people who manage their organization’s security-related operations- learning best practices and processes such as data encryption, access control, secure applications, and security infrastructure. 

    Storage

    Designed for enterprise storage engineers who want to learn how to create and operate highly accessible storage solutions, showcasing AWS storage services.

    How long will it take to learn AWS?

    It’s going to be a little difficult to say how long you’re going to have to master AWS. Ultimately, it rests on how much hard work and time you can spend studying it. Some people can take one month to learn, while others may need more than a month to learn.

    To get a clear idea, you need to sign up for a course with all its topics planned according to a timetable. Through this, you’ll know just how much time you’ve got to take out of your tight schedule to learn AWS.

    AWS Pre-requisites

    There are no criteria for you to perform to learn AWS, but it would be nice if you know the following-

    • Operating systems like Windows, Linux, etc.
    • Elastic IP
    • Coding skills (Preferred)
    • SQL
    • Basics of cloud and networking
    • Databases
    • DNS Server

    AWS does not need a lot of technical expertise or hardcore coding skills. As such, basic programming skills are all you need. Having a vague understanding of these will help you learn quicker and better. Eventually, it’s going to come down to how much time you put into learning.

    If you have a good knowledge of these, you’ll take less time to learn AWS because you don’t have to start with the basics.

    Besides these skills, you are supposed to have some soft skills, like-

    • Strong communication skills;

    • Analytical skills;

    • Problem-solving skills

    • Interpersonal skills

    • Networking skills

    • Basic computer knowledge

    In the end, it all comes down to the degree of commitment that you display to prepare for AWS. You’ve got to set aside some time when you’re just concentrating on AWS. Even if AWS does not need you to have any technical skills, it will still be considered a USP if you have IT expertise and skills.

    You would have access to a lot of learning content in terms of an online course. You can also take the help of books, blogs, guides, etc., if you don’t think you want to take an online course. By just investing 3–4 hours a day and studying and reviewing AWS concepts, you’ll be able to do it in no time.

    Rest is up to you. The way you want to do this is your decision. If you start today, you’re going to be one step closer to your goals and becoming a professional. So, go and do your homework, set a schedule, work around it, and in no time will you be good at it.

    Amazon web services Cape Town

    According to the Global Knowledge 2018 Certification Survey, AWS certifications were among the most highly compensated certifications. With the rapid growth of cloud adoption, AWS certifications are a new must for IT professionals.

    With a lack of expertise, businesses are searching the globe for skilled AWS experts to help them transfer their applications to the cloud as quickly and efficiently as possible. AWS certification offers these employers with all the proof they need that they have the expertise they need.

    There are three AWS certification paths, and each path has two associate and professional levels. Expert certification is also available in the fields of big data, security, and artificial intelligence.

    AWS Solutions Architect Track

    According to Global Knowledge, Solutions Architect Associate certification was the fourth-highest paid IT certification in 2018. With an average pay of $132,480, this makes it worth the time and effort to get Solution Architect Associate certified. The solutions architect track comprises of two certifications.

    AWS Developer Track

    AWS developer certification was for the second consecutive year in the top five of the Global Knowledge IT certification survey 2018. The certification confirms the holders’ technical competence in the development and maintenance of AWS applications, as contrasted to the design with a Solutions Architect Certification solution.

    The goal of certification is to ensure that the applicant can effectively use AWS SDKs to engage with applications-based services and create applications that optimize AWS applications’ performance.

    AWS SysOps Track

    AWS SysOps certifications prove that the applicant knows how to install and manage scalable systems on the AWS infrastructure. The skills tested included choosing the most suitable storage, security, and networking resources to develop your cloud applications while reducing costs at the same time.

    AWS Solutions Architect Associate

    The associate level certifies that one can identify a resilient and propose an effective solution based on sound architectural design principles based on customer requirements. The applicant will be able to guide the execution of best practices throughout the project. The objectives include:

    • Choosing services based on cost-effectiveness depending on the application requirements

    • Architecture design for performance,

    • Resilient architecture design,

    • Build a secure architecture.

    AWS Solutions Architect Professional

    AWS Solutions Architect professional authenticates that the certificate holders can develop and implement dynamically scalable, highly accessible, fault-tolerant, and secure AWS applications. The goals of certification include:

    • Design of secure authentication, proper authorization, and network infrastructure for diverse organizational systems where different compliance criteria may exist.

    • Migration of complex, multi-tiered legacy applications to AWS

    • Cost-control strategies

    • implementation of a systematic strategy for improvement

    Which Path to Take?

    What qualification route is the right one for you? It varies based on your current background, but it is suggested, to begin with, the Solutions Architect track first. This provides the basic AWS knowledge needed for the remaining certificates.

    The Developer path is recommended after that, with the SysOps path last. There is a lot of variation between the Associate Level Exams, so completing the Associate Level Exams makes it easier to complete the other two.

    AWS certification

    AWS certification is a level of Amazon Web Services proficiency and competence that the IT specialist obtains after satisfying the criteria and passing the examinations offered.

    By obtaining AWS certification, you can show the potential employer that you have the right technical skills and experience to work in an AWS-related role.

    What are the various paths to AWS certification?

    Learning paths are a progressive set of courses and tests that you need to learn and develop your AWS skills, coaching you for a career in cloud-based technology. There are three different learning pathways required for AWS training and certification. If you would like more insights into the various AWS training pathways and certifications, check out this summary of the AWS certification learning pathways.

    Role-Based Paths

    This AWS certification path concentrates on developing the skills required to push your career forward. Some AWS experts also refer to the “career path” as a role-based path.

    Architect

    Planned for professionals who develop and deploy highly accessible, distributed applications on the Amazon Web Services platform, such as solutions architects and solutions design engineers. There are two sub-paths to this AWS certification path:

    • Professional AWS Certified Solutions Architect

    • Associate AWS Certified Solutions Architect

    Developer

    Intended for people who want to develop and maintain AWS cloud applications. There are two sub-paths to this AWS certification path:

    • Professional AWS Certified DevOps Engineer

    • Associate AWS Certified Developer

    Operations

    Structured for sysops administrators, system administrators, and DevOps practitioners who want to learn how to automate AWS networks, software, and cloud systems. There are two sub-paths to this AWS certification path:

    • Professional AWS Certified SysOps Engineer

    • Associate AWS Certified SysOps Administrator

    Cloud Practitioner

    This is intended for professionals who want to develop and validate their general understanding of the AWS cloud. This path is particularly useful for people employed in the AWS cloud in financial, administrative, purchasing, sales, or technical positions.

    Specialty

    This is a set of specialty credentials for selected technologies in data, networking, and security. It has five sub-paths:

    • AWS Certified Security

    • AWS Certified Machine Learning

    • AWS Certified Alexa Skill Building

    • AWS Certified Big Data

    • AWS Certified Advanced Networking

    Solutions Paths

    Rather than concentrating on positions and roles within an organization, solutions paths concentrate on how professionals can provide business organization solutions by delivering and using highly specialized AWS services. These AWS certification paths include:

    Advanced Networking

    This teaches specialists how to design and implement IT architectures and Amazon Web Services.

    Data Analytics

    This path is intended for people who design, build, secure and maintain data analysis solutions, concentrating on data gathering, ingestion, processing, storage, and visualization.

    Databases

    Intended for professionals who design, build, and organize AWS services and solutions to optimize the organization’s data strategy, along with how to plan and build databases using AWS tools and services.

    Game Tech

    This path teaches data analysts, architects, game developers, and data engineers how to develop, host, and scale online multiplayer games, including how to improve the game design through collected data.

    Machine Learning

    This AWS certification pathway is designed to educate data scientists and developers on the use of artificial intelligence, deep learning, and machine learning in their businesses.

    Media Services

    This is intended to teach professionals how to use AWS Elemental resources to build a professional media experience.

    Benefits of Aws training

    If you’re going to practice AWS, there’s no better time to do that than right now. There are quite a lot of opportunities to work or launch your own company if you have AWS certification.

    You don’t have to get a certification, of course. That said, certifications will easily put you ahead of your competition and track your career or business goals.

    For example, AWS certification for managers will help you gain knowledge and understanding of AWS, handle people who work with AWS tools, and eventually help you get a promotion and a higher salary.

    For most people, taking an AWS course for beginners would help you determine whether AWS is for you and which direction is right. For your consideration, here are ten reasons why studying AWS and gaining certification would help beginners and cloud professionals and those who want to develop a career or boost their company.

    AWS is the fastest-growing public cloud service

    AWS was the first to market its public cloud services portfolio and had a seven-year head start over rivals such as Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform. A year after the launch of AWS in 2006, a hundred and eighty thousand developers were still on the web. The AWS team has not looked back since then. In the third quarter of 2017, AWS raised its market share to 42 percent and reached 49 percent by the first quarter of 2018. AWS is projected to increase its market share to 52 percent by 2020.

    Free-tier Access and Affordable Pricing

    Novices, apprentices and trainees, and anyone who wants to gain practical experience with AWS can build a free-tier AWS account. The Free-tier account level offers access to some of the free programs that will never expire. There are other accounts available that are free for one year, along with other premium features available for a free trial. Some of the services available are EC2, S3, Elastic load balancing, and Amazon RDS. While some of these services have some usage restrictions, they are more than enough to learn and know what the flexible pay-as-you-use service can provide.

    The Abundance of AWS Learning Resources

    Certification AWS has been valid since 2013. Several tools are available, including courses, books, manuals, forums, and AWS practice tests for anyone who wants to learn AWS. There are also various AWS communities, both online and offline, to support those pursuing a career in AWS before and after certification.

    What all this means is that obtaining AWS certification is a workable target. The best way to learn is through an AWS course that provides a combination of theory and practical experience. Learning can also be expanded beyond a single course, employing many resources that render any AWS certification effective a real possibility.

    Digital Marketing South Africa


    Marketing is one of the rapidly growing industries thanks to technology giants such as Facebook, Google, Microsoft, IBM, and many others.
    All these businesses may be based thousands of kilometers away. Still, there is no denying that they are threatening every single company here in South Africa (whether we like it or not).


    The terrifying aspect is that most South Africans are still unaware of the limitless potential of digital marketing.
    The internet is an essential medium for reaching consumers today.
    Did you know that 50% of the world’s population has access to the internet? That’s around 3.7 billion people or, in this case, customers.
    You can hit half of the world’s population by clicking a button.
    You might claim that your customer base is predominantly based in South Africa. With all that in consideration, did you know that 26.8 million South Africans spend more than 3 hours per day on social media?
    That’s half the population of South Africa. Mad, huh?
    Now, imagine that you can put your product, brand, and service right in front of their eyes.
    Presently, digital marketing is far more than just setting up a Facebook page or building a website.
    Digital marketing can be really nuanced, which is why many people in South Africa probably don’t understand what digital marketers are and what they do.
    In short, however, digital marketing is any form of marketing involving electronic devices. Think about it for a second.
    What’s the first thing you get when you wake up every morning? What’s the last stuff you put away before you go to sleep?
    What do you listen to when you’re going to work? What do you watch when you arrive home? What do you work with when you are at work?
    We may go all day, but do you get the point? Can you see how much of people’s lives are powered by digital?
    Now that we’ve widened your mind, you can appreciate why eMarketer predicted that by the end of 2017, 38.3 percent of all paid advertising would be digital.
    This is huge, and mobile advertising is projected to account for 63.3 percent of that.
    Exciting, isn’t that? Okay, so as a marketing enthusiast, CEO, entrepreneur, or reading this article, you’re most likely wondering how you can begin to tap into the limitless potential of the digital realm?

    Google Adwords South Africa

    Google’s location marketing seems pretty straightforward initially. But are you aware that Sandton has a higher digital populace than Johannesburg, Durban, and Pretoria combined? Okay, not precisely, but Google tends to think that way.

    Suppose you set up your targeting to “Johannesburg” in AdWords. In that case, your ad will be limited to the areas around the CBD, except for Sandton and much of what Wikipedia refers to as “the largest city in South Africa.”

    On the other hand, if you target “Cape Town,” your advertising would be shown to people as far away from town as the Koeberg Nuclear Station, Kuils River, and Gordon’s Bay.

    This kind of peculiarity has to cost advertisers millions of rands in misappropriated ads, so be sure to verify that what you think Google means is what Google really means.

    Made available in English in South Africa, Google Express is a simple way for Google to start using AdWords without understanding anything about AdWords. It makes opening up your account very easy. Google will also give you expert set-up assistance at no additional cost if you spend more than R60 a day.

    This could be worth a try if you have a small budget, but remember that Google experts don’t often point out AdWords ads’ possible drawbacks. They are also usually not aware of local problems, such as those involving location targeting.

    Google AdWords has a helpdesk line 0800 000 777. It is free from South Africa and is available during business hours from Monday to Friday. When you call, you will be asked for your AdWords Customer ID, which will appear at the top of every AdWords list. Support is only available in English, and you might be struggling with strong foreign accents.

    Google also issues promotion codes that qualify customers for significant free ads. The latest offer offers R900 in credit after you have invested the equivalent amount. You can’t approach Google for this directly, but if you’re using an agency or a larger web design company, you should be able to get a voucher. Alternatively, find out AdWords ads online or in print media.
    Google enables AdWords marketers to bid on trademarked names and words. But if many rival advertisements show at the top of the results page as people search for your company name, you can’t avoid complaining to Google.

    Suppose advertisements or websites using your business name are otherwise inaccurate or misleading. In that case, you might also have no basis to take legal action, as proven by the South African court case in 2014.
    So, what can you do about it? You can try to outbid your rivals, bid on rival brand terms, or hope that most people who are already searching for your company can find you in the organic search listings.

    You will have better luck defending your trademarked words in the actual ad text, where the unauthorized use of these terms is likely to be contrary to Google’s trademark policies.

    It is reasonably straightforward (and highly recommended) to monitor those types of conversions that occur on your website. For instance, you can watch how many people click a button to purchase a product or fill in and submit a form.

    However, it’s more complicated to monitor users who click on an ad to visit your website and phone you after they’ve had a look at it. To counter this, Google introduced a call conversion website in 2014, described as “a powerful way for you to identify and measure calls from your website that occur after an ad click.”

    Unfortunately, this is one of the features of AdWords not available in South Africa. For many firms, this means that there is a substantial difference in their perception of their marketing activities.

    There are ways to fix this, such as third-party call monitoring systems, and you can track phone number clicks from mobile devices. However, it would be cool if Google were to include its website call conversion service to its hard-pressed South African advertisers.

    Most users also have problems with the payment with credit cards to Google, which are often refused for no apparent reason. This can lead to a stressful back-and-forth dispute between Google and your financial institution, with no proper clarification of what’s going on or why.

    Google Analytics Courses

    Google Analytics is well recognized and has been the most commonly used analytical software on the market for quite some time.
    Many organizations, large and small, use Google Analytics to analyze and develop their marketing campaigns and make the most of their investments.
    However, to use the program, you do not need to be certified in Google Analytics.
    Most people don’t spend the time to get certified because to do so. You need to scaledrive q the Google Analytics Individual Qualification (GAIQ) exam.

    The Certification Process
    Step 1: Register with Google Partners
    The first step is to register with Google Partners, as you have to be a Partner to take the GAIQ.
    This could be a career booster on its own since Google Partners comes with a badge that indicates you are certified in various areas of Google (provided that you pass the content exams).
    Others are going to see your badge and regard you as an expert.
    This is nice to place on your resume or LinkedIn profile and link it with your company.
    So surely take the very first step.

    Step 2: Take the GAIQ Exam
    Theoretically, the next step after registering with Partners is to sit the exam. Still, unless you are already an expert in Google Analytics, we suggest that you do some reading between steps 1 and 2.
    At least spend some time learning about the exam – structured, question formats, time limits, etc.
    Search Engine Journal’s Complete Guide to Google Analytics is a great building block for those looking to learn. Fortunately, Google provides IQ courses to educate people about their services and train them for these certification exams.
    These courses are intended for everyone, right from beginners to the most advanced users. So there’s something for everyone.
    We advise reviewing the material from the following courses (but you can, of course, customize the study material to your qualifications and experience – no need to start from the beginning if you are already an experienced user):

    1. Advanced Google Analytics.
    2. Google Analytics for Beginners.
    3. Getting Started with Google Analytics 360- more about Google Analytics.
    4. Google Analytics for Power Users.

    Although Google has many resources to get certified, they’re not great for those who want to learn hands-on, real-world apps.
    A Data Boot Camp for both Google Tag and Google Analytics, this course contains all the information and best practice tips and techniques you need to understand both programs.

    Digital Marketing Courses Johannesburg

    Top digital marketing professionals in Johannesburg teach this practical course in digital marketing. You will learn how to use the internet as a potent marketing channel by taking this course. Students who complete this course will be qualified to take the International Professional Digital Marketer Assessment of the Digital Marketing Institute.

    Learning Outcomes
    • Increase visibility of your website through search engine optimization methods
    • Drive quality traffic to your website through pay-per-click advertising;
    • Carry out digital display campaigns
    • Obtain, segment, and organize email subscribers to plan and run a productive email marketing campaign.
    • Use appropriate social media channels for various business objectives and goals
    • Optimize and evaluate your social media campaigns;
    • Leverage mobile marketing for its micro-targeting numerous benefits;
    • Effectively analyze and optimize your general digital marketing activities.
    • Create a structured digital marketing plan for your business
    The courses are evaluated by the Syllabus Advisory Council, which is made up of leading digital companies, including Facebook, Google, Twitter, and LinkedIn. The learning content is shaped by the most important stakeholders in the industry. The Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing will provide learners with an in-depth knowledge of how to efficiently formulate strategies and execute powerful digital marketing campaigns that convert. From search marketing to social media marketing, learners will learn all they need to succeed in their digital marketing careers.

    Introduction to Digital Marketing
    The basic concepts and objectives of digital marketing. It will facilitate learners to develop straightforward and action-oriented business objectives for a digital marketing plan. They will also gain insight into the audience and industry by carrying out extensive digital research and prepare the foundations for a highly integrated 360 digital marketing campaign by communicating effectively with their targets and customers.

    Website Optimization
    Key principles encompassing effective website design and the significance of website optimization. It will facilitate learners to design and publish a basic, well-designed, and optimized WordPress website aligned with specific business objectives. The module also addresses how to use parameters to collect, track and measure website activity to develop better insights.

    SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
    SEO’s basics and how search engines operate. It explains why it is important to align SEO objectives with the overall business objectives and utilize keyword and competitor research to develop an SEO content plan that attracts the right kind of visitors to the website. It also highlights how to increase online conversions to help stand out in today’s highly competitive online marketplace and guarantee the best possible ROI.

    Content Marketing
    The basic principles of content marketing enable learners to align content with the Buyer’s Journey effectively. It uncovers the skills and knowledge needed to plan and implement content marketing strategies in a persona-oriented, data-driven manner. It also addresses content creation, content curation, and how to increase the value of content using promotion methods and scheduling tools. The module discusses the key metrics and tools used to measure the quality of content marketing strategy.

    Social Media Marketing
    Leading social media platforms for digital marketing and show how to set up a business social media experience. It explains the methods and best practices for growing and engaging social media audiences and shows how to build successful paid advertising campaigns on leading social platforms. It also covers how to obtain and report data from native analytics platform tools for deeper audiences and campaign insights.

    Other modules to be taught include:
    • Display and Video Advertising
    • Paid Search (PPC) with Google Ads
    • Analytics using Google Analytics
    • Email Marketing
    • Digital Marketing Strategy

    Web development courses
    Perhaps one of the most enticing aspects of getting into a field of work like web development is the opportunity to get into it straight away. Unlike many careers that require months or even years of learning and training, people interested in web development can easily get started right away if they feel the spark of learning in their mind!

    A variety of free, self-guided online web development courses covering everything from simple programming introductions to the development of best practices are the best place to get a sense of how development works. Below, we’ll take a close look at the top web development courses and outline what each of them can offer you.

    Codecademy
    Codecademy provides a collection of self-guided lectures to interested beginners to learn the fundamentals of web development programming. An in-browser development environment is developed to learn simple front-end code structures such as HTML and CSS before switching to back-end languages such as Python and Ruby on Rails.

    Khan Academy
    An incredibly useful learning platform covering all sorts of topics, and the computer programming section cannot be ignored. It features a range of self-guided tutorials, usually with experts offering audio and video instructions on the subject. Simultaneously, interactive on-screen windows display the code and produce the results during the narration process.

    MIT OpenCourseWare
    An array of self-guided courses from none other than one of the finest technical schools in the United States, MIT. The MIT OpenCourseware program provides an incredible range of topics to take lessons on, including hundreds of courses on programming, mathematics, development, and computer engineering.
    The Introduction to Computer Science and Programming is a complete, independent course of study. It provides all the tools and course materials you need to be happy about and interested in programming. Gentle Introduction to Programming Using Python is also a good resource to gain insight into that common and well-designed back-end language.

    Mozilla Developer Network
    Mozilla, the team behind the famous Firefox web browser, has created an amazing platform for developers of all skill levels and experience via the Mozilla Developer Network. These articles, resources, and tutorials are ideal for those who retain information and learn better using the tried-and-tested reading words method and seeing case studies right there on the website. There is a broad range of subjects, from simple web introductions and front-end languages to common terminology and performance and optimization.

    A-List Apart
    A-List Apart is home to many excellent articles dealing with everything from coding and techniques to architecture and user interface. It is one of the most knowledgeable and up-to-date online publications targeted specifically at web developers and designers. If you want to do some basic reading and learn from the experience and guidance of other experts in the field, it is a great resource to browse through the articles here.

    Coursera
    Closely related to MIT OpenCourseware, Coursera provides a wide range of online courses from several universities around the world free of charge. Each course varies slightly in structure and timeframe, but various courses are available for development, programming, and computer science to get a taste of it.
    An excellent beginner program guide can be discovered in the program for everyone at the University of Michigan. Although the language used in the course is unique to Python, the course itself focuses on the principles of general programming that can be extended to nearly all languages that you will come across for years to come.

    Copywriting Courses
    The internet is flooded with information about copywriting.
    Yet they’re in bits and pieces. Here’s a follow-up blog post. With information scattered everywhere like that, it’s almost hard to tell whether you’re covering it all.

    Plus, even if you manage to spend a lot of time browsing the internet for real useful articles with reliable facts, you’re most likely not to get away with the whole picture.

    Your greatest chance of success is to identify a value-packed copywriting course designed to get you ready to launch.
    Here’s why you need to take a course:

    Copywriting goes hand-in-hand with marketing. This means that you need a comprehensive understanding of marketing and how it relates to copywriting.

    Copywriting is a wide field. And different methods contribute to the intent of the copy you are writing. A copywriting course will take a hard look at the methods to use them correctly for the copy you are creating.
    You need to have faith in the educational material. Anyone can lose a copywriting blog post, but with a copywriting course, you can maintain their qualifications and accreditation so that you can feel secure in the source you’re learning from.

    We’ve put together three of the best copywriting courses you can find around, so you can make a rational decision and launch your copywriting journey as soon as possible.

    Success Works’ Copywriting Course
    Looking to concentrate on B2B and SEO content? If that is the case, Success Works might be the course for you. They have the notable title of becoming the first agency to specialize in SEO, and they happen to be the pioneers of the first SEO Copywriting Certification program, founded in 2010.
    It will concentrate on writing skills for web and social media, concentrating on keyword research, convincing copy that converts, and, most importantly, evaluating performance. It is managed by Heather Lloyd-Martin, described by Forbes as ‘the pioneer of SEO copywriting.’

    The Creative Copywriter Academy
    The Copywriting Kickstarter Course guides budding copywriters through the whole ‘start-up’ journey. No more searching the internet for ‘how-to’ blog posts. You’ll have all you need after the course. From marketing basics to advanced copywriting methods, to book-keeping and invoicing to getting gigs, you’ll be able to take your freelance copywriting business to the next level.

    American Writers and Artists Inc. Copywriting Course
    AWAI’s ‘Accelerated Six-Figure Copywriting Course’ offers an enticing promise and comes from the brain of one of the most highly prolific copywriters, Mark Ford (pen name Michael Masterson).
    You’re going to walk away from this a practicing copywriter with a winning portfolio. Not only that, you’re going to be well versed in direct copywriting response, and you’re going to be an insider with all trade secrets to produce a lucrative, convincing sales copy.
    This is a mammoth course guide, full of copywriting treasures. You have access to tutors who will interact with you about the book, but you can take it at your speed. You’re also going to have to get involved in two writing tasks that will earn criticism and expert tips.

    Google Digital Marketing Courses
    Google offers a Free Digital Marketing Certification course that allows students to learn digital marketing basics in tandem with Google Products. After completing the course and clearing the online exam, you will be certified with a Google Certificate. After being accredited by Google, one will be rated a strong and qualified digital marketing professional. All Google certifications are fully online and free of charge.

    Who can take the Free Course
    Any recent college graduate looking to pursue a promising career in digital marketing? Is any marketing professional ready to work as a digital marketing expert in a well-known and large organization or a fast-growing company? Digital Marketers ready to improve their digital marketing skills. Business owners willing to grow their online business will benefit from learning about Google My Business, Google Ads, and other essential topics.
    This digital marketing course is illustrated by case studies, videos, webinars, and readable material, alongside real-time simulations.

    Google Certifications for Digital Marketers (All Courses)
    The Google Certification course is designed for beginners and experienced users to apply the techniques in real-time environments. This course was structured for practical learning in which learners had the experience of using the latest and most recent digital marketing methods. It also trains the learners for the certification exams.
    By gaining certification from Google, one makes their curriculum vitae stand out from the others while at the same time demonstrating their prowess in digital skills. Since it’s difficult for beginners to understand all the information needed online, Web Training provides classrooms and live online sessions. This certification program allows both marketers and business people to gain certification and become accredited digital marketers.

    Basic Google Certification courses are as follows:

    Google Ads Search
    Introduction of Remarketing lists for search ads is given in this. Also, steps to align ad strategies with the requirements of organic niche leads are taught.

    Google Ads Display
    This course will enable you to understand the principle of display ads and how to advertise on Google Network apps and websites. It also encompasses remarketing campaigns.

    App for Google Ads
    Support is offered in the organization of campaigns planned to be launched on mobile platforms. Various ways to formulate cross-functional ad campaigns are taught to conform to mobile platforms. You will be able to start mobile app promotions after learning this course.

    Google Ads Video
    Various ways to use videos as potential tools in advertising are presented and techniques to create convincing videos. The goal of this course is to help you understand both Google Network Video and AdsYouTube Ads.

    Shopping in Google Ads
    This course aims to illustrate how to display Google Network Shopping Ads. Different methods are shown to build and manage Google Merchant Center Account efficiently. There are various ways to optimize your shopping campaign on Google.

    Other courses include:
    • Google Ads Measurement
    • Google Analytics course
    • Google My Business (GMB)course

    What is a certified Scrum Master certification?

    According to Scrum’s website, ScrumMaster “is charged with the responsibility for supporting and promoting Scrum. Scrum Masters do this by helping others to understand Scrum theory, practice, values, and rules.

    The Scrum Master is the tail head of the Scrum Team. The Scrum Master allows people outside the Scrum Team to understand which of their experiences with the Scrum Team are beneficial and not. The Scrum Master helps everyone to adjust these relationships to optimize the value generated by the Scrum Team.”

    Building on that, the Accredited Scrum Master has the authority to demonstrate that they have undergone training and gained the skills required to be an effective Scrum Master. Certification means that the candidate knows the Scrum technique and may be either a Scrum team member or a Scrum Master.

    What’s the need for a CSM certification?

    Every team needs a leader; otherwise, there is no structure or transparency. Scrum teams are no exception to this practice. Scrum Masters represent their Scrum team and their entire organization, and the owner of the product.

    Here’s a list of tasks and duties performed by the Accredited Scrum Master:

    • Facilitates Scrum events

    • Understands and practices agility

    • Ensures that everybody on the team has a firm grasp of its goals, reach, and domain.

    • Discovers strategies for handling backlog of products effectively

    • Understands product planning in an inferential environment

    • Trains the production team in the areas of cross-functionality and self-discipline.

    • Allows the team to execute a high-value project

    • Eliminates barriers to the success of the team

    • Helps guide the Scrum team in situations where Scrum is not completely practiced or fully understood

    • Coaches and guides the organization through the Scrum process

    • Plans Scrum implementation in the organization

    • Makes adjustments to boost team productivity

    • Works with other Scrum Masters in the company to boost overall Scrum performance

    As you can see from that list (and it’s not complete!), any professional Certified Scrum Master would definitely have their work cut out for them. This is why qualification is such an essential aspect for any Certified Scrum Master. Only the CSM, which has been qualified and certified by an approved organization, will successfully fulfill all the expectations put on them.

    How to Get Certified in CSM

    Now that we’ve heard what the CSM is, along with the related specifications, here’s how you can get the CSM certification. The certification process for the CSM is relatively straightforward. Only follow the following steps:

    Step One: Establish a good understanding of Scrum’s life cycle and structure. Think of a tutorial to help you get started.

    Step Two: Take a two-day (16-hour) CSM training course instructed by a certified trainer.

    Step Three: Pass the CSM exam administered by the Scrum Alliance, i.e., accurately answering at least 37 of the 50 exam questions within one hour.

    Step Four: Send an accepted license agreement

    Step Five: Fill and complete your Scrum Alliance membership profile.

    If all these steps have been completed, you will be a Certified Scrum Master!

    Scrum Master Certification South Africa

    Scrum Master Certification is essential to everyone who plans to work in this position, regardless of the industry.

    In South Africa, a certification invariably becomes a benchmark for employers, like a bachelor’s degree.

    What are the Scrum Master Certification Options?

    There are various Scrum Master Certifications available and a lot of disputes about which are most relevant. Some prefer the better-known Certified ScrumMaster or CSM certification for entry-level certification. Others follow the newer Agile Certified Practitioner, or ACP or the Professional ScrumMaster, or PSM.

    More specialized certifications are also available from several of the same organizations offering entry-level certification.

    Here’s a look at the range of certifications available for Scrum Master:

    Professional ScrumMaster

    Ken Schwaber devised the PSM certification. He co-created the Scrum System in the mid-1990s and helped launch the Scrum Alliance before leaving in 2009 to start Scrum.org and create the PSM.

    The only pre-requisite of the PSM is to pass the exam, but it is not simple and typically includes training courses taught by qualified instructors. There are three levels: PSM I, II and III. PSM I certification indicates that you have demonstrated a fundamental degree of Scrum mastery according to Scrum.org.

    Such Scrum.org certifications shall include:

    The Professional Scrum Product Owner has three levels.

    • Scaled Professional Scrum.

    • Professional Scrum Developer.

    • Professional Agile Leadership.

    Certified ScrumMaster

    The CSM is the most straightforward entry-level certification. The Scrum Alliance established it in 2002, seven years before the PSM.

    Before you take the CSM, you have to:

    • Take part in a course taught by a Certified Scrum Trainer, or CST, or undergo one-on-one training from a Certified Agile Coach, or CAC.

    • Undergo 16 hours of in-person or 14 hours of online CST training or 25 hours of CAC engagement.

    If you have completed the course and earned your credential, you will need to receive 20 hours of Scrum Education Units to retain your CSM certification, which must be renewed every two years. There’s a $100 administrative fee, too.

    Advanced certifications made available through the Scrum Alliance include:

    • Certified Scrum Developer.

    • Advanced ScrumMaster Certified.

    • Certified Scrum Professional.

    • Certified Scrum Professional ScrumMaster.

    • Certified Scrum Product Owner.

    Agile Certified Practitioner

    The Agile Certified Practitioner, or ACP, certification is offered via the Project Management Institute, or PMI, the leading association for project managers and renowned for its Project Management Professional certification.

    According to PMI, ACP is the fastest-growing certification organization due to the growth in Agile project management. The certification covers Agile approaches such as Scrum, Lean, Kanban, test-driven development, and extreme programming.

    ACP certification is thought to be more relevant in organizations with a more conventional project management system and is moving towards agility than in Agile-based organizations.

    You ought to have a secondary degree, 21 hours of Agile learning, 12 months of general project engagement in the last five years, and eight months of Agile engagement in the last three years before you can take the ACP.

    SAFe ScrumMaster

    Scaled Agile Framework, or SAFe, is a pioneer in enterprise – or large-scale – agility and provides a range of certifications, including SAFe ScrumMaster or SSM.

    The course varies significantly from more traditional Scrum Master Courses and Certifications because it emphasizes the role of Scrum Master within the organization as a whole, rather than just facilitating a team. Participants can learn how to prepare and execute the curriculum increment – which is linked to the Agile teams’ goals during their sprint period and is a critical part of the SAFe organization.

    To receive certification, you must take part in a two-day course. It’s best if you’re familiar with Agile principles and concepts, understand hardware and software development, and are conscious of Scrum, Kanban, and intense programming.

    Participants are equipped with course materials, a study guide, and a practice test. If you are certified, you will receive a one-year membership of the SAFe Community Platform and other digitally related benefits, such as learning materials.

    How Do I Become A Certified Scrum Master?

    To create and deliver products with the highest possible value, you must help teams deliver products in short cycles, allowing quick feedback, quality improvement, and rapid adaptation to change. If that sounds a lot like the Scrum concept to you, you’re already on the right path to become a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM).

    Becoming a CSM is not hard but leading the team effectively on Scrum’s ideals requires determination, courage, and concentration. The qualifications for being a CSM allow you to do just that.

    What is a CSM?

    To be successful, every agile development team needs ScrumMaster. As a CSM, you will be well qualified to make your team smoother and improve your team’s chances of success. ScrumMaster is not a project leader or project manager, but rather a “servant leader” committed to helping the team thrive within the Scrum system. A CSM has many duties, including ensuring teamwork and guarding the team against distractions that can interrupt productivity. There are also several advantages of becoming a CSM, such as expanding your career possibilities and networking with other Scrum experts.

    What are the conditions for becoming a CSM?

    There are three steps you need to complete to become a Certified ScrumMaster:

    • Get acquainted with Scrum and complete the CSM course pre-requisites.

    • Attend a CSM in-person course led by a Certified Scrum Trainer.

    • Pass the CSM exam by answering at least 37 of the 50 questions correctly.

    What do I need to do before I take a CSM course?

    Before taking a CSM course, it is imperative to prepare correctly by thoroughly familiarizing yourself with Scrum theory and principles. Usually, a CSM course starts with a short quiz to verify that you are ready to start the CSM training process. To pass this quiz, you need to complete the Scrum Foundations eLearning Collection, a series of videos featuring Scrum Theory, Scrum Functions, Scrum Activities, and Scrum Objects. You can also download and read the official Scrum Guide and be familiar with the Agile Manifesto. The fulfillment of these criteria is necessary if you want to excel in your CSM course.

    What’s a CSM exam?

    The CSM is an online exam comprising of 35 multiple-choice questions. To pass and receive your credential, you must get at least 24 correct questions. It’s up to you to take the exam, but it must be after you’ve completed your CSM course. The Scrum Alliance enables you to take the test up to two times at no expense. If you don’t pass the second time, you will be made to pay a small fee for each subsequent attempt. You will be allowed to see which questions you answered incorrectly, but the answers will not be given to you. It’s crucial to research any questions you missed so that you can pass the exam on your next try.

    The mandatory CSM course lasts for 16 hours. However, in addition to the two days spent learning, many people have to spend time studying. You’ll most likely want to spend time reading and studying the pre-requisite materials to ensure that you’re well prepared for the class. After you have completed the course, you may need to take the CSM exam online. While the course will provide you with the tools and skills you need to pass the exam, you may want to spend even more time reviewing the course materials and notes before you take the test. Based on the course’s availability, it can take weeks or months before you become accredited, so be sure to prepare accordingly.

    Which Scrum Master Certification Is Best?

    Scrum is an increasingly common project management system that helps businesses and organizations manage large projects, improve team transparency, and minimize costs.

    Scrum Master is a qualified specialist who helps coordinate and scale teams of any size to use Scrum methodology. Becoming a certified Scrum master does not only adds trustworthiness; it also makes Scrum masters more sought-after and increases their earning potential. We looked at the best Scrum Master Certifications – the Professional Scrum Master (PSM) and – the Certified Scrum Master (CSM) and other significant Scrum Certifications, as well as the leading training and certification providers for each.

    Scrum.org

    In 2009, Scrum co-founder Ken Schwaber left Scrum Alliance and established Scrum.org to provide training that he felt was more in line with Scrum fundamentals. In the buildup of things, he developed an equivalent to the Certified Scrum Master, dubbed the Professional Scrum Master (PSM). The Scrum certification is generally recognized second only to Scrum Alliance.

    The major difference between Scrum.org and Scrum Alliance is how each handles certification. Though Scrum Alliance allows people to complete Scrum training before taking the certification exam, Scrum.org concentrates on the exam itself. The company is less concerned about the type of class or training that Scrum Masters undergo than the skills they acquire.

    Scrum.org offers three levels of PSM certification: PSM I, II and III. According to the course descriptions, PSM I certification concentrates on “understanding how Scrum can be applied to Scrum teams and having a consistent terminology and approach to Scrum.” PSM II certification concentrates on understanding the underlying principles of Scrum and the Scrum values in a diversity of complex organizational and team situations.

    Scrum.org does not require people to have any coaching to take the PSM exam. However, Scrum training courses are also offered. Scrum.org also does not necessitate the re-certification of its PSM instruction.

    Scrum Inc.

    In 2006, Scrum and Scrum Alliance co-founder Jeff Sutherland founded Scrum Inc. to return to teaching CSM courses. Scrum Inc. also provides management seminars and other business coaching and consulting services. We regard it as the best engaging class because it focuses on training with interactive and dynamic hands-on activities.

    Scrum Inc.’s Licensed Scrum Master Training blends seminars with a range of games and exercises to give participants first-hand experience of Scrum Master Role. Class participants coordinate Scrum teams and learn how to build and handle product backlogs, resolve burn-down charts, and study real-world case studies from various industries.

    There are no requirements for Licensed Scrum Master training, and all levels of Scrum expertise are welcome. Courses begin at $1,995, including exam fees, and hold online for three hours a day for four days. Students who satisfactorily complete the course and pass the exam will receive a Certificate of Licensed Scrum Master signed by Jeff Sutherland.

    Scrum Alliance

    Established in 2001 by Scrum, Ken Schwaber, and Jeff Sutherland, Scrum Alliance, was the first to give Scrum certification. This is the title of the Certified Scrum Master (CSM). Many people regard Scrum Alliance’s CSM as the best scrum certification as it is one of the most widely recognized Scrum Masters certification programs.

    Scrum Alliance’s certification training focuses on sessions with certified trainers and instructors, followed by a standardized exam. Each CSM graduate of the Scrum Alliance must undergo the CSM training program to take the certification exam.

    The Scrum Alliance provides virtual in-person and online training around the world. Online courses comprise two, eight-hour days, beginning at $795. In-person training programs are usually two to three days long and generally start at $1,300, with special discounts available to groups. All course fees cover the cost of the examination, which may be taken after each course.

    Scrum Alliance allows individuals to update their CSM certification every two years. The renewal fee is $100. Scrum Alliance requires 20 Scrum Education Units (SEUs) to be re-certified for the CSM.

    Types of Scrum Certifications

    There are a different kind of Scrum Certifications obtainable all over the globe, but the prominent ones among them along the career path that one is likely to get is shown below:-

    CertificationCareer Path
    Scrum Master CertificationScrum Master
     Mentor
     Coach
     Manager
     Product Owner
      
    Advanced Scrum Master CertificationScrum Master
     Mentor
     Coach
     Manager
     Product Owner
      
    Certified Scrum Professional (CSP-SM)Scrum Master
     Mentor
     Coach
     Manager
     Product Owner for big organizations
      
    Professional Scrum Master Training (PSM)Scrum Master
     Mentor
     Coach
     Manager
     Product Owner for big organizations
      
    SAFe 4.0 Scrum Master (SSM)Agile Project Manager
     Senior Scrum Master
     Scrum Master
     Product Owner
     Agile Coach
     Agile Project Director
     Agile Scrum Master
      
    Scrum Master Certified (SMC)Senior Scrum Master
     Associate Scrum Master
     Scrum Master
     Coach Scrum Master
     Product Owner/Manager
      
    Agile Scrum Master (ASM)Scrum Master
     Agile Coach
     Associate Scrum Master
     Product Manager

    Scrum Master Certification Online

    The scrum master is one of the critical functions of the Agile project using the scrum system. This person is the primary project facilitator, responsible for scheduling regular meetings, enhancing team spirit, and improving efficiency by eliminating roadblocks and supporting the team. Here’s an outline of how to become a scrum master online in seven basic steps:

    Step 1: Learn the fundamentals of Scrum
    Before you can become a scrum master, it’s important to get acquainted with both the ideals and concepts of Agile and the general scrum system. Along with the materials on their website, you can check out the Agile Manifesto and the Scrum Alliance eLearning Series to get acquainted with common principles, habits, and values.

    Step 2: Select your Scrum Certification
    One of the finest ways to become a scrum master is through a reputable certification program. This kind of program will make sure that you are conversant with Scrum, Agile, and the responsibilities and requirements of the scrum master. Plus, earning your certification will enable you to showcase your field expertise and open up new opportunities.
    There are a variety of different scrum master certifications that you can choose from. Examples are:
    • Through Scrum Alliance, Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
    • Through Scrum Inc., Scrum Master
    • Through Scrum.org, Professional Scrum Master (PSM I)

    Step 3: Enroll in a Scrum course
    If you have chosen your certification route, it’s time to register for an officially renowned Scrum course. Each certification option has its requirements, so be sure to take part in a course that will be widely recognized before engaging in it. For example, Scrum.org needs you to take the Professional Scrum Master Course to sit on the PSM I examination.

    Step 4: Register for the Exam.
    If you’ve undergone the minimum number of training hours, you’re qualified to take your exam and prove that you’re knowledgeable enough to become a Scrum Master. It is recommended that you take the exam as near as possible to the end of your course to retain the full knowledge taught. In addition, in the case of Scrum.org, as long as you re-sit the exam within 14 days of completing the course, if you don’t pass the course, you will be given a second free trial.

    Step 5: Preparing for the Exam
    No matter how early after the course you register for the examination, it’s important to keep going through your notes and study until the exam day. Reading through supplementary scrum resource materials or watching scrum webinars will help ensure that you are fully ready to pass your examination.
    The examination generally focuses on key Scrum concepts and practices, including project management, sprints, release planning, team building, progress reporting, and scalability. However, some of the exam questions may also ask about the history, theory, and evolution of the Scrum system.

    Step 6: Sit and pass the exam
    The actual exam can differ slightly depending on the certification program. In general, this would be a multiple-choice exam with a pass mark of between 60–85 percent. The exam is typically about an hour-long, and you should know whether or not you have passed it within minutes. When you have passed, you can obtain a PDF copy of your scrum master certification via email. Now you are finally a scrum master.

    Step 7: Renewal of certifications after two years
    Scrum Master Certifications typically expire every two years. Therefore, to retain a recognized scrum master’s title, you must renew your certificate once biennially. There will be a charge for the renewal of your certificate.
    Depending on which organization your certificate is issued, this step may need you to include evidence of “continuing education hours. In other words, the program host needs to see that you have spent time learning more about Scrum and keeping up to date with any major changes.

    There’s power in being empowered… Are you ready?

    There’s power in being empowered…Are you ready?
    Covid-19 has accelerated the pace of the adoption of 4th Industrial Revolution technologies. And, even more so when it comes to empowering individuals through relevant and meaningful training. So, what does this really mean? In keeping with our promise to maintain the highest standards and provide a consistent, valuable customer experience at every touchpoint, we are perfectly poised to empower individuals to reach their greatest potentials in a changing world.


    The ‘new normal’ therefore ushers in a whole new paradigm shift both in the way we work and the way we live. There is a greater need to improve our skills in many developing disciplines that involve: 

    • Interpersonal skills such as leadership, emotional intelligence and managing conflict
    • “Soft skills’ such as creativity, critical thinking and creative problem solving

    An excerpt from one of our recent articles sums up the situation perfectly:

    “COVID-19 is Responsible for Accelerating the Pace Adopting 4IR Technologies and the Need for Creative Problem Solving In light of recent events, it goes without saying that COVID-19 is responsible for accelerating the pace of the widespread adoption of 4th Industrial Revolution technologies. It is estimated that more than 7 billion people worldwide have been subjected to severe restrictions of movement during phases of lockdown in the past few months, and systems that have for decades resisted change are now forced into going virtual. Businesses from all economic sectors are applying creative problem-solving techniques in ways never seen before and are developing new technical solutions using digital technologies and revamping their business models at a rate that would have been inconceivable only months ago. This brings to our attention the fact that 4IR technologies are now crucial to our very survival. 

    Human Creativity is Driving 4th Industrial Revolution Technologies 

    So, what does creativity have to do with any of these things? For starters, we need to bear in mind that while 4th Industrial Revolution technologies are fast becoming the way to go in the world of the “new normal,” they are driven by something far superior to robots—human creativity. And in recent times, humans are applying their creative problem solving skills to using these technologies to kit us out for survival in the new era. 

    Understanding the Importance of Human Creativity in the 4th Industrial Revolution 

    According to The World Economic Forum, Deloitte, and McKinsey, creativity is in the top 3 most sought-after skills needed to survive the 4th Industrial Revolution since it is a cognitive skill that simply cannot be automated. In fact, McKinsey estimates that it is now even more important than complex information processing and interpretation, as well as advanced literacy and writing skills, in that the demand for skills involving a high degree of creativity is anticipated to increase by approximately 14 percent in Europe and 19 percent in the United States in the near future. The 4th Industrial Revolution brings along with it a whole host of new technologies and sophisticated products, and as a result, changes in the workplace to such an extent that will require both creative thinking and creative problem-solving skills. 

    Creative Thinking: Creative thinking involves generating original ideas and unique ways of solving problems. 

    Creative Problem-Solving: Creative problem solving is concerned with solving issues that pose numerous possible solutions and how to determine the best way forward given these different variables.” 

    In our latest podcast, we discuss the latest prevailing trends and what they mean when it comes to empowering us to move forward in the ‘new normal.’

    Coding Schools in South Africa

    Coding courses

    South Africa is a country on the southernmost edge of Africa, characterized by various distinct habitats. Away from the coast safari destination Kruger National Park is host to various big games. The Western Cape provides beaches, ancient Winelands around Stellenbosch to Paarl, sharp rocks at the Cape of Good Hope, green forests and lakes along the Garden Road, and under the flat-top Table Mountain is Cape Town.

    The variety of programming courses offered in South Africa stimulate coders to learn conventional programming languages such as R, Python, JavaScript, C#, Visual Basic, Ruby, Java, and libraries and frameworks, such as ReactJS, Spring, Django, and VueJS.

    Computer Programming trains programmers on how computers analyze, act, and work. Not to mention, without the role of programmers, computers would not know what to process. Computer programming illustrates the process of writing, testing, and debugging. Not to take into account troubleshooting and maintaining the computer program’s source code. Overall, programming or coding is a highly valued skill in Southern Africa and around the world.

    The coding curriculum at the IT School consists of a variety of useful information sets and skills. This, in part, is because the task of writing code (source code) involves experience in many different skills, including conversance with the application used. Not to consider the application domain and the fact that you can study mathematical logic (algorithms). The computer programming programs at the IT School vary from introductory lessons to programming (Java, c#, python, c++, vb) to more technical short courses.

    If you’re new to computer programming or need more specialized computer programming experience, introducing programming courses would provide you with the best beginner skills. Besides, it will provide you with reasoning and information to get started.

    The job opportunities of programmers are outstanding and high in demand. Coding seems to be everywhere: on all networks and platforms and in all countries on the planet!

    • Data Scientist
    • Developer
    • Software Tester
    • App Developer
    • Web Developer
    • Software Developer
    • Junior Programmer
    • Software Engineer
    • Systems Architect

    According to the Salary Survey, South African coders’ average income has risen from 2017 to 2018, climbing from R42,000 a month to R43,000 a month.

    In contrast, the total average monthly wage for South Africans has declined. BusinessTech announced a decline from R20,020 in November 2017 to R20,758 in February 2018.

    Coding companies in South Africa

    Are you searching for the leading software development companies in South Africa? Are you looking for coding and tech firms to help you stay ahead of your rivals in today’s competitive world? Personalized software development companies work diligently to help you authenticate the idea, set specific goals, and find any possible blockages and overcome them to achieve the best outcomes. With the list of the best app developers in South Africa, you can choose your business’s most appropriate company without any issues.

    1. MobiDev

    The age of classical apps is over. The world is complex, but those who apply technology to their industry will benefit. That is why TOP businesses are integrating AI into their new and current products. MobiDev blends what mobile and PC applications have to deliver with new AI technologies to accomplish your market objectives.

    2. Unicsoft

    Unicsoft is a trusted technology advisory firm that provides AI and Blockchain technologies to drive market results for start-ups and companies. The Unicsoft team has vast experience in Blockchain, Computer Vision, Natural Language Processing, Big Data, Machine Learning, Data Science, and Data Analytics. They help entrepreneurs test innovations, create an MVP, iterate to suit the product demand, and grow rapidly. They offer technology consultancy services to companies, including building market-led strategies and energizing legacy structures that drive company success and constrain inefficiencies. Unicsoft addresses outstanding client service as their top priority. They do this by direct and timely coordination, accountability in consumer expectations set, a well-organized production process, and a constructive and consistent staff.

    3. SovTech

    SovTech is a custom software development firm that offers a full software design and development service. SovTech offers best-in-class tailored software solutions, professional software development teams, and revolutionary cloud software to enterprise businesses across various industries.

    They acknowledge that emerging innovations are the lifeline of any enterprise in the digital era and seek to link companies in all industries to revolutionary innovation, technological growth, products, and services in a quicker, simpler, and better way than ever before.

    4. Helios Design

    They are a committed team of designers, programmers, and visionary thinkers who are excited about bringing their clients’ visions to life. Since their formation in 2005, their mission has been to do outstanding work, create fantastic relationships, partner with great minds, and continue learning.

    5. Impulsum

    They provide full digital transformation services and develop international software frameworks in diverse industries.

    Impulsum, headquartered in Cape Town, is a pioneering South African software development and solutions company. The company was established in 2019. With a clear corporate ideology of “Being Ethical,” combined with proactive management, re-investment, and an unwavering emphasis on generating effects, Impulsum will continue to expand at a fast pace without the need for additional capital injections.

    Java Developer Course

    The online Java developer course lets participants understand the key principles of Java, Data Structures, Algorithms, Advanced Java Concepts, and Java frameworks that help them succeed as Java software developers. Online JAVA training is carried out by a trained Java specialist with a wide variety of expertise and a subject matter expert.

    Upon completing the course, applicants can engage and excel in JAVA interviews and OCJP, OCWD certifications. Both participating students have access during their lifespan to all preparation lessons that come with the course, including research materials.

    What would a participant learn at the end of a Java Developer course?

    • Learn to develop several types of software using Java programming language.
    • Create, update, read, and delete records using JDBC.
    • Access Database and manipulate using transactions.
    • Design XML and SOAP-based services.
    • Utilize CDI to implement dependency injection.
    • Develop enterprise software and applications using Java.
    • Participants will have comprehensive knowledge about inner classes, inheritance, exceptional handling, Generics, String Handling, Java I/O, Java Collection framework, Servlet programming, JDBC, JSP, collection mapping, EJB, and web services.
    • Hands-on practice on different concepts of Java, including Hibernate, Spring, and Struts Frameworks
    • Know how various components interact with other systems.
    • Work with Hibernate and Spring frameworks
    • Use JDBC in an enterprise environment.
    • Work with ORM, Spring MVC, and other components
    • Write Java programs with timer services.
    • Apply Web services in Enterprise software and applications.
    • Integrate Spring with hibernate and vice versa.
    • Hands-on practical knowledge with Project work

    Who can participate in a Java Developer Course?

    • Fresh graduates who wish to become a software developer or Java lover.
    • Novice programmers who wish to master Java in depth.
    • Experienced programmers searching for a Java application to expand their knowledge in the new Java version.
    • Programmers operating on various frameworks would like to migrate to Java.

    Course Features

    • No coding experience is required, as the training is at its heart.
    • The tutor is seasoned and operates in the company of Java Developers. He/she holds classes on a part-time basis.
    • All course content, including – research materials, case studies, projects, etc., can be downloaded for a lifetime.
    • High-quality tasks and project jobs to gain realistic experience on Java/J2EE
    • Module smart evaluations will help you determine your understanding of the module.
    • The online Java training software will be covered within 60 hours. During this training class, the teacher will also offer instruction about making a convincing resume and planning an upcoming interview.

    WordPress training

    An approximate 38% of internet users would stop and not connect with a website if the text or style is visually unattractive. So, via a Basic WordPress Training Course in South Africa, a participant will be a successful web design conversant.

    In turn, participants would be able to build their single-page website, learn how to keep their followers and readers and create the best web design material ever. Overall, they would gain their WordPress course expertise from one of the WordPress experts in a WordPress training center in South Africa. If you’re new to WordPress, then we strongly recommend a WordPress beginner course. This is a perfect start to creating your website or blog. If you already have sufficient WordPress experience, the Advanced WordPress course will cover eCommerce and payment gateways.

    Web Development Objectives

    Also, after the beginner WordPress course, students would have the following valuable knowledge:

    • Understand navigation and build pages and posts.
    • Overall, gain knowledge about WordPress themes, including child themes.
    • The participant will learn HTML5, the content formatting of a web page, and HTML history.
    • Understand the principles behind interactive web design and mobile WordPress mobile themes.
    • Not to mention CSS3 and the three styles of styling: inline, internal, and external CSS folders.
    • All in all, read about WordPress plugins and how to use them.
    • Understand third parties extensions.
    • Not to mention the developer browsers and tools.
    • Understand maintaining a website and hosting (FTP)
    • Learn expertise in Google Adwords, SEO, and Google Analytics.

    Who is this Course for?

    • Students who have already finished the Introduction to Web Design Course or have the same HTML & CSS training level.
    • Web designers who want to learn how to build sophisticated interactive websites with WordPress, HTML, PHP, and CSS.
    • Anyone who wants to learn how to build and configure interactive WordPress websites.
    • Students who want to learn how to build a website in South Africa.

    Assumed Knowledge

    For this WordPress training in South Africa, a participant must have full knowledge of HTML and CSS. A participant should have working experience in the use of a Windows or Mac device. The Introduction addresses all to Web Design Course.

    Web developer courses

    As the interactive face of a business, websites are a central component of many organizations’ marketing and operational strategies. For this cause, companies around sectors appreciate the talents of practitioners who can create attractive web sites that put the company’s name apart from the crowd.

    The Web Design Online Short Course in south Africa introduces you to web design building blocks. It aims to empower you with theoretical knowledge and practical skills to create a strong online presence for you or your business. You will gain a simple knowledge of coding languages and figure out how to test and publish web sites that work across different devices.

    Throughout the course, you will apply your skills to the development of a four-page website and have the ability to show your work to classmates for input in a series of class “crit” sessions. You’re going to leave with the courage to launch your career in the rising world of web design.

    Is this course for you?

    This introductory course is intended for working professionals who want to become important in a challenging modern age. It is also tailored to those willing to shift career path or skill in web design, graphic design, art direction, and digital marketing activities. Individuals with existing expertise in web design may verify their skills with a UCT certificate of completion. Please remember, students will be responsible for purchasing their domain names for this course.

    Reactive Programming with Angular RxJS

    Duration: 14 hours

    Reactive programming is an interactive programming framework that emphasizes data streams and data propagation by maintaining a specified dependence between the fundamental execution models and the data streams transmitted from one component to another. Many Angular framework architecture inefficiencies when creating asynchronous UIs can be solved using the RxJS library’s reactive style patterns.

    Advanced PHP Programming

    Duration: 35 hours

    In this instructor-led, online training course in South Africa, students will learn how to incorporate advanced PHP programming software and methods.

    React Native for Web

    Duration: 21 hours

    React Native is an open-source, cross-platform software tool for mobile app creation. Created by Facebook, it helps developers to build a native look-and-feel interface for their Android and IoS applications. React Native for Web provides React Native’s platform-agnostic components and APIs accessible for web app development.

    Reactive Programming for iOS with RxSwift

    Duration: 7 hours

    This live online training in South Africa exposes learners to the reactive strategies provided by RxSwift for controlling and integrating asynchronous data sources, handling basic observable sequences, and the design and implementation of responsive, modular, and industry-wide scalable iOS applications.

    Reactive Programing with Rx.NET

    Duration: 7 hours

    The.NET Reactive Extensions (Rx) is a database for writing asynchronous and event-based programs using measurable arrays and LINQ-style query operators.

    In this online instructor-led training, learners can learn how to create an asynchronous program using.NET Reactive Extensions.

    R programming language

    R is a free programming language and software built by Robert Gentleman and Ross Ihaka in 1993. It has a comprehensive catalog of mathematical and graphical approaches. It also covers statistical inference, time series, machine learning algorithms, to name a few. Most R libraries are written in R, but Fortran, C++, and C codes are recommended for heavy computational activities.

    Academics trust r, but several major corporations still use R programming languages, including Google, Uber, Facebook, Airbnb, etc.

    Data analysis with R is carried out in various steps; programming, exploration, transformation, modeling, and communication of results.

    • Program: R is a simple, free programming tool.
    • Transform: R consists of a series of libraries built exclusively for data science.
    • Discover: Analyze the data, refine your theory, and evaluate it.
    • Model: R offers a wide variety of tools to capture the best model for your results.
    • Communicate: Integrate passwords, diagrams, and outputs to an R Markdown report or create Shiny applications to distribute with the world.

    What is R used for?

    • Machine learning algorithm
    • Data analysis
    • Statistical inference

    R by Industry

    If we analyze the use of R by industry, we see that it comes first for scholars. R is a mathematical language. R is the first option in the healthcare sector, preceded by government and consultancy.

    R package

    Visualization, statistics, and machine learning are and will still be the key uses of R.

    All R libraries, approximately 12k, are housed in CRAN. CRAN is free of charge and open-source. You can import and use several libraries to perform Time Series Analysis or Machine Learning.

    Communicate with R

    R has several ways to display and share work through a markdown document or a shiny app. Everything can be hosted on Rpub, GitHub, or the business’s website.

    Learn to code Johannesburg

    It can be a struggle to try as a non-traditional candidate (no degree relevant to computer science/IT) to get into the software industry in South Africa. Many individuals will not charge Bootcamp fees, so we tried to assemble a list of training programs to eliminate these obstacles.

    Know that it can be a long and complicated path to learn how to code. Don’t get disheartened. Many people hold the same feeling, so it is necessary to communicate with others on this trip. We strongly suggest communicating with “Tech Twitter.” Here you will find a list of developers based in South Africa.

    Online Resources

    Don’t worry, if you’re not in big cities like Johannesburg, there are fantastic free online resources. We would recommend that you pick one of the following resources and don’t slip into the tutorial hell pit by sticking to it.

    • The Odin Project
    • Techtonica
    • FreeCodeCamp
    • Learning Lab
    • Google Africa Blog
    • Coursera
    • Google Africa | Pluralsight Scholarship
    • https://watchandcode.com/courses

    If you utilize online resources, “learn in public” will be fantastic, particularly if you do not have a conventional degree. Many South African firms stress degrees. By interacting with others and building a forum, you will get ahead with a firm.

    WeThinkCode

    • Campuses in Cape Town and Johannesburg
    • WeThinkCode is a commercially operating non-profit organization with corporate donors paying the tuition of their students and offering two paid four-month internships in their first and second years.
    • Requirements: someone between the ages of 17 and 35 can train full-time for two years, with no previous coding experience required. You are liable for securing a new work visa / permit valid for two years if you are not South African.
    • They organize regular testing Days at both campuses. If you do not have a computer, [email protected] to schedule a time-slot when the two application tests will be done.

    AfricaTeenGeeks

    • Johannesburg based
    • Africa Teen Geeks seeks to remove the challenges encountered by marginalized populations in the pursuit of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
    • Their services include Girl Geek Summit, Saturday coding lessons, and STEM Digital Academy.

    Umuzi Academy

    • Campus in Johannesburg
    • Umuzi Academy partners with leading companies to empower promising young people with the limited technical resources they need in the fourth industrial revolution to enter high-value jobs and succeed. Several digital space industries, including web creation, UI/UX architecture, data science, and many others, provide a one-year learning experience.
    • They offer an affordable housing initiative if you are not from Johannesburg.

    Coding Courses in Cape Town

    If it is job stability and high demand you’re seeking, maybe you’re contemplating a tech career, check out the best IT courses in Cape Town. Let this year be the year you execute your tech job plans.

    1. CodeXTM

    This one-year, full-time coding program is located in Cape Town’s East City Precinct on Harrington Street. The class focuses on web creation with Full-Stack. The aim is not to teach particular structures but to introduce students to the programming building blocks to pick up at a later level for whatever structure they need. Students learn to use encryption, authentication, and authorization to create stable web applications and then deploy them to the cloud. The core education system is based on JavaScript, but different programming stacks are used by learners, including Ruby, Python, PHP, .Net, and Java.

    R70,000 is the 2018 cost, minus VAT. Qualified coders with proven financial need could apply for a stipend and living costs scholarship as well as a tuition Scholarship covering part or all of the tuition costs. The institution also offers loans on commercial terms.

    1. IT School

    In the Western Cape, this school provides both online and one-on-one tuition. They offer different classes, including PC Tech, Web Design, SQL, AutoCAD, Social Media, MS Workplace, and programming courses. C#, Android, Python, Java, and C++ provide programming classes. The functional side of programming and IT is the core focus of the IT school.

    1. CodeSpace

    CodeSpace delivers a variety of face-to-face full-time and part-time classes that include days for seminars and projects. Web Development Extended (R37,000, 17 weeks) and Web Development Intensive are full-time classes (R29,000, 15 weeks). The goal is to use CSS, PHP, HTML, JavaScript, and MySQL to develop usable, interactive web applications.

    Numerous part-time coding courses vary from 2-4 weeks in duration, including Intro and Intermediate JavaScript, coding websites (HTML and CSS), Intro to React, Intro to Deployment, and Intro to SQL.

    Coding bootcamp Pretoria

    Online or onsite, instructor-led live training courses in computer programming show the basics and specialized programming concepts by immersive, hands-on instruction.

    Programming instruction is available as “onsite live training” or “live online training.” Online Live Training (aka “remote live training”) is conducted using an interactive, remote screen. Onsite live programming training can be done directly at client premises in Pretoria or corporate training centers in Pretoria at NobleProg.

    1. Brooklyn Bridge Business Centre

    The Brooklyn Bridge business center inhabits a three-story, futuristic building in the famous Brooklyn Circle office park on Pretoria’s outskirts, South Africa’s administrative capital. The building in the center of Pretoria’s eastern areas boasts state-of-the-art features and is close to many services in this vibrant diplomatic city and industrial center. There are several embassies in the business center area, which is about 20 minutes by road from the central business district and the M7 or M11 and includes adequate basement parking. Parking is also accessible at the adjacent Brooklyn Mall. Some of Africa’s 500 best-managed companies are located in the region., including engineering, health, legal services, and security sector companies.

    1. Hotel Sheraton Pretoria

    Located in the eastern suburbs of Pretoria, the Wingate Park Country Club provides a historic facility. The lands are blessed with ancient trees, flowering shrubs, and a wide range of birdlife.

    Data analytics courses

    What are data analytics courses?

    Data analytics is the method of using mathematical analysis and logical methods to derive knowledge from data. When carried out meticulously and effectively, data analysis findings will be an invaluable supplement to qualitative study in providing information for decision-making. Data analytics may sound like data science, but there are major variations. Data scientists usually come from computer science and programming backgrounds and focus on coding expertise to construct algorithms and analytical models. Usually, data analysts have backgrounds in statistics and analytics and often use these computational methods to respond to real market issues. 

    Data analytics is a very old idea that became more important as analysts started using machines to help make business choices in the 1960s. Today, organizations are impacted by data, regardless of scale, location, and industry. Several companies utilize data in different business functions, including inventory management, customer support, and development. Data analysts may help business executives make smarter choices by identifying patterns and solving market challenges, such as why revenues fell in a given quarter. Although data analysts and data scientists both deal with data, what they do with the knowledge varies. By seeking responses to a series of questions using statistics, a data analyst assists market executives in decision-making. On the other hand, a data scientist creates his queries, designs tests, and develops new algorithms. 

    Online workshops are a perfect place to acquire data processing expertise. Multiple online sites provide technical degrees, MasterTrack certificates, specializations, and data analysis courses from top colleges such as Michigan University and organizations such as the Academy of International Business Management. Many classes, such as introductions to data science and data science programming with SQL, Python, and R, are common to data science and data analysis. Courses more basic to data analytics are also accessible, such as data analysis and comprehension skills, company Excel skills, exploratory data analysis, and several statistics and probability courses. As the need for computer expertise has grown, data analytics qualifications and courses have increased in popularity. The best data analytics courses allow students to learn key programming languages, such as, among others, Python, R, and SQL, and gain real experience with:

    • Collecting data
    • Analyzing Results
    • Visualization of Results
    • Analysis of data
    • Prognostic analytics

    Data analytics qualification is a valuable investment since it can help you improve the data expertise that companies progressively focus on, offer you more chances to grow with your new employer, and contribute to higher pay. Data analytics courses were designed to obtain hands-on experience uncovering new perspectives from data sets, creating data-driven forecasts, and creating compelling data visualization. To help professionals take advantage of these resources. Data analysts do not do as much coding as data scientists, but learning your way through those programming languages is still important. In particular, the industry norm for accessing massive datasets is SQL (Structured Query Language), and statistical programming languages such as R or Python are important for carrying out advanced analysis of this information. 

    Data analysts often focus on more traditional market systems. Although Microsoft Excel is not as efficient as SQL, R, and Python, it will get the job done when dealing with comparatively smaller databases. It could be the best (and cheapest) early-stage lean startup method for the job. Data visualization and presentation capabilities are often an essential aspect of the work, which generally entails learning new applications such as Tableau and improving traditional business tools such as Excel and Powerpoint.

    What are the best courses for data analytics?

    Data analytics is a branch of data science that deals with data processing and interpretation and uses different methods to turn it into useful knowledge that can be used for decision-making and enhancing organizational efficiency. Data analytics aims to produce data insights by linking operational priorities with patterns and trends. A typical case in data analytics is comparing data properties with corporate assumptions, and the methodology aims to concentrate on market and policy. The following online data analytics courses will help you know about becoming a successful data analyst.

    Data Analyst Nanodegree Program on Udacity

    For students familiar with Python (and in particular NumPy and Pandas) and SQL programming, Udacity’s Data Analyst Nanodegree Program is ideally adapted. This nano-degree curriculum is divided into four courses: Data Analysis Presentation, Functional Statistics, Data Wrangling, and Python Data Visualization. Videos and quick quizzes are used to teach course content. With a chat GUI installed inside the classroom, you can communicate with other students. A project or two is also included in any lesson. For instance, students have to explore weather patterns in Introduction to Data Analysis and investigate one of Udacity’s curated databases using Numpy and Pandas.

    The great thing about this initiative is that on all their assignments, students get individual reviews. Furthermore, all learners undergo job counseling. It takes students, on average, four months to complete the curriculum from beginning to finish if they spend at least 10 hours a week studying. Udacity’s Data Analyst Nanodegree Program will teach you how to say a story with data, as long as you have some experience with Python and SQL. The software incorporates some of the most common data analytics resources, such as R, Python, and Tableau. It helps you apply principles that you have only studied to real-world ventures inspired or provided by businesses in the field.

    Data Science Specialization on Coursera

    Coursera’s Data Science Specialization is a 10-course curriculum that allows you to grasp data science’s whole process at a fundamental level. While anybody can sign up for this course, students should have Python novice level experience and some knowledge of regression. The program is taught through videos and additional readings. The curriculum culminates with a hands-on assignment that offers students an incentive to generate a functional data product.

    Most students should expect to complete the program in about 11 months, according to Coursera, as long as they spend 7 hours a week training. Since Coursera charges a monthly fee, the specialization is completed as soon as possible with good motivation. Students may still opt to access the course material for free, but this means they will miss certification and the capstone project. There is a 7-day free trial if you are not sure if the course is right for you. Coursera also helps applicants who cannot pay the course fee with financial assistance.

    Data Analytics Immersion on Thinkful

    Data Analytics Immersion from Thinkful is an intensive program for full-time training. Although it is one of the most expensive courses out there in data analytics ( $12,250), it promises to take you from beginner to expert in just four months. Students, however, are expected to spend between 50 to 60 hours studying a week. You receive a customized timetable to help you stay on track once you sign up for the course.

    Seven fields are included in the curriculum: Excel Foundations, Storytelling with Info, SQL Foundation, Tableau, Market Analysis, Python Foundations, and Capstone. Students get to create a final project during the Capstone Process. The content for the course is text-based. As such, the software will not accommodate people who want training via videos. Each student gets a personal tutor who can answer questions about the course. You also have a career consultant and a performance manager from academia. During difficult moments, the latter will help you fall behind and need to push your deadlines back.

    Business Analytics Specialization on Coursera

    This five-course series seeks to teach students how to use big data in economics, human resources, communications, and operations to make data-driven business decisions. The Business Analytics Specialty is categorized into four discipline-specific courses developed by the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and hosted by Coursera.

    Videos and texts are used to teach students, and knowledge is assessed via mandatory quizzes. Students complete a Capstone Project designed in association with Yahoo at the end of the course. The completion of the entire specialization takes about 40 hours, which means that if they spend three hours a week learning, students can complete the program in just six months.

    How do I become a data analyst?

    Among the top employment avenues in the 21st century are the data analytics and data science fields. The possibilities of data analytics are enormous in the emerging data-savvy environment. You will seize attractive job opportunities with the right experience and skills. If a person wishes to begin a career in data analytics, some requirements are involved, and it needs both technical qualifications and skills. A prospective data analyst is expected to graduate from a data analysis program and have a high GPA. And suppose you do not have a specialty in data analysis, a degree from a well-reputed university in mathematics, statistics, or economics will quickly land an entry-level position in data analysis.

    Many entry-level data analyst positions need at least a bachelor’s degree. Typically, upper-level data analyst positions guarantee a higher salary and enable you to get a master’s or doctoral degree. It is advantageous to get a master’s degree in Data Analysis or Business Analytics. You should pursue a master’s degree if you are interested in data analytics. Other than the degree, which affects you the most, you can even enroll in online classes. Therefore, the direction you follow to be an eligible data analyst can be anything.

    You should be fluent in at least one programming language as a data analyst. The more languages you’re fluent in, though, the better it is. R, Python, C++, Java, MATLAB, PHP, and more are common programming languages used to manipulate data. You should be familiar with languages as a data scientist, such as R, HIVE, SQL, and more. An integral part of data processing is constructing queries to retrieve the desired data. If the data is processed, you may need to produce reliable reports. SAS, Oracle Visual Analyzer, Microsoft Power BI, Cognos, Tableau, and more are a few standard tools.

    The role of a data analyst is to provide decision-makers with comprehensive and reliable details. Data analysts must also consider the customer’s basic requirements and have a deep knowledge of the data. For cooperation with the different stakeholders, administrators, IT experts, excellent communication skills are important in ensuring that the data aligns well with the company goals. The research conducted by a data analyst eventually modifies/improves certain business processes.

    Statistical expertise and the proper level of familiarity with the formulas are needed to have real-world utility for interpreting results. It would help if you had a good understanding of mathematics as a data analyst. You should address basic market issues, such as measuring compound interest, inflation, mathematical measures, etc. You should also know how to use tables, maps, diagrams. It is important to be comfortable with college-level algebra, thus making knowledge visualization more desirable. For data analysts, understanding linear algebra and multivariate calculus is very useful because they are commonly used in data processing performance.

    Among the key activities of data, analysts are arranging data and estimating numbers. Hence, if you are comfortable with Excel, it is helpful. You will learn how to use Excel to its full capacity from many excellent online outlets. To become a data analyst, you must first obtain a Bachelor’s degree, a prerequisite for most entry-level data analyst jobs. Finance, economics, mathematics, statistics, computer science, and information technology are related fields that also provide useful knowledge.

    Data analysis is about understanding emerging patterns and technology, making it important for a data analyst to contribute to lifelong learning for himself. If you plan to become a data analyst but have no industry background, you will start with a degree in an online data analyst course. The course will make your base solid, help you create practical projects, and learn and improve your ability. To gain experience and contribute to your resume, you can go on to an internship or take up some consulting jobs to stand out and get an edge when applying for a high-profile position as a data analyst.

    Big data analytics

    Big data analytics analyses vast volumes of data to discover secret trends, associations, and other observations. It is easy to analyze the data and get answers from it almost automatically with today’s technology. The big data idea has been around for years; most companies today realize that they can apply analytics and get tremendous benefit from it if they collect all the data that streams through their enterprises. But back in the 1950s, decades before anybody uttered the word “big data,” organizations used simple statistics to discover insights and patterns, numbers in a manually checked spreadsheet.

    However, the latest advantages that big data analytics brings to the table are speed and efficacy. Whereas an organization may have accumulated data, run analytics, and unearthed knowledge a few years ago that could be used for future decisions, the company will find directions for immediate decisions today. The opportunity to operate faster and remain flexible offers companies a strategic advantage that they did not previously have. Big data analytics lets businesses leverage their knowledge and use it to discover potential possibilities. In essence, this leads to smarter strategic moves, more effective practices, better income, and happy clients.

    When it comes to managing vast volumes of data, big data technology such as Hadoop and cloud-based analytics offer major cost advantages and help find more effective ways of doing business. With Hadoop and in-memory analytics’s speed and the ability to analyze new data sources, organizations can quickly analyze information and make decisions based on their findings. The power to give clients what they want comes with the opportunity to assess consumer desires and loyalty through analytics. 

    Big data analytics is the often dynamic method of analyzing big data to discover knowledge that can help companies make better business choices, such as secret patterns, correlations, industry dynamics, and consumer desires. Big data is a mixture of organized, semi-structured, and unstructured information gathered by companies that can be used in machine learning programs, predictive processing, and other sophisticated analytics applications to retrieve information. Although big data does not correlate to any single data volume, big data implementations also contain terabytes (TB), petabytes (PB), and even exabytes (EB) of time-captured data.

    Big data analytics is a type of applied analytics that includes complex applications with predictive models, mathematical algorithms, and what-if analysis. Big data analytics can lead to positive business-related results by specialized systems and software:

    • Fresh prospects for sales
    • Marketing can be more effective
    • Better Support for Consumers
    • Enhanced quality of operations
    • Competitive perks over adversaries

    Big data analytics applications allow the study of increasing amounts of organized transaction data by data analysts, data scientists, statisticians, and other analytics practitioners, plus other types of data that are often left untapped by traditional analytical programs. It entails a combination of data that is semi-structured and unstructured. For example, internet clickstream data, web server logs, content from social media, consumer email text and survey responses, cell phone records, and computer data gathered by internet-related sensors of items are some of these data.

    Qlikview

    QlikView is a product for data exploration to create tailor-made analytics applications and dashboards for market challenges. The software helps users discover data observations and associations using QlikView’s Associative Data Indexing Engine through diverse outlets. For sharing knowledge, QlikView provides driven experimentation, discovery, and shared analytics. Also, without technical development skills, the software helps consumers create and deliver analytical applications that help to push quicker responses to evolving market needs and greater visibility within an enterprise.

    Qlikview is also a useful tool for business intelligence that is used to transform raw data into information. This software works like a human brain that can look for answers in various directions. QlikView also includes functionality for ad hoc requests, which enables fast decision-making based on readily accessible details. The software is the traditional analytics tool from Qlik to accelerate fully immersive driven analytics software and dashboards, offering information to address market problems. With the introduction of QlikView and the game-changing Associative Engine it is based upon, the digital analytics era has begun.

    QlikView is very effective in visually analyzing the interactions between information. It performs in-memory data processing and stores the information it produces. Data from many sources, including files and relational databases, can be read. By doing advanced analytics on the data they have, it is used by companies to get deeper insight. By combining data from different sources into one QlikView analysis document, it even does data integration. QlikView is the first-generation BI solution that propelled the market transition from massive, IT-driven, stack-based solutions to more agile approaches to data discovery, kicking-off the revolution in data analytics. To solve business challenges, customers readily embraced QlikView because it allowed them to easily build fully immersive dashboards and analytics applications without relying on stack technologies. For two decades, QlikView has created considerable value across all major industries and geographies for customers of all shapes and sizes. 

    Advantages/ benefits of using QlikView include:

    • Using the platform is easy and very intuitive.
    • It provides visualization of data in a meaningful and creative way
    • There is immediate response time with no limitation on the amount of information
    • It enables you to, directly and indirectly, search through all data
    • There is support for dynamic applications, dashboards, analysis, etc.
    • It facilitates quick integration into a single application of data from different sources.
    • It helps you identify trends and data to make the most innovative choices.
    • It allows you to access, analyze, and retrieve mobile device data.
    • It provides a rapid return on investment due to a short period of implementation.

    Three key components are involved in the Qlik view architecture. QlikView Desktop is a programming platform that developers use to build the QlikView data model and GUI Interface for frontend use. QlikView Server hosts applications created in the desktop version so that users can access and use them anywhere. A QlikView server also manages contact between clients/end-users. The QlikView Publisher is an optional mobile component for the server-side portion of QlikView. This component helps you fetch data directly into QlikView files from a data source, such as normal data files, salesforce, and load data.

    Data analytics courses in South Africa

    Many South African universities have forums for interested citizens in South Africa to learn critical data analytics skills. These courses are mainly classroom teachings from universities in South Africa. Some of these institutions are listed below.

    Data science program from Explore data science academy

    The EXPLORE Data Science Academy is South Africa’s premier Data Science Academy, which teaches students the skills that matter: how to address real-world challenges using the newest Data Science developments. The Approved Skills Program for Data Science is an intensive one year course that teaches students what they need to know:

    • How to function like a Pro with SQL.
    • How to code in Python.
    • How to use new algorithms for machine learning.

    It is based on campuses in Cape Town and Gauteng and runs for one year. The course is fully funded and includes students’ living expenses. For the course, you do not require any unique credentials. You only need to demonstrate a good capacity to solve complicated problems, a grasp of statistics, and a determination to make a difference. A set of demanding aptitude tests are the foundation of the screening criteria.

    GetSmarter’s data analysis short course from the University of Cape Town

    You will practice real-world data sets in this online data analysis course and learn useful skills to drive better decision-making in your company. With a sought-after skill set and a degree of data processing, backed by UCT, you will finish this course and become an asset to every organization. It is available online and lasts for an eight-week duration. It requires about 9 hours a week of effort to take this course, and it costs R14500. No qualifications are necessary to take this course.

    Data science analytics from Knowledge Academy

    This one-day course will help you improve your skills in becoming a professional data analyst. You would successfully research multiple forms of data and turn it into a reliable source of knowledge by taking this course. You may also study different theories, including digital, technological, and theoretical techniques. It is situated in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, and Cape Town. It costs around R28,365, and the course has no prerequisites.

    Introduction to Data Analysis using Stata

    The course is for anyone new to Stata and for anyone who wants a basic refresher from Stata. As well as being able to use Stata effectively for basic visualization and graphics, you can learn strategies for the everyday use of Stata. Some of the topics discussed include: the framework and atmosphere of the Stata menu, opening datasets and collecting descriptive statistics, maintaining the session performance, limiting commands to data subsets, data regression, running batch commands, basic graphs. This course is taken at the University of Cape Town, and R 4 200.00 is the course’s cost. Partial scholarships for bonafide students are available.

    University of the Western Cape’sCape’s Postgraduate Diploma in Data Analytics and Business Intelligence

    Business administration, information technology, data science, and statistics are included in this interdisciplinary theoretical and qualitative studies program and accompanied by an internship during which applicants need to show their abilities in solving difficult problems. The college is in Cape Town, and the length of the course is 18 months. The course is a part-time program, costing R50 000. A B-degree with an average of fifty-five percent for modules in information technology, business administration, data science, or analytics – or a B-degree (or equivalent) with two years of appropriate working experience – are entry requirements for the degree.

    Online short courses in South Africa

    In South Africa, short courses are becoming increasingly popular. Such courses usually run from a few weeks to several months. They are either part-time or postgraduate programs delivered on online sites that an institution or company could own. In some significant sectors of the South African economy, several short courses provide skills. In some fields, they provide experience, which is a plus for any individual who wishes to progress their careers. The experience, versatility, and affordability provided by these courses make them a hot cake.

    You could apply for a short course in digital marketing at any academic institution in South Africa that offers the course. Such courses are important for any online business owner who wants to make more profits or become a seasoned marketer. In the way that programmers make use of codes to build applications, programming is close to software creation. A more common concept, though, is programming. Programming covers both aspects of a smartphone and online app creation. It also includes web design, management, and development. As programmers can work from anywhere and at any moment, programming provides some of the most versatile career prospects in the world today. Short programming classes typically take you through the programming fundamentals and educate you about programming languages.

    One of the most common courses related to data science is software development. Software developers do all sorts of tasks, such as planning, developing, testing, and managing computer systems. They are needed for operations in almost every institution in South Africa that makes use of computer systems. Short software development courses seek to learn how to create software and ensure that the participant perfects the art before the certificate is awarded. In certain institutions that deliver world-class training activities, the qualification is fairly pricey to obtain. Short courses incorporate accounting to concentrate on boosting an individual’s money management skills. People in corporations or those who want to learn how to handle how they invest cash for personal benefits will benefit from this course.

    Accredited online courses in South Africa

    Most universities in South Africa are accredited and, therefore, globally recognized. All South African students need to enroll in approved higher education programs registered with the NQF. That way, your hard-earned degree will be recognized and eligible in another nation whether you travel abroad or migrate for jobs. South Africans can take online courses through MOOC, apart from going the conventional route through universities and colleges. MOOC is an online education site providing courses across various subjects through providers like Coursera, FutureLearn, and edX. Some South Africans that offer accredited online courses are listed below.

    University of Cape Town

    The University of Cape Town is South Africa’s oldest university and is one of the continent’s leading research universities. It has over 25,000 students, and postgraduate students make up 30 percent of them. Although the university is a conventional institution and primarily on-campus, it does deliver free online services via Coursera. Trade, architecture & the built environment, health sciences, humanities, law, and technology are offered in the institution. Tuition is free, and it ranks 114th among the Top Global Universities and 1st in Africa’s Best Universities.

    University of Witwatersrand

    The University of Witwatersrand, also known as the WITS Language School, acknowledges the need to learn online and has begun offering short courses that are entirely online and accredited. The school prides itself on the fact that it is globally known for exemplary research and excellent academic performance. Management and leadership, marketing and sales, finance, IT and digital, and study management are among the university’s subjects.

    University of Johannesburg 

    The University of Johannesburg is proud of its excellence, despite being a very young university. It established itself as an institution of worldwide distinction after just eleven years, delivering globally recognized academic programs. Education, public health, public administration, accounting, human resources, economics, and logistics are some of the courses offered. Per course credit, tuition costs vary from R180 to R374. It ranks 397th in the Best Global Universities and 5th in Africa’s Best Global Universities.

    Accredited training providers in South Africa

    Training providers are expected to be registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training. They must now be approved by the appropriate Quality Councils and deliver registered certificates and skills programs. Education and training providers must apply for accreditation under the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and the Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA). The Education Department must approve both education and training companies providing complete credentials. Unit standards and skills falling under the primary target field of the ETQA body of the relevant Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) or professional body must be provided by the education and training provider.

    When applying for any certificate or program, make sure that you thoroughly recognize the accreditation status of the certification delivering organization and that you recognize the certification or program status. Accredited organizations are registered with the relevant Ministry of Education and accredited by Umalusi or another Quality Council or entity, such as the Education and Training Sector Authority (SETA). All private education and training providers providing qualifications accredited by Umalusi (above) must be licensed with the department. It suggests that independent schools are required to register with the relevant regional Department of Education and that private FET colleges must register with the Pretorian Department of Higher Education and Training.

    Private providers offering short courses and skills packages specifically approved by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) have been exempted and do not need to register. Private providers are expected to show their registration certificates publicly, and potential clients must ask to see the registration certificate. The national qualifications which the provider is registered to provide will be included in the certificate of registration. Private providers must be certified by either Umalusi or another quality assurance agency to provide a particular certification.

    Boot camp Johannesburg 

    Coding boot camps aim to draw young people from underserved areas in South Africa. Attending coding boot camps is free in most cases. It tackles the problem of offering access to those who cannot afford education even at a lower price point than a traditional university degree. In situations where the Bootcamp course is free for beginners, employers often pay for the expense of running it. These firms will also either support them by paying tuition and living costs or host them as interns. After the program, several businesses often commit to recruit a variety of trainees.

    Bootcamps that charge their students tuition are also available. However, in most cases, payment arrangements have been carried out to make these boot camps as inclusive as possible. HyperionDev, for example, accepts all monthly and upfront fees, and they also attempt where possible to offer discounts. Although the Bootcamp curriculum itself is free while you learn, “pay-it-forward” is their model. It suggests that after they have found jobs, students are expected to pay back their tuition. Bootcamp schemes also receive sponsorship from corporations. It can come in the form of donations, or organizations in the program may choose to fund students. Alternatively, scholarship funding is often earned by several boot camps.

    Most local boot camps are grouped as learnerships. Learnerships are part of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) system, meaning that they consist of theoretical and practical training. It could mean being taught a Javascript system in a software Bootcamp and working on a project where you practically use the framework. Usually, Bootcamp programs begin with an online test, which looks at mathematics and reasoning abilities. Before the final student group is selected to commence the structured curriculum, there is usually an in-person, rigorous pre-Bootcamp that assesses skills. Some programs, like HyperionDev, Quirky30, and CapaCiTi, do not involve a pre-Boot Camp intensive range until their final cohort is chosen. CapaCiTi and Quirky30 do not have this session to eliminate barriers to entry. HyperionDev is a for-profit corporation and has more of a financial motive to allow as many students to enroll.

    Short courses in Cape Town

    The University of Cape Town (UCT) is an inclusive, research-intensive top-tier institution and is world-renowned for its academic excellence and contribution to social change and growth. Since 2007, UCT has collaborated with digital education specialist GetSmarter to put the university’s esteemed education online. Via the online paradigm, there is increased access to education, and people who could have been denied the opportunity due to geographical constraints can now enroll. Students undergo versatile, assisted, and immersive learning and finish with a certificate that validates their new skills upon completion. Many short courses are available in UCT, but graphic design and data science courses are in very high demand.

    Graphic Design course

    This ten-week course is designed for those contemplating graphic design as a new option for a career. The material includes introducing the subject matter and equipping students with a solid visual communication base. This course can also be useful for those looking to update their current graphic design skills. No formal prerequisites are required for registration. You will learn how to use Adobe Illustrator to work with digital images and to create persuasive content for both print and online formats by choosing powerful typefaces. In addition to acquiring knowledge of design and expertise in the related applications, you can also learn more about the graphic design industry and develop a portfolio.

    Data Science with Python

    You will have the ability to develop real data science and research skills for use in daily business situations with the Data Science with Python online short course from the University of Cape Town (UCT). This eight-week course targets data scientists who want to close any holes in their data science expertise and skills. The content design will help IT practitioners who need to improve their data science toolkit easily with demonstrable and realistic skills. If you want to enjoy the course’s full benefits, it is highly recommended that you have a clear knowledge of mathematics, statistics, and at least one programming language.

    Short courses in Port Elizabeth

    The Nelson Mandela University Business School in Port Elizabeth is ranked among the best business schools worldwide and on the African continent. Programs concentrate on creating holistic, creative, and socially conscious business leaders and are open to individuals. They empower staff, human capital, and leaders to be high-performing assets for stakeholders in HR, training, and skills creation, empowering stakeholders and business to strengthen their most important asset for future and sustainable growth, competitiveness, and progress. They have a forward-thinking outlook and strategy as a new-breed business school, even the youngest in Southern Africa. Some of the short courses offered by the institution are listed below.

    Administration

    Effective Office Administration (2 Days)

    Professional Personal Assistant (2 Days)

    Business development

    Business Plan Development (3 Days)

    Personal Effectiveness in a Business Environment (2 Days)

    Tender to Secure Business (2 Days)

    The Importance of Innovation in Business (2 Days)

    Communication

    Business Writing Skills (1 Day)

    Conflict Resolution Skills and Strategies (2 Days)

    Effective Writing Skills (2 Days)

    Frontline Communication (1 Day)

    Professional Presentation Skills (2 Days)

    Report Writing Skills (1 Day)

    Customer service

    Excellence in Service (1 Day)

    Marketing Principles and Customer (2 Days)

    Finance

    Basic Financial Principles (1 Day)

    Financial Management for a New Venture (2 Days)

    Human resources

    Employment Equity (1 Day)

    Human Resource Management for Labour Relations (3 Days)

    Workplace Discipline (2 Days)

    Leadership and management

    Contemporary Management (5 Days)

    Ethics in Moral Leadership (2 Days)

    Leadership Skills for the 21st Century (5 Days)

    Management Skills for 21st Century Leaders (3 Days)

    Project management

    Basic Project Management Tools and Techniques (1 Day)

    Monitoring and Evaluation for Project Managers (3 Days)

    Project Management (5 Days)

    Project Finance (3 Days)

    Research

    Basic Research Methodology (2 Days)

    Research for Senior Managers (6 Days)

    Strategy

    Analytical Thinking (2 Days)

    Organisational Development (5 Days)

    Python course

    Many young people are already opting for free Python courses in computer science and machine learning. Python is an interpreted, object-oriented, high-level programming language mainly for web and software creation with incorporated dynamic semantics. Python has a basic syntax that is easy to understand and equivalent to the English language. If you are looking to launch your Python career and want to learn the skills associated with it, now is the best time to dive in. Some famous platforms offering the best web-based python courses are described below:

    Python Programming Masterclass (Udemy)

    This course will help you understand both Python 2 and Python 3. You will get the basic knowledge of the Python programming language & comprehension of Python after completing this course and you will be able to obtain the prerequisite Python skills: computer intelligence, data science, etc.

    Professional Certificate in Python Data Science (EdX)

    This course will help you understand the fundamentals of the vocabulary of Python and data science applications. By using Jupyter notebooks on IBM Cloud and testing data using Python libraries such as pandas and NumPy, you can learn iterative data science. After completing this course, with matplotlib, folium, and seaborn, you can create beautiful data visualizations, develop machine learning models using scipy and sci-kit learn.

    30 Days of Python (Udemy)

    First, you will be able to create applications with Python, send emails with Python, scrape websites with Python to pull info, scrape dynamic loaded (javascript-loaded) websites with Python and read and parse emails with Python. First, you will learn the fundamentals of Python. You can also learn how to use the Twitter API to quickly send tweets with a few code lines and the Yelp API to gather information on all the companies they have on their platform.

    C# programming

    After Java, SQL, and JavaScript, SQL, C# is the next popular programming language. It opens up endless job and career-enhancing possibilities for developers, including those working with Microsoft technology, including SQL Server and Windows. Java Swing has been overshadowed by this programming language, which is important for developing the Graphical User Interface desktop. If you are looking forward to developing a career in either of these fields, then C# learning is important. Begin by taking a look at the top C# courses listed below.

    C# Programming for Unity Game Development Specialization

    Coursera has come up with a special C# course that encourages students to use this programming language to learn about C# and build Unity Games. This course is primarily tailored for novice programmers, so you do not need any previous programming background to sign up for it. The material for the course is broken into five specializations. The course involves the prospect of self-paced instruction, quizzes, video tutorials, and activities. There are over 15 exercises in Unity Games and C# that allow learners to test their abilities and knowledge. Moreover, students get the chance to put their game theories to life using C# and Unity in the capstone course.

    C # Training: Learning Path on Pluralsight

    This Pluralsight course is divided into more than 16 parts that are easy to read. Three different levels are included in the course, making it an excellent alternative for the novice and intermediate C# learners. With this course, you will get to try actual assignments/projects. Plus, it provides the ability to work with diverse problems, which also helps develop coding skills. This C# course provides professional advice and tips in this programming language related to coding experience. Even if you don’t know about simple programming principles, this course from Pluralsight will prove to be a great benefit. 

    Graphic design course in South Africa

    Studying a course in design gives you the ability to show imagination in your work and encourage you to share your talent with the world. Another plus is that the design industry is quickly evolving, and the software is continually improving, allowing you the chance to learn new ideas continually and improve your skillset. Graphic artists generally work on several projects, such as blogs, ads, layouts of magazines, flyers, video games, advertising of products, exhibits and shows, business communications, and many more. Usually, a graphic designer gets briefed on a project and then begins to create new designs and prototypes to achieve the goals defined. The graphic designer must listen attentively and consider just what the consumer desires and needs. 

    It would help if you had an artistic flair, solid business software experience, and expertise, and a competent commitment to time, costs, and deadlines to become a graphic designer. Graphic designers use their imagination and design skills in producing pictures and graphics that inspire, educate, and captivate customers. Through technical modeling tools, they design these visual principles. Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash Professional, Dreamweaver, Acrobat DC, and InDesign can all be learned. You can take a short course diploma for graphic design that can be completed in eight months. Typically, these diplomas and degrees last approximately three years.

    Here is a list of design schools in Cape Town with their qualifications:

    • AAA Advertising School (Bachelor of Arts in Creative Brand Communication)
    • Cape Town Creative Academy (BA Communication Design)
    • Cape Peninsula University of Technology ( Degree in informatics & Design)
    • Cityvarsity (Diploma in Multimedia Design and Production)
    • DADA (Art Direction and Graphic Design)
    • Friends of Design (Higher Certificate Graphic Design & Visual Communication)  
    • Inscape Design College (Graphic design diploma or degree) 
    • Prestige Academy (BA Visual Communication Design)
    • Red and Yellow Graphic Design (BA visual communication) 
    • Ruth Prowse Art School (Graphic Design Diploma)
    • Vega School of Brand Leadership (BA Graphic Design)

    Cybersecurity courses

    Upskilling has never been more important in a fast-moving cybersecurity setting. Cyber threats are becoming more common as more personal information becomes accessible online and hackers become more sophisticated. Such attacks occur as cyber attackers with sinister motives uncover website security vulnerabilities and gather the information they do not otherwise have access to. Cybersecurity workers are in high demand, which will not change any time soon with the evolution of technology. 

    Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

    You will learn to think exactly like a cybercriminal, as a Professional Ethical Hacker (CEH), which is necessary for avoiding cyber attacks. You will also be one step closer to becoming a Professional Ethical Hacker by enrolling in a cybersecurity course that teaches the same tactics that cybercriminal masterminds have used. Prospective learners should participate in the CEH v10 Credential Course of Simplilearn, where they can learn the skills needed to become qualified, such as reverse engineering and writing virus code. There are no special qualifying requirements for CEH training and qualification, but it is recommended that one should have basic knowledge of TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

    Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP).

    Many IT agencies currently classify this form of qualification as a simple prerequisite. The cyber safety course teaches you the industry’s best practices, which will improve your chances of completing the test on the first attempt. The course allows you to gain skills in identifying the design, installation, and management of your organization’s safety by using information security principles that are internationally accepted. This qualification will help give you a competitive advantage whether you are looking to work as a system engineer, IT security manager, or analyst. 

    CompTIA Security+

    Usually, a CompTIA Security+ course will give learners the skills they need to customize applications to protect networks, software, and computers. Students also learn to carry out hazard analysis and respond with effective reduction strategies. They may also engage in risk prevention exercises while practicing with knowledge of specific legislation, rules, and regulations. This cybersecurity course could be an excellent choice if you want to create a strong IT base and learn the basics from the ground up. 

    Web design courses

    From designing the graphics to building the user interface and writing the code required for the web site’s functionality, the area of web design is very broad, and several things can be described as web design. There is a strong demand for web designers who can do innovative design and write code, and the market is expected to continue to expand exponentially.

     

    Treehouse Courses

    Treehouse is famous for upgrading its video-based tutorials regularly, so you are never left behind. Training and sole emphasis on web design and development are up-to-the-minute. Treehouse features more than 300 video-based training courses from novice to advanced web design, web development, mobile development, and game production. 

    Udemy Courses

    A wide variety of courses are offered by Udemy, although the content can vary. Udemy could be a great choice for your online web design training if you are not keen on taking out a membership since you pay per lesson. The website conveniently contains customer feedback so that you can see which students are hitting the right notes. You can download Udemy’s videos for offline streaming. A wide variety of web design topics are covered, with a special focus on WordPress, Javascript, CSS, and Photoshop. However, most of these courses are beginner-level courses.

    Udacity Courses

    Originally founded in 2011, Udacity focused on offering university-style courses, but now focuses mainly on technical-vocational courses, which it terms ‘Nano Degrees.’ Usually, these courses walk you through creating a project, and then you adapt what you have learned on your project. There are long-term courses and classes have fixed hours. Udacity focuses firmly on teaching advanced skills to help individuals in the tech industry get to the next stage of their careers. In collaboration with Google, AT&T, and Facebook, courses are focused on high-end topics such as AI and full-stack web creation. 

    EWSETA

    What is EWSETA?

    Throughout South Africa, millions of young people are trying to learn new skills and develop existing ones. SETAs allow young people who need more training or additional skills to improve their skills by providing them with a platform. In each industrial sector, trade unions, government agencies, employers, and bargaining councils (where applicable) constitute SETAs. There are currently 21 SETAs covering each economic sector, and the private and public sectors are responsible for these SETAs.

    The goal of establishing SETA was to facilitate adequate and meticulous planning of sectoral skills within the established NSDS system. Originally, 23 SETAs were set up in 2000 by the then Minister of Labor, each SETA with sectors and sub-sectors.

    The Energy & Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA) adjusted slightly when the South African Government’s current SETA landscape kicked in in March 2011.

    As part of the government’s effort to prioritize measures towards better education and training for all and across all economic sectors, they will become one of 15 SETAs re-certified with minor adjustments.

    According to a November 2009 announcement by the South African Government and National Skills Authority (NSA), the Electrical Contractors sub-sector within EWSETA moved to the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA), while water distribution matters moved from the Local Government Education and Training Sector Authority (LGSETA) to EWSETA.

    This makes complete sense because electrical work is very much a part of the building industry (instead of the supply of electricity). EWSETA has long been an authority for skills growth working in both the energy and water sectors.

    The aim Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA) are: 

    • provide extensive research and a sound understanding of the demand for skills and supply forces in its sector;
    • coordinate, facilitate, and provide quality assurance for sector relevant skills development programs for its stakeholders, aligned with stated national skills development priorities; 
    • and build a pipeline of business skills with a positive effect on the country’s economic development policies, job creation, and poverty eradication.

    Within the National Skills Development Strategy III framework, EWSETA’s role is to manage skills development through strategic sector skills planning. It involves:

    • Creation of a plan for sector skills and implementation of a plan for sector skills through the establishment of learning programs;
    • Enacting Annual Report on Training and the Workplace Skills Plans;
    • Allocating grants to employers, providers of education and training, and workers;
    • Educational and training monitoring in the sector;
    • Registering agreements with learning services and supporting learning and other training initiatives.

    EWSETA’s function also involves promoting the development of learning relationships with employers in the sector through the following:

    • Seeking places of work in which learners can do practical work;
    • Supporting people who build materials for learning;
    • Helping to finalize learning agreements;
    • Registering arrangements for learnerships.

    What is the function of EWSETA?

    There are many factors behind the creation of EWSETA, but its main aim is to build and strengthen its industry’s skills. It aims to recognize the need to create skills and maintain national standards that relate to the National Framework for Qualifications (NQF). EWSETA should be responsible for designing and executing its sectoral skills plans to achieve these objectives. EWSETA also supervises education and training within its sector to achieve these objectives.

    Following SAQA’s accreditation as an ETQA by EWSETA, it assesses and accredits training providers within its industry. Also, EWSETA manages accrued funds raised in the form of the Skills Development Levy and encourages the establishment of sectoral learning opportunities.

    EWSETA also performs quality assurance tests to ensure that relevant standards are met and that the requisite skills needed by employers in the industry sectors are available to learners and employees.

    Like all SETAs operating since 2000 under the Skills Development and Skills Development Levies Acts of 1998, EWSETA has concentrated on its specific sector, evaluating and improving the relevant skills and learning programs required by the sector.

    These apply to everything from a short course alternative to far more challenging college courses and university degrees.

    This is because, in part, the range of expertise covered by those who work for or aim to work in the electricity and energy sector is highly specialized.

    The applicable sub-sectors up until now have been:

    • Electrical energy,
    • Nuclear power,
    • Renewable energy,
    • Electrical contracting, which is now a sub-sector of the CETA since it is more applicable to building and construction, and
    • water, which would now officially include the delivery of water, has previously been done by LGSETA.

    Although not all employees need to be highly skilled, the need for well-qualified and competent individuals is real.

    The industry itself will be much better off by improving general education and training levels for this sector. As such, South Africa’s energy sector is currently facing more challenges than any other economic sector, perhaps.

    For the past decade, since it was established in 2000, the emphasis of SETA has been on:

    • Gathering up data on the needs for skill development,
    • Identifying and designing plans and standards for training
    • Partnership with appropriate stakeholders and organizations that are involved and dedicated to the energy sector
    • Facilitating the production of new skills to meet the sector’s needs.

    To meet its Sector Skills Plan of Action, EWSETA has conducted significant labor market research.

    Several Workplace Skills Programs and Annual Training Reports have benchmarked this research content.

    EWSETA will recognize those in the sector who want to learn the requisite skills, education, and training necessary for jobs based on this research within the sector.

    The data collected by EWSETA has made it possible for them to promote the creation and implementation of several learning initiatives, including ABET programs, apprenticeships, skills programs, and learnerships (which are similar to apprenticeships in some ways).

    EWSETA can also suggest and direct learnerships for those already in the industry who wish to advance their education, training, and skills. 

    EWSETA Accreditation

    Accreditation is defined by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) as the process by which an agency, organization, or individual has been certified as having the ability to fulfill a specific obligation in the quality assurance system organized by the South African Qualifications Authority.

    A SETA may be commissioned or certified only if the training provider complies with the strict conditions of an application specified by the applicable SETA. The particular SETA concerned shall determine whether a training provider has the requisite capacity and ability to provide quality training following the requirements of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

    Following the EWSETA mission, which offers structured skills training as an opportunity for economic development and infrastructural growth, EWSETA is directly responsible for accrediting providers of training to empower students with the skills they need. In addition to overseeing initiatives, certifying apprentices, and creating skills plan for the energy and water industry, this approach is one avenue by which they promote skills development. The EWSETA also ensures, after accreditation of training providers, that training is of high quality and standard.

    Training center accreditation is very necessary and helpful for students as it allows them to obtain internship placements and apprenticeships. High standards are a requirement for any training provider, especially in the energy and water sector, and these standards include high-quality training and skills development.

    By accrediting colleges and training centers that meet the defined criteria, the EWSETA has continued to strengthen these standards. To maintain high standards, the body has been required to supervise training centers and training providers.

    The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), the EWSETA, the accreditation approval team, and the suppliers of skills growth are involved in the accreditation process. If he is eligible, the QCTO assesses and recommends the skill development provider to EWSETA.

    The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), responsible for qualifications and standards for different careers and professions across the country, will supply and submit the required documentation, evaluate the submitted application, and confirm the information’s integrity completed form and the supporting documents. The validity is then verified; the QCTO tells the prospective Skills Development Provider (SDP) about the assessment outcomes. Suppose the submission from a prospective provider of training meets the criteria. In that situation, the QCTO would recommend a date to visit the planned training site to determine commencement preparation. If the training provider fails to meet the requirements necessary, a letter stating this will be sent. A letter will be sent to the applicant following a site visit and a positive accreditation result, and the training provider will be certified for five years. 

    EWSETA Funding

    Certain regulations regulate the distribution, in the form of mandatory and discretionary grants, of the SETA levy revenue received from employers’ tax in different sectors. Such regulations also define the mechanisms by which grants are to be distributed. The EWSETA was created in compliance with the Skills Development Act, and this funding process is supervised by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).

    EWSETA has developed a framework detailing how the company disburses grants to facilitate the execution of the Sector Skills Plan (SSP), the Annual Performance Plan (APP), and the NSDS implementation objectives. The SSP was built based on comprehensive research and stakeholder interactions and is therefore intended to broaden job opportunities for those employed in the local government sector. The strategy also aims to ensure the local government sector’s growth to meet its demands and adapt to the changing economy.

    The grant policy would ensure that the skills levy is structured to meet the skills demanded by employers and employees’ training needs. This policy also advises the board’s stakeholders and representatives about how grants will encourage interested candidates to participate widely. EWSETA is responsible for controlling the utilization of funds and determining the degree to which the grant policy’s goals are attained. The body may also use those standards to assess the effect of grants on learners, business enterprises, employers, and the local government sector. 

    EWSETA funding is provided from the skills development levy collected from energy and water sector employers. Administrative expenses include those borne by the administration and operation of the body. For grant funding, 69.5 percent of the levy allocated to the EWSETA is used, and 10.5 percent meets the administrative needs of the EWSETA. Grant funding may be either discretionary or mandatory, and 49.5 percent and 20 percent of the 69.5 percent are distributed, respectively. For Educational, Vocational, Technical, and Academic Learning (PIVOTAL) programs, discretionary grants could be used, resulting in NQF certifications or non-PIVOTAL programs such as learnerships. In compliance with the provisions laid down, EWSETA is expected to transfer unclaimed mandatory grants and earned interest to discretionary funds at a specific time.

    Mandatory grants enable levy-paying employers to coordinate their workers’ training and create opportunities to learn and gain job experience for the workforce and unemployed people. It is 20 percent of the employer’s professional development levy, which will only be paid out if the employer meets the mandatory grant payment requirements. The mandatory grant is also important because it provides EWSETA with relevant employer data that informs the organization of the skills requested, which is useful in developing the Sector Skills Plan. The employers in the Annual Training Report and Workplace Skills Plan represent these criteria. On the other hand, according to the Annual Performance Plan (APP) and Sector Skills Plan (SSP), the discretionary grants address and meet the energy and water sector’s skills needs. For professional, vocational, technical, and academic training, discretionary grants are used for learnerships, internships, and apprenticeships.

    The following are specifics of the application process:

    • Applicants should complete the application forms while complying with the policy on discretionary grants. There are different forms to fill for private employers, public employers, training providers, and unemployed learners.
    • It is important to submit documents that prove the company’s registration.
    • Evidence of registration under professional bodies must be submitted.
    • Evidence of payment of the levy on skills growth or proof of exemption or proof of SARS registration
    • Details of the evaluator and moderator for the relevant qualification must also be given.

    How do you get a SETA Learnership?

    One of the SETA opportunities is an orderly learning process to gain academic knowledge and practical workplace skills. These well-organized processes of learning are time-based, not outcome-based, and understand the need for structured learning. The learning period varies, but it lasts an average of 18 months. The trainee has to complete at least four separate learning courses to get an artisan equivalent certification. This implies that the first four NQF level qualifications have to be completed.

    • Before beginning a SETA learning course, learners should meet certain requirements, and these include:
    • New entrants or existing staff may be apprentices.
    • Learners must meet the entry requirements for the particular learning they choose to participate in.
    • Learners must satisfy the criteria for the selection structured by the company taking on the learner.

    There are also unique protocols that require other students, employers, and training providers to follow, including the following:

    1. Employers are endorsed in their workplace and are required to meet the criteria for pre-registration.
    2. The ETQA approves providers of training to offer specialized learning.
    3. There are qualified assessors available. They could be consultants, assessors, or in-house assessors.
    4. In the media, companies advertise learning opportunities.
    5. Learners apply and are chosen by the company’s process of recruitment.
    6. The learner, the employer, and the provider have signed a three-party learnership agreement.
    7. Between the learner and the employer, a short-term work contract is signed where the learner is unemployed.
    8. The learning program and process with the training provider is reviewed and consented to.
    9. Employers fund the learnership by grants obtained from SETA.
    10. Employers and providers of training provide the learning and knowledge needed to achieve the training process.
    11. Via mentoring and feedback, learners are given support.
    12. Learners are evaluated by trained assessors through formative and summative evaluations.
    13. The quality assuror of the EWSETA is invited to head the assessment. The provider must perform external monitoring.
    14. After the learnership satisfactory completion, a national certificate is awarded to the learner.
    15. If learning is not finished, learners receive a statement of their results for unit standards achieved.

    As soon as the learnership process is finished, whether he/she was unemployed, the employer can either sign the learner for a new learning process, engage the learner, or let go of the learner for potential hiring by another company.

    A learnership should include the following components under the Skills Development Act:

    1. A structured portion of learning.
    2. A practical job experience.
    3. It must be profession-related.
    4. It must lead to qualification after finishing successfully.

    EWSETA Qualifications

    The qualifications for EWSETA are managed by the Skills Development Act, the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), and Quality Council for Trade and Occupations (QCTO). The QCTO controls professional qualifications and supervises the development of new ones. The QCTO also replaced legacy qualifications that were awarded by SETAs with occupational qualifications to training providers. It is also the Council’s responsibility to de-register certificates with no intake of learners for some time.

    There is a revised quality assurance framework for the EWSETA where the QCTO oversees all quality assurance functions while the Development Quality Partner (DQP) and Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) keep an eye on the development and restructuring of professional qualifications and also register assessors and moderators, respectively. From time to time, EWSETA qualifications are established and restructured following step by step procedures. EWSETA member organizations and other stakeholders send an application to EWSETA to establish a new qualification or consolidation of existing qualifications. The EWSETA submits this to the QCTO. After these steps, the bodies sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and EWSETA appoints the QDP. The EWSETA manages the restructuring of qualifications sends to the QCTO for approval.      

    The qualifications, NQF level, and minimum credits of the EWSETA are listed below.

    Title of Learnership or QualificationNQF LevelMinimum Credits
    Further Education and Training Certificate: Domestic Appliance Repair4150
    Further Education and Training Certificate: Sanitation Project Facilitation4151
    Further Education and Training Certificate: Water Reticulation and Waste water Services4135
    Further Education and Training Certificate: Water Purification Processes4160
    National Certificate: Community Water, Health and Sanitation Monitoring3130
    National Certificate: Community Water, Health and Sanitation Promotion2127
    National Certificate: Industrial Water Treatment Support System Operations2128
    National Certificate: Sanitation Project Co-ordination5149
    National Certificate: Water and Wastewater Process Control3138
    National Certificate: Water and Wastewater Reticulation Services2124
    National Certificate: Water and Wastewater Reticulation Services3124
    National Certificate: Water and Wastewater Treatment Process Operations2136
    National Certificate: Water Reticulation Services2126
    General Education and Training Certificate: General Technical Practice1130
    National Certificate: Domestic Appliance Repair3131
    National Certificate: Electrical Engineering: Electrical Distribution3133
    National Certificate: Master Craftsmanship (Electrical)5121
    National Certificate: Measurement, Control and Instrumentation5121
    National Certificate: Measurement, Control and Instrumentation2133
    National Certificate: Metrology5138
    National Degree: Master Craftsmanship (Electrical)6418
    National Diploma: Electrical Network Power Dispatch Controlling5240
    National Diploma: Master Craftsmanship (Electrical)5253
    Further Education and Training Certificate: Cable Jointing and Termination4228
    Further Education and Training Certificate: Electrical Network Control4190
    Further Education and Training Certificate: Power Plant Operations4130
    National Certificate: Fossil Power Plant Operation4183

    EWSETA Bursary

    The EWSETA Bursary assists candidates in getting a good education and work opportunities. A candidate who wants to change their future and have a passion for learning should apply for an EWSETA bursary. They will have to have an interest in any of the EWSETA sub-sectors. They should also have good grades in Math and Physical science.

    Every year EWSETA provide bursaries for students taking courses in Energy and Water sectors, including the following:

    • Engineering Studies 
    • Hydrology and Water Resources Management (B.Sc)
    • Electrical Engineering (Dip / B.Tech)
    • Civil Engineering (B.Eng)
    • Information Systems Management 
    • Quality (B.Tech/ M.Tech)
    • Supply Chain Management (Dipl/ Adv.Dipl/ Bachelor degree/ Honours degree)
    • Engineering Technology (Computer Systems) 
    • Marketing (Dipl / P.Dipl / B.Commerce/ B.Commerce Honours)
    • Information Technology (Adv.Dipl / Bachelor degree)

    In line with the Sector Skills Plan (SSP) of EWSETA, the scholarship will finance qualifications and studies on the EWSETA Sectoral Priority Occupations List (SPOL). The qualifications can be found here: https://ewseta.org.za/sector-skills-plan/.

    The bursary will provide cover for the following expenses: textbooks, tuition fees, meals and stationery, accommodation.

    Eligibility Requirements

    Before applying, applicants must meet the following minimum entry criteria (please note that failure to fulfill all the requirements would result in your application not being considered):

    • Citizen of South Africa
    • Matric or equivalent completed
    • Currently studying OR admitted to study at a recognized tertiary institution in South Africa (university or TVET College)
    • Currently studying OR accepted in the energy and water sector
    • Students from historically marginalized groups (young people, black people, women) and students with disabilities would be given priority.

    How to apply for the bursary

    Download and complete the Application Form for the EWSETA Bursary (.pdf)

    Send valid copies of the following supporting documentation along with your completed application form (submission of these documents is mandatory; your request will be disregarded if any things are missing):

    • ID document (certified copy)
    • Certified copy of matric certificate or equivalent for a 1st-year student. 
    • Certified copy of previous academic record/ results for a 2nd or 3rd-year student.
    • Evidence of application / provisional acceptance offer from university/ TVET College for a 1st-time applicant. If this is not yet available, it must be submitted as soon as it is received)
    • Proof of domestic annual income

    Completed application forms, along with supporting documents, can be submitting by sending an email to [email protected]. Enter the words “EWSETA Bursary Application – Your Full Name” in the email subject. 

    CHIETA

    What is CHIETA?

    CHIETA, known as Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA), is one of the twenty-one statutory bodies under the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) that was created according to the 1998 Skills Development Act. One of CHIETA’s obligations in the chemical industry is to monitor and enhance skills development and acquisition and enable the identification of skills in demand and cater to these skill needs via numerous training programs and education initiatives in the chemical industries’ sector. CHIETA was established to contribute to economic and sustainable development by facilitating pertinent, relevant, and critical skills in the chemical industries sector. These skills are in demand by various employers in the sector, and CHIETA is authorized to ensure the supply of these skills through several training programs and other educational strategies.

    The activities of CHIETA are supervised and managed by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). The DHET is committed to delivering an all-inclusive and integrated post-school system in South Africa. They also work to ensure accessibility to necessary post-school training programs and relevant education for the South African labor force and unemployed youth. Easy accessibility to these programs leads to the achievement of socio-economic plans that will culminate in the South African economy’s growth and development. Furthermore, the Department develops competent and skilled citizens who can effectively compete on a national stage and globally in the international chemical Industries’ sector. These initiatives implemented by the DHET ensure that the South African economy’s development goals are attained and eventually meet economic goals.

    The Department followed its mission through by: 

    • Improving participation rates in the system; 
    • Correction of the distribution of access to post-school education and training in form, size, and distribution
    • Improving the quality and efficiency of the system, its subsystems, and institutions.

    Like all other SETAs, CHIETA was established according to the Skills Development Act of 1998, and operations began in 2000. Despite the significant changes in the many other SETAs, no adjustments were planned for CHIETA in terms of the new SETA framework announced. It shows that the CHIETA had been running effectively before 2009, which is quite commendable for the body. CHIETA has consistently ensured that the skills in demand, including the chemical industry’s critical and scarce skills, are met.

    The CHIETA has been instrumental in assisting several groups, including those coming into the chemical industry sector. They do this by improving the standards and quality of the education and training delivered to the sector. Member authorities of the SETA are involved in accreditation and extensive learning programs. They also run work-based interventions vital for students who want to acquire the relevant skills required to penetrate the labor market easily. These skills are also relevant for new business people who intend to start their businesses and tow the self-employment path. CHIETA has also greatly contributed to making an impact by providing grants for employers, for skills developed, and bursaries for students. 

    CHIETA perform these specific activities with their jurisdiction:

    1. Production of organic fertilizer
    2. Production of coke oven products
    3. Petroleum refineries/synthesizers
    4. Processing of nuclear fuel
    5. Production of nitrogen compounds and fertilizers
    6. Production of chemical compounds and raw materials used in agriculture
    7. Production of plastics and synthetic rubber
    8. Production of chemically-based personal care products
    9. Production and distribution of various specialty chemicals for industrial use
    10. Production of varnishes, paints and similar coatings, mastics and printing ink
    11. Production of medicinal chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and botanical products
    12. Production of soap, detergent, and other cleaning compounds
    13. Production of beauty products
    14. Production of pyrotechnic products and explosives
    15. Production of other non-metallic minerals products
    16. Production of glass and glassware
    17. Production of scientific and clock and watch glasses, kitchenware, tableware, glass containers, and other similar products 
    18. Production of primary batteries, accumulators, and primary cells
    19. Production of industrial gases in compressed and liquified
    20. Wholesale and retail trade in solid, liquid, or gaseous fuels and similar products
    21. Industrial research

    Functions of CHIETA

    There are outlined and strategic roles and objectives of The Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA). These objectives align with the mission and vision of the body, and they include: 

    • increasing accessibility of professional and occupational training programs for the labor force in the chemical industries’ sector and those who are unemployed; 
    • organizing and supervising reliable and high-standard institutional systems for sector skills planning; 
    • promoting the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College system to meet the needs of skills and knowledge in the chemical industries’ sector and at local, regional, and national levels.
    • in order to have access to additional instruction, resolve the low level of language and numeracy skills;
    • foster greater use of the developed workplace-based skills;
    • encourage and support community training initiatives, small enterprises, cooperatives, and worker initiated Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), 
    • increase the ability of the public sector to strengthen service delivery and support, and building a developing state; 
    • build a career and vocational guidance; 
    • and continuously focus on defining and quality assurance of optimized business processes, knowledge management systems, and organizational architecture frameworks in support of the professional and confident discharge of its legislative mandate.

    CHIETA, according to the legislation, was formed to promote the development of skills in the chemical industry sector. This SETA must ensure that the needs of the chemical industry are distinctly identified. After identifying these needs, CHIETA must develop and implement initiatives to enable learners to receive the necessary education and relevant training. CHIETA has consistently stated that its vision is to provide a high standard and top-quality education and training systems for the chemical industries sector. There has been a remarkable and visible success of the body in the sector. CHIETA’s goal is to contribute to the long-term development of the chemical industry by ensuring that skills are established, resulting in the growth of the chemical sector’s improvement.

    The body has achieved its outlined objectives throughout the time it has worked by defining and supplying the different and essential skills needed for the concerned sector’s growth and development. It has also shown the importance of equity in the sector and has continued to positively promote the need for an increase in top quality training for those in the workplace.

    It is the responsibility of all SETAs in South Africa to ensure that people entering a specific industry or industry sector can do the job at hand. It also applies to those already in the industry. Achieving this is not possible without the relevant skills and training. It is, therefore, the duty of every SETA to:

    • Find opportunities for learners to do practical work and benefit from the workplace experience
    • Provide assistance to those who develop and produce instructional materials for college courses, etc.
    • Help to set up and finalize learnership agreements
    • Register learnership agreements

    The CHIETA has successfully performed its basic activities so far, largely because this SETA has prioritized the employability of those entering the sector. In this way, learners can acquire the necessary Skill Sets that will also help them to develop sustainable livelihoods.

    CHIETA Accreditation

    In line with the CHIETA values and the SETA at large, which are accountability, integrity, respect, and service excellence, training providers must follow protocol and show that they operate according to the vision, mission, and values of the CHIETA. To this end, the providers of education and vocational training in the chemical industries sector must be accredited by the CHIETA if they want to function accordingly. The CHIETA is accredited as an Education and Training Quality Assurance organization by the South African Qualifications Authority. It is, therefore, sanctioned to confirm and accredit training providers in the sector.

    The CHIETA prioritizes the delivery of its commitments and responsibilities in a transparent and accountable manner to meet key players’ needs and other stakeholders in the body and satisfy them. On this note, training providers in this sector will be accredited if they satisfy the standards and requirements according to the CHIETA goals. The training provider must prove that the training center offers acceptable complete and partial qualifications in compliance with the National Qualifications System (NQF). There should even be systems and equipment that facilitate learning at these centers and verified assessors and moderators who handle the learners’ assessment. The planned training syllabus must meet the requirements and qualifications, and the process of assessing learners must be accurate and well-founded. 

    All prospective training providers must contact the CHIETA because of the specific and detailed list of these training providers’ accreditation requirements. Accredited training providers deliver relevant training programs. Based on the program’s specifics and the province where interested candidates are situated, the providers and organizations are easier to find. To apply for accreditation, the potential training providers must fill the required form and supply supporting documents, which include: 

    • a verified South African Revenue Services (SARS) tax clearance certificate or proof of exemption;
    • evidence of monetary capability to supply training services during the time which the training provider is accredited; certificated showing registration status of the institution or company;
    • proof of certified and qualified facilitators to provide relevant qualifications;
    • proof of the student appeal policy and the prescribed code of conduct.
    • Credible certificate of occupational health and safety for a specific occupation;

    After providing and submitting necessary documents, The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), responsible for qualifications and standards for various occupations and trades across the country, will assess the submitted application and confirm the credibility of the information filled form and the supporting documents. The validity is subsequently verified; the QCTO informs the prospective SDP about the outcomes of the assessment. Suppose the submission from a prospective provider of training meets the criteria. In that situation, the QCTO would recommend a date to visit the planned training site to determine commencement preparation. If the training provider does not meet the expected standards, a letter will be sent to that effect. A letter will be sent to the applicant following a site visit and a positive accreditation result, and the training provider will be certified for five years.

    CHIETA Funding

    Funding is important to satisfy the mission statement of CHIETA, which includes:

    • Expanding the opportunities to accumulate relevant skills and have quick access to training programs even in rural areas
    • Providing high-quality training standards and qualifications which will culminate within the growth of the world
    • Creating an efficient and standard system that facilitates skills development

    According to the talents Development Levy Act (SDLA), all employers within the chemical industries sector with an annual salary payroll of R500,000 or more must pay 1% of this salary as skills development levy towards the National Skills Fund (NSF), the administrative costs of running the CHIETA and grants.

    Funding for CHIETA is generated from the talent development levy collected from employers within the chemical industries sector. Administrative costs include expenses incurred from managing and running the body. One-tenth of the levy used for CHIETA is allocated to those expenses. The opposite part of the levy is employed for mandatory and discretionary grants.

    The mandatory grants are designed to hide education and training programs and enable employers to arrange and implement training programs for their employees.

    Employers must meet certain criteria before they receive mandatory grants, and these include:

    • Employers have to be licensed with the SARS commissioner.
    • At the time of approval, employers must have paid all the previous levies.
    • Employers must provide signed off evidence of consultant with organized labor where applicable
    • Employers must have submitted the WSP and ATR to contribute to the CHIETA Sector Skills Plan (SSP)
    • Employers have to pay levies to the commissioner within the period defined.
    • Employers can submit their first application within six months of SARS registration.
    • Employers must make sure that they need been paying levies to the acceptable SETA
    • Employers must send all documentation available before the due dates. 

    Mandatory grants that aren’t claimed before August per annum are transferred to discretionary grant funding.

    The CHIETA approves a discretionary grant policy per annum, consistent with the SETA grant regulations. This policy will direct the allocation of funds, considering the varied plans and programs that the funds could support. These plans and programs include:

    • PIVOTAL programs
    • Scarce skills outlined within the SSP
    • Bursaries for workers and people who are unemployed
    • National Skills Development Strategies initiatives
    • The annual performance plan
    • Trade Unions and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)
    • National Skills Priorities

    Employers will need to meet the following requirements in order to access discretionary grants:

    • Employers must have submitted their ATR and WSP at the time of approval.
    • Providers of private training must be accredited (where training providers are involved)
    • Employers must be within the jurisdiction of the CHIETA, i.e., employers must add to the chemical industries sector.
    • Employers must be up so far with levy payments except those that are formally exempted.
    • Unemployed learners qualify for programs and bursaries listed.
    • Only businesses with but fifty employees can fill the PIVOTAL plan template as seen on the CHIETA website.
    • Trade Unions and Non-Governmental Organizations must be registered.

    The following are details of the appliance process:

    • Applicants should fill the forms while adhering to the discretionary grants policy. There are different forms for personal employers, public employers, training providers, and unemployed learners.
    • Documents must be submitted detailing the company’s registration.
    • Proof of registration with professional bodies must be submitted.
    • Evidence of payment of the levy on skills development or proof of SARS registration or proof of exemption 
    • Details of assessor and moderator for the actual qualification must even be submitted.

    How to get a SETA Learnership

    A learnership is one among the non PIVOTAL programs, and it refers to the structured learning process that helps learners gain academic knowledge and practical skills within the workplace. The learnerships is one of the opportunities which the SETAs, including CHIETA, offer students. These structured learning processes operate an outcome-based system and acknowledge the necessity for prior learning. Learnership duration varies but usually lasts for 18 months. Learners must complete four different learnerships to achieve artisan equivalent qualification (NQF level 4).

    Before beginning a SETA Learnership, learners must comply with the following conditions: 

    • Existing employees or new entrants;
    • Meet the choice criteria determined by the organization taking over the learner;
    • Satisfy the entry requirements for the learnership program they want to enroll in as determined by the qualification requirements.
    • These outlined steps are important in obtaining learnerships;
    • Employers are workplace approved and are required to satisfy the pre-registration criteria.
    • Qualified assessors are available. They’ll be either in-house assessors or contracted assessors.
    • Training providers are accredited to supply particular learnership by the ETQA.
    • Companies advertise opportunities for learnerships in the media.
    • A learnership agreement is signed among the learner, employer, and provider.
    • Learners apply and are selected by the corporate recruitment process.
    • A Short-term employment agreement is signed between the employer and the learner, assuming the learner is unemployed.
    • The learning program and method are negotiated and agreed upon with the provider of training.
    • Employers finance the training through grants received from SETA.
    • Employers and training providers deliver relevant learning and knowledge, working closely together to manage the training process.
    • Learners are given support through mentoring and feedback.
    • Learners are evaluated by trained evaluators (formative and summative assessments)
    • The CHIETA quality assurance is named to moderate the assessment. The provider must undertake internal moderation.
    • Learners receive a press release of results for unit standards achieved if learnership isn’t completed.

    On completion of learnership is completed, the employer may sign the learner on for a replacement learnership or employ it. The employer also can prefer to release the learner for future employment by another organization if they were originally unemployed.

    CHIETA Qualifications

    The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and the Quality Council for Trade and Occupations (QCTO) work in concert to provide high standard qualifications. The QCTO also replaces professional qualifications that were awarded by SETAs with occupational qualifications to training providers. The Council also de-registers certificates if, for a long time, learners do not apply for them. The CHIETA is an ETQA body accredited by SAQA and must deliver high standard qualifications according to the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS).

    There is a new and reviewed quality assurance framework for the CHIETA where the QCTO oversees all quality assurance functions while the Development Quality Partner (DQP) and Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) supervise the development and implementation of professional qualifications and also register assessment officials. Usually, CHIETA qualifications are established and restructured following specified procedures. CHIETA stakeholders apply for the establishment is a new qualification or restructuring of existing qualifications. The CHIETA submits this to the QCTO, and the bodies sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). CHIETA then appoints the QDP and handles the restructuring of qualifications before sending it to the QCTO for approval.

    Qualification TypeList of QualificationNQF Level
    National CertificateNational Certificate: Molten Glass ProductionLevel 3
    Further Education and training CertificateFurther Education and training Certificate: Engineering FabricationLevel 4
    Further Education and Training CertificateFurther Education and Training Certificate: Laboratory AnalysisLevel 4
    National CertificateNational Certificate: Mechanical EngineeringLevel 3
    General Education and Training Certificate General Education and Training Certificate: Chemical OperationsLevel 1
    Further Education and Training CertificateFurther Education and training Certificate: Mechanical EngineeringLevel 4
    National CertificateNational Certificate: Chemical OperationLevel 2
    National CertificateNational Certificate: Automated PackagingLevel 3
    Further Education and Training CertificateFurther Education and training Certificate: Chemical OperationsLevel 4
    National CertificateNational Certificate: Mechanical EngineeringLevel 3
    National CertificateNational Certificate:Chemical ManufacturingLevel 2
    Further Education and Training CertificateFurther Education and training Certificate: Mechanical EngineeringLevel 4
    National CertificateNational Certificate: Operations of Mobile Explosives Manufacturing UnitsLevel 3
    National CertificateNational Certificate: Mechanical HandlingLevel 3
    National CertificateNational Certificate: WeldingApplication and PractiseLevel 2
    Further Education and Training CertificateFurther Education and training Certificate: Mechanical HandlingLevel 4
    National CertificateNational Certificate: Glass formingLevel 2
    National CertificateNational Certificate: Gas InstallationsLevel 2
    National CertificateNational Certificate: Engineering FabricationLevel 3
    National CertificateNational Certificate: Manufacturing of surface coatingLevel 3
    Further Education and Training CertificateFurther Education and training Certificate: Engineering FabricationLevel 4
    National CertificateNational Certificate: Measurement, Control and InstrumentationLevel 2
    National CertificateNational Certificate: Engineering FabricationLevel 3
    National CertificateNational Certificate: Pharmaceutical Sales and RepresentationLevel 5
    Further Education and Training CertificateFurther Education and training Certificate: Measurement, Control and InstrumentationLevel 4

    CHIETA BURSARY

    CHIETA offers bursary awards to full-time students studying in the university at undergraduate and postgraduate levels (Master’s degree or Ph.D.) within the chemical industries sector. These bursary awards are provided from mandatory and discretionary grants that are not claimed. The bursary, which covers tuition, food, books, and other related expenses, is awarded to eligible students who meet all of the outlined criteria. The CHIETA Bursary value is estimated at R76,000 and R80,000 for undergraduates and postgraduates, respectively, every year. It is awarded to students enrolled in training programs for critical skills and high demand in the chemical industry sector. The CHIETA reserves the right to withdraw the bursary completely or partially for its reasons and sometimes based on funds’ availability.

    Students in the following sector are eligible to apply for the CHIETA Bursary:

    • Pharmaceuticals 
    • Base Chemicals 
    • Surface Coatings
    • Specialty Chemicals
    • Petroleum 
    • Fertilizers 
    • Explosives
    • Glass
    • Fast Moving Consumer Goods

    The bursary covers students in the following fields:

    • Electrical Engineering
    • Industrial Engineering
    • Chemical Engineering
    • Mechanical Engineering
    • Environmental Science
    • Bachelor of Science
    • Biochemistry
    • Analytical Chemistry
    • Biomedical Technology
    • Polymer Technology
    • Operations Management
    • Pharmacy

    Eligibility

    To be eligible for the bursary, undergraduate students need to meet these criteria:

    • Students need to have a solid academic record.
    • Students must show evidence of the financial need 
    • Students must show proof of registration
    • Only first-year students are eligible
    • Female students, students from less fortunate homes, and students with disabilities would be considered first.

    Application Process

    The application process for obtaining a bursary are listed below:

    • Students must fill the application form and send it to the University Bursary Office. 
    • The university confirms that all form specifics have been filled appropriately, and the necessary signatures have been appended.
    • All supporting documents are also validated and reviewed.
    • The learner must provide signed documents stating the intent to forward progress reports to stakeholders in CHIETA and other officials
    • The completed application form must be submitted alongside supporting documents must be submitted to the SETA by the university

    Supporting Documents

    1. Proof of registration for the 2020 academic year
    2. A copy of the student’s certified ID
    3. Motivational letter (why you should be awarded the bursary and why you are applying)
    4. Research topic endorsed by the supervisor 

    Completed application forms, along with supporting documents, can be submitting by sending an email to [email protected]. Enter the words “CHIETA Bursary Application – Your Full Name” in the email subject. 

    BANKSETA

    What is BANKSETA?

    A significant benefit for every young person today is the acquisition of work-related skills through vocational training. The acquisition of skills broadens their possibilities and empowers them as individuals. It encourages individuals to develop their networking, time management, and communication skills, in addition to the primary skills that students learn. Skills in training also lead to economic growth and development.

    Throughout South Africa, millions of young people are trying to learn new skills and develop existing ones. SETAs allow young people who need more training or additional skills to improve their skills by providing them with a forum. In each industrial sector, trade unions, government agencies, employers, and bargaining councils (where applicable) constitute SETAs. There are currently 21 SETAs covering each economic sector, and the private and public sectors are responsible for these SETAs.

    The mission of the Banking Sector Education and Training Authority (BANKSETA) is to help, through partnerships, the transformation and growth of people and to encourage stakeholders to advance the national and global role of the wider banking and microfinance industry.

    The guiding concepts of BANKSETA are:

    • use skills levy funds to the competitive advantage of the banking and microfinance sectors;
    • provide the lowest cost of quality-assured, world-class skills training services;
    • deploy leading-edge technology; 
    • conduct the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS) mandate judiciously;
    • maintain status in banking and microfinance as a preferred human resource development partner;
    • and surpass the needs of customers.

    Its mandate is the following:

    • encourage employers in the sector to establish an active working-place learning environment;
    • give workers opportunities to learn new skills/progress in their careers;
    • increase expenditure levels in education and training in the workplace;
    • foster change as driven by the NSDS equity goals of 85 percent black, 54 percent female, and 4 percent disabled.

    When some other SETAs underwent radical changes in March 2011, the South African BANKSETA did not change its position. Instead, BANKSETA has continued to operate just as it was founded in 1998 and launched in March 2000. 

    The scope of education and training coverage in the banking sector was approved by the Government in 2000 and still includes:

    • Central banking activities
    • Commercial banking, discount housing, and all other types of banking operations
    • Building societies (although in the original form known in South Africa, these do not exist)
    • Financial mediation operation
    • Activities ancillary to financial mediation activities
    • Financing for leases (which all the banks now handle)
    • Securities dealings

    Thousands of high school and college graduates set out to look for work every year, but many soon find that their quest is fruitless and does not deliver anything important. The available ratio of jobs to job seekers is significantly poor, demonstrating the SETA program’s significant importance. Some of the major beneficiaries of SETAs are individuals who want to run thriving small-scale enterprises, people with disabilities, and those who need to improve their current skills.

    Functions of BANKSETA

    BANKSETA was expected to establish a sectoral skills plan within its clear terms of reference, which would operate within the context of the national skills development policy laid down at that time for this particular SETA.

    Within the criteria set by the Government, which were to enforce the skills sector plans and encourage learning, BANKSETA succeeded in implementing the skills sector plan by:

    • approving the plans for workshop skills
    • setting up learnerships
    • allocation of discretionary grants that employers can receive
    • assistance with education and training for providers and workers
    • monitoring this education and training
    • identification of workplaces that could be used for practical experience in the workplace
    • supporting the production of materials for learning
    • improving learning facilitation and learning experience
    • helping to set up and register successful learnership agreements

    Several other very relevant roles in the banking sector related to the disbursal of skills development levies and the SAQA Act have been difficult to enforce for many other sectors technically. This industry was also responsible for liaising with both the national skills growth strategy and policy and its business skills plan with the National Skills Authority and other SETA bodies, which it has done very effectively.

    BANKSETA also had to report to the Director-General on the execution of its sectoral skills plan and its revenue and expenditure and to liaise with the Department of Labour’s employment services to enhance the standard of knowledge available under South African education legislation. For new learners, this is extremely necessary. This lets learners understand where to find the right providers of education and training, some of whom provide a brief course and others who provide online courses and even college courses and find practical and sustainable job opportunities.

    BANKSETA has also had to designate, as a responsible and well-established sector, the appropriate office bearers and staff expected to fulfill all these duties and functions. Plus, to help SETA achieve its objectives, they had to encourage the involvement of the right government departments.

    The banking sector is carefully supervised by legislation. To achieve their goals in the long term, BANKSETA must train all learners not only in terms of legislation but also on the necessary knowledge.

    However, while the Government considered BANKSETA to be more concerned with the relevant law, this SETA was more concerned with the “purposes of the Act. In effect, this is what will ensure that it is easier for learners and newly eligible students to enter the job market to get work. To this end, the Government categorically notes that the goal of BANKSETA must be:

    • developing the skills of all South Africans to join the workforce
    • increasing investment levels in both education and training in the banking sector
    • Promote employers to take on new workers
    • build an atmosphere in the workplace that will include an engaging learning environment
    • present staffs the opportunity to learn new skills
    • providing new individuals with opportunities to get job experience
    • hire individuals who find it hard to find jobs
    • encourage staff to gain further training and certificates
    • increasing the opportunities of historically disadvantaged individuals
    • focusing on the standard of workplace education and training and ensuring that it is acceptable
    • helping young people to find employment
    • encourage retired employees to re-enter the workplace
    • providing and regulating job programs

    BANKSETA Accreditation

    The accreditation of providers is the responsibility of BANKSETA. They do this by employing:

    • the development of appropriate standards for provider accreditation
    • accreditation of only constituent suppliers who share the main focus of BANKSETA
    • administration of accreditation for the unit requirements and qualifications referred to in the NQF, which are the key objective of BANKSETA
    • handling both institutional accreditation and registration of the program for constituent providers
    • conducting full approval and registration of the program for non-constituent providers
    • accrediting sites of results and evaluation

    Accreditation providers are of two categories, namely Constituent Providers and Non-constituent Providers. Constituent providers are providers of single-purpose training who tend to work within the main objective of BANKSETA.

    Non-constituent providers, on the other hand, are training providers who are certified with a separate ETQA and would like to integrate training into the BANKSETA-scope learning programs.

    For three years, applicants who follow all the requirements laid down will receive complete accreditation. Accreditation will be related to the services that the provider will provide (qualifications and unit standards). Applicants meeting the minimum requirements set will, on the other hand, receive complete accreditation for one year. Accreditation will be related to the services that the provider will provide (qualifications and unit standards). Monitoring and evaluation will occur during this time, and the accreditation will be extended for three years if it is compliant. Should additional qualifications and unit requirements need to be made by a constituent of a non-constituent provider, a request for an expansion of their reach should be completed.

    Six months before the expiry of accreditation, the provider is obligated to apply for re-accreditation. Re-accreditation will rely on the outcomes of monitoring reports from the provider. Accreditation will not be received by applicants who do not adhere to the defined minimum requirements. Within the agreed period, the provider and the ETQA will agree on the outstanding conditions to be achieved. The provider will be re-assessed at the end of the time frame. The ETQA would provide development support to a fully qualified constituent provider, where such support could include selected interviews, minimal monitoring, and workshops. Although retaining the provider’s obligation to coordinate its processes and policies, the ETQA will provide guidance and advice. The ETQA will conduct a maximum of two verifications and two desktop assessment visits to assist the provider after the provider has completed the self-evaluation. The provider may opt to call a professional for assistance at his own expense if the application fails to succeed.

    BANKSETA Funding

    One of the Skills Development Act aims to stimulate the development of previously disadvantaged people’s skills to encourage South Africa’s economy’s growth and development. This mandate is accomplished by efficiently disbursing skills development funds in compliance with the SETA Grant regulations. BANKSETA raises funds within its sub-sectors from levy-paying employers. It disburses these funds as follows:

    • For discretionary grants, 49.5% is set aside.
    • The NSF is allocated 20%.
    • 20% is reserved for mandatory grants.
    • 10% is for administrative purposes of BANKSETA.
    • 0.5 percent is assigned to the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations.

    Discretionary grants are necessary to contribute to skill development and training programs. The provision of professional, vocational, technical, and academic learning programs or other learning programs including the following shall constitute the major part of discretionary funding:

    • Skills programs
    • Internships
    • Learnerships
    • Work Integrated Learning
    • Bursaries

    According to the National Qualifications System, these training initiatives are required to result in qualifications or part-time qualifications, as provided for in the Grant Regulations. During a period during which it accepts applications from employees, BANKSETA makes these funds available. The opening of this time will be made public on the BANKSETA website and national radio and newspaper stations.

    BANKSETA also disburses grants to non-PIVOTAL initiatives for discretionary funding. Such initiatives do not relate to any accepted standardized requirements but are also intended to establish sub-sectors. This involves research projects that BANKSETA and related organizations will undertake.

    Ten percent of discretionary funding is used for particular programs that address college capacity training and public service training for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

    Based on BANKSETA’s discretion, discretionary grants can also be distributed. This depends on the accessibility and availability of allocated funds, the BANKSETA Accounting Authority (Board of Directors) ‘approval, and the fulfillment of specified criteria: the BANKSETA Discretionary Grants Policy and Guidelines.

    If the organization meets the conditions for obtaining the grants and employees have paid their levies, the SETA pays mandatory grants every fourth quarter. The levy-paying employer has to satisfy the following conditions to be eligible to receive the mandatory grant:

    • Be a regular payer who, according to the Skills Development Levies Act, is registered. The skills development levy was established to promote learning and development in South Africa. The salary bill of employers specifies the levy for skill growth. One percent of the salary bill is the tax. However, companies with a payroll bill of less than R500 000 do not have to pay the tax.
    • be registered under the Levies Act on Skills Growth
    • recruit a facilitator in skills development
    • both levy payments must be up to date during the time of approval and reporting
    • the Work Skills Plan for the previous reporting year must be submitted and carried out according to the BANKSETA implementation outlines
    • Annual Training Report and the Work Skills Plan must be submitted by the stipulated deadline. 
    • Employers with a recognition arrangement with a specific trade union must provide clear evidence that the Work Skills Plan and the Annual Training Report were sent to the trade unions concerned for consultation. This union has signed them off.

    How to get a SETA learnership

    One of the SETA opportunities is an orderly learning process to gain academic knowledge and practical workplace skills. These well-organized processes of learning are time-based, not outcome-based, and understand the need for structured learning. The learning period varies, but it lasts an average of 18 months. The trainee has to complete at least four separate learning courses to get an artisan equivalent certification. This implies that the first four NQF level qualifications have to be completed.

    • Before beginning a SETA learning course, learners should meet certain requirements, and these include:
    • New entrants or existing staff may be apprentices.
    • Learners must meet the entry requirements for the particular learning they choose to participate in.
    • Learners must satisfy the criteria for the selection structured by the company taking on the learner.

    There are also unique protocols that require other students, employers, and training providers to follow, including the following:

    1. Employers are endorsed in their workplace and are required to meet the criteria for pre-registration.
    2. The ETQA approves providers of training to offer specialized learning.
    3. There are qualified assessors available. They could be consultants, assessors, or in-house assessors.
    4. In the media, companies advertise learning opportunities.
    5. Learners apply and are chosen by the company’s process of recruitment.
    6. The learner, the employer, and the provider have signed a three-party learnership agreement.
    7. Between the learner and the employer, a short-term work contract is signed where the learner is unemployed.
    8. The learning program and process with the training provider is reviewed and consented to.
    9. Employers fund the learnership by grants obtained from SETA.
    10. Employers and providers of training provide the learning and knowledge needed to achieve the training process.
    11. Via mentoring and feedback, learners are given support.
    12. Learners are evaluated by trained assessors through formative and summative evaluations.
    13. The quality assuror of the BANKSETA is invited to head the assessment. The provider must perform external monitoring.
    14. After the learnership satisfactory completion, a national certificate is awarded to the learner.
    15. If learning is not finished, learners receive a statement of their results for unit standards achieved.

    As soon as the learnership process is finished, whether he/she was unemployed, the employer can either sign the learner for a new learning process, engage the learner, or let go of the learner for potential hiring by another company.

    A learnership should include the following components under the Skills Development Act:

    1. A structured portion of learning.
    2. A practical job experience.
    3. It must be profession-related.
    4. It must lead to qualification after finishing successfully.

    BANKSETA Qualifications

    The qualifications for BANKSETA are managed by the Skills Development Act, the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), and Quality Council for Trade and Occupations (QCTO). The QCTO controls professional qualifications and supervises the development of new ones. The QCTO also replaces professional qualifications that were awarded by SETAs with occupational qualifications to training providers. It is also the Council’s responsibility to de-register certificates with no intake of learners for some time.

    There is a revised quality assurance framework for the BANKSETA where the QCTO oversees all quality assurance functions while the Development Quality Partner (DQP) and Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) keep an eye on the development and restructuring of professional qualifications and also register assessors and moderators, respectively. From time to time, BANKSETA qualifications are established and restructured following step by step procedures. BANKSETA member organizations and other stakeholders send an application to BANKSETA to establish a new qualification or consolidation of existing qualifications. The BANKSETA submits this to the QCTO. After these steps, the bodies sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and BANKSETA appoints the QDP. The BANKSETA manages the restructuring of qualifications sends to the QCTO for approval.      

    The SAQA ID, Qualification title, NQF level and Training providers of the BANKSETA are listed below.

    SAQA IDQualification TitleNQF LevelTraining Providers
    20183National Banking Certificate Level 202FirstRand Bank The Institute of Bankers  
    20184National Banking Certificate Level 303FirstRand Bank Compuscan Academy OnTrack Learning Solutions CC The Institute of Bankers The Banking and Financial Services Campus  
    20185National Banking Certificate Level 4: Retail Foreign Exchange04Chartall Business College Absa Learning & Development Felix Risk Training Consultants The Banking and Finacial Services Campus OnTrack Learning Cornerstone Performance Solutions (Pty) Ltd Solutions CC FirstRand Bank Test Company The Institute of Bankers
    20185National Banking Certificate Level 4: Asset Based Finance04Chartall Business College Absa Learning & Development Felix Risk Training Consultants FirstRand Bank The Institute of Bankers Cornerstone Performance Solutions (Pty) Ltd OnTrack Learning Solutions CC The Banking and Finacial Services Campus Test Company
    20186National Certificate: Banking05African Bank LtdCornerstone Performance Solutions (Pty) LtdAbsa Learning & DevelopmentTest CompanyChartall Business CollegeFull Value Financial Services (Pty) LtdFelix Risk Training ConsultantsPlumb Line Risk AlignmentFirstRand BankCulhane ConsultingFNB Branch Banking Knowledge AcademyIntellivest Holdings (Pty) LtdOnTrack Learning Solutions CCSugarbush Training and DevelopmentThe Banking and Financial Services Campus
    23433National Certificate: Micro Finance04RUDO CONSULTING Compuscan Academy
    23433Further Education and Training Certificate: Micro Finance  
    23453National Certificate: Micro Finance03Compuscan Academy Cornerstone Performance Solutions (Pty) Ltd RUDO CONSULTING cc Felix Risk Training Consultants First Rand Bank Test Company
      50481National Certificate: Financial Markets and Instruments06FNB Branch Banking Knowledge AcademyFelix Risk Training ConsultantsFirst Rand BankFull Value Financial Services (Pty) LtdIntellivest Holdings (Pty) Ltd

    BANKSETA Bursary

    The BANKSETA Bursary assists candidates in getting a good education and work opportunities. A candidate who wants to change their future and have a passion for learning should apply for an BANKSETA bursary. 

    BANKSETA covers the financing of bursaries by university collaboration arrangements. The service is comprehensive and holistic (covering tuition, textbooks, and accommodation, on or off-campus, depending on what has been arranged by the University).

    Every year, BANKSETA announces a funding window for all public universities to apply for funding for unemployed students that study courses that are scarce and vital banking industry skills, such as:

    • Bachelor of Science (IT)
    • Bachelor of Commerce (Economics, Finance, Financial Markets or Financial Modelling streams)
    • Actuarial Science (Accounting)
    • Bachelor of Commerce (IT)
    • Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting)

    Please note that BANKSETA does not directly recruit students to be part of the scholarship holders receiving a BANKSETA scholarship. According to the minimum criteria also laid down by BANKSETA, each University has its criteria for selecting learners to be part of the bursary.

    The BANKSETA scholarship covers the full cost of the scholarship, including tuition fees, meal allowances, book fees, accommodation costs, and other costs, such as tutorial costs.

    Eligibility Requirements

    Before applying, applicants must meet the following minimum entry criteria (please note that failure to fulfill all the requirements would result in your application not being considered):

    • Citizen of South Africa
    • Matric or equivalent completed
    • Currently studying OR admitted to study at a recognized tertiary institution in South Africa (University or TVET College)
    • Currently studying OR accepted in the banking and microfinance sector
    • Students from historically marginalized groups (young people, black people, women) and students with disabilities would be given priority.

    How to apply for the bursary

    Download and complete the Application Form for the BANKSETA Bursary (.pdf)

    Send valid copies of the following supporting documentation along with your completed application form (submission of these documents is mandatory; your request will be disregarded if any things are missing):

    • ID document (certified copy)
    • Certified copy of matric certificate or equivalent for a 1st-year student. 
    • Certified copy of previous academic record/ results for a 2nd or 3rd-year student.
    • Evidence of application / provisional acceptance offer from university/ TVET College for a 1st-time applicant. If this is not yet available, it must be submitted as soon as it is received)
    • Proof of domestic annual income

    Completed application forms, along with supporting documents, can be submitting by sending an email to [email protected]. Enter the words “BANKSETA Bursary Application – Your Full Name” in the email subject. 

    May the 4th Industrial Revolution be with you – Technology vs. Psychology

    Jokes aside – The 4th Industrial Revolution is not for April Fools

    There is no doubt that no matter which way we look at it, Covid 19 is responsible for accelerating the pace of the adoption of 4th Industrial Revolution technologies.  In The World Economic Forum (WEF) Future of Jobs Report 2018 that alarm was sounded two years ago, as if in an attempt to wake us all up to this fact; and at a time when most of us were still trying to grasp the magnitude of it all –  but, much less did we realise how our very survival in 2020 and beyond would depend on the rapid deployment of 4th Industrial Revolution technologies.  While as little as only 10 years ago, this all seemed like science fiction; in the wake of the ‘new normal’, we are on an endless voyage of discovery, one that sees us opening up the portals to new ideas and novel ways of deploying new technologies, the likes of whose impact has never before been experienced.    

    May the 4th  Industrial Revolution be with you

    Zooming in on 4IR Technologies and human survival

    So, here we have an interesting scenario.  It is now more apparent than ever that in the blink of an eye, our very survival depends on how quickly and effectively we can harness and integrate certain of these 4IR technologies into our daily lives.  Hence, since Covid 19 reared its ugly head, forcing us into isolation, we have become reliant on these 4IR technologies for our survival in the home as well as the workplace.  Let’s take a look at some of those 4IR technologies that have really taken off during this period and gained enormous reach and traction over the past few months. 

    • Digital banking
    • The Internet of Things (IOT)
    • The Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT)
    • 5th Generation Wireless Technologies (5G)

    The main difference between the previous industrial revolutions and the 4th Industrial Revolution is that while the first three revolutions were about making significant strides in the advancement of technology, 4IR is instead more attuned to advances in communication and connectivity, since these technologies have the potential to further connect billions more people to the web, with considerable enhancements to business and organizational efficiencies.  Enhancements to how we communicate and connect are now even more important than ever since the start of the pandemic.

    Technology vs. Psychology

    There are many factors to consider when change happens on a global scale.  Since Coronavirus has literally placed the world on hold and through social distancing has forced many of us to remain indoors so as to minimise infection risk, our freedom of movement has been severely restricted. 

    While in the past most of us would have jumped at the opportunity to work from home, doing so takes on a whole new meaning when we are being forced into it.  This forced change rapidly escalates into a psychological battle and can make us feel stressed and somewhat restless.  It goes without saying that much of this stress is due to the fear and loss associated with the virus.  Nevertheless, Coronavirus aside, being forced to stay at home is a problem as far as our mental well-being is concerned.   Many of our daily habits and routines are suddenly made redundant in that they are no longer feasible since these activities require that we go outside and mix with people.  Our days need to be completely restructured to not only meet our material and financial needs but our emotional and psychological ones too – while we maintain our distance.

    Hence, if we are going to step up to the plate as far as changing our behaviours is concerned, whether we actively choose change or are forced into going with it, we need to be mindful of how this all plays out in the mental health arena.  In this article we will discuss some of the challenges associated with being forced into isolation and working from home and we will briefly examine some of the trending tips and guidelines that people are following today.

    But, first, let us turn to industrial theatre to help us set the stage.

    Ship of Fools or April fools?

    Act 1:  Scene 1:  1 April 2019 – April Fool’s day

    The alarm goes off at 6am, I dive out of bed and hurry to get ready for work.  I psyche myself up for the drive to the office and my heart sinks.   A wave of dread floods my mind as I mentally prepare to deal with the traffic.  My early morning panic rush culminates into a corresponding rush of heart palpitations as I finally make my desk with only a few minutes to spare before I must rush to my first meeting of the day.  Everything is a rush. My colleagues and I all seem to be on the same page – rushing hither and thither –  deadlines looming – phones are ringing off the hook and the boss is racing and pacing to close an important deal.  Everyone is energised as the daily buzz sets in. 

    “Good morning everyone!  Today, you are all allowed to work from home!”  The boss shouts.  “You can pack up and leave now if you want.”  Everyone is shocked.  Is he serious?  Imagine that?  I thought to myself.  Working from home would be great!  I will finally get some peace and quiet and be able to work at my own pace.  I can eat when I want, be in my own space, have the television on in the background and even listen to some of my favourite music while I work.   

    “April fools!”  Laughs the boss.  “Do you really think I was going to let you all off that easily?”

    Act 2:  Scene 1:  1 April 2020 – April Fool’s Day

    The alarm goes off at 6am, I casually climb out of bed, and, yawning, I make my way to the bathroom to brush my teeth.  I haven’t driven my car for a few days.  Ford is parking off and very lonely sitting all on his own in my garage.  My heart sinks as a new wave of dread now floods my mind as the bathroom tap runs.  I have nowhere to go.  I haven’t had face to face contact with my colleagues for a while and the house is way too quiet.  There is a Zoom meeting at 8.30am that I prepared for the night before.  I am completely demotivated and devoid of enthusiasm.  In fact, I am completely bored with my own company.  Working from home is exhausting me.  The daily buzz just isn’t there.  I have no one to chat to about the little goings on in my life, much less, I feel uninspired and am having a hard time generating ideas while I work in isolation.  I feel totally disconnected from the world.  I miss my old routine and the rush of going into work.

    Just then my cell phone rings.   It’s the boss.  “Are you ready for this morning’s Zoom session?”  He asks. 

    “Yes, I have prepared the presentation you asked for.”  I reply, while shuffling nervously in my fluffy slippers as I gather my thoughts and mentally prepare myself for the meeting. 

    “For today’s meeting we need to discuss how we are going to organise ourselves to achieve the best results while working remotely.”  The boss confirms.

    I shudder as the reality of the ‘new normal’ hits me.  How long is this going to go on for?  How many more months of this can I take?  And then another rush of anxiety washes over me as I cast my mind back to this day one year ago when my boss cracked the April Fool’s joke about us all working from home.  “Many a true word said in jest” or prophecy?  I feel like such an April fool…. The mad rush has come to a grinding halt.

    Now that we have some idea of how the reality of the ‘new normal’ is playing out in our every day lives, let us turn to examine some of the challenges that we face.

    The challenges of isolation

    • Restrictions of Movement

    While we may drive fancy cars and operate the latest smartphones, we are nevertheless still animals and like all animals, our instinctive nature is to move around.  However, being forced into isolation or stuck at home as it were, poses a very real problem.   There is a well-established link between physical movement and sound mental health, since most of us are acutely aware of the need for exercise and more often than not, we know deep down that we simply don’t get enough exercise most of the time.   Being forced to stay at home only exacerbates the problem making it more real than ever. 

    The obvious solution to this problem is to get more movement back into our bodies.  Even though we may not be able to go to the gym, it doesn’t mean that we need to entirely ditch the idea of a daily exercise routine.  There are exercises that can be done without using any equipment such as sit-ups and push-ups and even yoga; which, nowadays, enjoys more popularity than ever, can be done at home since it requires very little space.

    A daily exercise routine will go a long way towards keeping our physical and mental health in check.

    • Aligning with nature is natural for human beings

    When we align with nature, such as going on a hike through the forest, we feel more energised, our mood immediately lifts and our bodies move easier.  This is due to the fact that nature has a measurable positive impact on our well-being as a whole.  But, when we are constantly stuck indoors, we are deprived of these benefits and therefore suffer as a result, since, being exposed to direct sunlight, getting plenty of fresh air and inhaling the scents of plants have a positive effect on us both physically and psychologically. 

    So, when forced into working from home we should make the most out of any contact we can have with nature even if this means simply spending more time in the garden.  While we are in nature’s space, we should consciously attune ourselves to the Earth, inhale and really smell the air, feel the texture of the grass under our feet, study the clouds, take in the vista of the sky and feel the effects of a gentle breeze.  We should intently listen to the sounds of nature.  Whether it be the chirp of a bird, the rustle of leaves or the sound of the wind, all of these things will uplift the soul.

    • Seeking Meaning

    By nature, human beings are creatures of habit and often these habits are what give us a sense of who we are, what our purpose involves and what meaning these things hold for us.  For instance, certain people gain fulfilment from their jobs, hobbies or from spending quality time with family and friends. 

    In times of isolation, many of these activities are no longer feasible or even possible.  This means that we need to re-evaluate our circumstances and decide what is truly meaningful for us to find new ways of being in line with our deepest desires and what really makes us tick.  While something like weekly band practice might be off the agenda at this time, this doesn’t mean we can’t practice by ourselves and although we may not be able to actually visit our friends and relatives we can still call them. 

    • Taking accountability

    When working from home or just being in plain old isolation, it happens that we may lose our sense of structure since there is no need to observe a strict timetable and any task or chore can be shelved till the next day if there is no dedicated schedule in place.  Procrastination, is, however a real problem.  So, while it may be tempting to let the reins go as far as discipline is concerned, the effects of slacking off can have detrimental consequences.  It is therefore important that we take accountability for our daily actions and have a dedicated routine in place.  For example, we should decide what time to wake up each morning and stick to it, commit to a structured work routine and bind ourselves to it.  If the decision has been made to work from 9am till 5pm like regular office hours, we should be disciplined enough to keep to this arrangement.  Taking accountability for our daily routine and keeping up with required tasks will lead to a feeling of a huge being lifted from one’s shoulders.

    • Staying Connected

    Everyone seeks human connection.  This is a natural human drive that stems directly from the core of who we are.  Ask anyone about the things that matter to them most, and most will cite one of those things as being connected.  However, when we are in isolation, that part of ourselves is lost.  A lack of human connection can significantly impact our emotional and psychological well-being.  This is apparent in the research undertaken around orphans and has become an established well-known fact.  You may have even noticed this effect on yourself while being in isolation, especially where it pertains to your general mood. 

    Seen from a different angle, remaining safe under Coronavirus is about physical safety – not necessarily social safety.  The distinction here must be clear.  Physical distance therefore does not equate to social distance.  The remedy here is to use those 4th Industrial Revolution technologies that keep us connected.  Staying in touch via Zoom or Skype or on Facebook and Whatsapp, while not always ideal, will go a long way towards staying connected.

    The winds of change

    When embracing the winds of change, whichever way we look at it, three things are apparent:

    1. We cannot survive the ‘new normal’ without incorporating 4th Industrial Revolution technologies into our daily lives. These technologies are gaining more and more traction every day.
    2. The ‘new normal’ and the 4th Industrial Revolution are here to stay.
    3. Our survival depends on how well we can adapt to the winds of change.

    Are you 4IR savvy? If not, get on course now. Prepare for the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) in South Africa

    FP & M SETA

    What is FP&M SETA?

    The Fibre Processing and Manufacturing SETA is part of the 21 Sector Education and Training Authorities established in South Africa. This SETA was established in April 2011 by the Minister of Higher Education and Training shortly after the South African government decided to group sectors to enhance value-chain relationships between allied industries. The FP&M SETA is made up of 13 sub-sectors: packaging, footwear, clothing, furniture, forestry, general goods, printing, leather, publishing, print media, wood products, textiles, and pulp and paper sectors. Although set up independently, the sub-sectors are closely integrated. Collectively, they provide great value to South Africans by converting pulp, animal skins/hides, lumber, and natural or synthetic fibers into finished products. These finished products include clothing, protective equipment, shoes, furniture, industrial fabrics, paper, and paper boards. Its scope also extends into high-tech applications in several industries such as health, automotive, building construction, and other related industries. People can hardly go through a day without using one or more fiber processing and manufacturing sectors’ products. 

    The FP&M SETA’s vision statement has been the motivation behind the activities of the sector. The SETA vision is to be a trustworthy and competent skills development associate guaranteeing excellent service delivery to build a highly-skilled world-class workforce through many skills development interventions. 

    In the same vein, the mission statement of the FP&M SETA is “to establish a reliable institutional mechanism that aids an efficient and effective skills development process, using a continuum of quality services and partnerships, to add to the success of sector competitiveness, transformation, and economic growth.”

    The FP&M SETA is committed to its values, which are:

    • Integrity – valuing its mandate and doing what is right and appropriate;

    • Accountability – Interpreting and taking responsibility and honoring their commitments.

    • Respect – Pushing for good performance regarding all our stakeholders, embracing openness, trust, teamwork, diversity, and mutually beneficial relationships.

    • Service Excellence – Aiming for the most excellent service and delivering it with pride.

    • Inclusive, Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformational Interventions – Devising meaningful and positive interventions that impact the South African communities.

    These interventions are specifically designed to collectively deliver inclusive economic growth and the attainment of economically independent individuals and communities, with a joint effort placed on people with disabilities, youth, women, and rural development. 

    The Supply Chain Management (SCM) division of the FP&M SETA operates effectively to ensure the smooth running of FP&M activities. Activities of the division are governed by the FP&M SETA SCM policy as approved by the Board. The SCM policy and procedures are aligned to current legislation and regulations applicable to the procurement of goods and services. The policy makes provision for the application of good corporate governance principles, the inclusion of BEE compliant and SMME suppliers, and the pursuit of good value for money when procuring goods and services.

    Functions of FP&M SETA

    The SETAs were established for many purposes, but one of the most important ones is developing and facilitating skills acquisition in various sectors, which applies to the FP&M SETA in the fiber, processing, and manufacturing sectors. The SETAs also identify various skills development needs in different industries and are involved in maintaining national standards according to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). The SETAs are authorized to organize and implement sector skills plans and supervise the formal education and vocational training initiatives within the relevant sectors and sub-sectors. These sector skills plans help determine important and valuable skills in employers’ demand to empower the students and learners with such skills. The SETAs also supervise the implementation of these plans.

    The SETAs also organize learnership programs for members of the workforce and those who are unemployed. These are learning opportunities that are important for learners and employers because they gain relevant skills through this training. To enhance the country’s tertiary education system, the SETAs promote the NQF interventions alongside the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). The contributions of the NQF towards the quality and standards of training have been very significant over the years. Another independent body, the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), is involved in quality assurance, and the SETAs work hand-in-hand with this organization. FP&M SETA, like the other SETAs, oversees the funding process in the fiber, processing and manufacturing industries by effectively disbursing the skills development levies generated from employers in the sector. These funds are used for managerial costs, grants, and bursaries in the sub-sectors. As statutory bodies established by the Act of Parliament, the SETAs are mandated to communicate with the Director of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) concerning public funds’ judicious use.

    As an independent authority, the FP&M SETA works to ensure the availability of high standards and vital learning programs. They also oversee the maintenance of such set standards and make relevant skills and training easily accessible by all fiber, processing and manufacturing sectors.

    As part of the obligations and responsibilities of FP&M SETA, it encourages skills development through some incentives and facilitates the acquisition of training by implementing several benefits strategies for learners. The twenty-one SETAs were established and implemented to achieve the aims and objectives of the Skills Development Act. These objectives include:

    • Improving the levels of productivity in various sectors and industries;
    • Developing and enhancing the skills of the South African youth that will culminate in economic development;
    • Empowering the workforce with the much-needed training and education to be successfully self-employed;
    • Increasing the standards of living of workers in different industries while improving their work prospects.

    The thirteen chambers of the FP&M SETA also have roles to play within their different sub-sectors to achieve the goals of the FP&M SETA collectively. These roles include:

    • To guide the South African Youth on the skills development path and to enable them to maximize their potential.
    • To recognize the education and training needs within the sub-sectors and to assist in meeting these needs via numerous training programs and learning opportunities
    • To provide leadership and counsel on issues that concern the growth of the sub-sectors
    • To identify and execute strategic projects that will ensure development within the FP&M SETA as a whole.

    Member organizations of the FP&M SETA and other key players are devoted to improving the quality of learning opportunities for the workforce and maintaining the standards that have been set while making available relevant and high-standard training and qualifications for those concerned. They are also committed to ensuring easy access to such quality learning and training opportunities to actualize the FP&M SETA vision, making available the relevant skills and adequate knowledge for all those in the fiber, processing and manufacturing sector.

    FP&M SETA Accreditation

    In line with the FP&M SETA values and the SETA at large, which are; accountability, integrity, respect, and service excellence, training providers must follow protocol and show that they operate according to the vision, mission, and values of the FP&M SETA. To this end, the providers of education and vocational training in the fiber, processing and manufacturing sector must be accredited by the FP&M SETA if they want to function accordingly. The FP&M SETA is accredited as an Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) body by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). It is, therefore, authorized to verify and accredit training providers in the sector.

    The FP&M SETA prioritizes the delivery of its commitments and responsibilities in a transparent and accountable manner to meet key players’ needs and other stakeholders in the body and satisfy them. On this note, training providers in this sector will be accredited if they satisfy the standards and requirements according to the FP&M SETA goals. The training provider must provide evidence of the appropriate full and part qualification the training center provides according to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). There should also be systems and equipment that facilitate learning at these centers and verified assessors and moderators who handle the learners’ assessment. The designed training syllabus must satisfy the standards and qualifications, and the mode of evaluating learners must be valid and well-grounded.

    All prospective training providers must contact the FP&M SETA because of the specific and detailed list of these training providers’ accreditation requirements. Accredited training providers deliver relevant training programs. The providers and institutions are easier to locate based on the program’s details and the province where interested candidates are located. To apply for accreditation, the prospective training providers must fill in the necessary application form and provide supporting documents, which include: a verified tax clearance certificate received from the South African Revenue Services (SARS) or proof of exemption; evidence of financial capability to provide training services during the time which the training provider is accredited; certificated showing registration status of the institution or company; proof of qualified and certified facilitators to provide relevant qualifications; credible occupational health and safety certificate for the particular occupation; evidence of learner appeal policy and specified code of conduct.

    After providing and submitting necessary documents, The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), which is responsible for qualifications and standards for various occupations and trades across the country, will assess the submitted application and confirm the information’s credibility in the filled form and the supporting documents. Afterwards, the authenticity is verified; the QCTO informs the prospective SDP about the evaluation results. Suppose the application from a prospective training provider meets the requirements. In that case, the QCTO will suggest a date for a visit to the intended training site to assess commencement readiness. If the training provider does not meet the required standards, a letter will be sent stating this. After the site visit and positive accreditation outcome, a letter will be sent to the applicant, and the training provider will be accredited for five years.

    FP&M SETA Funding

    Funding is necessary to fulfill the mission statement of the FP&M SETA, which includes:

    • Expanding the opportunities to acquire relevant skills and have easy access to training programs even in rural areas
    • Providing high-quality training standards and qualifications that will culminate in the growth of the sector
    • Creating an effective and standard system that facilitates skills development 

    According to the Skills Development Levy Act (SDLA), all employers within the food and beverage manufacturing sector with an annual salary payroll of R500,000 or more must pay 1% of this salary as skills development levy towards the National Skills Fund (NSF), the administrative costs of running the FP&M SETA and grants.

    Funding for FP&M SETA is generated from the skills development levy collected from employers in the fiber, processing and manufacturing sector. Administrative costs involve those incurred from managing and running the body. Ten percent of the levy used for FP&M SETA is allocated to these expenses. The remaining part of the levy is utilized for discretionary and mandatory grants.

    The mandatory grants are designed to cover education and training programs and enable employers to organize and implement training programs for their employees.

    Employers must satisfy specific guidelines before they can obtain mandatory grants, and these include:

    • Employers must register with the commissioner of SARS.
    • Employers must have paid all past levies at the time of approval.
    • Employers must provide signed off evidence of consultation with organized labor where applicable
    • Employers must have submitted the WSP and ATR to contribute to the FoodBev SETA Sector Skills Plan (SSP)
    • Employers must be paid levies to the commissioner within the stipulated time
    • Employers should make their first submission within six months of registering with SARS
    • Employers must guarantee that they have been paying their levies to their concerned SETA
    • Employers must submit all important documents before the deadline.

    Mandatory grants that are not claimed before August every year are transferred to discretionary grant funding.

    The FP&M SETA approves a discretionary grant policy every year, according to the SETA grant regulations. This policy will guide the disbursement of funds, bearing in mind the various programs and plans that the funds could support. These programs and plans include:

    • Professional, Vocational, Technical, and Academic Learning (PIVOTAL)
    • Scarce skills outlined in the SSP
    • Bursaries for employees and those who are unemployed
    • National Skills Development Strategies (NSDS) III initiatives
    • The annual performance plan
    • Trade Unions and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)
    • National Skills Priorities

    To receive discretionary grants, employers also need to satisfy the following guidelines;

    • Employers must have sent in their ATR and WSP forms.
    • Private training providers need to be accredited.
    • Employers must be within the FP&M SETA jurisdiction, i.e., employers must work in the fiber, processing and manufacturing sector.
    • Employers must have paid all due levies to date, except those who are exempted formally.
    • Unemployed learners are eligible to apply for bursaries and specified programs.
    • Only businesses with less than fifty employees can fill the PIVOTAL plan template as seen on the FP&M SETA website.
    • Trade Unions and NGOs must be registered.

    The application process is:

    • Applicants should fill the application forms while adhering to the discretionary grants policy. There are separate forms for training providers, private and public employers, and unemployed learners.
    • Documents detailing the company’s registration must be submitted.
    • Proof of registration under professional bodies must be submitted.
    • Evidence of payment of skills development levy or proof of exemption or proof of registration with SARS
    • Personal details of the assessor and moderator for the qualification must also be submitted. 

    How do you get a SETA Learnership?

    A learnership is one of the non PIVOTAL programs and it refers to the structured learning process that helps learners gain educational knowledge and practical skills in the workplace. This is one of the opportunities which the SETAs including FP&M SETA offer students. These structured learning processes operate on an outcome-based system and acknowledge the need for prior learning. The time frame of learnerships differ but usually lasts for 18 months. Learners must complete four different learnerships in order to attain an artisan equivalent qualification (NQF level 4).

    Learners must meet the following conditions before commencing a SETA Learnership:

    • Existing employees or new entrants;
    • Satisfy the selection guidelines set by the organisation taking on the learner;
    • Satisfy the entry requirements for the learnership program they wish to enroll in as determined by the qualification requirements.

    To obtain learnerships, there are specific outlined step-by-step processes that employers take;

    1. Employers are workplace approved and are required to meet the pre-registration criteria.
    2. Qualified assessors are available. They may be either in-house assessors or contracted assessors.
    3. Training providers are accredited to provide the particular learnership by the ETQA.
    4. Companies advertise learnership opportunities through the media.
    5. A tripartite learnership agreement is signed among the employer, provider and learner.
    6. Learners apply and are selected by the company recruitment process.
    7. A Short-term employment contract is signed between the employer and the learner, assuming the learner is unemployed.
    8. The learning programme and process are discussed and agreed to with the training provider.
    9. Employers fund the learnership through grants obtained from SETA.
    10. Employers and training providers deliver relevant learning and experience, working closely together to manage the training process.
    11. Learners are provided with support through mentoring and feedback.
    12. Learners are assessed by qualified assessors (formative and summative assessments)
    13.  The FP&M SETA quality assuror is called to moderate the assessment. Internal moderation must be undertaken by the provider.
    14.  A national qualification is awarded to the learner after successful completion of the learnership.
    15.  Learners get a statement of results for unit standards obtained if learnership is not successfully completed.
    16. On completion of learnership is completed, the employer may sign the learner on for a new learnership or employ the learner. The employer can also choose to release the learner for future employment by another organization if the learner was originally unemployed.

    FP&M SETA Qualifications

    The FP&M SETA qualifications are managed by the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), the Skills Development Act, and the Quality Council for Trade and Occupations (QCTO). The QCTO governs occupational qualifications and oversees the development of new ones. The QCTO also substituted legacy qualifications awarded to training providers by SETAs with occupational qualifications. The Council is also responsible for de-registering qualifications with no learner intake over some time.

    The is a revised quality assurance framework for the FP&M SETA where the QCTO oversees all quality assurance functions while the Development Quality Partner (DQP) and Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) oversee the development and restructuring of professional qualifications and register moderators and assessors, respectively. FP&M SETA qualifications are developed and restructured from time to time following step by step processes. Member organizations of FP&M SETA and other stakeholders tender a request to develop a new qualification or restructuring of existing qualifications to the FP&M SETA. The FP&M SETA submits this to the QCTO. After these steps, the bodies sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and FP&M SETA appoints the QDP. The FP&M SETA manages the restructuring of qualifications sends to the QCTO for approval.      

    The qualifications, NQF level, and minimum credits of the ETDP SETA are listed below.

    Title of Learnership or QualificationNQF LevelMinimum Credits
    National Certificate: General Textiles2120
    National Certificate: Textile Processes4123
    National First Degree: Textile Technology6380
    National Certificate: Clothing Manufacturing2141
    National Certificate: Clothing Manufacturing Technology4130
    National Diploma: Clothing Manufacturing Technology5299
    National Certificate: Footwear Processes2120
    National Certificate: Footwear Technology4120
    National Diploma: Footwear Technology5240
    National Diploma: Clothing; Textiles; Footwear and Leather (CTFL) Mechanician Processes5250
    National Certificate: Clothing; Textile; Footwear and Leather Manufacturing Processes2120
    National Certificate: Saw Doctoring1, 2, 3, 4141, 125, 133, 131
    National Certificate: Lumber Drying1, 2, 3, 4146, 122, 124, 121
    National Certificate: Dry Lumber Processing1, 2, 3, 4141, 124, 134, 121
    National Certificate: Pulp and Paper Woodyard Operations3120
    National Certificate: Forestry: Timber Harvesting3122
    National Certificate: Pulp and Paper Technology5145
    National Craft Diploma: Photo-Lithography5240
    National Craft Diploma: Electronic Composition5240
    National Craft Diploma: Roll Label Machine Minding5240
    National Craft Certificate: Rotary Printing and Re-Reeling – Gravure4120
    National Certificate: Printing and Manufacture of Packaging5141

    FP&M SETA Bursary

    FP&M SETA provides bursary students who are eligible and interested in working in the Fiber, Processing, and Manufacturing sectors. Bursaries cover tuition, textbooks, accommodation, feeding, and other related costs. FP&M SETA funds successful candidates with bursaries worth over R500,000, and candidates with debt from the previous academic year are considered when they are awarded the bursary. FP&M SETA evaluates students at different levels of studies to award eligible students with bursaries generated from discretionary grants.

    For students to benefit from this bursary opportunity, they do not require to be academically sound but need to pass a “means test.” This test involves the level of family income and a bit of academic knowledge. Students may be given a bursary and supplemented by a scholarship if they can tender proof of financial need. It is conventional for the school bursar to ask that learners fill an application form, giving details of their financial situation, supported by proof in documents, including assets to obtain such a bursary. The school will evaluate the application according to its bursary policy. Often, the award will remain valid until the student writes the next public examination. Several schools re-evaluate bursaries every year to guarantee that the grounds and qualities upon which the student obtained the bursary remain.

    Application Criteria for interested candidates:

    • Must be accepted and enrolled to study in a particular academic year.
    • Must be a South African citizen.
    • Must be unemployed.
    • Must be studying at a federal tertiary institution or university of technology in South Africa.
    • Must have finished qualifications for the preceding year and awaiting results to graduate.
    • Must be between 18 and 35 years.

    Approved Fields of Study for the FP&M SETA bursary reflect the integrated nature of the body includes:

    • Factory & Production Managers
    • Printers
    • Dyers
    • Operators
    • Technologists 
    • Engineers
    • Technical / Machine operators
    • Support Staff
    • IT Specialists

    Interested candidates should send the following documents to be considered for the bursary:

    • A filled application form.
    • Evidence of Registration as a final year student.
    • Student account from the university.
    • Record of the previous academic year.
    • Certified copy of ID document.
    • Tax Clearance Certificate.
    • Tax Compliance Status Verification PIN.

    These documents are to be sent to [email protected].

    FoodBev SETA

    What is FoodBev SETA?

    The Food and Beverages Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority (FoodBev SETA) is currently one of South Africa’s 21 Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) and one of the relatively new SETAs. The 

    FoodBev SETA, just like the other SETAs, is authorized across South Africa to facilitate skill development in the Food and Beverages manufacturing sector. Besides facilitating skill development and training acquisition, the FoodBev SETA is also authorized to put the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS) initiatives into use across the country.

    Within the FoodBev SETA are five sub-sectors, which are called chambers. These chambers include the following:

    Manufacturing of Food Preservation Products

    This sub-sector is the largest operating sub-sector in the FoodBev SETA. It is responsible for producing materials used in making other foods or beverages. Products like sauces, spices, and additives are produced in this sector.

    Beverage Manufacturing

    The sub-sector that handles beverage manufacturing is involved in producing beer, soft drinks, spirits, wine, and mineral water. The beverages produced largely in this sub-sector are beer and wine.

    Production of preserved and processed meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables

    This sub-sector carries out numerous activities. They are involved in the processing and preserving of fish, fish products, fruits, vegetables, meat, and meat products. They also produce, process, and preserve these meat and meat products by slaughtering, dressing, and packaging animals. These animals could be poultry, small livestock, lard, and various edible meat. They are involved in producing preserved and previously prepared meat, canned and processed foods, vegetable oils, animal fats, and dried fruits and vegetables. Other products like processed fish and other kinds of seafood are manufactured.

    Baking, cereals, confectionery, and snacks 

    This sub-sector handles bakery products, breakfast foods, chocolate, cocoa, sweet pastries, and nuts. Businesses operating in this sector are involved in activities like baking; cooking, drying; and salting.

    Dairy manufacturing

    The dairy manufacturing sub-sector produces all dairy products like cheese, ice-cream, milk, butter, and yogurt. The sub-sector also produces edible ice.

    All these chambers listed above operate according to the constitution of FoodBev Manufacturing SETA through an organized chamber committee. This committee consists of important industry stakeholders like employer organizations, labor force groups or bodies, and other similar organizations that affect the activities of the food and beverage manufacturing sectors. These chambers play a very key role in ensuring that the FoodBev SETA achieves fulfill its set obligations and responsibilities. Different operating companies have been grouped under different chambers according to the activities they carry out.

    Companies that carry out these activities are part of the Food Preparation Products sub-sector:

    • Production of petroleum and oilseed cake and meal 
    • Production of macaroni, noodles, and similar farinaceous products
    • Production of compound cooking fats, margarine, and edible oils
    • Production of food preparation products
    • Production of Tobacco
    • Production of spices, vinegar condiments, yeast, soups, egg products, and other food products

    Detailed activities of the Beverage manufacturing sub-sector are:

    • Production of soft drinks, 
    • Production of mineral waters 
    • Production of beer and other malt liquors and malt Breweries (except sorghum)
    • Production of beverages
    • Distilling, rectifying, and blending of spirits, alcohol production from fermented materials, and Production of wine     
    • Manufacturing of malt
    • Sorghum beer breweries

    The individual activities of the processed and preserved meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables sub-sector include:

    • Production of canned, preserved, prepared, and dried fruit and vegetables (except soups)
    • Production, processing and preservation of fish, meat, fruit, vegetables, oils, and fats
    • Production of canned, preserved, and processed fish, crustaceans, and similar foods.        
    • Production, processing, and preserving of meat as well as meat products
    • Processing and preserving of fruit and vegetables     
    • Production of animal and vegetable oils and fats
    • Production of prepared and preserved meat, including sausage
    • Production of lard and other edible fats

    The detailed activities of the Baking, Cereals, Confectionery, and Snacks (BCCS) chamber are:

    • Production of coffee, coffee substitutes, and tea       
    • Production of Bakery Products
    • Production of nut food
    • Production of cocoa, chocolate, and sugar confectionery      
    • Production of Breakfast Foods          

    The main activities in Dairy Manufacturing are outlined below:

    • Processing of fresh milk
    • Production of ice cream and associated edible ice products
    • Production of dairy products
    • Production of milk powder. Condensed milk and other edible milk products 
    • Production of butter and cheese         

    The development of skills through vocational training in sectors like these is a big advantage for today’s youth. Skills development expands their employment and life opportunities. It also equips and empowers them with the right tools as individuals in the workforce. Besides the primary skill these sub-sectors provide, they allow learners to enhance their time management, networking, and communication skills. All these skills, including the training skills they acquire, contribute to the South African economic growth and development in the long run.

    Functions of the FoodBev SETA

    The SETAs were established for many purposes, but one of the most important ones is developing and facilitating skills acquisition in various sectors, which applies to the FoodBev SETA in the food and beverage manufacturing sectors. The SETAs also identify various skill development needs in different industries and are involved in maintaining national standards according to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). The SETAs are authorized to organize and implement sector skills plans and supervise the formal education and vocational training initiatives within the relevant sectors and sub-sectors. These sector skills plans help determine important and valuable skills in employers’ demand to empower the students and learners with such skills. The SETAs also supervise the implementation of these plans.

    The SETAs also organize learnership programs for members of the workforce and those who are unemployed. These are learning opportunities that are important for learners and employers because they gain relevant skills through this training. To enhance the country’s tertiary education system, the SETAs promote the NQF interventions alongside the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). The contributions of the NQF towards the quality and standards of training have been very significant over the years. Another independent body, the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), is involved in quality assurance, and the SETAs work hand-in-hand with this organization. FoodBev SETA, like the other SETAs, oversees the funding process in the food and beverage manufacturing industries by effectively disbursing the skill development levies generated from employers in the sector. These funds are used for managerial costs, grants, and bursaries in the sub-sectors. As statutory bodies established by the Act of Parliament, the SETAs are mandated to communicate with the Director of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) concerning public funds’ judicious use.

    As an independent authority, the FoodBev SETA works to ensure the availability of high standards and vital learning programs. They also oversee the maintenance of such set standards and make relevant skills and training easily accessible by all food and beverage manufacturing sectors.

    As part of the obligations and responsibilities of FoodBev SETA, it encourages skills development through some incentives and facilitates the acquisition of training by implementing several benefits strategies for learners. The twenty-one SETAs were established and implemented to achieve the aims and objectives of the Skills Development Act. These objectives include:

    • Improving the levels of productivity in various sectors and industries;
    • Developing and enhancing the skills of the South African youth that will culminate in economic development;
    • Empowering the workforce with the much-needed training and education to be successfully self-employed;
    • Increasing the standards of living of workers in different industries while improving their work prospects.

    The five chambers of the FoodBev SETA also have roles to play within their different sub-sectors to achieve the goals of the FoodBev SETA collectively. These roles include:

    • To guide the South African Youth on the skills development path and to enable them to maximize their potential.
    • To recognize the education and training needs within the sub-sectors and to assist in meeting these needs via numerous training programs and learning opportunities
    • To provide leadership and counsel on issues that concern the growth of the sub-sectors
    • To identify and execute strategic projects that will ensure development within the FoodBev SETA as a whole.

    Member organizations of the FoodBev SETA and other key players are devoted to improving the quality of learning opportunities for the workforce and maintaining the standards that have been set while making available relevant and high-standard training and qualifications for those concerned. They are also committed to ensuring easy access to such quality learning and training opportunities to actualize the FoodBev SETA vision, making available the relevant skills and adequate knowledge for all those in the food and beverages manufacturing sector.

    FoodBev SETA Accreditation

    In line with the FoodBev SETA values and the SETA at large, which are; accountability, integrity, respect, and service excellence, training providers must follow protocol and show that they operate according to the vision, mission, and values of the FoodBev SETA. To this end, the providers of education and vocational training in the food and beverage manufacturing sector must be accredited by the FoodBev SETA if they want to function accordingly. The FoodBev SETA is accredited as an Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) body by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). It is, therefore, authorized to verify and accredit training providers in the sector.

    The FoodBev SETA prioritizes the delivery of its commitments and responsibilities in a transparent and accountable manner to meet key players’ needs and other stakeholders in the body and satisfy them. On this note, training providers in this sector will be accredited if they satisfy the standards and requirements according to the FoodBev SETA goals. The training provider must provide evidence of the appropriate full and part qualification the training center provides according to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). There should also be systems and equipment that facilitate learning at these centers and verified assessors and moderators who handle the learners’ assessment. The designed training syllabus must satisfy the standards and qualifications, and the mode of evaluating learners must be valid and well-grounded.

    All prospective training providers must contact the FoodBev SETA because of the specific and detailed list of these training providers’ accreditation requirements. Accredited training providers deliver relevant training programs. The providers and institutions are easier to locate based on the program’s details and the province where interested candidates are located. To apply for accreditation, the prospective training providers must fill the necessary application form and provide supporting documents, which include: a verified tax clearance certificate received from the South African Revenue Services (SARS) or proof of exemption; evidence of financial capability to provide training services during the time which the training provider is accredited; certificated showing registration status of the institution or company; proof of qualified and certified facilitators to provide relevant qualifications; credible occupational health and safety certificate for the particular occupation; evidence of learner appeal policy and specified code of conduct.

    After providing and submitting necessary documents, The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), which is responsible for qualifications and standards for various occupations and trades across the country, will assess the submitted application and confirm the information’s credibility in the filled form and the supporting documents. Afterward, the authenticity is verified; the QCTO informs the prospective SDP about the evaluation results. Suppose the application from a prospective training provider meets the requirements. In that case, the QCTO will suggest a date for a visit to the intended training site to assess commencement readiness. If the training provider does not meet the required standards, a letter will be sent stating this. After the site visit and positive accreditation outcome, a letter will be sent to the applicant, and the training provider will be accredited for five years. evaluation report

    FoodBev SETA Funding

    Funding is necessary to fulfill the mission statement of the FoodBev SETA, which includes:

    • Expanding the opportunities to acquire relevant skills and have easy access to training programs even in rural areas
    • Providing high-quality training standards and qualifications that will culminate in the growth of the sector
    • Creating an effective and standard system that facilitates skills development 

    According to the Skills Development Levy Act (SDLA), all employers within the food and beverage manufacturing sector with an annual salary payroll of R500,000 or more must pay 1% of this salary as skills development levy towards the National Skills Fund (NSF), the administrative costs of running the FoodBev SETA and grants.

    Funding for FoodBev SETA is generated from the skills development levy, which is collected from employers in the food and beverage manufacturing sector. Administrative costs involve those incurred from managing and running the body. Ten percent of the levy used for FoodBev SETA is allocated towards these expenses. The other portion of the levy is utililsed for mandatory as well as discretionary grant funding.

    The mandatory grants are designed to cater to education and training programs and enable employers to organise and implement training programs on behalf of their employees.

    Certain criteria need to be met by employers before they can receive mandatory grants, which include:

    • Employers are required to be registered with the commissioner of SARS.
    • Employers are required to have paid all past levies at the time of approval.
    • Employers are required to provide signed off evidence of consultant with organised labour where applicable
    • Employers are required to have submitted the WSP and ATR to contribute to the FoodBev SETA Sector Skills Plan (SSP)
    • Employers must have paid levies to the commissioner within the stipulated time period
    • Employers are required to make their first submission within six months of registering with SARS
    • Employers are required to ensure that they have been paying levies to the appropriate SETA
    • Employers are required to submit all necessary documents before the due dates.

    Mandatory grants that are not claimed prior to August every year are transferred to discretionary grant funding.

    The FoodBev SETA approves a discretionary grant policy every year, as per the SETA grant regulations. This policy directs the allocation of funds, taking into account the various plans and programs that the funds could be used for. Such plans and programs include:

    • Professional, vocational, technical and academic learning (PIVOTAL) programs
    • Scarce skills as outlined in the SSP
    • Bursaries for employees as well as unemployed learners
    • National Skills Development Strategies (NSDS) III initiatives
    • The annual performance plan
    • Trade Unions and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)
    • National Skills Priorities

    To take advantage of discretionary grants, employers must also meet the following criteria;

    • Employers must have already submitted their WSP and ATR at the time of approval.
    • Private training providers are required to be accredited (where training providers are involved in the process)
    • Employers are required to be within the jurisdiction of the FoodBev SETA, i.e., employers must work in the food and beverage manufacturing sector.
    • Employers are required to be up to date with levy payments except those who have been formally exempted.
    • Unemployed learners should qualify for bursaries and specified programs.
    • Only businesses that have less than fifty employees can fill the PIVOTAL plan template as seen on the FoodBev SETA website.
    • Trade Unions and NGOs are required to be registered.

    The following details apply in terms of the application process:

    • Applicants should complete the application forms while adhering to the discretionary grants policy. Different forms are to be used for private employers, public employers, training providers, as well as unemployed learners.
    • Documents detailing the company’s registration are required to be submitted.
    • Proof of registration under professional bodies is required to be submitted.
    • Evidence of payment of skills development levy or proof of exemption or proof of registration with SARS
    • Details of the assessor and moderator with regards to the particular qualification are also required to be submitted. 

    How to get a SETA Learnership

    A learnership is one of the non PIVOTAL programs, and it refers to the structured learning process that helps learners gain educational knowledge and practical skills in the workplace. This is one of the opportunities which the SETAs, including FoodBev SETA offers students. These structured learning processes operate on an outcome-based system and acknowledge the need for prior learning. The duration of learnerships vary but generally last for 18 months. Learners must complete four different learnerships in order to attain an artisan equivalent qualification (NQF level 4).

    Learners must meet the following conditions before commencing a SETA Learnership:

    • Existing employees or new entrants;
    • Meet the selection criteria as determined by the organisation taking on the learner;
    • Satisfy the entry requirements for the learnership program they wish to enroll in as determined by the qualification requirements.

    To obtain learnerships, there are specific outlined step-by-step processes that employers should adhere to:

    1. Employers should be workplace approved and are required to meet the pre-registration criteria.
    2. Qualified assessors are available. They may be either in-house assessors or contracted assessors.
    3. Training providers are accredited to provide the particular learnership by the ETQA.
    4. Companies advertise learnership opportunities through the media.
    5. A tripartite learnership agreement is signed among the employer, provider and learner.
    6. Learners apply and are selected by the company recruitment process.
    7. A Short-term employment contract is signed between the employer and the learner, assuming the learner is unemployed.
    8. The learning programme and process are discussed and agreed to with the training provider.
    9. Employers fund the learnership through grants obtained from SETA.
    10. Employers and training providers deliver relevant learning and experience, working closely together to manage the training process.
    11. Learners are provided with support through mentoring and feedback.
    12. Learners are assessed by qualified assessors(formative and summative assessments)
    13. The FoodBev SETA quality assuror is called to moderate the assessment. Internal moderation is required to be carried out by the provider.
    14.  A national qualification is awarded to the learner after successful completion of the learnership.
    15.  Learners receive a statement of results for unit standards achieved if learnership is not successfully completed.
    16. On completion of learnership is completed, the employer may sign the learner on for a new learnership or employ the learner. The employer can also choose to release the learner for future employment by another organization, if the learner was originally unemployed.

    FoodBev SETA Qualifications

    The National Qualifications Framework (NQF), the Skills Development Act, and the Quality Council for Trade and Occupations (QCTO) work in concert with one another to provide high standard qualifications. The NQF strategies are in charge of full time and part-time qualifications, while QCTO manages occupational and trade qualifications. The Council also de-registers qualifications if learners do not register for them after a long time. The FoodBev SETA is an ETQA body accredited by SAQA and must deliver high standard qualifications in line with the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS).

    List of Qualifications

    Further Education and Training Certificate: Food Manufacturing 

    Management

    NQF Level: NQF Level 04

    Qualification Type: Further Education 

    General Education and Training Certificate: Food and Beverage 

    Handling Processes

    NQF Level: NQF Level 01

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate Food and Beverages Processing: Soft Drinks 

    Processing

    NQF Level: NQF Level 03

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Bread and Flour Confectionery Baking

    NQF Level: NQF Level 03

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Bread and Flour Confectionery Baking

    NQF Level: NQF Level 02

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Cereals, Snacks, Pasta and Condiments 

    Manufacturing

    NQF Level: NQF Level 03

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Confectionery (Chocolate, Sugar and Biscuit) 

    Manufacturing

    NQF Level: NQF Level 03

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Dairy Primary Processing

    NQF Level: NQF Level 03

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Fish and Seafood Processing

    NQF Level: NQF Level 02

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Food and Beverage Manufacturing 

    Technology: Spray Dried Food Product Technologist

    NQF Level: Level 04

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Food and Beverage Packaging Operations

    NQF Level: NQF Level 03

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Food and Beverage Processing: Fish and 

    Seafood Processing

    NQF Level: NQF Level 03

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Food and Beverage Processing: Spirits 

    Processing

    NQF Level: NQF Level 03

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Food and Beverages Processing: Brewing 

    Processing

    NQF Level: NQF Level 03

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Food Laboratory Analysis

    NQF Level: NQF Level 03

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Food Laboratory Practices: Dairy 

    Laboratory Analyst

    NQF Level: NQF Level 03

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Food Processing: Plant Baking

    NQF Level: NQF Level 02

    National Certificate: Fresh Meat Processing

    NQF Level: NQF Level 03

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Manufacturing Management

    NQF Level: Level 05

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Meat Processing

    NQF Level: NQF Level 03

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Milk and Cream Handling and Storing

    NQF Level: NQF Level 02

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Spirits Production

    NQF Level: NQF Level 03

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Certificate: Winemaking

    NQF Level: NQF Level 03

    Qualification Type: National Certificate

    National Diploma: Clear Fermented Beverage Processing: Brewing

    NQF Level: NQF Level 06

    Qualification Type: Advanced Certificate

    National Diploma: Manufacturing Management: Food and Beverage

    NQF Level: NQF Level 06

    Qualification Type: Advanced Certificate

    National Diploma: Supply Chain Management: Sensitive Consumer 

    Products

    NQF Level: NQF Level 06

    Qualification Type: National Diploma

    FoodBev SETA Bursary

    FoodBev SETA offers bursary awards to full-time students who are studying in the university at undergraduate and postgraduate levels (Master’s degree or Ph.D.) within the Food and Beverage Manufacturing sector. These bursary awards are generated from discretionary grants and unclaimed mandatory grants. Students who are eligible and meet all outlined requirements are awarded the bursary, which covers tuition, meals, books, and other similar costs. The value of the FoodBev SETA Bursary is estimated at R150,000 every year and is awarded to students enrolled in training programs for critical skills and those in high demand in the food and beverage manufacturing industry. The FoodBev SETA reserves the right to withdraw the bursary completely or partially for its reasons and sometimes based on the availability of funds.

    Undergraduates who are studying in the following fields are eligible to apply for the FoodBev SETA Bursary:

    • BSc Food Science
    • BSc Chemistry
    • BSc Mechanical Engineering
    • BSc Microbiology
    • BSc Biochemistry
    • BSc Marketing
    • BSc Electrical Engineering
    • BSc Oenology
    • BCom in Accounting
    • BCompt in Finance
    • BSc Electronics Engineering
    • Diploma in Electronics
    • Diploma in Food Technology
    • Diploma in Mechanical Engineering
    • Degree in Consumer Science
    • Degree in Packaging Management
    • Diploma in Electrical Engineering
    • Degree in Operation Management
    • Degree in Production Management
    • Degree in Environmental Health Science

    The bursary covers postgraduates in the following fields:

    • BSc Hons. Oenology
    • Advanced Diploma: Labour Relations
    • BCom in Accounting   
    • BCompt Hons. in Finance
    • BSc Hons. Electrical Engineering/ Electronics Engineering/ Mechanical Engineering
    • BSc Hons. – Food Science and Technology/ Food Science/ 
    • B Bus Sc Hons. Marketing
    • Chemistry/Biochemistry/Biotechnology/ Microbiology
    • BTech in Electronics Engineering/ Electrical Engineering/ Electronics/ Food Technology/ Mechanical Engineering/ Operation Management/ Packaging Management/ Production Management
    • Honours Degree in Environmental Health Science/ Consumer Science/ Industrial Psychology 

    Eligibility

    Undergraduate students must meet these criteria to be considered for the bursary:

    • Students must have a good academic record
    • Students must show evidence of a financial need 
    • Students must show proof of registration
    • Only first-year students are eligible
    • Female students, students from less privileged homes, and disabled students will be given preferential treatment

    Application Process

    • Students must completely fill the application form and send it to the University Bursary Office. 
    • The university confirms that all form details have been addressed, the necessary signatures are appended
    • All supporting documents are also checked and verified
    • The learner must provide signed documents stating the intent to forward progress reports to stakeholders in FoodBev SETA and other officials
    • The completed application form is required to be submitted alongside supporting documents must be submitted to the SETA by the university

    Supporting Documents

    •  Proof of registration for the 2020 academic year
    • A copy of the student’s certified ID
    • Approved research proposal (including research costs) with confirmation from the recognised tertiary institutions for Ph.D. students, as well as 
    • research topic endorsed by the supervisor for 

    Application forms can be downloaded from http://www.foodbev.co.za/bursaries-unepmloyed

    Or you can send an email to: 

    [email protected]

    Completed application forms and all supporting documents can be submitted via:

    E-mail: [email protected]

    Post: PO Box 245, Gallo Manor 2052 or

    Hand deliver: 13 Autumn Rd, Rivonia 2128

    ETDP SETA

    The Sector Education and Training Authority, SETA, is a South African establishment accountable for promoting training and skills development within a particular industry sector. This establishment is a program of the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS), and several SETAs were established for several industry sectors according to the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998.

    The Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority, ETDPSETA, is an important connection in the different South African SETAs established in 1998 when the Skills Development Act first declared SETAs began working in 2000. Therefore, the stated vision of the ETDP SETA has been to facilitate and promote the growth and advancement of the skills profile of the education, training, and development sector to benefit employers and employees and a full range of workers as well. Conclusively, this SETA, ETDSETA, is also an important link for the economy of South Africa because it will effect a better knowledgeable and educated workforce with relevant work experience and ethics.

    While each Education and Training Authority (recognized more easily as a SETA) has a closely specified sector to concentrate on, the ETDP SETA concentrates on a much more extensive education and training base. So, the challenges faced by this specific SETA have been immense.

    The ETDP will continue to concentrate on education, training, and development in all its forms, from the easiest short course to college courses that last for many years. Sub-sectors currently related to labor unions, non-Governmental organizations (NGOs), community development, and political parties will stop participating as one of ETDP. These sub-sectors will be treated as part of a brand-new Social Security and Development SETA. In line with the Skills Development Act, ETDP SETA is charged with developing the educational and training workforce skills employed or unemployed. The ETDP SETA aids learning through Skills Programmes, Learnerships, tertiary studies or in-service training, Adult Education and Training, by earmarking and awarding grants and bursaries. It also makes provision for internships, apprentices, and mentorships.

    The ETDP has pledged to values that should be engaged in by all the SETAs in South Africa. These values include honesty and integrity, fair conduct and transparency, the capability to meet deadlines, courtesy and sympathy, striving for unrelenting improvement expertise for good, healthy co-operative governance, and the will and capability to promote equity for all its stakeholders.

    As part of the 21 SETA’s in South Africa, ETDP SETA is under the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). This department’s main goal is to expand the post-school system in South Africa by making it fully inclusive. A post-school system that is well structured and delivers basic training and education for graduates will strengthen the economy of South Africa and facilitate overall development. As a body focusing on the education and training sector, ETDP SETA organizes and executes various innovative skills development initiatives for education and training employees and unemployed citizens. ETDP SETA ensures that the learners are trained and educated according to the education and training sector’s needs.

    Functions of ETDP SETA

    According to the South African Government’s action plan, the ETDP SETA is mandated to draft a plan that will empower its learners, employees, and employers to develop the education and training sector’s skills and benefit from them. Their aim is to facilitate an increased number of young adults who can learn new skills and earn a living within the education and training sector.

    Overall, the ETDP SETA’s principal function is to improve, facilitate, and promote education, training, and development. Their other functions have been to:

    • Ensure that the skill levels of learners, employees, employers, and workers are steadily raised and improved.
    • Ensure that there is a healthy balance between supply and demand in the labor market across all its sub-sectors.
    • Ensure that several flexible programs provide all workers and employees involved in education and training, required skills relevant to the sector.
    • Ensure that a broad range of different career paths is available and accessible to South Africans seeking employment in the education, training, and development sectors.
    • Improve the overall quality of education and training provided in colleges, technical schools, and Universities. They also ensure that the courses offered in these centers of learning are relevant in the global community.
    • help to improve and to facilitate learnership agreements and register these agreements for the learners’ security
    • Make sure that they (ETDP SETA) obtain accreditation from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) so as to guarantee that all learning is appropriate and conforms to the expected standards in South Africa.
    • Acquire and then accurately pay the levies due to skills development in the education, training, and development sectors.
    • Partner with the National Skills Authority with respect to the Government’s policy on national skills development.
    • Partner with the National Skills Authority regarding the Government’s sector skills plan and national skills development strategy.
    • help advance and facilitate learnership agreements as well as register them for learner security
    • communicate directly with the Government’s Director-General of Labour concerning income and expenditure, including the implementation of the sector skills plan
    • partner with the Department of Labour’s employment services, including all educational bodies that are governed by laws that correlate to education in South Africa aimed at enhancing employment openings for these particular learners
    • select staff who can meet these obligations
    • execute any other obligations that the Skills Development Act and the Skills Development Levies Act demands

    The ETDP is also liable to communicate, when necessary, with other relevant sectors and the Departments of Education and Labour, the National Skills Authority (NSA), and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).

    NQFs, which have been an indispensable element of the South African tertiary education system for almost 25 years, are overseen and performed by SAQA, the South African Qualifications Authority. This overarching higher education system has been mandated to enroll in quality-assured national qualifications and part-time qualifications. The framework’s main goals are to expedite high-quality education and training and add positively to the learner’s overall development.

    SETAs are established by the parliament’s Act and, consequently, execute their duties in the public’s interest. As legal bodies, they manage public funds. Therefore, they are obliged to report to the Director of the Department of Higher Education and Training on the precise and precise use of these funds. The Public Finance Management Act also plays a role in SETAs administration, as they demand that public bodies act responsibly and economically.

    ETDP SETA Accreditation

    Providers of education, training, and development must apply for accreditation with an Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) body under the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). The training providers of education and training that provide full qualifications must register with the Department of Education. Education and training providers can only be accredited if they offer training programs based on the standards according to the primary focus of the ETDP SETA.

    To be accredited, the training provider must offer full qualifications or part qualifications that fall under the scope of the ETQA body of the ETDP SETA. There are many accreditation requirements: The training provider’s programs must be according to unit standards and qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). And learners must have access to standard learning support services. There must be adequately qualified training facilitators and assessors in the training centers. The curriculum must be designed to meet the high standards and qualifications in content and learning materials. Also, the methods of assessment must be accurate and reliable.

    The ETDP SETA is formally accredited as an ETQA by SAQA according to the terms of the SAQA Act. The main objective of accreditation is to ensure that education, training, and development institutions maintain high standards and provide learners with relevant skills. The ETQA ensures consistent revising and improvement of training programs and education, and this is done through accreditation. Beyond accreditation of the ETDP SETA, the ETQA also supervises and audits education, training, and development providers’ skills. The ETQA also registers moderators and assessors that facilitate assessing the students. They organize capacity-building initiatives for the providers to provide formal training according to the aims and objectives of the ETDP SETA, NQF, and the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS).

    This accreditation certifies the training providers as being qualified to fulfill certain functions according to the quality assurance system set up by SAQA in 1995. SAQA accredits ETQAs, and these ETQAs accredit the qualified training providers. By so doing, this system ensures the overall quality of training programs and education that are provided for post-school learners. This system also instills confidence in the trainees’ minds because accredited providers have complied with the accreditation process’s relevant bodies’ requirements. Learners can be rest assured that they would be properly trained and earn the much-needed skills and training recognized in the country and the world. Furthermore, only accredited training providers can provide education and training that guarantees nationally registered qualifications. Therefore, this system equips training providers with an important tool that can be used to market high standard services, which are consistently in demand by those working in the local government sector and those who are unemployed.

    ETDP SETA Funding

    Certain regulations govern the distribution of the SETA levy income obtained from employers’ tax in different sectors in the form of mandatory and discretionary grants. These regulations also stipulate the ways by which grants are to be allocated. The ETDP SETA was established according to the Skills Development Act, and under this, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) oversees this funding process.

    The ETDP SETA has a policy that spells out how the body disburses grants to support the execution of the Sector Skills Plan (SSP), Annual Performance Plan (APP), and the objectives’ implementation. The Sector Skills Plan was designed based on extensive research and interactions with stakeholders in the ETDP sector. Therefore, it aims to expand employment opportunities for those working in the education, training, and development sector. The plan is also aimed at ensuring the local government sector’s development meet its demands and adapt to the changing economy.

    The grant policy guarantees that the skills levy is targeted to meet the skills demanded by employers and employees’ training needs. This policy also informs the board’s stakeholders and members how grants can enable wide participation by interested candidates. The ETDP SETA is responsible for monitoring the use of funds and assessing the extent to which the grant policy’s objectives are achieved. The body will also use certain standards to measure grants’ impact on learners (students), educational staff, institutions’ management, and the education, training, and development sector as a whole.

    According to the National Qualifications Framework, such training interventions are deemed to culminate in qualifications or part-time qualifications as stipulated in the Grant Regulations. ETDP SETA makes these funds accessible during a time in which it accepts applications from employers. This period’s opening is made public on the ETDP SETA website and national radio stations and newspapers.

    ETDP SETA also disburses grants for discretionary funding to non-PIVOTAL programs. These programs do not lead to recognized formal qualifications but are also aimed at developing its sub-sectors, which involves research projects that may be undertaken by ETDP SETA and related organizations.

    Ten percent of discretionary funding is used for specific projects that cater to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college capacity training as well as public service training.

    Discretionary Grants can also be allocated based on the discretion of ETDP SETA. This will also largely depend upon the availability of allocated funds, approval from the ETDP SETA Accounting Authority (the board), and compliance with defined criteria stated in the ETDP SETA Discretionary Grants Policy and Guidelines.

    The ETDP SETA pays mandatory Grants if an educational institution or training center meets the grants’ requirements, and the employers have paid their levies. ETDP SETA pays out mandatory grants every quarter.

    How to get a SETA Learnership?

    A learnership, one of SETA’s opportunities, is an orderly learning process that is undertaken for the purpose of acquiring academic knowledge and practical skills in the workplace. These well-structured learning processes are time-based as opposed to outcome-based and acknowledge the requirement for formal learning. The timeframe for learnerships varies, but the average learnership is usually 18 months. To achieve an artisan equivalent qualification, the learner needs to finish at least four different learnerships. This suggests that the first four qualifications of the NQF levels must be attained.

    Learners should meet certain criteria before starting a SETA learnership, and these include:

    • Learners could be new entrants or current employees. 
    • Learners must satisfy the entry criteria for the specific learnership they want to enroll in.
    • Learners must meet the selection requirements structured by the organization taking on the learner.

    There are also particular processes requiring other learners, employers, and training providers, to follow, and these include:

    1. Employers are endorsed in their work-place and are expected to satisfy the pre-registration requirements.
    2. Training providers are accredited to provide particular learnership by the ETQA.
    3. Qualified assessors are available. They may be contracted, assessors, or in-house assessors.
    4. Companies advertise learnership opportunities through the media.
    5. Learners apply and are picked by the company’s recruitment process.
    6. A three-party learnership agreement is signed among the learner, employer, and provider.
    7. A short-term employment contract is signed between the learner and the employer, where the learner is unemployed.
    8. The learning program and process is reviewed and consented to with the training provider.
    9. Employers sponsor the learnership by grants obtained from SETA.
    10. Employers and training providers deliver the required learning and experience, working closely together to accomplish the training process.
    11. Learners are rendered support via mentoring and feedback.
    12. Learners are assessed via formative and summative assessments by qualified assessors. 
    13. The ETDP SETA quality assuror is invited to head the assessment. The provider must undertake internal supervision.
    14. A national qualification is awarded to the learner following the successful conclusion of the learnership.
    15. Learners receive a statement of their results for unit standards completed if learnership is not concluded.

    As soon as the learnership process is completed, the employer can either sign the learner for a new learnership, engage the learner or let go of the learner for future hiring by another organization if he/she was unemployed.

    In compliance with the Skills Development Act, a learnership should include the following components:

    • An organized learning component.
    • A practical work experience.
    • It must be occupation-related.
    • After finishing successfully, it must lead to a qualification.

    ETDP SETA Qualifications

    ETDP SETA Accredited Training Provider ensures that their programs:

    1. Meet all the quality standards as established by the ETDP SETA.
    2. Enable companies to be qualified for discretionary funding for learning interventions.
    3. Offer learners a high-quality training certificate that will help them perform well in their job.
    4. Guarantee that all the administration related to the qualification is sorted.

    The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) is responsible for registering and publication of high standard national qualifications. The comprehensive system was established to ensure quality and professional qualifications that are nationally and internationally recognized. SAQA is responsible for managing the NQF, and each SAQA unit standard has a corresponding NQF credit and level. The qualifications, NQF level, and minimum credits of the ETDP SETA are listed below.

    Learning SubfieldTitle of Learnership or QualificationNQF LevelMinimum Credits
    Adult LearningNational Certificate: ABET Practice4120
    Adult LearningNational Certificate: Environmental Education, Training and Development Practice4121
    Adult LearningNational Certificate: Inclusive Education5140
    Adult LearningNational Certificate: Occupationally Directed Education Training and Development Practices5120
    Adult LearningNational Certificate: Youth Development5155
    Adult LearningNational First Degree: ABET Practice6360
    Adult LearningAdult Basic Education and Training: Early Childhood Development1120
    Adult LearningNational Certificate: Community Development3120
    Adult LearningFurther Education and Training Certificate: Life Skills4125
    Adult LearningNational Diploma: Braille Practice5240
    Adult LearningNational Diploma: Occupationally Directed Education, Training and Development Practices5240
    Communication StudiesFurther Education and Training Certificate: Archives and Records Management4141
    Early Childhood DevelopmentNational Diploma: Early Childhood Development5240
    Early Childhood DevelopmentFurther Education and Training Certificate: Early Childhood Development4140
    Generic ManagementNational Certificate: Generic Management: NQF Support Link5162
    Generic ManagementFurther Education and Training Certificate: School Governing Bodies4150
    Information StudiesNational Certificate: Library and Information Services5123
    Information StudiesFurther Education and Training Certificate: Library Practice4132
    Office AdministrationFurther Education and Training Certificate: School Business Administration4132
    People/Human Centred DevelopmentNational Certificate: Community Development: Gender Studies5147
    People/Human Centred DevelopmentNational Certificate: Community Development: Youth Development5147
    People/Human Centred DevelopmentNational Certificate: Community Development: Youth Development5147
    SchoolingCertificate: Education5120
    SchoolingAdvanced Certificate: Education (School Management and Leadership)6120
    SchoolingNational Professional Diploma: Education6360
    SchoolingProfessional Diploma: Education6360

    ETDP SETA Bursary

    ETDP SETA monitors and evaluates students at different levels of studies to award eligible students with bursaries generated from grants. The ETDP SETA funds cover students’ tuition fees, accommodation textbooks, feeding, and similar costs. Many institutions have bursary capacity that assists students in paying their fees. For students to benefit from this bursary, they must not necessarily be academically sound but need to pass a “means test.” This test involves the level of family income and a bit of academic knowledge. Students may be awarded a bursary in addition to a scholarship if they can provide proof of financial need.

    It is customary for the school bursar to request that students fill an application form, giving details on their financial situation, supported by evidence in documents, including assets to obtain such a bursary. The school will review the application according to its bursary policy. Most times, the award will remain in effect until the student sits for the next public examination. Many schools reassess bursaries every year to ensure quality that the grounds upon which the student received the bursary remain. 

    The ETDP Bursary was established to assist students within the Education, Training, and Development sector to further their tertiary studies. Every year, bursaries are awarded to students seeking undergraduate or postgraduate qualifications in these sectors. The bursary can be valued as high as R100 000 for students and is mainly used for tuition and textbooks. Every year, bursaries are given to a student within the Education, Training, and Development sector, according to set requirements.

    Eligibility Requirements

    Applicants need to satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying (it should be noted that failure to meet all the requirements will result in your application not being considered):

    · South African citizen

    · Studying full time or part-time towards any qualification in Education, Training, and Development sector (Certificate/Degree/Diploma)

    · Studying part-time or full-time at a College/ University/ University of Technology

    · Not being funded by other Government sources

    · Unemployed

    · Learners who have been previously funded must reapply for a continuing bursary

    Bursaries are awarded for the following programmes:

    · NPDE and PGCE

    · Masters in Commerce

    · B.Communication

    · B.Ed Mathematics and Science

    · Public Finance

    · BSc Applied Mathematics

    · Human Resources Management

    · Certificate in Education

    · ACE in Leadership and Management

    · B.Ed Foundation Phase

    · Computer Studies

    How to apply for the bursary

    Download and duly fill the ETDP SETA Bursary Application Form pdf. 

    Submit plain and clear copies of the following supporting documentation along with your completed application form. The submission of these documents is mandatory and important– if any items are missing, the application would not be considered.

    · Certified copy of ID document 

    · Continuation bursary applications: a certified copy of mid-year results

    · Tax Clearance Certificate

    · New bursary applications: a certified copy of the most recent exam results 

    · Tax Compliance Status Verification PIN

    Completed applications should be submitted online via email to [email protected]

    MQA (Mining Qualifications Authority)

    What is MQA?

    The MQA (Mining Qualifications Authority) is a SETA (Sector Education and Training Authority) who looks after the skills development and training programs for the mining and minerals industry in South Africa. 

    The focus of the MQA is to ensure that individuals and companies in the mining and minerals industry have sufficient skills to support employment equity, health and safety, and productivity standards. 

    The MQA operates as a legal entity which was established as per the Mine Health and Safety Act No 29 of 1996. It is also a registered Sector Education and Training Authority for the mining and minerals industry as per the Skills Development Act. 

    Since mining is classified as a critical industry within South Africa, the MQA supports the objectives of the Mining Charter in terms of the Minerals and Petroleum Development Act.

    The MQA strives to:

    • Support transformation in the industry through skills development
    • Support decision making for skills development
    • Improve and implement core skills development programs that are aligned with the industry qualifications
    • Improve the monitoring, evaluation, and review of the delivery of skills development
    • Implement an efficient, effective and transparent corporate governance system.

    What is the function of MQA?

    The MQA is responsible for supporting transformation in the Mining and Minerals industry through the implementation of skills development as outlined by the Skills Development Act. The MQA also supports the broad based-social economic empowerment charter (Mining Charter). 

    The functions as per the mining charter include:

    • Human Resource Development focussed on addressing inequality in the workplace
    • Increase the visibility and participation of women in mining
    • Empower previously disadvantaged communities

    As per SAQA, the function of the MQA is to develop unit standards and qualifications for the mining industry. MQA is therefore approved as an ETQA (Education and Training Quality Assurance) body for the industry.  

    MQA’s core functions include:

    • Development of and implementing a Skills Development Plan for the industry
    • Develop unit standards and qualifications for the industry as per alignment with the NQF
    • Creating, registering, applying, and promoting learnerships and apprenticeships
    • Maintain the quality of the unit standards, qualifications and learning courses and,
    • Allocate grants from the Skills Development Levy.

    MQA accreditation

    The MQA also functions as a quality assurance function supported by the QCTO (Quality Council for Trade and Occupations). They therefore have a responsibility to maintain the quality of all training assessments throughout the industry. 

    In order to meet the quality standards, criteria are set out for the accreditation of training providers. It also includes the registration of assessors and moderators at MQA. 

    Training providers can be divided into two categories:

    • An accredited training provider or
    • A programme approval provider

    Requirements for training providers to be accredited include:

    • Being registered as a provider at the time of application
    • Has an established and recognised QMS (Quality Management System) in place. This should include relevant quality management policies, quality management procedures and review processes which ensures the quality management policies and procedures.
    • Have the necessary assessment process in place which includes registered assessors with the MQA
    • Have an applicable moderation system in place which includes registration as a moderator with the MQA
    • Have aligned learning materials available
    • Has not already been granted accreditation to another ETQA

    For the accreditation approval process, all supporting documentation must be submitted by the Training Provider who is applying to be MQA accredited. A provisional accreditation status is granted to new training providers if corrective action should be taken after an audit showed some compliance to the set criteria. Full accreditation is granted once the training provider has met all requirements for full accreditation within 1 year. 

    Accreditation is only provided if the MQA has confirmed that all accreditation criteria have been met.  

    Upon successful accreditation, the service provider will receive a certificate from the MQA. The certificate should be clearly displayed on the provider’s premises. 

    MQA funding

    The Skills Development Act and the (SDL) Skills Development Levies Act directs the process for the collection of levies from employers. The overall objective of the Skills Development Act is to provide initiatives to make training more affordable to individuals. 

    SDL must be paid by employers who have been registered. An employer who has a salary bill of more than R500 000 is liable to pay SDL. 

    1% Of the total amount that is paid in salaries should be paid and the money is collected by SARS. 

    Once paid, levies are then distributed via MQA. The Skills Development Act also provides the directive on how the funds allocated to each SETA should be spent. 

    In 2012, the revised Grant Regulations were released in order to regulate the percentages of the funds available for administration costs, regulate the portion of funds available for skills development as well as to improve the information that is received from the workforce through the WSP (Workplace Skills Plan), ATR (Annual Training Report) and PIVOTAL Training Reports. These reports provide important feedback on the skills needs and planning to meet these needs. 

    The MQA Funding Policy has been compiled in alignment with the Grant Regulations that were published under the Skills Development Act. The purpose of the policy is to provide a framework that can be applied to all MQA funding processes. It will also enable the allocation and distribution of funds based on the skills needs in the industry.

    The funding policy support MQA programs which include:

    • Administration
    • Research
    • Learning Programs
    • Quality Assurance, Monitoring and Evaluation
    • Partnerships with stakeholders, communities and entrepreneurs
    • Collaboration with public colleges

    Employers that are compliant with the Levies Act may claim mandatory grants from MQA granted they have submitted a WSP (Workplace Skills Plan), an ATR (Annual Training Report) and PIVOTAL Training Plan.

    Discretionary grants are additional funding that companies can apply for in addition to their mandatory grants. The aim of discretionary grants is to support employed and unemployed learners who enter and complete learning programs. 

    80% of the Discretionary funds will be utilized for PIVOTAL programs. PIVOTAL programs are learning programs that support an occupational qualification or part qualification on the NQF. Per the MQA funding policy, the funding can be applied for:

    • Bursaries
    • Work Experience
    • Internships which falls under PIVOTAL training in the MQA sector
    • Management and Executive Development Programs
    • Non-Artisan Learnerships
    • Artisan Learnerships
    • AET
    • OHS Representatives Development
    • Other MQA approved Health and Safety Programs
    • Foundation Learning Competence
    • Artisan Recognition of Prior Learning
    • Artisan Aides
    • TVET Support 
    • Candidacy Programme
    • Mine Community Development
    • Unemployed Youth Development
    • Small Scale Mining Programs

    A maximum of 20% of the available discretionary funds will be utilised for programs that are considered non-pivotal, as listed in the MQA Funding Policy.

    How do you get a SETA learnership?”  

    The Skills Development Act of 1998 requires the MQA to establish, register, promote and execute learnerships in the mining and minerals sector. A learnership is a structured vocational, education and training program which offers a combination of theory and practical experience in the workplace that leads to an NQF-registered qualification.

    The learnership program must:

    • Have a structured learning and institutional component
    • Be registered with the DHET
    • Have a practical on the job experience component to it
    • Lead to a qualification on the NQF framework
    • Be specific to the occupation and be aligned to the OFO (Organising Framework For Occupations)

    A learnership is a great opportunity for matriculants to gain hands-on experience in the industry under the guidance of a mentor. All theory is taught in a classroom setting and tuition costs are covered as part of the learnership programme. A monthly allowance or stipend is also payable to help with some of the student’s expenses. 

    The learners can gain hands-on experience, workplace experience and skills training within the industry through a fixed-term contract between the learner, the employer, and the training provider. A learnership does not guarantee permanent employment but provides significant and useful experience to the learner. 

    Funding for learnerships is subject to compliance with the MQA’s criteria for Discretionary Grants funding. The MQA is funded from the 20% Discretionary grants fund. 

    Before a learnership can be registered, there must be an indication that there is a need in the sector. The criteria might include:

    • The category of learners who may benefit from the learnership
    • Skills needing to be addressed
    • Critical need or scarcity of the skills to be addressed
    • Estimated cost of the provision of the learnership
    • Adequate and relevant workplace learning
    • Must have a structured institutional learning component
    • Have available accredited training providers

    MQA qualifications

    Since the MQA is delegated by the QCTO (Quality Council for Trades and Occupation, they are required to maintain the quality of assessments. One of the key objectives is to determine the criteria for the certification of learners and accredited training providers.

    Certificates are only provided to learners who have been shown to be competent against a specific qualification or a skills program. A certificate of accreditation is also provided to the training provider that must be visibly displayed on their premises. 

    As soon as all the criteria have been met, the MQA management system will alert that a certificate needs to be issued for a specific student. All certificates are generated electronically. The training provider must ensure that the learner’s correct details and correct credits that were obtained are captured in the system.

    The maximum turnaround time for certificates/statements of attainments to be ready from the date of approval is 90 working days.

    Find a list of accredited providers including a list of qualifications they provide. 

    MQA bursary

    On 3 December 2012, the revised Grant Regulations were released, which impacted the allocation of SETA funding. 

    The MQA bursary scheme’s objective is to increase the number of learners and students who are taking up careers in the mining and minerals sector. The bursary scheme provides an opportunity for learners to study at Higher Education and Training Institutes.

    The MQA bursaries support students that have registered and enrolled with universities, TVET colleges, and universities of technology. The bursary covers tuition and registration, accommodation fees, books and stationery, and a toolkit allowance.

    Learners who show a strong academic record and a need for financial assistance are legible for funding. 

    The bursary will continue for every year, subject to a re-assessment by the MQA bursary committee on an annual basis. 

    Female applicants and applicants with disabilities are given special considerations.  

    The MQA holds a service obligation agreement. This means that successful candidates must secure employment within the mining and minerals industry for the same amount of years they were supported by a bursary. 

    FASSET

    What is FASSET?

    FASSET stands for the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) for the Finance, Accounting Management Consulting and Other Financial Services sector. This SETA was established in terms of the Skills Development Act (SDA) of 1988. 

    FASSET is responsible for improving the number of applicants entering employment into the finance and accountancy industry and to improve and develop the skills that are required.

    The finance and accounting services industry is the largest employer of individuals with financial management, accounting, and auditing skills. This industry includes:

    • Investment entities, trusts and company secretary services
    • Stockbroking and Financial Markets
    • Financial development organizations
    • Accounting, bookkeeping, auditing, and tax services
    • Business and management consulting services
    • SARS (South African Revenue Service)
    • The national and provincial treasuries
    • And other financial supporting activities

    FASSET is required to ensure that individuals who do work in these specific sectors have the necessary education, training, and skills development to perform their duties in their jobs as needed. In other words, it means that individuals need to be professionally trained to work in this industry.

    What is the function of FASSET?

    All SETAs in South Africa have received the mandate to ensure that individuals in a particular industry are properly educated and trained. Each individual SETA, therefore, has its own specific requirements to fulfill this purpose. 

    The objectives and functions of FASSET are:

    • To develop the competence of both current employees in the sector as well as potential employees
    • To improve the qualify of life of employees, including their work/job prospects
    • Improve the efficiency and productivity of employees, which in turn will have a downstream effect on the competitiveness of employers
    • To improve self-employment possibilities for individuals who have the knowledge and skills but are unable to find employment. 
    • To encourage continuous learning for both employees as well as employers
    • To encourage active development and learning of skills within the workplace as well as providing both with the opportunity to acquire new and sustain ongoing skills.
    • To make it easier for new individuals to enter the job market for the first time and get work experience.

    FASSET Accreditation

    Accreditation is applicable to service providers who want to deliver and assess qualifications that are part of FASSET’s scope of quality assurance. A provider is any individual or company that delivers and assesses learning programs that are part of the NQF framework. 

    If an institution is accredited, it means that a person, a body, or an institution has been certified as being able to fulfill a required training and development function as per SAQA (South African Qualifications Authority).

    The purpose of the accreditation is to ensure that all training and education is of a high quality as well as it is relevant to the needs of the industry. If a training provider is accredited, it means that their content and courses are compliant with the NQF standards. It also ensures employers and employees that the service provider’s courses have been evaluated to ensure it meets the required industry standards.

    A student who completes a SETA accredited course through an accredited training provider can earn the relevant NQF credits. All NQF credits can cumulatively count towards a fully recognized qualification on the NQF framework.  

    Accreditation also guarantees students that a training provider and their courses are reputable, and students can be ensured that they will receive the relevant training which can be practically applied in the industry.

    FASSET’s accreditation process is as follows:

    The training provider who wishes to provide applicable training must submit a complete application and all required attachments to FASSET.  

    FASSET will conduct an internal evaluation. This can take anything from 6-8 weeks. Once the training provider passes the evaluation, accreditation will be provided. If a training provider failed the evaluation, FASSET will provide them the opportunity to remedy any shortcomings. 

    If all corrective actions were taken within the allowed 6-month period, the provider will be accredited. 

    FASSET funding

    The Skills Development Act and the (SDL) Skills Development Levies Act directs the process for the collection of levies from employers. The overall objective of the Skills Development Act is to provide initiatives to make training more affordable to individuals. 

    SDL must be paid by employers who have been registered. 

    An employer who has a salary bill of more than R500 000 is liable to pay SDL. 1% Of the total amount that is paid in salaries should be paid, and the money is collected by SARS. The Department of Higher Education (DOHE) and the SETAs are responsible for complying with the act, while SARS is responsible for collecting and distributing the levies. 

    Once paid, levies are then distributed via FASSET. The Skills Development Act also provides the directive on how the funds allocated to each SETA should be spent. 

    In 2012, the revised Grant Regulations were released in order to regulate the percentages of the funds available for administration costs, regulate the portion of funds available for skills development as well as to improve the information that is received from the workforce through the WSP (Workplace Skills Plan), ATR (Annual Training Plans) and PIVOTAL Training Reports. These reports provide important feedback on the skills needs and planning to meet these needs. 

    The Grant Regulations also promote PIVOTAL programs which are NQF-registered and quality assured. These PIVOTAL programs focus specifically on scarce and critical skills needs in the industry. 80% of Discretionary funding must be assigned to PIVOTAL programs.

    Employers that are compliant with the Levies Act may claim mandatory grants from FASSET granted they have submitted a WSP (Workplace Skills Plan), an ATR (Annual Training Report) and PIVOTAL Training Plan. These grants equate to up to 20% of the total annual levy contribution that was made by the company.

    Discretionary grants are additional funding that companies can apply for in addition to their mandatory grants. These are granted at the discretion of FASSET and are to be used to fund learnerships, apprenticeships and strategic projects as identified from the workplace skills plan. 49.5% of the levies that employers pay, must be allocated to discretionary grants. 80% of the discretionary grants must be assigned to PIVOTAL programs. 

    PIVOTAL programs are learning programs that support an occupational qualification or parts qualification on the NQF. 

    PIVOTAL Programs includes

    •  Professional programs that support professional development such as certifications
    • Internships which are work-based experience for individuals who obtained their qualifications and need practical experience.
    • General vocational programs
    • Specific programs related to occupations
    • Any program of technical nature; as well as
    • Academic programs specifically at a higher education level.

    How do you get a SETA learnership?

    A learnership is a structured program that offers a combination of theory and practical experience in the workplace that leads to an NQF-registered qualification.

    A learnership is a great opportunity for matriculants to gain hands-on experience in the industry under the guidance of a mentor. All theory is taught in a classroom setting and tuition costs are covered as part of the learnership programme. A monthly allowance or stipend is also payable to help with some of the student’s expenses. 

    The learners can gain hands-on experience, workplace experience and skills training within the industry through a fixed-term contract between the learner, the employer, and the training provider. A learnership does not guarantee permanent employment but provides significant and useful experience to the learner. 

    If a workplace is used for a learnership for learners on FASSET Learnerships, it must be accredited. The purpose of the accreditation is to confirm the ability of the workplace to successfully and professionally host a particular learnership. The workplace must be able to provide the relevant resources related to the learnership, must be able to show the relevance of the work experience to the qualification to be obtained, and the support structure for the successful implementation and completion of the learnership must be in place. 

    FASSET learnerships mainly focuses on the HR and Business Management industry. 

    With a FASSET learnership, candidates are placed with specific employers in the industry. The learner fields that are available for FASSET learnerships include:

    • Management Assistant
    • Management Accounting
    • HR Management
    • Financial Management
    • Marketing Management
    • Business Management
    • Business Accounting
    • Office Administration
    • Bookkeeper
    • Public Sector Accounting
    • Internal Auditing
    • Debt Recovery
    • Accounting Technician

    The majority of the FASSET learnerships are valid for a 1 year period unless otherwise indicated/contracted. 

    Candidates on a learnership will receive a monthly allowance/stipend as set-out in their contract.  

    FASSET learnership applications are accepted online through the FASSET learnership page

    FASSET qualifications

    Most qualifications are the direct responsibility of the assigned professional body which delivers the training/qualification.

    FASSET, along with the professional bodies, are QCTO Quality Assurance Partners. As partners, they are responsible for certain QA functions linked to the qualifications. Herewith a list of professional bodies responsible for the qualifications:

    • Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
    • Chartered Secretaries Southern Africa (CSSA)
    • Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB)
    • Institute of Internal Auditors South Africa (IIA(SA))
    • South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA)

    FASSET performs a verification process to confirm assessment decisions made by accredited training providers. The verification process includes:

    • Adherence to fair, valid, reliable, and practical assessments 
    • Assessment and control through a quality management system 
    • The assessment process, approach and instruments used
    • Internal moderation process, methodology, instruments and reports 
    • Completed assessments (sample) 
    • Assessment decisions 

    Most qualifications within FASSET’s scope of QA responsibility are subject to summative assessments. These assessments must be performed by the relevant professional body. Verification of assessment for other qualifications, skills programmes and unit standards are completed on-site at the accredited training provider. 

    Verification is normally done once per annum, depending on the provider’s performance. Certificates are issued for the attainment of qualifications and learnerships. They also issue a statement of results for skills programmes and unit standards.

    Certificates and statements of results are issued upon successful verification. Learner data must also be available and reported in the format prescribed by FASSET.

    FASSET bursary

    On 3 December 2012, the revised Grant Regulations were released, which impacted the allocation of SETA funding. 

    FASSET bursaries are offered to South African students in their 2nd or 3rd year, in an undergraduate qualification in:

    B. Com Finance

    B. Com Accounting

    B. Com Economics.

    The bursary cover tuition fees. However, depending on the availability of funds, a fixed amount might be provided for textbooks and other academic essentials. 

    The entry criteria for applicants are listed below:

    • Must be a South Africa citizen
    • Must have a valid matric/Grade 12 certificate
    • Must be in 2nd or 3rd year of study
    • Must be enrolled at a recognized University or University of Technology. 
    • Accounting degree students must have obtained a minimum of level 6 for Maths in matric
    • Must meet the minimum entry requirements for the institution
    • Must be able to prove that there’s a financial need

    Individuals can apply online at https://careerwise.co.za/applications/registrations. Students must download the FASSET Bursary Application Form here. 

    INSETA

    What is INSETA?

    INSETA stands for Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority. The main purpose of this SETA is to grow the quality and value of critical and scarce skills within the insurance sector.

    The insurance industry is a diverse industry with highly skilled employees in the industry. They include a wide range of employers who function in different sized businesses in the insurance space. As a legal institution that has the responsibility of skills development in the insurance and related services sector, INSETA is adequately positioned to improve the industry’s skills base.

    As a statutory body charged with driving skills development in the insurance and related services sector, INSETA is uniquely positioned to improve the sector’s skills base.

    INSETA represents the following sub-sectors within the insurance industry:

    • Long-term insurance
    • Short-term insurance
    • Life insurance
    • Insurance and pension funding
    • Risk management
    • Unit trusts (CIS)
    • Administration of health insurance
    • Funeral Insurance
    • Reinsurance
    • Pension funding
    • Ancillary services
    • Intermediary insurance

    INSETA is a Schedule 3A public entity, which means it is an expansion of a public entity with the directive to fulfill a specific economic or social responsibility.

    INSETA’s core divisions are as follows:

    • The Skills Planning and Research Division – This division is responsible for determining skills demand and research. They are also responsible to ensure that all employers are compliant with the SDA (Skills Development Act).
    • The Learning Division – As the name suggests, this division is responsible for all learning programmes and activities. These programmes are channeled into Unemployed Youth and Worker programs. This division specifically looks after the management of PIVOTAL programs. 
    • The Quality Assurance Division – This division is responsible for the accreditation of the institutions and providers who provide the skills development, the registration of assessors and moderators, the verification of learning, certification of learners as well as the development of occupational qualifications.

    What is the function of INSETA?

    The primary function of INSETA (Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority) is to develop critical and scarce skills in the insurance industry. These skills improve the quality of the industry while also supporting the transformation of the country.

    The following skills are a priority within this industry and related services sector:

    • Improve and speed up the employability potential of young adults
    • Support the development of scarce and critical skills in the industry
    • Improve and support the professionalism of the industry
    • Support development initiatives in rural areas through partnership.

    INSETA provides internships, skills programs, learnerships, and bursaries to a variety of employers within the insurance sector.  

    INSETA has 7 strategic goals, which are structured in 4 key program areas. The 4 areas are:

    • Administration
    • Skills Planning
    • Learning Programmes
    • Quality Assurance

    Key Points under the INSETA mandate include:

    • Support and the formation of partnerships
    • Development of a Sector Skills Plan
    • Improve information about placement opportunities, as well as between skills development providers and the labour market
    • Ensure entrants into the labour market have access to employment-focused education and training opportunities
    • Ensure that the education and training outcomes are equitable in terms of race, gender, disability and geographic location

    INSETA accreditation

    Accreditation is a quality assurance process where educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body. Their function is to verify whether the applicable training standards are being met by the training provider.

    The accreditation of skills development providers is done by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). The Skills program can be done by any accredited training institute – public or private. 

    INSETA is responsible for the accreditation of the training providers who provide the education and training within the insurance and financial services industry. This includes occupational qualifications, legacy qualifications as well as the unit standards that are registered in accordance with the NQF (National Qualifications Framework), thus qualifications registered by SAQA. INSQA is the INSETA’s ETQA (Education and Training Quality Assurance) partner and is accredited by SAQA (South Africa Qualifications Framework) as an official education and training authority. 

    It is important that learners confirm that any short course, management course, college course, or online course is accredited by INSQA. 

    The primary accreditation follows 9 steps in the following order:

    Level 1: Accreditation Preliminary Criteria, which includes the compulsory reading of INSETA policies and guidelines

    Level 2: QCTO Letter of Intent Request

    Level 3: QCTO Referral Letter

    Level 4: INSETA Primary Accreditation Application Pack

    Level 5: Prescreening 

    Level 6: Provider Interview

    Level 7: Desktop evaluation of the application

    Level 8: Accreditation Site Visit

    Level 9: Provisional Accreditation Awarded

    INSETA funding

    The Skills Development Act and the (SDL) Skills Development Levies Act direct the process for the collection of levies from employers. The overall objective of the Skills Development Act is to provide initiatives to make training more affordable to individuals. 

    SDL must be paid by employers who have been registered. An employer who has a salary bill of more than R500 000 is liable to pay SDL. 1% of the total amount that is paid in salaries should be paid, and the money is collected by SARS. 

    Once paid, levies are then distributed via INSETA. The Skills Development Act also provides the directive on how the funds allocated to each SETA should be spent. 

    In 2012, the revised Grant Regulations were released in order to regulate the percentages of the funds available for administration costs, regulate the portion of funds available for skills development as well as to improve the information that is received from the workforce through the WSP (Workplace Skills Plan), ATR (Annual Training Report) and PIVOTAL Training Reports. These reports provide important feedback on the skills needs and planning to meet these needs. 

    The Grant Regulations also promote PIVOTAL programs, which are registered on the NQF and quality assurance verified. These PIVOTAL programs focus specifically on scarce and critical skills needs in the industry. 80% of Discretionary funding must be assigned to PIVOTAL programs.

    Employers that are compliant with the Levies Act may claim mandatory grants from INSETA granted they have submitted a WSP (Workplace Skills Plan), an ATR (Annual Training Report), and PIVOTAL Training Plan.

    Discretionary grants are additional funding that companies can apply for in addition to their mandatory grants. These are granted at the discretion of INSETA and are to be used to fund learnerships, apprenticeships, and strategic projects as identified from the workplace skills plan. 49.5% of the levies that employers pay must be allocated to discretionary grants. 80% of the discretionary grants must be assigned to PIVOTAL programs. 

    PIVOTAL programs are learning programs that support an occupational qualification or part qualification on the NQF. 

    INSETA funding focusses on:

    • Learnerships
    • Internships
    • Bursaries for workers
    • Skills programs

    How do you get a SETA learnership?

    A learnership is a structured program that offers a combination of theory and practical experience in the workplace that leads to an NQF-registered qualification.

    A learnership is a great opportunity for matriculants to gain hands-on experience in the industry under the guidance of a mentor. All theory is taught in a classroom setting, and tuition costs are covered as part of the learnership programme. A monthly allowance or stipend is also payable to help with some of the student’s expenses. 

    The learners can gain hands-on experience, workplace experience, and skills training within the industry through a fixed-term contract between the learner, the employer, and the training provider. A learnership does not guarantee permanent employment but provides significant and useful experience to the learner. 

    The INSETA offers individuals across South Africa learnership opportunities via various companies in the insurance industry. The INSETA Learnership consists of theoretical and practical workplace training and experience of 1 500 training and learning hours. The qualification is accredited by SAQA. 

    The Medical Claims Assessing Learnership gives you data capturing training and learning opportunities. This can also give an individual a pathway for a job opportunity in Claims Assessing. 

    The requirements for qualifying for an INSETA learnership are:

    Must be a South African citizen between 18 – 30 years old.

    Candidates must have a recognized Matric/Grade 12 Certificate with English, Maths, and a 2nd Language. Minimum passing requirements apply. 

    Must be able to communicate effectively in English.

    Must have basic computer skills and display high attention to detail.

    Must not have completed a previous learnership, be formally employed, or be engaged in any post-school studies.

    Documents to apply for an INSETA learnership are available here. 

    INSETA qualifications

    An individual can work independently or for an insurance agency as an insurance broker. Clients can be individuals, businesses, or small to large organizations. To perform a role in this industry, an individual must have a qualification that is recognised by the Financial Services Board (FSB). It can be a general or specific qualification relevant to the category of Financial Services Practitioner (FSP) the individual wishes to be registered in.

    An individual also needs to complete the Level 1 Regulator Examination (RE1) of the FSB as well as the certain modules at Level 2 (RE2). Once an individual has passed these exams, the FSB considers the individual “FAIS Fit and Proper” to fulfill their responsibilities and duties in the insurance industry. 

    A learnership makes it possible to enter this career path without a degree through various NQF Level 4 and 5 qualifications. 

    To qualify for the INSETA learnership, a student needs a minimum of matric with passes in English, Maths, and/or Maths literacy. Pass requirements do apply for each subject. 

    Any individual who provides financial consultancy must obtain a license to do so, as per the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act No. 37 (FAIS Act). The licensing process will be included as part of a candidates’ learnerships and internship programmes by most employees. This is important to note as individuals build on their insurance careers.

    Once an individual has completed a credit-bearing programme or qualification as per the NQF framework, INSETA provides certificates to the applicable Training Provider. It is the Training Provider’s responsibility to ensure that learners are issued with their certificates.  

    If a student decides to study at a tertiary institution, it’s important to note that each institution will have its own minimum entry requirements. Apart from English and Maths and/or Maths literacy, the following subjects can be beneficial:

    Business Studies, Economics, Accounting, Maths as opposed to Maths literacy.

    Most universities, TVET colleges, and private learning institutions offer suitable degrees and diplomas. 

    There are also some qualifications, mainly through TVET institutions, that require a student to have practical workplace experience before the qualification’s requirements are met. In this instance, a WBE (Work-based Experience Program) would be ideal for the student. The WBE can include visits to companies, job shadowing, and several other opportunities to increase exposure to different career options.

    INSETA bursary

    On 3 December 2012, the revised Grant Regulations were released, which impacted the allocation of SETA funding. 

    The INSETA has put together a Discretionary Grant Funding Policy that is based on the above revised Grant Regulations. 80% of Discretionary funding must be allocated to PIVOTAL programs and is, therefore, dependent on the needs of critical and scarce skills in the industry.

    If a company is paying its annual skills levy, they can access bursaries for staff. For unemployed individuals, they can access bursaries through the Public Higher Education Institutions through which they are registered for an NQF Level 1 – NQF Level 10. 

    Bursaries are only available to students who study through an Accredited Learning Provider and are valid for a maximum of 1 year.

    Bursaries values vary from R35 000 – R50 000 depending on the qualification level on the NQF framework. 

    Applications for bursaries that are available through INSETA are granted based on the needs of critical and scarce skills. Bursary funding is only allocated through funding timeframes that are opened at the discretion of INSETA. These funding windows are announced via the INSETA website. 

    INSETA supports both levy-paying and non-levy paying (exempt) employers who are confirmed to be registered at INSETA. Employers must submit their annual WSP/ATR and PIVOTAL reports as required to be legible for bursary funding. Students must be employed by an INSETA registered employer within the insurance industry. 

    INSETA will advertise the opening of the bursary funding window on media and on INSETA website. The bursary applications must be submitted by a recognized SA Public Higher Education Institution. The list of students for whom the applications are being made, together with the courses they are studying, must accompany the bursary application.

    Students must apply annually for a bursary fund.

    AgriSETA

    The Sector Education and Training Authority, SETA, is a South African institution in charge of developing skills development and training within a specific industry sector. This institution is a program of the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS), and various SETAs were put in place for several industry sectors according to the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998. 

    South Africa has a dual agricultural economy covering commercial and subsistence interests. AgriSETA is expected to serve both these areas fairly. However, it derives the majority of its income from top levy players, who are a minor percentage of the sector as a whole.

    AgriSETA is part of the 21 SETAs set up to advance skills development regarding the Skills Development Act amended in 1998. The twenty-one SETAs mainly reflect many sectors of the South African economy. AgriSETA is poised to develop into a diverse and fairly intricate organization that handles food and beverage, agriculture, and forestry activities. This is the proposal regarding the Government’s new SETA licenses due to be implemented in March 2011.

    When the Government announced broad changes to the entire South African SETA landscape in November 2009, the agricultural sector was earmarked with relatively significant modifications. Formerly, this sector was divided into Primary Agriculture (PAETA) and Secondary Agriculture (SETASA). Regarding the newly reformed SETA landscape, these already rather limitless areas are being handled by one SETA.

    AgriSETA promotes and generates economic, social, and employment development opportunities for agri-enterprises through appropriate, available, and quality education, development, and training in both primary and secondary agriculture, in partnership with other stakeholders in agriculture.

    AgriSETA activities’ scope cuts across the agricultural sector, ranging from input services to the farm to activities on the farm and the farm’s first level processing activities.

    In line with the Skills Development Act, AgriSETA is charged with developing the skills of the agricultural workforce who may be employed or unemployed. The AgriSETA aids learning through Skills Programmes, Learnerships, tertiary studies or in-service training, and Adult Education and Training, by earmarking grants and bursaries. It also makes provisions for internships, apprentices, and mentorships.

    To guarantee the quality provision of training and education, AgriSETA is also in charge of assessing the standard of training presented by training providers and accrediting sector-specific training providers. While all agriculture practices are included under the new AgriSETA umbrella, the Government has acknowledged specific types of farming, processing and manufacturing, drying, packing, storage, and distributing a lot of diverse farming types and processes. These include:

    • all forms of farming including game and fish, meat, horticulture, and crops, poultry, red meat, and egg production,
    • processing of tea and coffee, tobacco, macadamia nuts (specifically), and various fibers, fruit farming, including packing, liquefying (for juice), drying, importing and exporting,
    • manufacture, milling, storage, and all types of processing of grain, sugar, and starch products (including flour),
    • production of household pet and other animal feeds,
    • distribution and sale of different raw agricultural materials, and
    • the research study, production, packaging, and marketing of pest-control seeds.

    Many other areas are included, but these have not been singled out. This does not make other forms of farming any less important.

    Functions of AgriSETA

    According to the South African Government’s plan of action, the AgriSETA is mandated to draft a plan that will empower them to develop the agricultural sector’s skills to enable learners to benefit from these. They want to facilitate an increased number of young adults who can learn new skills and earn a living within the agricultural sector.

    For this purpose, the AgriSETA is also expected to carry out an extensive plan that accommodates learners joining the agricultural workplace have the chance to:

    • access learnerships and courses where they can obtain the basic knowledge through college courses or any other short course the SETA regards as relevant
    • establish strategies for workplace skills so that learners understand exactly where they can gain suitable workplace experience
    • identify workplaces that are fit for learners to employ to get a suitable workplace exposure
    • allot discretionary grants and perhaps also bursaries
    • monitor education training to guarantee that learners are accurately and well trained
    • promote the development of learning materials to make sure that learners are reading important topics
    • help improve and facilitate learnership agreements and register these agreements for learners’ security
    • make sure that they (AgriSETA) obtain accreditation from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) to guarantee that all learning is appropriate and tallies with the standards expected within South Africa
    • get and then accurately pay the levies due for skills development in this sector.
    • partner with the National Skills Authority concerning the Government’s national skills development policy
    • partner with the National Skills Authority concerning the Government’s national skills development strategy and its sector skills plan
    • help advance and facilitate learnership agreements and register these agreements for learner security
    • communicate directly with the Government’s Director-General of Labour concerning income and expenditure, including the implementation of the sector skills plan
    • partner with the Department of Labour’s employment services, including all educational bodies that are governed by laws that correlate to education in South Africa aimed at enhancing employment openings for these particular learners
    • select staff who can meet these obligations
    • execute any other obligations that the Skills Development Act and the Skills Development Levies Act demands

    NQFs, which have been indispensable elements of the South Africa tertiary education system for nearly 25 years, are overseen and performed by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). This overall higher education system has been commissioned to enroll quality-assured national qualifications and part- qualifications. The framework’s major goals are bound to expediting high-quality education and training and adding positively to the learner’s overall development.

    SETAs are established by the Act of parliament and consequently execute their duties in the public’s interest. As legal bodies, they manage public funds. Therefore, they are obliged to relate to the Director of the Department of Higher Education and Training on the efficient and precise use of these funds. The Public Finance Management Act also oversees SETAs, and this Act demands that public bodies act responsibly and economically. SETAs also account to the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on how they effect their functions as an Educational Training and Quality Assurance (ETQA) body.

    AgriSETA Accreditation

     The AgriSETA is responsible for accrediting providers. They do these by:

    • establishing appropriate guidelines for the accreditation of providers. 
    • Accrediting solely constituent providers that share the principal focus of the AgriSETA. 
    • Administering accreditation for unit standards and qualifications listed on the NQF, which fall within the principal focus of the AgriSETA. 
    • Handling institutional accreditation as well as program registration for constituent providers. 
    • Conducting complete program approval and registration for non-constituent providers. 
    • Accrediting performance and assessment sites.

    There are two types of accreditation providers, namely Constituent Providers and Non-constituent providers. The constituent providers are single-purpose training providers who prefer to operate within the principal focus of the AgriSETA, while the non-constituent providers are training Providers who are accredited with a different ETQA and would wish to incorporate training on learning programs that lie within the scope of the AgriSETA.

    Applicants who meet all the criteria set will earn full accreditation for three years. Accreditation will be connected to the programs (qualifications and unit standards) that the provider will offer. On the other hand, applicants who meet the minimum criteria set will obtain full accreditation for one year. Accreditation will be connected to the programs (qualifications and unit standards) that the provider will offer. Monitoring and verification will occur within this period, and if compliant, the accreditation will be extended for three years. Should a constituent of a non-constituent provider need to render additional qualifications and unit standards, a request for an extension of their scope should be completed.

    The provider is obligated to apply for re-accreditation six months before the expiry of accreditation. Re-accreditation will depend on the results of the provider’s monitoring reports. Applicants who do not conform to the specified minimum criteria will not obtain accreditation. The provider and the ETQA will agree on the outstanding criteria to be completed within the stipulated time frame. At the end of this time period, the provider will be re-evaluated. The ETQA will render development support to a constituent provider who applies for full accreditation, where this support could include select interviews, limited monitoring, and workshops. The ETQA will give guidance and advice while sustaining the provider’s responsibility to organize its procedures and policies. After the provider has carried out the self-evaluation, the ETQA will perform a maximum of two verifications and two desktop evaluation visits to help the provider. If the application fails to succeed, the provider may opt to call in a specialist for support at his/her own cost.

    AgriSETA FUNDING

    Employers with a yearly payroll surpassing R500 000 must pay 1% of payroll as a Skills Development Levy (SDL) to the South African Revenue Service (SARS). This is done every month. Eighty percent of levies paid in this fashion by employers in the agricultural sector are then sent to AgriSETA. Since the commencement of the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS) in 2010, employers were regularly able to claim 50% of the levy paid back as a mandatory grant given that they presented acceptable Annual Training Reports (ATRs) and Workplace Skills Plans (WSPs). However, in December 2012, new funding regulations were published for implementation from April 2013. The only most significant difference in these regulations from initial regulations is that the mandatory grant percentage dropped from 50% to 20%. The extra 30% made in this practice will now constitute part of the AgriSETA’s discretionary fund, bringing this fund from 20% to 50%. In context, what this implies is that less money is disbursed for complying with the WSP/ATR, and the remaining funds available to directly sponsor training initiatives in the sector grows significantly.

    Criteria for Mandatory grants:

    For the levy-paying employers to qualify to obtain the mandatory grants, they are expected to fulfill the following requirements:

    • Be a regular levy-payer registered in terms of the Skills Development Levies Act.
    • Hire a Skills Development Facilitator (SDF).
    • Submit the ATR and WSP prior to the stipulated deadline.
    • The WSP for the last reporting period has been submitted and implemented.

    Discretionary grants

    Discretionary grants are disbursed based on SETA management decisions for skills development projects associated with sector priority occupations (critical and scarce skills). Discretionary grant funding centers on Professional, Vocational, Technical, and Academic Learning (PIVOTAL) programs. In line with the AgriSETA policy, grants can only be paid out to both Non-PIVOTAL and PIVOTAL programs. The AgriSETA annually announces to its stakeholders the submission period. This is done through the AgriSETA website. 

    The bulk of discretional funding is directed at the provision of PIVOTAL or learning programs, which comprise the following:

    • Work Integrated Learning 
    • Learnerships
    • Skills programs
    • Bursaries 
    • Internships 

    These training interventions are meant to result in partial qualifications or qualifications relating to the National Qualifications Framework and as considered in the Grant Regulations.

    AgriSETA allows these funds to be available and accessible by the employers; during a window period, it accepts applications from them. The window opening is announced on the AgriSETA website, national newspapers, and community and national radio stations.

    AgriSETA also allots discretionary funding to non-PIVOTAL programs. These programs do not result in any qualifications but are also intending to develop different sub-sectors. These consist of any research projects that may be embarked upon by AgriSETA and partner organizations.

    About ten percent of the discretionary funding is also allotted to deliberate projects addressing Public Service training, College Capacity building, and rural areas. Discretionary Grants are allotted at the sole discretion of AgriSETA subject to the availability of funds and adherence to certain criteria as per the AgriSETA Discretionary Grants Policy and Guidelines well as an endorsement from the AgriSETA Accounting Authority.

    How Do You Get A SETA Learnership?

    A learnership, one of SETA’s opportunities, is an orderly learning process for acquiring academic knowledge and practical skills in the work-place. These well-organized learning processes are time-based and not outcome-based and acknowledges the need for formal learning. The time frame of learnerships varies, but the average lasts for 18 months. To get an artisan equivalent qualification, the trainee needs to finish at least four different learnerships. This suggests that the first four qualifications of the NQF levels must be completed.

    Learners should meet certain criteria before starting a SETA learnership, and these include:

    • Learners could be new entrants or current employees. 
    • Learners must satisfy the entry criteria for the specific learnership they want to enroll in.
    • Learners must meet the selection requirements structured by the organization taking on the learner.

    There are also particular processes requiring other learners, employers, and training providers, to follow, and these include:

    1. Employers are endorsed in their work-place and are expected to satisfy the pre-registration requirements.
    2. Training providers are accredited to provide particular learnership by the ETQA.
    3. Qualified assessors are available. They may be contracted, assessors, or in-house assessors.
    4. Companies advertise learnership opportunities through the media.
    5. Learners apply and are picked by the company’s recruitment process.
    6. A three-party learnership agreement is signed among the learner, employer, and provider.
    7. A short-term employment contract is entered into and signed between the learner and the employer, where the learner is unemployed.
    8. The learning program and process is reviewed and consented to with the training provider.
    9. Employers sponsor the learnership by grants obtained from SETA.
    10. Employers and training providers deliver the required learning and experience, working closely together to accomplish the training process.
    11. Learners are rendered support via mentoring and feedback.
    12. Learners are assessed via formative and summative assessments by qualified assessors. 
    13. The Manufacturing, Engineering, and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority quality assuror is invited to head the assessment. The provider must undertake internal supervision.
    14. A national qualification is awarded to the learner following the successful conclusion of the learnership.
    15. Learners receive a statement of their results for unit standards completed if learnership is not concluded.

    As soon as the learnership process is completed, the employer can either sign the learner for a new learnership, engage the learner or let go of the learner for future hiring by another organization if he/she was unemployed.

    In compliance with the Skills Development Act, a learnership should include the following components:

    • An organized learning component.
    • A practical work experience.
    • It must be occupation-related.
    • After finishing successfully, it must lead to a qualification.

    AgriSETA Qualifications

    The NQF Act defines the statutory framework for quality assurance and standards-setting, including the development of Occupational Qualifications. One of the roles of AgriSETA is to plan and develop purpose tailored occupational qualifications through stakeholder-driven processes.

    Plant Production NQF Level 1 

    A learner evaluated against this qualification should possess the required competence to participate as a working team member, performing the agricultural processes applicable to Plant production in a closely defined context and under close supervision.

    The Learner should take rational decisions within a confined range based on a sound knowledge of the fundamental principles of agri-business and good agricultural practices in meeting the set objectives and targets within the broader farm plan. This includes the economical application of available resources, agricultural production, and technical knowledge and skills, all in a Plant Production setting.

    The Learner should execute monotonous procedures in a predictable environment and comply with the relevant safety, hygiene, quality, and technical standards as applicable within the industry.

    Plant Production NQF Level 2

    A learner evaluated against this qualification should have the required competence to engage as part of a working team, performing the agricultural processes relevant to Plant production in an established and familiar context under general supervision. The Learner should perform directed activities and guide others at a lower level within a Plant Production setting. Competency will be realized in any of the specialized sub-fields of Plant Production as specified under Areas Of Specialization (i.e., Vegetables, Hydroponics, Fruit Production, etc.)

    Animal Production NQF Level 2

    A learner evaluated against this qualification should have the required competence to engage as part of a working team, working the agricultural processes applicable to animal production in an organized and familiar context under general supervision. The Learner should perform directed activities and guide others at a lower level within an Animal Production setting. Competency should be achieved in one of the technical sub-fields of Animal Production as indicated under Areas Of Specialization (i.e., Large Stock, Small stock, Aqua Culture, Dairy Production, etc.)

    Mixed Farming Systems NQF Level 2

    A learner evaluated as competent against this qualification should have the required competence to oversee and head a working team performing the agricultural processes applicable to plant husbandry. Furthermore, the Learner should make responsible choices based on a sound knowledge of agri-business and conventional agricultural practices’ fundamental principles in fulfilling the set targets and objectives within the broader farm plan. This includes the economical application of available resources, agricultural production, and technical knowledge and skills. The Learner should also adhere to and implement according to the supervision level and the relevant quality, safety, and hygiene standards applicable within the industry.

    National Certificate: Plant Production NQF Level 3

    This qualification offers learners an extensive base of portable skills that will empower them to advance within all domains of the horticultural industry. This qualification constitutes a crucial step in the various disciplines’ career paths in ornamental horticulture and accompanies the NQF Level 1 Certificate. For those working in the industry, this qualification will allow learners to sharpen their skills and receive recognition for their competencies.

     

    AgriSETA Bursary

    Several independent schools have bursary capacity, which includes grants from the school to assist pay education fees. These are usually given after a “means test” of family income and are not necessarily dependent on examination performance, although some academic ability account will be considered. Bursaries may be given in addition to scholarships where financial need is proven, and the prospective student would be unable to enroll in the school.

    It is traditional for parents to request the school’s bursar to fill an application form, giving information on their financial circumstances, supported by documentary evidence, including capital assets to obtain such a bursary. The school will consider the application following its bursary policy. The award will usually only remain in force until the pupil has sat the next important public examination. Many schools will review bursaries every year to make sure that the justification for an award remains. In the UK, any award given before GCSE will not necessarily proceed to the A-level stage.

    The AgriSETA Bursary was set up to help students within the Agricultural sector continue their tertiary studies. Every year, bursaries are given to a student seeking Undergraduate or Postgraduate Agricultural related qualifications. The bursary is a maximum value of R39 750 annually for undergraduate students and R63 600 for postgraduate students and is expected to be used to pay for textbooks and tuition fees.

    Applicants will be briefed about the outcome of their applications after deliberations have been made on the AgriSETA bursary. Every year, bursaries are given to a student within the Agricultural sector, specifically the following fields of study:

    • Agricultural Farm Manager
    • Agricultural Scientist
    • Veterinary

    ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

    Applicants need to satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying (it should be noted that failure to meet all the requirements will result in your application not being considered):

    • South African citizen
    • Completed Matric
    • Studying full time or part-time towards an Agriculture related qualification (Certificate/Degree/Diploma)
    • Studying part-time or full-time at a College/ University/ University of Technology
    • Unemployed
    • Not being funded by other Government sources (NSFAS)
    • Learners who have been formerly funded must reapply for a continuing bursary

    HOW TO APPLY FOR THE BURSARY

    Download and duly fill the AgriSETA Bursary Application Form pdf. 

    Submit plain and clear copies of the following supporting documentation along with your completed application form. The submission of these documents is imperative – if any items are missing, the application would be disregarded

    • Certified copy of ID document 
    • New bursary applications: a certified copy of most recent exam results 
    • Continuation bursary applications: a certified copy of mid-year results
    • Tax Clearance Certificate
    • Tax Compliance Status Verification PIN

    Completed applications should be submitted online via email to [email protected].

    Input the words “AgriSETA Bursary Application – Your Full Name” in the email subject. 

    CATHSSETA

    The Culture, Art, Tourism, Hospitality, and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA) was established under the Skills Development Act in 2001 and is currently one of the 21 SETAs established. The body was formerly known as the Tourism and Hospitality Education and Training Authority (THETA) before 2012. It was later renamed the Culture, Art, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority in 2012. One of the aims of CATHSSETA is to facilitate skills development within the concerned sub-sectors via disbursement of grants for training programs and supervision of education and training according to the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS).

    The concerned sub-sectors are the arts, culture, heritage sub-sector and conservation, hospitality, gaming and lotteries, and hospitality sub-sectors. Others are the sub-sectors in charge of sports, recreation, fitness, travel, and tourism. The obligations and functions of the CATHSSETA are outlined in section 10 of the Skills Development Act, 1998. The Public Finance Management Act also governs the body. This act ensures that public bodies do not perform their duties and responsibilities in a wasteful or careless.

    In 2016, the CATHSSETA opened six regional offices to reach provinces that did not have access to the body’s services. The regional offices have been in operation since April 2016 and have proven to be efficient in the provision of skills development within such a diverse sector. CATHSSETA represents six different sub-sectors and provides skill development and training opportunities for stakeholders in these sectors. They also oversee and cater to the different needs of employers, employees, unemployed youth, and learners. They do so through learnership programs, apprenticeships, internships, and bursaries.

    CATHSSETA supports training interventions that are set to standards of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). All training provided by the institutions accredited by the body is subject to quality control and assessed by the best international benchmarks. CATHSETA is an amalgamation of the Arts and Crafts sub-sector previously part of the Media, Advertising, Publishing, Printing and Packaging (MAPPP) SETA main focus on sport and tourism. It also incorporates the role in which the Tourism and Hospitality Sector Education and Training Authority (THETA) previously performed. The MAPPP SETA was established to support and ensure education and training were provided for those interested in advertising, publishing, visual arts, film, and electronic media and cultural heritage. This SETA was also supposed to address the packaging and printing sectors, which are more concerned with technology. It was also supposed to tackle the packaging and printing sectors, which have more to do with manufacturing and technology than creativity and production. 

    Like the other SETAs founded on Skills Development, the MAPPP SETA was also expected to improve skills in the concerned sectors. They were to do this through the delivery of high standard and accredited education and training. These training pieces involve college courses, short courses, and even online courses and other skills development strategies. This sector was to excel in many spheres of the South African economy and compete within the country and globally. However, only the arts and crafts sub-sectors of the MAPPP SETA are included in the current CATHSSETA design. They include culture, tourism, sport, and hospitality authority scheme.

    What is the Function of CATHSSETA?

    All SETAs function to evaluate and accredit training providers within the concerned sector. They also administer collated funds received from employers in the form of Skills Development Levy and facilitate the provision of learnerships within the relevant sectors. The SETAs also conduct quality assurance tests to ensure that the high standards are being maintained. Students and learners possess the necessary skills in demand by employers in the concerned sectors.

    Like other SETAs, the body is charged with developing and implementing a Sector Skills Plan (SSP). This plan outlines the skills with are in demand in each sub-sector as well as the current trends. Also, the SSP points out priorities for skills development. The body also organizes and executes learning programs while ensuring the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) implementation. CATHSSETA is also in charge of conducting quality assurance on learning in line with Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) requirements in the different sub-sectors. They undertake quality assurance interventions and disburse levies collected from employers in the sub-sectors. From the one percent which employers in these sub-sectors pay every month, CATHSSETA receives 80% of the money and utilizes it for administration purposes, mandatory grants which employers reclaim, and discretionary grants for training purposes. The remaining 80% is used for the National Skills Fund.

    As a body established by the Act of Parliament, CATHSSETA reports to the Minister of Higher Education and Training in its capacity as a statutory body. They carry out responsibilities that are discharged in the interest of the public as they handle public funds. Therefore, CATHSSETA is mandated to report to the Director-General of the Department of Higher Education and Training. Their reports must spell out how productive these public funds were used and what was achieved. They partner with different entities to facilitate skills development and contribute positively to the economy. Such entities include the Further Education and Training (FET) colleges, which are very important in skill delivery industries.

    To ensure they effectively discharge their duties, the values of CATHSSETA are fairness, transparency, integrity, service excellence, and accountability. The new CATHSETA framework focuses more on sport and tourism for specialization and efficiency but still promotes hospitality and other concerned sectors. This new design will enable the body to focus on key areas that can culminate in economic development for South Africa and South Africans. CATHSSETA ensures that all training programs are subjected to high-quality control and are of the best national and international standards. The body also helps students with learnerships, apprenticeships, internships, and bursaries, giving them opportunities to get professional experience in the workplace. They do this through effective distribution of skills development levies. Summarily, the CATHSSETA plays an important role within the Post-School training and education system. The body is the link between employers in the culture, art, tourism, hospitality, and sports sectors and learners seeking employment opportunities with these employers. CATHSSETA easily does this by balancing the demand for employers’ skills and the type of skills trainees can offer.

    CATHSSETA Accreditation

    According to the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), accreditation of a body or entity is the process through which that body or institution is certified as having all required to fulfill a particular obligation in the system set up by the South African Qualifications Authority. A SETA can only be accredited if the training provider completes the laid out application process prescribed by the relevant SETA. The CATHSSETA determines whether a training provider has the requirements and capacity to provide high standard training in line with the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) standards.

    SETA accreditation is a vital procedure because it ensures that education and training are of the best standards and quality within and outside the country. It is also carried out to ensure that the skills provided are highly relevant and are demanded by the sectors’ employers. A training provider will attain SETA accreditation if the training provider’s courses meet the NQF standards.

    CATHSSETA accredits skill development providers and registers qualified and experienced assessors and moderators operating within the CATHSSETA framework. One of the accreditation strategies used by training providers is the preferred training and market target strategy. CATHSSETA has a great interest in institutions that train high school graduates, people between the ages of twenty-five and fifty-four years. They are also interested in the business and industry training market and the vocational learning market.

    Many employers complain about skills shortages, and the industries experience a lack of technical skills and knowledge. Upcoming training institutions and those already accredited identify these promising opportunities and provide scarce skills and those in high demand by the employers, thereby linking trainees to employers in the sector.  

    The CATHSSETA provides accreditation services to particular people and organizations that offer education, training programs, and assessment in the tourism industry and other related sub-sectors. Accredited skill development providers play a very vital role in tourism. These training providers that undertake tourism training and assessment perform important roles in tourist guides’ registration process.

     

    CATHSSETA Funding

    One of the Skills Development Act’s objectives is to improve skills development for previously disadvantaged individuals to promote the growth and development of the economy of South Africa. This mandate is achieved through the effective disbursements of funds for skills development following SETA Grant regulations. CATHSSETA generates funds from levy-paying employers within its sub-sectors. These funds are disbursed as follows:

    • 49.5% is set aside for discretionary grants.
    • 20% is allotted to the NSF.
    • 20% is allocated to mandatory grants.
    • 10% is for CATHSSETA’s administrative purposes.
    • 0.5% is earmarked to the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations.

    Discretionary grants are important for contributing to skills development and training programs. The major part of discretionary funding is directed at the provision of Professional, Vocational, Technical, and Academic Learning programs or other learning programs, which comprise the following:

    • Learnerships
    • Internships
    • Skills programs
    • Work Integrated Learning
    • Bursaries

    According to the National Qualifications Framework, these training interventions are expected to result in qualifications or part-time qualifications and as stipulated in the Grant Regulations. CATHSSETA makes these funds accessible during a time in which it accepts applications from employers. The opening of this period is made public on the CATHSSETA website and national radio stations and newspapers.

    CATHSSETA also disburses grants for discretionary funding to non-PIVOTAL programs. These programs do not lead to any recognized formal qualifications but are also aimed at developing the sub-sectors. This involves research projects that may be undertaken by CATHSSETA and related organizations.

    Ten percent of discretionary funding is utilized for specific projects that address Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college capacity training and public service training.

    Discretionary Grants can also be allocated based on the discretion of CATHSSETA. This depends on the availability of allocated funds, approval from the CATHSSETA Accounting Authority (the board), and adherence to defined criteria, which is the CATHSSETA Discretionary Grants Policy and Guidelines.

    The SETA pays mandatory Grants if the company meets the requirements to receive the grants, and the employers have paid their levies. CATHSSETA pays out mandatory grants every quarter.

    To be eligible to receive the mandatory grant, the levy-paying employer has to meet the following criteria:

    • Be a regular payer that is registered according to the Skills Development Levies Act. The skills development levy was established to encourage learning and development in South Africa. The employers’ salary bill determines the skills development levy. The levy is 1% of the salary bill. However, companies with a wage bill of less than R500 000 do not have to pay the levy.
    • Be registered under the Skills Development Levies Act.
    • Recruit a skills development facilitator.
    • All levy payments must be up to date at the approval and reporting period.
    • The Work Skills Plan for the last reporting period must have been submitted and executed according to the outlines for implementation by the CATHSSETA.
    • The stipulated deadline must submit the Work Skills Plan and Annual Training Report.
    • Employers who have a recognition agreement with a particular trade union must submit clear evidence that the Work Skills Plan and Annual Training Report have been subjected to consultation with the concerned trade unions. They have been signed off by said union.

    How do you get a SETA Learnership?

    A learnership, one of SETA’s opportunities, is an orderly learning process for acquiring academic knowledge and practical skills in the work-place. These well-organized learning processes are time-based and not outcome-based and acknowledges the need for formal learning. The time frame of learnerships varies, but the average lasts for 18 months. To get an artisan equivalent qualification, the trainee needs to finish at least four different learnerships. This suggests that the first four qualifications of the NQF levels must be completed.

    Learners should meet certain criteria before starting a SETA learnership, and these include:

    • Learners could be new entrants or current employees. 
    • Learners must satisfy the entry criteria for the specific learnership they want to enroll in.
    • Learners must meet the selection requirements structured by the organization taking on the learner.

    There are also particular processes requiring other learners, employers, and training providers, to follow, and these include:

    1. Employers are endorsed in their work-place and are expected to satisfy the pre-registration requirements.
    2. Training providers are accredited to provide particular learnership by the ETQA.
    3. Qualified assessors are available. They may be contracted, assessors, or in-house assessors.
    4. Companies advertise learnership opportunities through the media.
    5. Learners apply and are picked by the company’s recruitment process.
    6. A three-party learnership agreement is signed among the learner, employer, and provider.
    7. A short-term employment contract is signed between the learner and the employer, where the learner is unemployed.
    8. The learning program and process is reviewed and consented to with the training provider.
    9. Employers sponsor the learnership by grants obtained from SETA.
    10. Employers and training providers deliver the required learning and experience, working closely together to accomplish the training process.
    11. Learners are rendered support via mentoring and feedback.
    12. Learners are assessed via formative and summative assessments by qualified assessors. 
    13. The CATHSSETA quality assuror is invited to head the assessment. The provider must undertake internal supervision.
    14. A national qualification is awarded to the learner following the successful conclusion of the learnership.
    15. Learners receive a statement of their results for unit standards completed if learnership is not concluded.

    As soon as the learnership process is completed, the employer can either sign the learner for a new learnership, engage the learner or let go of the learner for future hiring by another organization if he/she was unemployed.

    In compliance with the Skills Development Act, a learnership should include the following components:

    • An organized learning component.
    • A practical work experience.
    • It must be occupation-related.
    • After finishing successfully, it must lead to a qualification.

    CATHSSETA Qualifications

    The NQF Act defines the statutory framework for quality assurance and standards-setting, including the development of Occupational Qualifications. One of the roles of CATHSETA is to plan and develop occupational qualifications through stakeholder-driven processes.

    The standards determined by the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) define the requirements of the construction industry in terms of skills and training. People who intend to join the industry’s labor force must possess such skills to maintain quality in the sector. These standards ensure that the CATHSSETA organizes learnerships and skills acquisition projects that provide such training and enhance its capacity within the country. The CATHSSETA has also functioned as Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) since its accreditation by the South Africa Qualifications Authority (SAQA). This accreditation by SAQA means that the CATHSSETA body is permitted to certify training providers and institutions.

    The current CATHSSETA qualifications under the stipulations of the NQF include: 

    • National Certificate: Accommodation Services
    • National Certificate: Professional Cookery
    • Further Education and Training Certificate: Heritage Practice
    • National Certificate: Nature Conservation: Resource Guardianship
    • Further Education and Training Certificate: Hospitality Reception
    • Further Education and Training Certificate: Natural Resource Guardianship Terre
    • Further Education and Training Certificate: Sport Administration
    • National Certificate: Live Event Technical Production
    • Further Education and Training Certificate: Sound Technology
    • National Certificate: Accommodation Services
    • National Certificate: Professional Cookery
    • National Certificate: Fast Food Services
    • National Certificate: General Travel
    • National Certificate: Fitness
    • National Certificate: Live Event Technical Production
    • Further Education and Training Certificate: Heritage Practice
    • Further Education and Training Certificate: Hospitality Reception
    • National Certificate: Coaching Science
    • Further Education and Training Certificate: Sport Administration
    • National Diploma: Club Professional Golfing

    CATHSSETA Bursary 

    CATHSSETA monitors and evaluates students at different levels of studies to award eligible students with bursaries generated from grants. The CATHSETA funds cover students’ tuition fees, accommodation textbooks, feeding, and similar costs. Many institutions have bursary capacity that assists students in paying their fees. For students to benefit from this bursary, they must not necessarily be academically sound but need to pass a “means test.” This test involves the level of family income and a bit of academic knowledge. Students may be awarded a bursary in addition to a scholarship if they can provide proof of financial need.

    It is customary for the school bursar to request that parents fill an application form, giving details on their financial situation, supported by evidence in documents, including assets to obtain such a bursary. The school will review the application according to its bursary policy. Most times, the award will remain in effect until the student sits for the next public examination. Many schools reassess bursaries every year to ensure quality that the grounds upon which the student received the bursary remain. 

    The CATHSSETA Bursary was established to assist students within the Culture, Art, Tourism, Hospitality, and Sport Sectors in furthering their tertiary studies. Every year, bursaries are awarded to students seeking undergraduate or postgraduate qualifications in these sectors. The bursary can be valued as high as R100 000 for students and is mainly used for tuition and textbooks. Every year, bursaries are given to a student within the Culture, Art, Tourism, Hospitality, and Sport Sectors sector, according to set requirements.

     

    ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

    Applicants need to satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying (it should be noted that failure to meet all the requirements will result in your application not being considered):

    • South African citizen
    • Studying full time or part-time towards any qualification in Culture, Art, Tourism, Hospitality, and Sport Sectors (Certificate/Degree/Diploma)
    • Studying part-time or full-time at a College/ University/ University of Technology
    • Not being funded by other Government sources
    • Unemployed
    • Learners who have been previously funded must reapply for a continuing bursary

    HOW TO APPLY FOR THE BURSARY

    Download and duly fill the CATHSSETA Bursary Application Form pdf. 

    Submit plain and clear copies of the following supporting documentation along with your completed application form. The submission of these documents is mandatory and important– if any items are missing, the application would not be considered.

    • Certified copy of ID document 
    • Continuation bursary applications: a certified copy of mid-year results
    • Tax Clearance Certificate
    • New bursary applications: a certified copy of most recent exam results 
    • Tax Compliance Status Verification PIN

    Completed applications should be submitted online via email to [email protected].

    Type in “CathsSETA Bursary Application – Your Full Name” as the email subject. 

    LGSETA

    The Sector Education and Training Authority, SETA, is a South African institution in charge of developing skills development and training within a specific industry sector. This institution is a program of the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS), and various SETAs were put in place for several industry sectors according to the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998. 

    The Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (LGSETA) was established in the year 2000 and is currently one of the 21 Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs). It was set up as a sequel to the Skills Development Act’s announcement by the Parliament of South Africa. In 2011, some changes were made regarding many of the SETAs, and LGSETA was one of them. While other SETAs were restructured, the only modification made to the LGSETA was transferring the water distribution sector to the Energy SETA.

    The LGSETA is focused on adult-based education and training (ABET) and community-based participation and management. These areas are fundamental in facilitating training and skills development for the youth. Adult-based education enables employees in different sectors to access the life-changing opportunities that further training can give them. It also allows people to access some career paths to follow these paths later in their lives.

    The LGSETA provides a platform that enables the labor force to improve their skills and receive more education. Many of the people concerned work for local government systems, and some are unemployed South Africans. By organizing and implementing various skills training initiatives like Sector Skills Plan (SSP), the objectives of the LGSETA are achieved. This SETA also provides learning programs for local government employees like councilors and traditional leaders. 

    The South African labor sector needs efficient and well-trained workers who can play service delivery roles to advance economic development and growth. The LGSETA provides this and also benefits the citizens by improving their standard of living. It also enables local government institutions to perform their constitutional duties.

    As a body focusing on the local government sector, LGSETA organizes and executes different innovative skills development initiatives for local government employees and unemployed citizens. LGSETA ensures that the learners are trained and educated according to the needs of the local government sector.

    As one of 21 such SETA’s in the country, LGSETA is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). This department’s main goal is to expand the post-school system in South Africa by making it fully inclusive. A post-school system that is properly structured and gives necessary training and education for graduates will develop the economy of South Africa and facilitate overall development.

    The LGSETA works closely with key stakeholders in the sector to improve training and education. These stakeholders include the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA); the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (IMATU); the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU). The LGSETA’s accounting authority, also known as the board, is responsible for providing leadership for LGSETA. The board relays with these stakeholders to inform and ensure them that the LGSETA performs its duties according to the stipulations of the LGSETA constitution and the Skills Development Act. The board also reports to the executive authority of the SETAs, which is the Minister of Higher Education and Training.

    What is the function of the LGSETA?

    As a scheduled public entity established according to the Skills Development Act, the LGSETA is responsible for facilitating skills development in the local government sector. To ensure that this goal is achieved, the Minister of Higher Education and Training set up an accounting authority for the LGSETA in March 2020. 

    The importance of the LGSETA cannot be overstated because this body is contributing immensely to economic development and a great future for South Africa. According to the Department of Higher Education and Training’s specified objectives, the body performs its duties and executes its responsibilities accordingly. 

    The LGSETA is committed to delivering training programs that solve the skill gap problems in the sector and provide the skill base that empowers and equips the South African workforce. Education, training, and skill development will provide the necessary relevant services needed in the sector. The body also works hand-in-hand with experts who have the experience and technical skills to increase the level of trust in the programs and services it offers as the local government SETA.

    LGSETA also plays a major role in eliminating internal and external barriers that impede organizations’ effectiveness and providing properly researched information that will enhance the provision of skills and training to enrich the local government sector. Another objective of the LGSETA is to propagate and implement skills development programs and training initiatives in the economic sectors. The body also conducted planning and research in the sectors and organized learning programs of high standards. The LGSETA also implements the necessary professional qualifications set by the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and supervises implemented training programs’ performance. These roles performed by the LGSETA enable the development and progress of the local government sector.

    The mission of the LGSETA is to ensure that the local government sector meets the economic needs of the region by utilizing innovative training methods and effective strategic building standards and for performing roles as a relevant SETA by providing skills development opportunities for the workforce. The LGSETA is highly beneficial for the learners as the training it provides enables learners to get gainfully employed and are motivated to keep working for the sector. The LGSETA develops qualifications for the training and education programs to maintain high standards and sector skill plan to uphold these standards.

    As one of the 21 SETAs, the LGSETA generally functions as other sectors do. One of the most important functions of the SETAs is to evaluate the workforce’s education and training needs in the sector and provide skill development to enable efficiency in the workplace. These strategies are aimed at improving the standards of the training learners receive. The SETAs also evaluate the specific skills training providers offer to balance what is in demand and what is being offered. There may be a skills gap if there is no balance between the demand and the supply, where the SETAs come into play. The SETAs identify these gaps and work to close them up through skills development training and education, provider by accredited skills development providers.

    LGSETA Accreditation

    Providers of the relevant training and education must apply for accreditation with an Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) body under the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). The training providers of education and training that provide full qualifications must register with the Department of Education. Education and training providers can only be accredited if they offer training programs based on the standards according to the primary focus of the LGSETA.

    To be accredited, the training provider must offer full qualifications or part qualifications that fall under the scope of the ETQA body of the particular SETA. There are many accreditation requirements: The training provider’s programs must be according to unit standards and qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). And learners must have access to standard learning support services. There must be adequately qualified training facilitators and assessors in the training centers. The curriculum must be designed to meet the high standards and qualifications in content and learning materials. Also, the methods of assessment must be accurate and reliable.

    The LGSETA is formally accredited as an ETQA by SAQA according to the terms of the SAQA Act. The main objective of accreditation is to ensure that training systems and education programs maintain high standards and provide learners with relevant skills. The ETQA ensures consistent revising and improvement of training programs and education, and this is done through accreditation. Beyond accreditation of the SETAs, the ETQA also supervises, audits, and the skills development providers. The ETQA also registers moderators and assessors that facilitate assessing the students. They organize capacity-building initiatives for the providers to provide formal training according to the aims and objectives of the LGSETA, NQF, and the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS).

    This accreditation certifies the training providers as being qualified to fulfill certain functions according to the quality assurance system set up by SAQA in 1995. SAQA accredits ETQAs, and these ETQAs accredit the qualified training providers. By so doing, this system ensures the overall quality of training programs and education that are provided for post-school learners. This system also instills confidence in the trainees’ minds because accredited providers have complied with the relevant bodies’ requirements in the accreditation process. Learners can rest assured that they would be properly trained and earn the much-needed skills and training recognized in the country and the world. Furthermore, only accredited training providers can provide education and training that guarantees nationally registered qualifications. Therefore, this system equips training providers with an important tool that can be used to market high standard services, which are consistently in demand by those working in the local government sector and those who are unemployed.

     

    LGSETA Funding

    Certain regulations govern the distribution of the SETA levy income obtained from employers’ tax in different sectors in the form of mandatory and discretionary grants. These regulations also stipulate the ways by which grants are to be allocated. The LGSETA was established according to the Skills Development Act, and under this, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) oversees this funding process.

    The LGSETA has developed a policy that spells out how the body disburses grants to support the execution of the Sector Skills Plan (SSP), Annual Performance Plan (APP), and the objectives’ implementation to the NSDS. The SSP was designed based on extensive research and interactions with stakeholders and, therefore, aims to expand employment opportunities for those working in the local government sector. The plan is also aimed at ensuring the local government sector’s development to enable it to meet the country’s demands and adapt to the changing economy.

    The grant policy will guarantee that the skills levy is targeted to meet the skills demanded by employers and employees’ training needs. This policy also informs the board’s stakeholders and members how grants can be accessed to enable wide participation by interested candidates. The LGSETA is responsible for monitoring the use of funds and assessing the extent to which the grant policy’s objectives are achieved. The body will also use certain standards to measure grants’ impact on learners, employers, business enterprises, and the local government sector.

    Eighty percent of the skills development levy in the local government sector is allocated to LGSETA, while 20 percent is set aside for the National Skills Fund (NSF). 69.5 of the levy allocated to the LGSETA is used for grant funding, and 10.5 percent caters to the administrative needs of the LGSETA. Grant funding could either be discretionary or mandatory, and they are allocated 49.5 percent and 20 percent of the 69.5 percent, respectively. Discretionary grants could be used for either Professional, Vocational, Technical, and Academic Learning (PIVOTAL) programs the culminate in qualifications on the NQF or non-PIVOTAL programs like learnerships. According to the set regulations, the LGSETA must transfer unclaimed mandatory grants and earned interests to be used for discretionary funds at a particular time. 

    Mandatory grants encourage levy-paying employers to organize training for their employees and create opportunities for the workforce and unemployed people to learn and receive work experience. It is 20 percent of the employer’s skill development levy and will only be paid out if the employer meets the criteria for payment of mandatory grants. The mandatory grant is also important because it provides the LGSETA with the relevant data from employers that informs the body about demanded skills, which is useful in developing the Sector Skills Plan. The employers reflect these demands in the Annual Training Report and Workplace Skills Plan. On the other hand, the discretionary grants address and cater to the local government sector’s skill needs, according to the Annual Performance Plan (APP) and Sector Skills Plan (SSP). Discretionary grants are used for professional, vocational, technical, and academic training and are used for learnerships, apprenticeships, and internships.

    How do you get a SETA Learnership?

    A learnership, one of SETA’s opportunities, is an orderly learning process for acquiring academic knowledge and practical skills in the work-place. These well-organized learning processes are time-based and not outcome-based and acknowledges the need for formal learning. The time frame of learnerships varies, but the average lasts for 18 months. To get an artisan equivalent qualification, the trainee needs to finish at least four different learnerships. This suggests that the first four qualifications of the NQF levels must be completed.

    Learners should meet certain criteria before starting a SETA learnership, and these include:

    • Learners could be new entrants or current employees. 
    • Learners must satisfy the entry criteria for the specific learnership they want to enroll in.
    • Learners must meet the selection requirements structured by the organization taking on the learner.

    There are also particular processes requiring other learners, employers, and training providers, to follow, and these include:

    1. Employers are endorsed in their work-place and are expected to satisfy the pre-registration requirements.
    2. Training providers are accredited to provide particular learnership by the ETQA.
    3. Qualified assessors are available. They may be contracted, assessors, or in-house assessors.
    4. Companies advertise learnership opportunities through the media.
    5. Learners apply and are picked by the company’s recruitment process.
    6. A three-party learnership agreement is signed among the learner, employer, and provider.
    7. A short-term employment contract is entered into and signed between the learner and the employer, where the learner is unemployed.
    8. The learning program and process is reviewed and consented to with the training provider.
    9. Employers sponsor the learnership by grants obtained from SETA.
    10. Employers and training providers deliver the required learning and experience, working closely together to accomplish the training process.
    11. Learners are rendered support via mentoring and feedback.
    12. Learners are assessed via formative and summative assessments by qualified assessors. 
    13. The LGSETA quality assuror is invited to head the assessment. The provider must undertake internal supervision.
    14. A national qualification is awarded to the learner following the successful conclusion of the learnership.
    15. Learners receive a statement of their results for unit standards completed if learnership is not concluded.

    As soon as the learnership process is completed, the employer can either sign the learner for a new learnership, engage the learner or let go of the learner for future hiring by another organization if he/she was unemployed.

    In compliance with the Skills Development Act, a learnership should include the following components:

    • An organized learning component.
    • A practical work experience.
    • It must be occupation-related.
    • After finishing successfully, it must lead to a qualification.

    LGSETA Qualifications

    The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) is responsible for the registration and publication of high standard national qualifications. The comprehensive system was established to ensure quality and professional qualifications that are nationally and internationally recognized. SAQA is responsible for managing the NQF, and each SAQA unit standard has a corresponding NQF credit and level.

    NQF LevelQualification
    1General Education and Training Certificate: Environmental Practice
    2National Certificate: Environmental Practice   National Certificate: Ward Committee Governance
    3National Certificate: Local Government Support Services   National Certificate: Environmental Practice   National Certificate: Local Government Councillor Practices
    4Further Education and Training Certificate: Disaster Risk Management             Further Education and Training Certificate: Leadership Development   National Certificate: Local Economic Development         Further Education and Training Certificate: Environmental Noise Practice   Further Education and Training Certificate: Community Development   Further Education and Training Certificate: Environmental Practice   Further Education and Training Certificate: Finance, Municipal & Administration 
    5National Diploma: Public Finance Management and Administration   National Certificate: Local Economic Development   National Certificate: Emergency Services Supervision   National Certificate: Municipal Integrated Development Planning   National Certificate: Environmental Noise Control   Certificate: Local Government   National Certificate: Environmental Management   Higher Certificate: Local Government   National Certificate: Generic Management   National Certificate: Municipal Governance     National Certificate: Community Development 
    6Certificate: Municipal Financial Management    Diploma: Local Government   National Certificate: Local Economic Development

    The NQF guides the standards by which learner achievement is registered and recorded to nationally recognize acquired skills and knowledge, thereby ensuring an integrated that encourages constant learning and skill acquisition. Also, the LGSETA is an ETQA body accredited by SAQA and must therefore ensure high quality and standards by supervising training providers and ensuring they perform their duties accordingly based on the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS)

    LGSETA Bursary

    Sequel to the #FeesMustFall campaign in 2015 in South African tertiary institutions, the LGSETA bursary was established. All students who wish to join the local government sector are eligible to apply for this bursary, and it is awarded and renewed yearly. These students must be registered with South African public universities, universities of technology, and TVET Colleges. The bursary caters for registration, accommodation, tuition, and books.

    The LGSETA focuses primarily on leadership development, environmental practice, local economic development, road traffic law enforcement, public finance management, administration, and ward committee governance. This bursary facilitates the objectives of the LGSETA by giving learners opportunities to excel in these areas of focus. 

    To be eligible for the LGSETA bursary, one must be a full-time student in a South African tertiary institution and attend a public institution. The candidate must be 18-35 years of age. People living with disabilities and other disadvantaged persons are prioritized over others. To apply, an eligible candidate must continue the application process online at http://lgseta.co.za/specialProjects/bursary/. Certain documents must be submitted, and these include; a certified copy of grade 12 results or academic results; proof of registration; a certified copy of identification card; document showing highest grade and qualification achieved with results; proof of income for those who are employed or affidavit for those who are unemployed; fee structure from the institution and certified copies of parent or guardians Identification card. 

    Applications with missing documents will not be accepted, and application forms must be filled. The LGSETA as a body will not be responsible for any cases of missing or undelivered forms. The body may also withdraw funding from students who have received a bursary from another organization, even after awarding the students. Students who fall into such groups are required to inform the LGSETA. There is a limited number of available bursaries every year, and the opportunity closes in March every year. After four weeks from the closing date, candidates who are not contacted should consider the possibility that their application was unsuccessful.

    Services SETA

    In March 2000, The Services Sector Education and Training Authority, Services SETA, was founded and registered under the skills development Act of 1998 and is in charge of the disbursement of the training levies payable by every employer. These levies are then received by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) through the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). They are to be paid through a management system run by skills requirement assessment and monitoring. The Services SETA is one of the biggest SETAs in terms of the number of employers lying within its scope. As of May 2018, approximately 177 000 employers lie within its demarcation. About 132 000 employers were actively trading around the same period. About 93% of these employers are small and micro-sized – that is, they employ less than 50 employees. A total of 27% are levy-paying employers. The 70 conventional industrial classification codes (SIC Codes) lying within the Services sector’s scope, as per the Ministerial boundary, are clustered into 16 sub-sectors and further into six chambers.

    The GDP figures released by the official statistics bureau, Statistics South Africa in 2018, indicated that over the previous two preceding years, the GDP growth rate more than doubled from 0.6% to 1.3% in 2016 and 2017, respectively. This growth’s main drive has been the Services sector alongside the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing sector. The next figure indicated that the two sectors contributed about 0.4% to the GDP growth over the fourth quarter of 2017. On the contrary, the Trade, Catering, and Accommodation sector grew by -1%. As the backbone of South Africa’s economy, the Services sector needs to be accorded the necessary support to help it grow the economy and, ultimately, jobs. 

    In 2017 Services SETA-related sectors contributed about 18% to the economy of South Africa in respect to gross value added (GVA). The Professional Business Services sector contributed more than two thirds to the GVA formed in the three Service SETA related sectors, with the Social and Personal Services and Business Activities and Other Community sectors contributing 15% and 17%, respectively. The status remained alike in the preceding year, that is, 2016. The services sector is the most booming industry in the South African economy.

    The Services SETA, via the SSP, recognized four crucial areas of interventions to support skills development in the short-to-medium duration. These include: 

    • Review and alignment of Services SETA qualifications 

    • Promoting access to skills development 

    • Entrepreneurship and cooperative development 

    • Mobilisation of the industry to participate in work-based learning programs 

    The SSP research recognized and prioritized ten rare skills for which diplomas, degrees, and skills programs are most relevant. As such, 10 PIVOTAL programs have been identified as vehicles for addressing scarce skills, see Annexure C. The Annual Performance Plan (APP) gives learner enrolment targets across all learning platforms. The prioritization and representativity of service delivery should consider the performance delivery environment. The guidelines for giving Services SETA funded discretionary grants (DG) to employers considers alignment to relatively scarce skills.

    What is the Function of Services SETA?

    There are many South Africans who need to learn new skills. Some are already employed and need to enhance their skills and learn new ones to play a meaningful role in South Africa’s economy. The services sector, one of the economy’s economic sectors, contributes over a quarter of the GDP and employs over 3 million people. The industry needs to employ a competent and skilled labor force to maintain and grow this sector’s strength.

    The Services SETA closes the gap between training systems, formal education, and the workplace by promoting and funding learning programs that develop skills-set required by industries. To achieve this, the Services SETA partners with public and private learning institutions accredited to perform the training on its behalf.

    There are many reasons behind Services SETA’s establishment, but Services SETA’s main purpose is to develop and enhance skills within its sector. It tries to identify skills development requirements and guarantee national standards, which refer to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). To achieve these objectives, Services SETA is responsible for developing and implementing sector skills plans. To achieve these, Services SETA also oversees education and training within its sector.

    After accreditation of Services SETA by SAQA as an ETQA, it evaluates and accredits training providers within its sector. Besides, Services SETAs also disburse gathered funds raised in the form of Skills Development Levy and promote learnerships within the sector.

    Services SETA also functions to conduct quality assurance tests to ensure that applicable standards are being maintained and that learners and members of the workforce have the necessary skills required by employers in the industry’s sector.

    Under the Skills Development Act, 1998, the roles and responsibilities of Services SETA include the following:

    Development and Implementation of Sector Skills Plan

    The sector skills plan relates to present trends in the sector, high demand skills, and skill development precedence. The Services SETA is tasked with developing such plans that should be implemented in its sector. 

    Development and Conducting of Learnerships

    In addition to developing services sector skill plans, learnerships, which are outcome-based structured learning opportunities for obtaining practical skills and theoretical knowledge, are also formed and governed by Services SETA. It usually takes 18 months to start and end a learnership. People take four learnerships to receive artisan equivalent qualifications. 

    Backing the Implementation of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF)

    NQFs, which have been important elements of the South Africa tertiary education system for almost 25 years, are managed and implemented by the South African Qualifications Authority. This higher education system has been commissioned to register quality-assured national qualifications and part-qualifications. The framework’s major objectives are to facilitate high-quality education and training and contribute positively to the learner’s overall development.

    Administration of Quality Assurance based on the requirements of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO)

    The principal function of the QCTO is to efficiently manage the Occupational Qualifications Sub-Framework (OQSF), which sets suitable standards for national occupational qualifications for those who want a trade or occupation in the services sector. They are also concerned with developing these occupational qualifications and quality assurance.

    The Quality Council Trades Occupation is a unit of the Quality Councils responsible for a section of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). These Quality Councils and the South African Qualifications Authority operate for learners and employers’ interests. 

    The four stipulated QCTO requirements include:

    • Monitor provision to guarantee that programs are being followed.
    • Accredit service and training providers.
    • Register Assessors.

    Services SETA Accreditation

    Considering the Services SETA mission, which provides formal skill training as an opportunity for economic development and infrastructural growth, the Services SETA is responsible for accrediting training providers who empower students with the necessary skills. This plan of action is one avenue by which they aid skills development, besides monitoring projects, certifying learners, and developing a skills plan for the services sector. After accreditation of training providers, the Services SETA also ensures that training is of high quality and standard.

    Accreditation of training centers is very important and beneficial for the students as it helps them get internship placements and apprenticeships. Particularly in the services sector, high standards are a prerequisite for any training provider, and these standards involve high-quality training and skills development.

    The Services SETA has continued to improve these standards by accrediting colleges and training centers that meet the set requirements. The body has been put in charge to supervise training centers and training providers to maintain high standards. 

    The Services SETA may not directly offer training or formal education for the industry. Still, it makes sure that the workers in the services sector or those seeking to work in the services sector are provided with the required skills and information. The body also makes the acquisition of desired skills easier for those who already work in the sector but do not have the relevant qualifications, as they have the relevant learning experience. The Services SETA helps these people via the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program that allows them to apply for positions and jobs they are not entirely qualified for, even if they have the skills. The RPL assessment enables these people to satisfy the specific qualifications required by employers in this sector. Therefore, they can be opportune to be in positions where they are paid more, thereby improving their living standards.

    The accreditation procedure involves the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), the Services SETA, the skills development providers, and the accreditation approval team. The QCTO evaluates and recommends the skill development provider to the Services SETA if he is qualified. The Services SETA then evaluates applicants and submit the report to the accreditation approval team. This team evaluates the reports and generates an accreditation letter.

    The office in charge of Services SETA’s activities is called the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). This office’s main goal is to improve the post-school system in South Africa by making it fully inclusive. A post-school system that is properly structured and provides relevant training and education for graduates will boost the economy of South Africa and enable overall development. The Services SETA also implements skills development training and learnerships, which develop the labor force in South Africa, particularly the human resource in the services industry. The skills are acknowledged according to the standards of the National Qualifications Frameworks (NQF).

    Services SETA Funding

    The SETAs receive levies from employers in their sectors and disburse them in proportions. These levies are named- Skills development levies. Employers in different sectors are obligated to pay 1% of their income to the South African Revenue Services (SARS) monthly. SETA gets about 80% of the funds generated from these employers and disburses them appropriately to various bodies in different sectors. These funds are utilized mainly for administrative purposes and grants.

    The Services SETA pays grants to companies in the services sector qualified to receive generated funds. 20% of the employer’s skills levy is employed for these grants. To get this percentage as a grant, employers must have a periodic training report and work-place plan and submit them before April 30 annually. Some companies are not under compulsion to pay the levy, provided that they have a wage bill of not more than R500 000. 

    Employers who pay these levies must satisfy certain criteria and requirements before they can be eligible to receive the grants for the sector. These employers need to have paid their levies regularly without defaulting at any point, which the records will prove, for them to be eligible for the grants. They need to be also registered levy payers, according to the provision of the Skills Development Levies Act. The employers must employ a skills development facilitator (SDF) as this is an important criterion for grant eligibility. The employer must submit the annual training plan and the work-place skills plan before the specified submission date to be eligible for the grant. They need to show that the work-place skills plan submitted for the previous tenure has been implemented.

    Asides from the mandatory grants, there is also another form of grants called discretionary grants, which are grants paid based on the SETA leadership’s decision. These grants are meant for skill development projects requiring high demand and low supply or essential skills. These skills are treated as a priority for the sector, and the discretionary grants cater to them. The Professional, Vocational, Technical, and Academic Learning programs (PIVOTAL) are the main priority for these discretionary grants, even though other programs receive grants. The Services SETA policy permits grants for PIVOTAL programs and Non-PIVOTAL programs.

    Funding in the form of grants is essential for developing qualifications, research, and implementing sector skills plans. Allocation of Discretionary and Mandatory Grants enable a smooth-running process for employers, training providers, and employees. The overseeing department of the Services SETA supervises the grant allocation system to develop skilled and proficient South African citizens who can contribute positively to the county’s economic development and compete globally in such a resource-intensive economy.

    How Do You Get A SETA Learnership?

    A learnership, one of SETA’s most sought after opportunities, is an orderly learning process for acquiring academic knowledge as well as practical skills in the workplace. These organized learning processes are time-based as opposed to outcome-based and fulfill the need for erstwhile learning. The time frame of learnerships varies but, on average, lasts for approximately 18 months. To acquire the equivalent of an artisan qualification, the trainee is required to complete at least four separate learnerships, which means that the first four qualifications of the NQF levels must be completed.

    Certain conditions must be met by learners before commencing a SETA learnership, and these include:

    • Learners may be current employees or new entrants
    • Learners must satisfy entry criteria for the specific learnership they want to enroll in.
    • Learners must meet the selection criteria as determined by the organization that is taking on the learner.

    There are also specific processes to be followed, involving other learners, employers, and training providers. These include:

    1. Employers are approved in their workplace and are expected to meet the pre-registration criteria.
    2. Training providers are accredited to provide particular learnerships by the ETQA.
    3. Qualified assessors are available. These assessors may be either contracted or in-house.
    4. Companies advertise learnership opportunities via the media.
    5. Learners apply and are then selected via the company’s recruitment process.
    6. A tripartite learnership agreement is agreed to and signed between the employer, the provider, and the learner.
    7. A Short-term employment agreement is entered into between the learner and the employer, assuming that the learner is unemployed.
    8. The learning program and process to be followed are discussed and agreed to with the chosen training provider.
    9. Employers fund the learnership using grants obtained from SETA.
    10. Employers and training providers provide relevant learning and experience and work closely together in order to manage the training process.
    11. Learners are provided with support through mentoring and feedback.
    12. Learners are assessed by qualified assessors (formative and summative assessments)
    13. The Services SETA quality assuror is called to supervise the assessment. The provider must provide internal supervision.
    14. A national qualification is awarded to the learner following the successful completion of the learnership.
    15. Learners will receive a record of their results for unit standards achieved should the learnership not be concluded.

    Once the learnership process is concluded, the employer can either choose to approve the learner to take on a new learnership, hire the learner or let go of the learner to be employed by another organization if the learner was unemployed.

    According to the Skills Development Act, a learnership must include the following components:

    • An organized learning component.
    • A practical work experience.
    • It must be occupation-related.
    • After successful completion, it must lead to a qualification.

    Services SETA Qualifications

    Services SETA Accredited Training Provider ensures that their programs:

    1. Meet all the quality standards as established by the Services SETA.
    2. Enable companies to be qualified for discretionary funding for learning interventions.
    3. Offer learners a high-quality training certificate that will help them perform well in their job.
    4. Guarantee that all the administration related to the qualification is sorted.

    Business Administration Services NQF Level 4

    Every organization requires an efficient team of office and project administrators to offer administrative assistance. An administrator’s office is important because they make sure that senior staff can work efficiently and effectively. They are employed by all organizations, including large corporations, small businesses, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations.

    The Business Administration Services qualification is designed to:

    • Promote the essential skills required for the efficient performance of Administrative functions in any non-commercial or commercial.
    • Explore the potential of people.
    • Offer opportunities for people to further advance their careers in administration.

    The Business Administration Services course targets learners who hope to work in the Administration space within any industry or non-commercial venture/organization.

    Project Management

    Project Management is an essential part of the global business environment. It is used largely in business, construction, engineering, manufacturing, the public sector, NGOs, and the military to plan, manage, control, and evaluate projects. Skilled practitioners are needed to meet the demands of industry and the economy.

    This Project Management NQF Level 4 qualification is designed for people employed in a project environment as a project administrator, team member, or leader of a small project. Learners with access to this qualification will be serving in or with project management teams or using a project strategy for their business. These projects may be technical, business projects, government projects, or community development projects and will cut across various economic sectors.

    This Project Management qualification is also valuable to learners running their own business, as project management is a key component of any business system.

    On completing this Project Management qualification, learners will be able to:

    • Work hand in hand with others to undertake or support project management activities.
    • Assist the project manager and project team by contributing and participating in the planning, execution, and control activities.
    • Assist in the execution of a project.

    Marketing NQF Level 4

    Good marketing is fundamental to the achievements of any organization. It produces the leads that a business needs to thrive. It is how a product or service is introduced and promoted to potential customers.

    The qualification in Marketing embraces the full marketing scope from public relations, advertising, and promotions to sales. It is aimed at people who wish to gain knowledge of marketing principles and practices.

    The Marketing qualification is designed for learners who desire to enter and work in the field of Marketing and have an interest in the following careers:

    • Marketing Management.
    • Production Management.
    • Public Relations Management.
    • Category Management.
    • Database Administration.
    • Marketing Assistant.

    After the Marketing NQF Level 4 qualification, learners will be able to:

    • Work and conform to organizational ethics, cultures, and concepts.
    • Meet marketing objectives with available resources.
    • Promote and position products to satisfy customer needs.
    • Sustain internal and external customer fulfillment levels.
    • Apply aspects of marketing.

    Services SETA Funding

    Many independent schools have bursary capacity, which includes grants from the school to assist pay education fees. These are usually given after a “means test” of family income and are not necessarily dependent on examination performance, although some academic ability account will be considered. Bursaries may be given in addition to scholarships where financial need is proven, and the prospective student would be unable to enroll in the school.

    It is traditional for parents to request the school’s bursar to fill an application form, giving information on their financial circumstances, supported by documentary evidence, including capital assets to obtain such a bursary. The school will consider the application following its bursary policy. The award will usually only remain in force until the pupil has sat the next important public examination. Many schools will review bursaries every year to make sure that the justification for an award remains. In the UK, any award given before GCSE will not necessarily proceed to the A-level stage.

    The Services SETA Bursary was set up to help students within the Services sector continue their tertiary studies. Every year, bursaries are given to a student seeking Undergraduate or Postgraduate Services related qualifications. 

    Applicants will be briefed about the outcome of their applications after deliberations have been made on the Services SETA bursary. Every year, bursaries are given to a student within the Services sector, specifically the following fields of study:

    • Business Administration
    • Business Management
    • Communication Studies
    • Human Resources
    • Marketing
    • Project Management
    • Public Administration
    • Media Studies
    • Real Estate
    • Property Development
    • Hair and Personal Care

    ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

    Applicants need to satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying (it should be noted that failure to meet all the requirements will result in your application not being considered):

    • South African citizen
    • Completed Matric
    • Studying full time or part-time towards an Agriculture related qualification (Certificate/Degree/Diploma)
    • Studying part-time or full-time at a College/ University/ University of Technology
    • Unemployed
    • Not being funded by other Government sources (NSFAS)
    • Learners who have been formerly funded must reapply for a continuing bursary

    HOW TO APPLY FOR THE BURSARY

    Download and duly fill the Services SETA Bursary Application Form pdf at https://www.servicesetabursaries.org.za/register

    Submit plain and clear copies of the following supporting documentation along with your completed application form. The submission of these documents is imperative – if any items are missing, the application would be disregarded

    • Certified copy of ID document 
    • New bursary applications: a certified copy of most recent exam results 
    • Continuation bursary applications: a certified copy of mid-year results
    • Tax Clearance Certificate
    • Tax Compliance Status Verification PIN

    Completed applications should be submitted online via email to [email protected].

    Input the words “Services SETA Bursary Application – Your Full Name” in the email subject. 

    SASSETA

    The Sector Education and Training Authority, SETA, is a South African institution charged with the responsibility for developing skills development and training within a specific industry sector. This institution is a program of the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS), and various SETAs were put in place for several industry sectors according to the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998. 

    The Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority (SASSETA) is accountable for the South African environment’s security and safety with the aid of skills development and qualifications. 

    It is a SETA that has been established to specifically aid education and training to the wide span of safety and security providers and services in South Africa. These spans across the diplomatic arena to the military and police. It upholds a tradition of ongoing learning and creates chances for skills transfer for all South Africans looking for recognized industry qualifications. The Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority (SASSETA) is supervised by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).

    The SASSETA was set up in July 2005, five years after South Africa’s first set of SETAs were launched. It is a merger between the Diplomacy, Intelligence, Defence and Trade Education and Training Authority (DIDTETA), and the Police, Legal, Correctional Services, Private Security, and Justice Sector Educational and Training Authority (POSLEC SETA).

    The DIDTETA and POSLEC SETA were founded on March 20, 2000 by the Skills Development Act announced by the South African Parliament in 1998. This means that the roles of these two SETAs were largely to develop and enhance the skills of the South African workforce generally in systems outlined in the new legislation (1998).

    SETAs were provided with basic guidelines on how to do this. They were expected to map out and carry out attainable sector skills plans, provide employers, trainers, and workers with the required funds and promote effective learnerships– per the legislation. When the Local Government SETA was created in 2000, it concentrated on many areas, including financial viability, infrastructure and service delivery, community-based participation and planning, adult-based education and training (ABET), and management and leadership. Within this scope of operation, metro policing and traffic law enforcement were also the responsibility of the LGSETA. These roles were transferred to the SASSETA.

    It was reasonable then that the requirements of those getting into the SASSETA sector or gaining more experience within the sector -are immensely diverse, and all of these considerations should be taken into account. For instance, a few of the employment opportunities within this sector entails learners to take college courses. At the same time, other possibilities allow them to get away with a short course of some sort to make an entrance into the industry.

    Somebody wanting to climb through the ranks of management might wish to take a management course, but they will usually need assistance and advice to pick a good accredited course to accomplish their goals. Other learners might want workplace experience before deciding whether this specific sector is the best for them.

    There are experts in the SASSETA who can proffer excellent advice. They also inform learners whether internships, bursaries, discretionary grants, or apprenticeships are available in various sub-sectors they might apply for.

    Functions of SASSETA

    According to the South African Government’s plan of action, the SASSETA is mandated to draft a plan that will empower them to develop the security and safety skills to enable learners to benefit from these. They want to facilitate an increased number of young adults who can learn new skills and earn a living within the safety and security sector.

    For this purpose, the SASSETA is also expected to carry out an extensive plan that accommodates learners joining the safety and security workplace have the chance to:

    • establish strategies for workplace skills so that learners understand exactly where they can gain suitable workplace experience
    • access learnerships and courses where they can obtain the basic knowledge through college courses or any other short course the SETA regards as relevant
    • monitor education training to guarantee that learners are accurately and well trained
    • allot discretionary grants and perhaps also bursaries
    • help improve and facilitate learnership agreements and register these agreements for learners’ security
    • identify workplaces that are fit for learners to employ to get a suitable workplace exposure
    • make sure that they (SASSETA) obtain accreditation from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) to guarantee that all learning is appropriate and tallies with the standards expected within South Africa
    • promote the development of learning materials to make sure that learners are reading important topics
    • get and then accurately pay the levies due for skills development in this sector.
    • partner with the National Skills Authority concerning the Government’s national skills development policy
    • select staff who can meet these obligations
    • help advance and facilitate learnership agreements and register these agreements for learner security
    • communicate directly with the Government’s Director-General of Labour concerning income and expenditure, including the implementation of the sector skills plan
    • partner with the National Skills Authority concerning the Government’s national skills development strategy and its sector skills plan
    • partner with the Department of Labour’s employment services, including all educational bodies that are governed by laws that correlate to education in South Africa aimed at enhancing employment openings for these particular learners
    • execute any other obligations that the Skills Development Act and the Skills Development Levies Act demands

    NQFs, which have been indispensable elements of the South Africa tertiary education system for nearly 25 years, is overseen and performed by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). This overall higher education system has been commissioned to enroll in quality-assured national qualifications and part- qualifications. The framework’s major goals are to expedite high-quality education and training and add positively to the learner’s overall development.

    SETAs are established by the Act of parliament and consequently execute their duties in the public’s interest. As legal bodies, they manage public funds. They are obliged to relate to the Department of Higher Education and Training on these funds’ efficient and precise use. The Public Finance Management Act also oversees SETAs, and this Act demands that public bodies act responsibly and economically. SETAs also account to the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on how they carry out their functions as an Educational Training and Quality Assurance (ETQA) body.

    SASSETA Accreditation

    The SASSETA is responsible for accrediting providers. They do these by:

    • establishing appropriate guidelines for the accreditation of providers. 
    • Accrediting solely constituent providers that share the principal focus of the SASSETA. 
    • Administering accreditation for unit standards and qualifications listed on the NQF, which fall within the principal focus of the SASSETA. 
    • Handling institutional accreditation as well as program registration for constituent providers. 
    • Conducting complete program approval and registration for non-constituent providers. 
    • Accrediting performance and assessment sites.

    There are two types of accreditation providers, namely Constituent Providers and Non-constituent providers. The constituent providers are single-purpose training providers who prefer to operate within the principal focus of the SASSETA, while the non-constituent providers are training Providers who are accredited with a different ETQA and would wish to incorporate training on learning programs that lie within the scope of the SASSETA.

    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) explains assessing the knowledge, skills, and capability held by a person, irrespective of when, how, and where the learning took place. The assessment is done outside of a formal learning program and may take on experiential and other evidence forms. RPL enables a person to get a qualification based on assessing the work experience and past training, whether attained formally or informally. A learner who believes that they already have extensive experience in a particular occupation can follow the Recognition of Prior Learning path. In this instance, a learner would identify the qualification that best suits their experience and then be assessed by an accredited education and training provider according to the qualification requirements. This will identify gaps in their experience, which they can address through credit-bearing skills programs to qualify.

    There are two types of accreditation providers, namely Constituent Providers and Non-constituent providers. The constituent providers are single-purpose training providers who prefer to operate within the principal focus of the SASSETA, while the non-constituent providers are training Providers who are accredited with a different ETQA and would wish to incorporate training on learning programs that lie within the scope of the SASSETA.

    Applicants who meet all the criteria set will earn full accreditation for three years. Accreditation will be connected to the programs (qualifications and unit standards) that the provider will offer. On the other hand, applicants who meet the minimum criteria set will obtain full accreditation for one year. Accreditation will be connected to the programs (qualifications and unit standards) that the provider will offer. Monitoring and verification will occur within this period, and if compliant, the accreditation will be extended for three years. Should a constituent of a non-constituent provider need to render additional qualifications and unit standards, a request for an extension of their scope should be completed.

    SASSETA Funding

    Funding for SASSETA is generated from the skills development levy, which is collected from employers in the safety and security sector. Employers are obliged to pay one percent of their earnings every month to the South African Revenue Services (SARS). Generated funds are utilized to cover administrative costs and grants. Administrative costs involve those incurred from the day-to-day operations of running the body. Ten percent of the levy used for SASSETA is allocated to these expenses. The other part of the levy is used for mandatory and discretionary grants.

    The mandatory grants are designed to cover education and training programs as outlined in the Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) and Annual Training Report (ATR). The mandatory grants enable employers to organise and implement training programs for their employees and help provide useful information about the labour market in terms of scarce skills and current trends. 

    Certain criteria must be met by employers before they can receive mandatory grants, and these include:

    • Employers must be registered with the commissioner of SARS.
    • Employers must have paid all past levies at the time of approval.
    • Employers must provide signed off evidence of consultant with organised labour where applicable
    • Employers must have submitted the WSP and ATR to contribute to the SASSETA Sector Skills Plan (SSP)
    • Employers must pay levies to the commissioner within the stipulated time
    • Employers should make their first submission within six months of registering with SARS
    • Employers must ensure that they have been paying levies to the appropriate SETA
    • Employers must submit all necessary documents before the due dates.

    Mandatory grants are paid every quarter to the companies. However, mandatory grants that are not claimed before August every year be transferred to discretionary grant funding.

    The SASSETA approves a discretionary grant policy every year, according to the SETA grant regulations. This policy will direct the allocation of funds, considering the various plans and programs that the funds could support. These plans and programs include:

    • Professional, vocational, technical, and academic learning (PIVOTAL) programs
    • Scarce skills outlined in the SSP
    • Bursaries for employees and those who are unemployed
    • National Skills Development Strategies (NSDS) III initiatives
    • The annual performance plan
    • Trade Unions and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)
    • National Skills Priorities

    To access discretionary grants, employers must also meet the following criteria;

    • Employers must have submitted their WSP and ATR at the time of approval
    • Private training providers must be accredited (where training providers are involved)
    • Employers must be within the jurisdiction of the SASSETA, i.e.; employers must work in the safety and security sector
    • Employers must be up to date with levy payments except those who are formally exempted
    • Unemployed learners qualify for bursaries and specified programs
    • Only businesses with less than fifty employees can fill the PIVOTAL plan template as seen on the SASSETA website
    • Trade Unions and NGOs must be registered

    The following are details of the application process:

    • Applicants should completely fill the application forms while adhering to the discretionary grants policy. There are different forms for private employers, public employers, training providers, and unemployed learners.
    • Documents detailing company’s registration must be submitted
    • Proof of registration under professional bodies must be submitted
    • Evidence of payment of skills development levy or proof of exemption or proof of registration with SARS
    • Details of assessor and moderator for the particular qualification must also be submitted. 

    How do you get a SETA Learnership?

    A learnership, which is one of the non-PIVOTAL programs, refers to the structured learning process that helps learners gain educational knowledge and practical skills in the workplace. This is one of the opportunities which the SETAs, including SASSETA, offers students. A learnership gives students access to qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). These structured learning processes operate on an outcome-based system and acknowledges the need for prior learning. The duration of learnerships vary but generally last for 18 months. Learners must complete four different learnerships in order to attain an artisan equivalent qualification (NQF level 4). This means that qualifications at NQF levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 must be achieved for this to be attained.

    Learners must meet certain conditions before commencing a SETA learnership, and these include:

    • Learners can be existing employees or new entrants.
    • Learners must meet the required selection criteria determined by the organisation taking on the learner.
    • Learners must meet entry requirements for the specific learnership they wish to enroll in as determined by the specific qualification requirements on which the learnership process is based.

    To obtain learnerships, there are specific outlined step-by-step processes that employers, training providers, and other learners to be followed and these include:

    1. Employers are workplace approved and are obliged to meet the pre-registration criteria.
    2. Qualified assessors are available. They may be either in-house assessors or contracted assessors.
    3. Training providers are accredited to provide the particular learnership by the ETQA.
    4. Companies advertise learnership opportunities through the media.
    5. A tripartite learnership agreement is signed among the employer, provider, and learner.
    6. Learners apply and are selected by the company recruitment process.
    7. A Short-term employment contract is signed and entered into between the employer and the learner, assuming the learner is unemployed.
    8. The learning programme and process are discussed and agreed to with the training provider.
    9. Employers fund the learnership through grants obtained from SETA.
    10. Employers and training providers deliver relevant learning and experience, working closely together to manage the training process.
    11. Learners are provided with support through mentoring and feedback.
    12. Learners are assessed by qualified assessors (formative and summative assessments)
    13.  The SASSETA quality assuror is called to moderate the assessment. Internal moderation should be carried out by the provider.
    14.  A national qualification is then awarded to the learner after successful completion of the learnership.
    15.  Learners receive a statement of results for unit standards achieved if learnership is not successfully completed.
    16. On completion of learnership is completed, the employer may sign the learner on for a new learnership or employ the learner. The employer can also choose to release the learner for future employment by another organization if the learner was originally unemployed.

    SASSETA also facilitates the recruitment of learners and the implementation of learnerships. They subsidise the provision of education and training by accredited training providers. They can subsidise the learners’ allowances, but they do not create the learnerships themselves or provide these learnerships directly.

    For many learnership programmes, the interested learner must be of minimum working age, which is 15 years, as stipulated by the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. For other programmes, a Grade 12 certificate is sufficient. There are numerous benefits for learners who participate in a learnership program. These programs provide accessible opportunities for affordable learning and more career options for learners. There also enjoy more employment opportunities as a result of the work experience they have gathered and people within their network.

    SASSETA Qualifications

    The SASSETA qualifications are managed by the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), the Skills Development Act, and the Quality Council for Trade and Occupations (QCTO). The QCTO manages occupational qualifications and oversees the development of new ones. The QCTO also replaced legacy qualifications given to training providers by SETAs with occupational qualifications. The Council is also responsible for de-registering qualifications with no learner intake over some time.

    The is a revised quality assurance framework for the SASSETA where the QCTO oversees all quality assurance functions while the Development Quality Partner (DQP) and Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) oversee the development and restructuring of professional qualifications and register moderators and assessors, respectively. SASSETA qualifications are developed and restructured from time to time following step by step processes. Member organizations of SASSETA and other stakeholders tender a request to develop a new qualification or restructuring of existing qualifications to the SASSETA. The SASSETA submits this to the QCTO. After these steps, the bodies sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and SASSETA appoints the QDP. The SASSETA manages the restructuring of qualifications sends to the QCTO for approval.

    SASSETA Registered Learnerships and Qualifications

    Title of Learnership or QualificationNQF Level
    Law Enforcement5
    National Diploma: Joint and Multi-operations6  
    Close Protection Specialist4
    Specialist Security Practices4
    Further Education and Training Certificate  4
    Aviation Security Specialist4
    FETC: Road Traffic Law Enforcement4
    National Certificate: Forensic Science5
    Human Resources Management and Practices5
    Human Resources Management and Practices Support4
    National Certificate: Criminology5
    National Certificate: Family Law5
    Further Education and Training Certificate: Firearms Maintenance4
    Further Education and Training Certificate: Use of Firearms4
    Post-graduate Certificate: Trade-Mark Practise7
    General Security Officer’s Learnership3
    FETC: Road Traffic Law Enforcement4
    National Certificate: Road Safety Development5
    Electronic Security Technician4
    Corrections Science4
    National Diploma: Legal Interpreting5
    National Certificate: Multi-national Safety and Security Operations Management5
    National Certificate: Paralegal Practice5
    Diploma in Court Services Management5
    Attorneys Practice7
    Basic Policing Training7
    National Certificate: Resolving of Crime5

    SASSETA Bursary

    SASSETA provides bursary students who are eligible and interested in working in the Safety and Security sectors. Bursaries cover tuition, feeding, accommodation, textbooks, and related costs. SASSETA funds successful candidates with bursaries worth over R70,000, and candidates with debt from the previous academic year are considered when they are awarded the bursary. SASSETA evaluates students at different levels of studies to award eligible students with bursaries generated from discretionary grants.

    For students to benefit from this bursary, they do not necessarily need to be academically sound but need to pass a “means test.” This test involves the level of family income and a bit of academic knowledge. Students may be awarded a bursary in addition to a scholarship if they can provide proof of financial need. It is customary for the school bursar to request that parents fill an application form, giving details on their financial situation, supported by evidence in documents, including assets to obtain such a bursary. The school will review the application according to its bursary policy. Most times, the award will remain in effect until the student sits for the next public examination. Many schools reassess bursaries every year to ensure quality that the grounds upon which the student received the bursary remain.

    Application Criteria for interested candidates:

    • Must be approved and registered to study in a particular academic year.
    • Must be a South African citizen.
    • Must be unemployed.
    • Must be studying at a Public tertiary institution or university of technology in South Africa.
    • Must have completed qualifications for the previous year and awaiting results to graduate.
    • Must be between 18 and 35 years.

    Approved Fields of Study for the SASSETA bursary reflect the integrated nature of the body includes:

    • Public Administration
    • Internal auditing
    • Law
    • Social Work
    • Psychology
    • Nursing
    • Civil Engineering
    • Pharmacy
    • Electrical Engineering

    Interested candidates are required to send the following documents to be considered for the bursary:

    • A filled application form.
    • Evidence of Registration as a final year student.
    • Student account from the university.
    • Record of the previous academic year.
    • Certified copy of ID document.
    • Tax Clearance Certificate.
    • Tax Compliance Status Verification PIN.

    These documents are to be sent to [email protected].

    CETA

    What is CETA?

    Established according to the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998, the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) is one of the 21 Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) and has been in operation since April 2000.  

    One of the many objectives of the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998 is developing skills for South Africa’s youth who are part of the labour force. It is also aimed at increasing funding for education and vocational training and promotion of skills development training. In addition to these objectives, the Skills Development Act aims to motivate the workforce to engage in learnership programs and increase employment prospects via vocational training and theoretical education. Furthermore, this Act guarantees better training and education in terms of quality and helps green job-seekers with work placements.

    CETA, one of the 21 SETAs, has a role in serving the South African economy’s construction industry. Just like other SETAs, It reports to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). There are five sub-sectors of the CETA with the construction industry, all of which function differently and specifically. 

    As an extensive sector, the construction sector deals with numerous activities that have to do with maintenance, construction, installation, and renovation of different forms of properties. The five sub-sectors include the electrical sub-sector, the roads, the civil engineering sub-sector; the materials and manufacturing sub-sector; the building construction sub-sector; and the built environment profession. These sub-sectors deal with diverse areas of the construction sector.

    The electrical construction sub-sector handles electric systems in homes and other buildings. This sub-sector involves the wiring and assembling of these systems. Workers in this sector also install signal communication systems as well as fix electrical equipment. The sub-sector, which involves activities that concern road construction and maintenance, road repair, and services, is called the roads and civil construction sub-sector. This sub-sector also involves the construction and maintenance of bridges, runways, tunnels, and similar structures. It also provides various road services.

    The largest construction sub-sector, building construction, is concerned with the industry contractors, such as building engineers, mechanical contractors, and other workers involved in related fields. The materials and manufacturing sub-sector, as its name implies, involves manufacturing and production of products and materials used in the industry like concrete, cement, tiles, roof trusses, and wooden products. The fifth sub-sector is the built environment professions sub-sector and covers the construction industry professionals from the engineers to the architects and quantity surveyors. The sub-sector also includes other professionals like construction managers, town/regional planners, and land surveyors. These professionals are all guided by the Built Environment Professions Act.

    The CETA, one of the SETAs that was re-certified in 2011, went through many adjustments. The major change involved incorporating an already existing SETA, the Energy Sector Education and Training Authorities (ESETA). Electrical contractors fall under this SETA, and they are important in the construction sector. The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) accredited the CETA as an Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) body.

    What is the function of CETA?

    The CETA is one of the 21 SETAs, and it primarily performs the functions of a SETA, particularly in the construction industry. One of the major functions of the SETAs is to evaluate the education and training needs of the workforce in the construction industry. The SETAs also provide skills development and provision for training to enable efficiency in the workplace. They are aimed at enhancing the standards of education as well as vocational training.

    The CETA specifically works to deliver services that provide skills development training, according to the stipulations of the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS). Another one of the CETA objectives is to produce people that can compete globally in the construction industry by equipping them with the necessary and pertinent skills needed to build this sector.

    To provide these services and tend to the needs in various SETAs, they must make necessary findings on the specific needs of employers in their sectors in terms of skills and theoretical knowledge. The SETAs also evaluate the specific skills and courses the training providers are offering, as there needs to be a balance between what is in demand and what is being offered. There may be a skills gap if there is no balance between the demand and the supply, which is where the SETAs come into play. The SETAs pinpoint these gaps and work towards closing them. They do this through skills development training and education, specifically provided by accredited training centers’ training providers.

    The SETAs also fund various learning initiatives. These include learnerships, internships, skill acquisition programs, and apprenticeships. In many public tertiary institutions, SETAs also provide bursaries to encourage students.

    CETA was established in April 2000, according to the Skills Development Act, passed in 1998. Since then, it has positively affected skills development and training in a large and specialized sector, the construction industry. The CETA has also verified that the required skills and knowledge needed in the construction industry are made available by setting high standards for training centers and training providers throughout the country. However, the CETA does not particularly organize courses but the influence of such processes.

    The standards, as set out by the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), define the requirements of the construction industry in terms of skills and training. People who intend to join the industry’s labour force must possess such skills to maintain quality in the sector. These standards ensure that the CETA organizes learnerships and skills acquisition projects that provide such training and enhances the workforce’s capacity within the country. The CETA has also functioned as Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) since its accreditation by the South Africa Qualifications Authority (SAQA). This accreditation by SAQA means that the CETA body is permitted to certify training providers and institutions. The SAQA accreditation helps learners make informed decisions about the courses they wish to take and training centers they wish to attend and eventually help their employment opportunities after completing the training. CETA’s core business division is responsible for research, planning, reporting, quality control, and developing learning pathways to facilitate CETA’s objectives.

    CETA Accreditation

    Considering the CETA mission, which provides formal skills training as an opportunity for economic development and infrastructural growth, the CETA is responsible for accrediting training providers who empower students with the necessary skills. This strategy is one avenue by which they facilitate skills development, besides monitoring projects, certifying learners, and developing a skills plan for the construction industry. After accreditation of training providers, the CETA also ensures that training is of a high quality and standard.

    Accreditation of training centres is very important and beneficial for the students as it helps them get internship placements and apprenticeships. Particularly in the construction sector, high standards are a prerequisite for any training provider, and these standards involve high-quality training and skills development.

    The CETA has continued to improve these standards by accrediting colleges and training centres that meet the set requirements. The body has been mandated to supervise training delivery by the training centers and training providers to maintain high standards. 

    The CETA may not directly provide formal education or training for the industry. Still, it ensures that the industry workers or those seeking to work in the construction sector are equipped with the required skills and information. The body also eases the acquisition of desired skills by those who already work in the industry but do not have the necessary qualifications, as they have the relevant learning experience. The CETA assists these people through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program that enables them to apply for jobs and positions which they are not fully qualified for even though they have the skills. The RPL assessment allows these people to meet the specific qualification required by employers in this sector. Therefore, they can get opportunities to be in positions where they are paid more, thereby improving their living standards.

    The accreditation process involves the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), the CETA, the accreditation approval team, and the skills development providers. The QCTO evaluates and recommends the skills development provider to the CETA if he is qualified. The CETA then screens applicants and reports to the accreditation approval team. This team evaluates reports and generates an accreditation letter.

    The department that oversees CETA’s workings is called the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). This department’s main objective is to improve the post-school system in South Africa by making it fully inclusive. A post-school system that is properly organized and provides necessary training and education for graduates will improve the economy of South Africa and enable overall development. The CETA also implements skills development training and learnerships, which develop the labour force in South Africa, particularly the human resources in the construction industry. The skills are recognized according to the standards of the National Qualifications Frameworks (NQF).

    CETA Funding

    The SETAs collect levies from employers in their sectors and disburse them appropriately. These levies are called Skills development levies. Employers in the various sectors are mandated to pay 1% of their earnings to the South African Revenue Services (SARS) every month. SETA receives about 80% of the funds generated from these employers and distributes them appropriately to different bodies in different sectors. These funds are used mainly for administrative purposes and for grants.

    The CETA pays grants to companies in the construction industry eligible to receive generated funds. About 20% of the employer’s skills levy is used for these grants. To claim this percentage as a grant, employers must have a periodic training report and Workplace Skills Plan and submit them before April 30 every year. Some companies do not have to pay the levy, especially if they have a wage bill of R500 000 or less. 

    Employers who pay these levies must meet certain requirements and criteria before they can be qualified for the grants in the sector. These employers must have paid their levies consistently without defaulting at any point, which the records will show, for them to be eligible for the grants. They must also be registered levy payers, according to the stipulations of the Skills Development Levies Act. A skills development facilitator (SDF) must be working for the employers as this is an important criterion for grant eligibility. The employer must submit the annual training report and the workplace skills plan before the stipulated date of submission to be qualified for the grant and must show that the previously submitted workplace skills plan for the previous tenure has been implemented.

    Apart from the mandatory grants, there is also another form of grant known as discretionary grants, and these grants are paid based on the consideration of the SETA management. These grants are for skills development projects that require critical skills or skills in high demand and low supply. These skills are regarded as a priority for the sector, and the discretionary grants cater to them. The Professional, Vocational, Technical, and Academic Learning (PIVOTAL) programs are the major priority for these discretionary grants even though other programs are given grants. The CETA policy allows grants for PIVOTAL programs and the other programs.

    Funding in the form of these grants is important for developing qualifications and developing research, and implementing sector skills plans. Allocation of Mandatory and Discretionary Grants enable a smooth-running process for employers, training providers, and employees. The overseeing Department of the CETA supervises the grant allocation system to develop skilled and efficient South African citizens who can contribute positively to the county’s economic development and compete internationally in such a resource-intensive economy.

    How do you get a SETA learnership?

    As part of its aim to increase the rate of employment and deliver well-educated people to the workforce, SETA provides learnerships ending with nationally recognized qualifications to individuals (interested) in South Africa’s construction industry. This learnership helps ensure that there is a standardization of the quality of entrants into the construction workforce. The SETA does this by offering hands-on training to companies in the construction industry and delivering well-educated people to the workforce. Learnerships are usually free and come at no cost to participants.

    SETA runs learnership programs in fields that heavily impact the construction industry and include but are not limited to Materials Manufacturing, Built Environment Professions, Building Construction, and Roads and Civil Construction. The program aims to better the learning experience by offering practical hands-on training alongside theoretical knowledge. They offer candidates an opportunity for personal skills development and explore other parts of the South African region. Also, successful completion of the learnership program opens the door to being retained as a part of SETA, thus furthering employment opportunities for talented individuals.

    There are certain criteria that candidates must meet to be eligible for the learnership program provided by SETA. Candidates must meet all requirements before submitting their application. Applicants must have a valid ID book or document and must hold a valid Grade 12 certification. They must also provide proof of residence, and learners with a disability must provide a medical certificate for disability.

    All applications should be accompanied by a full CV and all the necessary documentation because late or incomplete applications may not be considered. The SETA learnership application is usually accessible online and available on the careers page and education page of companies in the sector. The applicants are also advised to provide details that are correct, consistent, and up-to-date. Required documents must be copies and not originals, and all areas that need to be filled should be done correctly and completely.

    Learnership opportunities are within a period, and they usually have closing dates. These dates can only be confirmed when the learnerships opportunities are open. However, the usual period from which the opportunities are open in September usually closes by January of the following year. The necessary information can be found on websites, particularly the SETA website. All requirements must be met and required information submitted to facilitate the application process.

    CETA Qualifications

    There are departments in the CETA Core Business division, and these departments work closely in different capacities to facilitate the development of the construction industry and ensure skills are developed. The CETA Core Business ensures quality and high standards are maintained by supervising the CETA’s progress according to national and qualification standards.

    This division is responsible for overseeing the development, implementation, and evaluation of the specified professional standards and qualifications. They do this by following the QCTO procedures. The division also certifies training providers for qualifications and part- qualifications according to the criteria from the QCTO. The learning pathways and quality development department registers assessors responsible for assessing learners for specified qualifications or part-qualifications according to the QCTO.

    The newest approach for qualifications development is via the Development Quality Partner (DQP) process under the QCTO. Within five years, the CETA has a total of 50 qualifications that have been re-registered. This five year period is from 01 July 2018 to 30 June 2023. The NQF registered qualifications must be continually reviewed and assessed as they must align with the occupational qualifications, according to the QCTO.

    The current NQF qualifications are gradually phasing out, and there is the development of new qualifications. The CETA’s partnership with the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) has enabled remarkable progress in developing the registered occupational qualifications. These registered qualifications must also be accredited with the QCTO.

    The qualifications currently available on the CETA catalog include:

    • SAQA ID 20813 – National Certificate: Construction Contracting NQF 2
    • SAQA ID 24133 – National Certificate: Construction: Roadworks NQF 2
    • 3SAQA ID 24173 – National Certificate: Construction: Roadworks NQF 3
    • SAQA ID 49016 – National Certificate: Construction Concreting NQF 3
    • SAQA ID 49053 – National Certificate: Supervision of Construction Processes NQF 4
    • SAQA ID 77063 National Certificate: Construction Health and Safety NQF 3

    As an Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) body, the CETA must ensure quality by supervising skills development providers to facilitate the training process and perform its duties by following the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS).

    CETA Bursary

    As part of the Construction Education and Training Authority’s (CETA) mission of positively influencing training and skills development in the construction industry, CETA awards the Thapelo Madibeng Bursary to undergraduates in the built profession sub-sector in the following fields of study:

    University Studies

    Architecture (B. Sc degree)

    Civil Engineering (B. Sc degree)

    Construction Management (B. Sc degree)

    Geomatics (B. Sc degree)

    Land Surveying (B. Sc degree)

    Property Development (B. Sc degree)

    Real Estate (B. Sc degree)

    Urban and Regional Planning (B. Sc degree)

    University of Technology studies

    Architecture (National Diploma)

    Construction (National Diploma)

    Building (National Diploma)

    Quantity Surveying (National Diploma)

    Town and Regional Planning (National Diploma)

    Land and Property Development (National Diploma)

    Geomatics (National Diploma)

    Civil Engineering (National Diploma)

    Electrical Engineering (National Diploma)

    TVET College studies:

    Civil Engineering and Building (National Vocational Certificate Level 2 – 4)

    Electrical Infrastructure Construction (National Vocational Certificate Level 2 – 4)

    Electrical Engineering (NATED N1 – N6)

    Civil Engineering (NATED N1 – N6)

    The aim of the bursary is to cover the cost of tuition fees, recommended textbooks, stationery, meals, and accommodation in residence – with a maximum cap of 80 000 rands yearly. To be eligible to apply for the bursary, applicants must satisfy certain entry criteria, failure of which will lead to applications not being considered. Applicants must:

    · Be a citizen of South Africa

    · Less than 35 years of age

    · Have achieved at least an overall average of 60% in Matric

    · Have achieved a minimum of level 5 for Mathematics in Matric

    · Have achieved a minimum of level 5 for Physical Science in Matric

    · Be studying full-time within one of the previously mentioned fields of study (either undergraduate or postgraduate)

    · Be studying at a registered and recognised public tertiary institution in South Africa (University/ University of Technology)

    · Have passed the current year of study and have not failed more than 2 subjects

    · NOT be currently receiving funding from a CETA funded entity

    · NOT be an immediate family member of a CETA employee

    · Have Household income is NOT more than R350 000 per annum

    · Preference will be granted to students from designated groups

    Applications can be made online at http://www.ceta.org.za/thapelo-madibeng-bursary-application-form/ or by downloading and completing the CETA Thapelo Madibeng Bursary Application Form.

    SETA Funding

    What does SETA mean?

    SETA is an acronym for Sector Education Training Authority. It is an educational body that regulates plans and oversees the training and skills deficiencies in the country. A SETA’s main objective is to advance and grow skills within a specific industry, identify the need for skills development in a specific industry, and ensure that national training standards are maintained.

    SETAs develop sector skills plans that cover the entire economy, and they implement the plans by promoting and funding learnerships, apprenticeships, skills programs, bursaries, and internships. The SETA should also be monitoring and reporting on all training within the sector.

    All SETAs must be accredited by SAQA (South African Qualifications Authority) as an ETQA (Education and Training Quality Assurance). It also evaluates and accredits training providers within its sector.

    To achieve these objectives, the functions of a SETA include:

    • Creating and implementing a plan on how to develop skills in an industry
    • The promotion of learning programs and the set-up of such learner program agreements
    • The responsibility of disbursing the levies that were collected from employers and their sectors
    • Liaise with and support the NSA (National Skills Authority) in policy, strategy, and the sector skills plans.

    There are currently 21 SETAs, each focused on a particular industry of the economy. They form the primary implementation structure of the NSDS (National Skills Development Strategy).

    SETAs are established as public entities in terms of the PFMA (Public Finance Management Act). It means that they have an official board that determines strategy and implementation plans.

    For more information on available SETA’s: visit the SAQA website

    SETA Funding

    How do I get funding from a SETA?

    To grasp how SETA funding works, it’s essential to understand how the SETA generates its funds.

    An SDL (Skills Development Levy) is a levy imposed to encourage learning and development in South Africa. An employer’s salary bill determines this levy. The funds are paid to SARS (South Africa Revenue Services) and are used to develop and improve employees’ skills. As an employer, you must pay the SDL every month if:

    • Your company has registered employees with SARS for tax purposes
    • Your company pays more than R500 000 a year in salaries and wages.

    As an employer, if you submit a WSP (Workplace Skills Plan) and an Annual Training Report (ATR), then 20% of the levies you’ve paid will be paid as a mandatory grant towards your company. The work skills plan documents skills needs in an organisation and describes the range of skills development interventions that an organization will use to address these needs. 

    SETAs pay grants to employers as dictated by the SETA Grant Regulations. 

    Some of the grant conditions can include:

    · an employer who employs 50 employees or more must submit an application for a WSP and an ATR, and

    · that they must apply for a mandatory grant within 6 months of registration.

    After receiving this grant, employers reinvest it to train their employees. The amount that they qualify for depends on the amount that they’ve contributed as a skills levy. 

    Discretionary grants are funds paid out at the discretion of SETA management. They are used for skills development projects that are linked to identified scarce and critical skills (sector priority occupations). Discretionary grant funding focuses on Professional, Vocational, Technical, and Academic Learning (PIVOTAL) programs.

    How much does a SETA pay for a learnership?

    A learnership is a structured training curriculum that includes theory and practice delivered in the workplace. The program usually lasts about 6 months to 18 months, and once complete, the learner is eligible for an NQF qualification after completion of the learnership. A learnership is outcomes-based, not time-based, and allows for recognition of prior learning.

    There are several learnerships made available each year with minimum requirements to participate in a learnership.

    The funding for a learnership is around R45 500. Learners are also paid a learner allowance (or stipend) by the employer. These allowances are only paid to unemployed learners for specific programs, and these allowances are also only available to learners that are registered and contracted to the Services SETA funded programme.

    Individuals who enter a learnership do not have to pay anything for the program. 

    They could be part of the current workforce or new entrants into the workforce. An unemployed/pre-employed employee will be eligible for a trainee rumination, referred to as a stipend.

    A full-time employee at the time of the start of the learnership, will still receive his/her current salary.

    South African legislation sets the minimum for a student stipend, but employers can still decide the final amount and with how much they want to exceed it. It is up to the employer to determine how much they can afford. 

    It’s important to understand that stipends are not tied to the learner’s performance, as with a salary. Many companies offer stipends to assist learners with some expenses during the learnership, e.g., travel, housing, and food.

    If you are unemployed at the start of the learnership, there is no guarantee that the same employer will have a job available at the end of the learnership. The employer is under no obligation to provide you with a full-time job at the conclusion of your learnership.

    SETA Bursary

    What does a Services Seta bursary cover?

    There are various SETAs offering bursaries. The aim of these bursaries is to ensure an increase in the number of graduates in the scarce skills disciplines.  

    For the services SETAbursaries are offered on the foundation of academic achievement. They must also prove that they are registered in a scarce skills discipline and that there is a financial need. Candidates are not guaranteed a specific employment contract. However, candidates need to sign an obligation to work in South Africa. Sometimes, they also need to sign that they will fulfill that obligation in a specific sector upon graduation. 

    SETA bursaries are for eligible South Africans who wish to further their studies and offer basic financial aid that helps a bursar pay for their basic needs.

    Services SETA pays 100% tuition and books based on the approved amount. After that, subject to remaining available funds, if any, all other listed allowances are paid based on SETAs priority listing. Depending on the type of bursary, these costs might only be covered partially or in full.  

    There are different types of Services SETA bursaries available for South African citizens to study at a public institution in SA. 

    • Bursaries Employed: This is a grant that is awarded to learners who are employed and are enrolled in part qualifications or full qualifications.
    • Bursaries Unemployed: A grant awarded to learners who were unemployed previously, who are enrolled for part-time qualifications or full qualifications. These qualifications must be registered on the NQF level 5 or higher.  

    The focus of the bursary funding is to make sure that there is a continuous flow of high-quality skills into the labour market of the services sector that is sustainable. The bursary is administered and regulated via a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the institution of higher learning and the Services SETA. 

    SETA funding for small businesses

    An SME will be able to apply for a discretionary grant (DG) funding once they started to participate in skills development through participation in the skills levy. 

    Discretionary grants are available for the following interventions:

    • Learnerships, which can provide the opportunity for a qualification or a part qualification.
    • Apprenticeships, 
    • Internships, which may be a requirement because of a graduate qualification, or for in-service training that will allow the learner to obtain an academic qualification.
    • Bursaries, which cover the costs based on the bursary terms and conditions.
    • Adult basic education and training (ABET). This is the equivalent of literacy and numeracy to primary education levels.

    The small business can consider which of the above interventions they will be able to implement to support their employees’ development and which one of these will benefit company performance. 

    In the case of an internship discretionary grant, the grant can fund the student’s stipend/allowance as well.

    Procedures in each SETA may differ, so it’s essential to understand the requirements for each SETA.  

    There are different documentation requirements for each. Once accepted by the SETA, the funding will be fully documented with contracts and supporting certificates, such as learner identity and previous qualifications. While formal bursary studies may lead to academic qualifications, most qualifications that are covered by the SETA funding are job-specific qualifications.

    It is important that SMEs interact with the SETA staff for their industry. They can assist in identifying what qualifications exist in the sector and which qualifications might best benefit their business through the improvement of employee skills, knowledge, and development.

    There are also additional tax benefits that SMEs have access to. Full details are available on the South African Revenue Services (SARS) website. There is a tax relief benefit both at the start of the learnership and at the conclusion of the learnership. In the case of tax relief, apprenticeships are defined under Learnerships and, therefore, also qualify for tax relief. 

    A further tax relief is the Employment Tax Incentive (ETI), details of which are available here

    This incentive is specifically intended to support the employment of young people, who currently have the highest unemployment rate. 

    How to apply for SETA stipend

    A stipend, also known as an allowance, is a monthly payment to learners who are undergoing certain training programs during their employment.

    South Africa legislation sets the minimum for a student stipend, but employers can still decide the final amount and with how much they want to exceed it. It is up to the employer to determine how much they can afford. 

    It’s important to understand that stipends are not tied to the learner’s performance, as with a salary. Many companies offer stipends to assist learners with some expenses during the learnership, e.g., travel, housing, and food.

    Any person – employed or unemployed – can participate in a learning program. 

    A stipend/allowance is only paid to learners that are registered and contracted to the SETA funded programme.

    Types of SETA grants

    To understand how SETA grants work, it’s essential to know how the SETA generates its funds.

    An SDL (Skills Development Levy) is a levy that is enforced to encourage a learning and development culture in the workplace. This levy is determined by an employer’s entire salary bill for the company. An employer is required to pay the SDL every month if:

    • Your company has registered employees with SARS for tax purposes
    • Your company pays more than R500 000 a year in salaries and wages. This includes wages for:
      • overtime 
      • leave pay
      • bonuses
      • commissions
      • lump-sum payments

    An employer must submit a WSP (Workplace Skills Plan) and an Annual Training Report (ATR) to be legible for the grants that are available from the skills levy. In which case, 20% of the levies you’ve paid will be paid as a mandatory grant towards your company. The work skills plan documents the skills that are needed in an organisation. It also describes the range of actions an organization will take to address their specific skills developmental needs. 

    SETAs pay grants to employers as dictated by the SETA Grant Regulations. 

    A SETA only pays out the employer’s grant if the eligibility criteria are met. This includes:

    · The employer must be registered in terms of the SDLA

    · The employer must have met all their payment obligations in terms of the SDLA

    · All levies due to SARS must be up to date

    · And the WSP, ATR, and the PIVOTAL Training Plan must be submitted by the deadline.

    There are two main categories of grants that are available:

    Mandatory

    The mandatory grant is paid directly to the employer and is 20% of their 1% skills levy. If all levy payments were made and all plans were submitted, the employer is legible to receive their mandatory SETA grant.

    Discretionary

    The discretionary grant is a grant that’s paid out at the discretion of the SETA. This grant aims to focus on scarce and critical skills’ needs in the workplace and forms part of the PIVOTAL training program. These programs include integrated learning in the workplace.

    For an employer to be legible for a discretionary grant, they must complete their PIVOTAL training plan and report. 

    After receiving this grant from the skills levy fund, employers reinvest it to train their employees. The amount that they qualify for will depend on the amount that they have contributed as a skills levy. 

    There are also discretionary grants that are paid out by each SETA, which is precisely that. They are paid out at the discretion of the particular SETA. The majority of these funds are channeled towards PIVOTAL training programmes, which include scarce and critical skills.

    SETA funding for students

    There are various SETAs that do help students to obtain bursaries. The main focus is to increase the number of graduates in scarce and critical skills disciplines.

    These bursaries are offered based on academic performance and the student must be able to provide proof of registration and that there is a financial need.

    There is no guarantee that the student will have a job once they have obtained their qualification, sot the bursary does not come with a job placement guarantee. However, candidates are required to sign a contract that they will work in South Africa for a period within the specific sector after graduation.

    These bursaries do not provide opportunities for learnerships or apprenticeships. They purely provide funding to the learner.

    If students want to study at a higher education institute like a college or a university, the Services SETA bursary fund provides support in this regard.

    This money is funded by the employer’s skills levy as well as the government. 

    The services sector has been expanding rapidly in the last few years in South Africa and is an excellent option for young people. They also provide funding for young students to become artisans.

    You can get a bursary for studies from the Services SETA. Fields of study:

    • All qualifications in the services sector
    • Scarce and critical skills in other sectors
    • Artisanal qualifications in any field or trade

    Bursaries are open to:

    • Employed and unemployed applicants who are registered towards undergraduate or postgraduate qualifications
    • Applicants who are SA citizens, with a valid identity document

    Only online applications are considered.

    Services SETA Discretionary bursary funding is divided between employed and unemployed learners.  

    Who qualifies for a bursary?

    • A student who is currently registered with a South Africa TVET College, any public university and/or a university of technology
    • Valid SA ID document
    • An applicant who is not a recipient of other sources of funding.

    Preference may be given to 

    • People with disabilities
    • Previously disadvantage individuals
    • Scarce and critical skills

    Services SETA 2020

    The Services SETA was established in March 2000 as per the Skills Development Act of 1998. 

    The primary function of the services SETA is to facilitate skills development by providing learner programs such as:

    • Learnerships
    • Skills programs
    • Internships
    • Other strategic learning initiatives

    The Services SETA is also tasked with ensuring the quality of job-specific training within the services sector under the supervision of the QCTO.

    One of the objectives of the Services SETA is to bridge the gap between formal education in an institution and skills that are required to do the job within the workplace. The services SETA works in partnership with private and public learning facilities that are accredited to deliver the training on their behalf.

    By achieving a balance between skills demand and supply, the Services SETA helps to improve industry skills and ensures that training and development:

    • Is provided subject to quality review and validation
    • Meets the required standards within the NQF
    • Make sure that new employees that enter the labour market are adequately trained
    • And recognize and improve the skills of the current labour market.

    The Services SETA is the biggest SETA and includes 70  Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Codes that are grouped into the following 16 sub-sectors:

    • Cleaning and Hiring Services
    • Communications and Marketing Services
    • Labour and Collective Services
    • Management and Business Services
    • Personal Care Services
    • Real Estate and Related Services

    Developing occupational standards as well as qualifications, is currently one of the Services SETA’s priorities. This will enable stakeholders to respond to the country’s skills development priorities that have been identified, which in turn supports the labour market needs.

    Current learning programs that are provided by the Services SETA includes:

    Candidacies – a period of on-the-job training for a graduate as part of their requirement for registration as a professional with a professional body.

    Learnerships – this is an on the job learning that can give a learner a qualification or part qualification.

    Adult Education and Training – AET provides ABET levels 1-3

    Skills Programs – these programs provide employed individuals with bridging programs to obtain a full qualification.

    Internships – is an on-the-job skills program that is required to obtain a diploma, certificate, or professional qualification.

    Artisan Development Programs – this is a formal on the job training that includes specific experience for a listed trade.

    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) – this is a process where formal and informal prior training is assessed and evaluated for requirements of prior learning.

    Apprenticeships – on the job learning that provides practitioners a license to practice in their particular field.

    Bursaries – financial support offered to learners to complete a qualification.

    MERSETA

    What is MERSETA?

    The Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority, abbreviated as MerSETA, is part of the 21 SETAs set up to advance skills development regarding the Skills Development Act amended in 1998. The twenty-one SETAs largely reflect many sectors of the South African economy. MERSETA comprises manufacturing, engineering, and other allied services.

    Although the exclusion of the petrol and motor retail sub-sectors from the MERSETA may seem to be a slight change, the MERSETA model changes drastically with the extraction of these two critical sub-sectors. They will be transferred to the Wholesale and Retail SETA (W&RSETA), which was only inaugurated and accredited in 2001 by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). It is a fascinating development since the former W&RSETA was referred to as one of the lesser SETAs in the beginning. Nevertheless, it has developed into what st described as “one of the prominent SETAs in implementing the National Skills Development Strategy” in the past two decades. The MERSETA will continue to aid in developing skills involving the auto or motor industry and will perform an essential role in the general engineering sector, especially concerning the scope of manufacturing.

    Five compartments encompass the several industry sectors within the MERSETA: motor retail and component manufacturing; tyre manufacturing; auto-manufacturing; plastics; metal and engineering industries. Collectively, the five subsectors include approximately 43 000 companies, with a workforce of approximately 550 000. The total levy income is about R600 million.

    The MERSETA, like other SETAs, performs a principal role in ensuring that the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS) is accomplished. MERSETA does not collect dues but instead receives collected dues from the Department of Higher Education and Training. Seventy percent of the levies are spent on grants, and 10% is reserved for administration. MERSETA does not train; instead, it aids the process of training by disbursing grants, accrediting providers, identifying scarce skills, monitoring the quality of training, registering moderators and assessors, and implementing projects to close the skills gap.

    A leading project of MERSETA is an augmented artisan training project. One of its milestones so far was the re-introduction of artisan training on a huge scale. MERSETA has impacted more than 12 000 apprentices in the past ten years and registered an additional 8000 learners into artisan-related programs within the metals and motor industries. 

    With respect to HIV/Aids, the SETA has implemented a program to confront the issue of warranting replacement labor for those suspected to be infected by the disease. A range of adult basic education and training (Abet) programs have been formed to tackle illiteracy and ignorance among adults. The Abet project appreciates prior learning and allows for training to be quickened, in some cases, down to only 18 months from four years.

    The occupational Abet project aims to educate adults in their workplace, using relevant concepts to heighten learning and nurture a greater desire to learn. It is also geared towards equipping those approaching retirement or wishing to exit the formal Sector with knowledge and competence that will assist them to set up their own business and better understand how pensions work, become computer fluent, and the like.

    What is the function of MERSETA?

    MERSETA is divided into five bodies:

    • metal and engineering: covering the entire spectrum of businesses in these industries
    • automobile manufacturing
    • new tyre: manufacturers and retailers
    • motor retail: including fuel retailers, vehicle dealers, and vehicle and repair service workshops, and
    • plastics: manufacturers of all kinds of plastic products

    These five bodies have about 24 000 companies that pay dues to MERSETA and collectively hire more than half a million workers.

    MERSETA is a stakeholder organization and is managed by a 50:50 partnership between organized labour and business. The Retail Motor Industry Organisation, Plastics Federation of South Africa, New Tyre Employers Association, Automobile Manufacturers Employers Association, Federation of South Africa Plastic Converters Association, and Steel and Engineering Industries represents the interests of business. The Mynwerkersunie Solidariteit, National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, National Employees Trade Union, Chemical Energy Paper Printing Wood and Allied Workers Union, South African Workers Union, Motor Industry Staff Association, and Motor Industry Employee Union represent the interests of labour.

    The partnership between labour and business has produced training that has been tailor-made to meet the standards of the industry while meeting the needs of workers. The participative process outcome has been high-standard training initiatives, but it takes time, thus slowing implementation. MERSETA’s principal decision-making function remains with the board, which is referred to as the authority.

    Regarding the law, the authority is composed of equal representation from organized labour and business, each with full voting rights. Regulations also provide for the participation of bargaining councils, relevant government departments, professional bodies, and all as non-voting members. Authority meetings are held once every three months and are attended by the CEO, a non-voting participant. The executive committee makes the day-to-day decisions that must be made to run the SETA efficiently and reports directly to the authority.

    The executive committee is also tasked to make sure that MERSETA delivers training by implementing the policies and training programs created in line with the goals of the NSDS. The functions of MERSETA are sixfold and involve:

    • developing a sector skills plan (SSP) that explains the skills in demand, employment, and growth trends in the sector and recognizes the priorities for skills development.
    • applying the levy grant system, which makes provision for discretionary and mandatory grants.
    • administering and developing learnerships, which extend and include the old apprenticeships of the past.
    • guaranteeing the quality by accrediting training and education providers, monitoring provision, registering training assessors, collaborating with other education and training quality assurers (ETQAs) and reporting to the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA);
    • implementing the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) by maintaining the standards-generating processes and by offering workers, employers, and providers advice on how to implement the NQF; and
    • implementing the SSP, which involves encouraging and assisting employers and workplaces in preparing workplace skills plans (WSPs), and then to implement these plans to accomplish the goals and objectives of the NSDS;

    The organizational structure of MERSETA presently incorporates five departments in charge of carrying out the remainder of the functions mentioned above.

    MERSETA Accreditation 

    ABET certifies degree-granting programs awarded by institutions that are accredited in South Africa. Training, Certification, or doctoral programs are not accredited.

    ABET accreditation is optional; the application for accreditation is launched by the institution seeking accreditation. Accreditation is given to each program within an establishment rather than to the institution as a whole. Accredited programs need to be re-assessed every six years to remain accredited; if the accreditation criteria are not satisfied, extra evaluations may be necessary within the six-year interval. Without previous accreditation, programs can apply for accreditation as long as they have presented at least one program graduate. 

    The first step in obtaining or maintaining ABET accreditation is for an institution to ask for an evaluation of its program. The institution’s eligibility must be confirmed, which can be implemented if a regional accreditation agency accredits it. Each program is then designated to one of the accreditation commissions within ABET, namely: 

    • Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC)
    • Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission (ANSAC)
    • Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC)
    • Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission (ETAC)

    The program is allotted to a commission based on the program name indicated on the transcript. Each commission has its different accreditation criteria. 

    Each program then performs an internal evaluation and finalizes a self-study report. The self-study report indicates how well the program satisfies the established accreditation criteria in many areas, such as their curriculum, faculty, students, facilities, administration, and institutional support. The self-study documents must be submitted to ABET by July 1. 

    While the program plans its self-study, the right ABET commission (Computing, Engineering, or Engineering Technology Commission and Applied and Natural Science) will choose a team chair to lead the onsite campus evaluation team visit. A visit date is determined between the institution and the team chair. Once the date is selected, the commission will allocate program evaluators (usually one per program being evaluated). The institution is allowed to rebuff the program evaluators or the team chair if a conflict of interest is noticed. The evaluators and team chair are volunteers from the government, academia, private practice, and industries. 

    As soon as the institution’s program evaluators are acknowledged, they are given the self-study report for their allotted program. This report becomes the foundation of their evaluation of the program and sets them up for the campus visit.

    The evaluation team comprising the program evaluators and team chair will typically arrive on campus on weekends. During the campus visit, the evaluation team will assess course materials from each program, sample assignments, and student projects. Evaluators will also interview administrators, students in the faculty, and tour the facilities to examine any self-study questions. The visit will normally end with an exit interview with the institution’s dean, chief executive officer, and other relevant institution personnel as appropriate. This interview is supposed to summarize the results of the evaluation for each program.

    MERSETA Funding

    The MERSETA funds mandatory Grants to companies who qualify to receive funding. They are determined at 20% of an employer’s 1% skills levy. Employers must tender an Annual Training Report, and a Workplace Skills Plan to get the 20% back as a mandatory grant before April 30 annually. Companies possessing a wage bill of less than R600 000 do not need to pay this 1% levy.

    Criteria for Mandatory grants:

    For the levy-paying employers to qualify to obtain the mandatory grants, they are expected to satisfy the following requirements:

    • Be a regular levy-payer registered in terms of the Skills Development Levies Act.
    • Hire a Skills Development Facilitator (SDF).
    • Submit the ATR and WSP before the stipulated deadline.
    • The WSP for the last reporting period has been submitted and implemented.

    Discretionary grants

    Discretionary grants are disbursed on SETA management decisions for skills development projects associated with sector priority occupations (critical and scarce skills). Discretionary grant funding centers on Professional, Vocational, Technical, and Academic Learning (PIVOTAL) programs. In line with the MERSETA policy, grants can only be paid out to both Non-PIVOTAL and PIVOTAL programs. The MERSETA annually announces to its stakeholders the submission period. This is done through the MERSETA website. 

    The bulk of discretional funding is directed at the provision of PIVOTAL or learning programs, which comprise the following:

    • Work Integrated Learning 
    • Learnerships
    • Skills programs
    • Bursaries 
    • Internships 

    These training interventions are meant to result in partial qualifications or qualifications relating to the National Qualifications Framework and as considered in the Grant Regulations.

    MERSETA allows these funds to be available and accessible by the employers; during a window period, it accepts applications from them. The window opening is announced on the MERSETA website, in national newspapers, and on community and national radio stations.

    MERSETA also allots discretionary funding to non-PIVOTAL programs. These programs do not result in any qualifications but are also intending to develop different sub-sectors. These consist of any research projects that may be embarked upon by MERSETA and partner organizations.

    About ten percent of the discretionary funding is also allotted to deliberate projects addressing Public Service training, College Capacity building, and rural areas. Discretionary Grants are allotted at the sole discretion of MERSETA subject to the availability of funds and adherence to certain criteria as per the MERSETA Discretionary Grants Policy and Guidelines well as an endorsement from the MERSETA Accounting Authority.

    How do you get a SETA learnership?

    A learnership, one of SETA’s opportunities, is an organized learning method for obtaining academic knowledge and practical skills in the workplace. These organized learning processes are time-based and not outcome-based and acknowledges the need for erstwhile learning. The time frame of learnerships varies but averagely lasts for 18 months. To acquire an artisan equivalent qualification, the trainee must complete at least four separate learnerships. This means that the first four qualifications of the NQF levels must be attained.

    Certain conditions must be satisfied by learners before commencing a SETA learnership, and these include:

    • Learners may be current employees or new entrants
    • Learners must satisfy entry criteria for the specific learnership they want to enroll in.
    • Learners must meet the selection criteria put in place by the organization taking on the learner.

    There are also specific processes involving other learners, employers, and training providers, to be followed, and these include:

    1. Employers are approved in their workplace and are expected to meet the pre-registration criteria.
    2. Training providers are accredited to provide particular learnerships by the ETQA.
    3. Qualified assessors are available. They may be either contracted assessors or in-house assessors.
    4. Companies advertise learnership opportunities through the media.
    5. Learners apply and are selected by the company recruitment process.
    6. A tripartite learnership agreement is signed among the employer, provider, and learner.
    7. A Short-term employment agreement is signed between the learner and the employer, assuming the learner is unemployed.
    8. The learning program and process is discussed and agreed to with the training provider.
    9. Employers fund the learnership through grants obtained from SETA.
    10. Employers and training providers deliver relevant learning and experience, working closely together to manage the training process.
    11. Learners are provided with support through mentoring and feedback.
    12. Learners are assessed by qualified assessors (formative and summative assessments)
    13. The Manufacturing, Engineering, and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority quality assuror is called to supervise the assessment. The provider must undertake internal supervision.
    14. A national qualification is given to the learner after the successful completion of the learnership.
    15. Learners get a record of their results for unit standards achieved if the learnership is not concluded.

    Once the learnership process is over, the employer can choose to approve the learner for a new learnership, hire the learner or let go of the learner for future employment by another organization if he/she was unemployed.

    According to the Skills Development Act, a learnership should include the following components:

    • An organized learning component.
    • A practical work experience.
    • It must be occupation-related.
    • After successful completion, it must lead to a qualification.

    MERSETA Qualifications

    The NQF Act specifies the statutory framework for standards-setting and quality assurance, including the development of Occupational Qualifications. One of the roles of the CLPU is to plan and develop purpose tailored occupational qualifications through stakeholder-driven processes. They also guarantee that the qualifications are presented to the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) for evaluation and endorsement and are eventually enrolled on the National Qualifications Framework by the SAQA. This is a duty assigned by the QCTO to the SETA. The MERSETA is the Development Quality Partner (DQP) trusted with the capacity to expedite the design and development of occupational qualifications instead of the Sector. Associations or Professional Bodies can serve the purpose of being the DQP inside the Sector.

    The SETA makes sure that the required qualifications satisfy the requirements of Sector skills via the Chambers and also that the DQP funds the development. This is done via a Community of Expert Practitioners set up by Subject Matter Experts from the Manufacturing and Engineering Sector and other significant Sectors. The SETA then enrolls Learnerships with the DHET against enrolled occupational qualifications to deliver the qualifications’ learning delivery mechanism.

    Qualification Rules

    Qualification includes a Core, a Fundamental, and an Elective Component.

    To be competent in the Qualification, learners must earn at least 143 credits, as shown below.

    Core Component

    The Core Component comprises of Unit Standards of about 67 credits, all of which are mandatory.

    Fundamental Component

    The Fundamental Component comprises of Unit Standards in:

    • 20 units in Communication at NQF Level 4 in a First South African Language. 
    • 16 credits in Mathematical Literacy at NQF Level 4. 
    • 20 credits in Communication in a Second South African Language at NQF Level 3 

    Therefore, learners must do Communication in two different South African languages, at Level 3 and Level 4.

    All Unit Standards in the Fundamental Component are required.

    Elective Component

    The Elective Component comprises of Unit Standards to the sum of 343 credits. Learners are to choose Unit Standards of at least 20 credits.

    Requirements

    Candidates must attach a comprehensive curriculum vitae with contact details, reachable references, and any information they feel may be relevant to their application. Several qualifications may be applied depending on the career path chosen. Certified copies of all relevant certificates, ID documentation, and proof of residence no older than three months should also be included.

    Candidates need to have the following:

    • A South African citizenship
    • A Matric / Grade 12 certificate
    • Proficiency in English (including read, write and speak)
    • Proficiency in one other national language
    • Computer literacy will be an advantage
    • All candidates must be a team player and self-motivated.
    • Flexibility with a dedication to learning, but moreover willingness to work

    MERSETA Bursary

    The MERSETA Bursary assists candidates in getting a good education and work opportunities. A candidate who wants to change their future and have a passion for learning should apply for a Merseta bursary. They will have to have an interest in one out of the five MERSETA subfactors. They should also have good grades in Maths and Physical Science.

    MERSETA aims to tackle the skills shortage in South Africa and support the Employment Equity Act. Therefore, the advantage will be offered to the previously disadvantaged citizens of the country.

    Objectives of MERSETA Bursary

    To equip learners with highly demanded skills. 

    To grant financial help in the form of a bursary for learners to become valuable assets in all sectors. 

    To educate and train individuals of disadvantaged backgrounds, especially based on race, gender, disability, and access.

    Bursaries are granted to students in Universities and Universities of Technology in the following areas of study:

    Universities of Technology students (semester courses):

    • Metallurgy & Materials Engineering (National Diploma)
    • Chemical Engineering (National Diploma)
    • Industrial Engineering (National Diploma)
    • Electrical Engineering (National Diploma)
    • Mechanical Engineering (including Mechatronics) (National Diploma)
    • Production and Operations Management (National Diploma)
    • Polymer Technology (National Diploma)

    University students (undergraduate programs):

    • Electrical Engineering (BSc)
    • Chemical Engineering (BSc)
    • Mechanical Engineering, including Mechatronics (BSc)
    • Industrial Engineering (BSc)
    • Metallurgy and Materials Engineering (BSc)
    • Production and Operations Management (BSc)
    • Polymer Technology (BSc)

    Bursaries will be granted to students from their first year of study; however, current students can only apply if they have partially completed their courses with satisfactory results and cannot continue their studies without any means of financing.

    Eligibility Requirements

    Applicants must meet the minimum entry criteria listed below before applying. 

    • Either working at a MERSETA registered company or unemployed but would like to work within the MERSETA.
    • South African citizen
    • Satisfy the minimum admission requirements of the tertiary institution
    • Have a Matric OR a post-Matric certificate or an equivalent qualification
    • Studying or plan on studying towards one of the qualifications mentioned above

    How to apply for the bursary

    Application forms can be requested by emailing [email protected].

    Applicants may be asked to submit copies of the following supporting documentation along with their completed application form. Submitting these documents is mandatory – if any of these items are missing, the application may be disregarded:

    • Certified copy of ID document
    • Certified copy of matric certificate or its equivalent 
    • Certified copy of the latest tertiary report, if currently studying 
    • Proof of any other bursaries or scholarship
    • Proof of registration/application at a University or University of Technology

    PIVOTAL Training

    What is PIVOTAL training?

    Every industry has a different approach to skills development and training. In 1998, the Skills Development Act was developed to encourage businesses to create an active learning environment for their employees.

    PIVOTAL is an abbreviation for Professional, Vocational, Technical and Academic Learning. It refers to learning programs that lead to occupational qualifications or part-qualifications. 

    Pivotal training is part of a natural environment of teaching strategies. It is an evidence-based practice where teaching and ongoing learning takes place in an individual’s natural setting and environment. It means, therefore, that the teaching can occur anywhere. It also focuses on essential skills that will likely have a cascading effect in terms of learning and improving further skills in the future.

    PIVOTAL training gets its mandate from the NSDP (National Skills Development Plan), the intention of which was to: 

    • Improve the skills base of South Africa’s workforce;
    • Improve overall productivity in the workplace
    • Increase the likelihood of individuals finding work and create possibilities for self-employment;
    • Increase the amount of investment in education and training in the workplace and improve the return on that investment; 
    • Encourage employers to provide opportunities for employees within their first jobs and to provide an opportunity for them to use the workplace as a learning environment; 
    • Encourage continuous learning and development through learnerships and training programs that are being offered;
    • Improve the employment likelihood of previously disadvantaged individuals to be employed; 
    • Ensure the standard of quality of education and training in and for the workplace. 

    It is worth noting that according to the NDS-III, although the word PIVOTAL was clearly intended to imply focus on the job market, and therefore occupation, the word ‘occupation’ does not feature. 

    PIVOTAL could therefore be defined as almost any programme that leads to a person gaining a qualification that has value in the labour market. Perhaps that was the intention, but it was not explicit.

    What is a PIVOTAL training programme?

    The Skills Development Act of 1998 prescribes key legislation for skills development programs in the workplace. The Skills Development Act enables and makes provision for the payment of a skills development levy by the employer. 

    The SETAs (Sector Education and Training Authorities), in turn, were implemented to monitor the skills development and training within the workplace.

    PIVOTAL training forms part of the skills development programs that can be offered through various channels.

    A PIVOTAL training and development program includes professional, vocational, technical, and academic learning programs that will give the candidate or employee occupational qualifications or part qualifications on the NQF framework. A qualification can either be a certificate, diploma, a higher diploma, or a degree. Part qualifications are made up of various unit standards, if clustered together, can make up a specific skills program. One can also look at it as different separate modules from a full qualification.

    These Pivotal Programs may include a knowledge or theory element that is either delivered at a (FET) Further Education and Training Centre/Institution or it can also be a programme that’s delivered by a university or part of learning with instructional methodologies in a training centre that is accredited by an official body or training with an approved employer.

    According to the NSDS III and the new SETAs Grant Regulation, PIVOTAL programs refer to:

    Professional learning programs are programs that lead to designations that are registered by professional bodies. During professional development, the aim is to learn in order to earn or maintain professional credentials, such as academic degrees. It can also include the attendance of conferences, informal learning opportunities in the workplace, participating in research, increased duties and responsibilities, to name a few.

    Vocational learning programs refer to NATED and artisanal programs that lead to a trade and/or the National Certificate Vocational (NCV). A NATED (National, Accredited Technical Education Diploma) is an undergraduate qualification that is delivered with the support of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). 

    Technical learning programs are programs directed towards a specific job and registered by the SETA. These programs include apprenticeships, learnerships, and skills programs.

    Academic learning programs are programs that allow a candidate to obtain an academic qualification such as certificates, Higher Certificates, Diplomas, and Degrees as per the NQF. 

    The focus of these PIVOTAL learning programs is to concentrate on critical and scarce skills needs that have been identified in the workplace or industry.

    These Programs can include:

    • Learnerships – these are workplace structured learning processes for obtaining theoretical knowledge and the practical skills needed for a qualification registered on the NQF.
    • Bursaries – monetary support.
    • Candidacy Programs – these are practical work experience placements where individuals receive structured mentoring and guidance under the supervision of a leader or more senior employee. It gives the employee an opportunity to gain experience and attain the competency that’s required for professional registration.
    • Skills Programs – these are job-specific programs aimed at building skills that create economic value and contain at least 1 Unit Standard of a part-qualification on the NQF framework.

    Through which SETAs can Pivotal Training Programs be funded?

    During NSDS III, the scarce skills list and the critical skills list became an important focus for skills development in the workplace. 

    The PIVOTAL list was later developed (full and part qualification programs to address scarce and critical skills), which became an important instrument to focus resources. 

    Any employer in an industry who submits its annual WSP (Work Skills Plan) and ATR PIVOTAL plan and PIVOTAL Training Reports is eligible for funding.

    All SETAs are required to allocate 80% of their available discretionary grants to PIVOTAL training programs that specifically cater to scarce and critical skills in that sector. 

    The SETA must specify in its APP an estimate of the discretionary funds that will be available for skills development and training through PIVOTAL programs. 

    Here is a list of all the SETAs in South Africa. Please refer to this list and click on the appropriate link to find out more about each specific SETA.

    Agricultural Sector Education Training Authority

    BankSETA Banking Sector Education and Training Authority

    CetaSETA Construction Education and Training Authority

    ChietaSETA Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority

    CATHS SETA Culture, Art, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority

    EWSETA Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority

    ETDP SETA Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority

    FP&MSETA Fibre Processing & Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority

    FASSET SETA Financial, Accounting, Management, Consulting, and other Financial Services Sector Education and Training Authority

    HWSETA Health & Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority

    InSETA Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority

    LGSETA Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority

    MerSETA Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority

    MictSETA Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority

    MqaSETA Mining and Minerals Sector Education and Training Authority

    PSETA Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority

    SasSETA Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority

    ServiceSETA Services Sector Education and Training Authority

    TetaSETA Transport Education and Training Authority

    W&RSETA Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority

    Difference between pivotal and non-pivotal training.

    A PIVOTAL training and development program includes professional, vocational, technical, and academic learning programs that will give the candidate or employee occupational qualifications or part qualifications on the NQF framework. A qualification can either be a certificate, diploma, a higher diploma, or a degree. Part qualifications are made up of various unit standards, if clustered together, can make up a specific skills program. One can also look at it as different separate modules from a full qualification.

    These Pivotal Programs may include a knowledge or theory element that is either delivered at a (FET) Further Education and Training Centre/Institution or it can also be a programme that’s delivered by a university or part of learning with instructional methodologies in a training centre that is accredited by an official body or training with an approved employer.

    These training programs include apprenticeships, learnerships, credit-bearing skills programs, work integrated learning, bursary programs (post-school/tertiary qualifications at TVETs/HEI)

    Non-pivotal programs are programs that do not lead to credit-bearing qualifications. However, they do address key objectives and priorities of the SETA and can include things like:

    • Soft-skills development 
    • Career guidance  
    • Industry conferences and industry research
    • Health and Safety
    • HIV/Aids Awareness

    A non-pivotal programme qualifies for a maximum of 20% of the SETA’s discretionary grant, whereas a PIVOTAL program qualifies for a maximum of 80% of the SETA’s discretionary grant budget.

    Pivotal training plan template

    A PIVOTAL training plan must be submitted in conjunction with the Annual Training Reports (ATR) and Workplace Skills Plan (WSP). The WSP addresses the planned training for the year.

    The ATR training plan reflects the actual education, training, and development activities in the organization that were implemented. The aim is to use it also as a progress report against the previous year’s ATR.

    The PIVOTAL training plan is a strategic plan aligned to address scarce skills and is a snapshot of training that will take place in the upcoming financial year.

    The PIVOTAL training plan includes:

    • Occupational group of the employer/company
    • Type of PIVOTAL Programs
    • The number of employees that are planned to be trained as well as employees who were recipients of the training.

    Click here for a template example of such a PIVOTAL Training Report.

    Pivotal programs

    Pivotal programs can include:

    Learnerships

    Learnerships are learning programmes that take place in a working environment that allow an individual to obtain an NQF registered qualification. The learnership is directly related to a specific job or field of work, e.g., hairdressing, electrical engineering.

    All learnerships are managed by the SETAs and were introduced to help learners to develop skills to prepare individuals for better employment or even self-employment opportunities.  

    A learnership requires an individual to enter into a fixed-term employment contract with the company while they study towards the specific qualification as per the NQF. Once the individual has completed the learnership and obtained their qualification, the learnership will end.

    Learnerships help individuals to get access to education and training while they work and get started in their careers.

    All 21 SETAs do have NQF-aligned learnership programs that can assist an individual in getting the necessary recognized qualification while working in their job.

    Apprenticeships

    Apprenticeship programs are a combination of textbook theory, practical work, and workplace practice in a specific industry and can yield an artisan a certificate of competence. 

    Apprenticeships are focused on developing job-specific skills. The apprenticeship program supports an apprentice to trade through practical skills and experience and can also give the individual an opportunity to qualify for further education and training opportunities.

    Skills Programs

    Skills programs are a part qualification. They are similar to apprenticeships and learnerships as skills programs are also a job-based learning program aimed at developing skills that can pay the bills and which incorporates at least 1 unit standard. They can lead to a qualification registered on the NQF.

    WIL (Work Integrated Learning) for TVET and University Learners

    Work integrated learning is a career-focused education that includes theory and is appropriate for technical/professional qualifications as well as problem-based learning (PBL) and project-based learning (PJBL). It, therefore, aligns the theory and practical workplace experience for the benefit of the student and the workplace.

    WIL (Work-integrated learning) is based on the principle that learning/theory should be demonstrated to be appropriately qualified and should be assessed where it takes place.

    Internships

    Internships are for learners from Universities or Universities of Technology who have completed their professional qualification and need a period of workplace experience in their specific job. The work experience is structured and supervised by a suitably qualified individual, e.g., a medical doctor.

    Internships give the graduate an opportunity to gain practical skills, specific experience in the workplace, and greater on-the-job knowledge of that industry, in exchange for the employer benefiting from labour. 

    Bursaries/Monetary Support

    The National Skills Fund (NSF) makes provision for bursaries for students with a study focus on a PIVOTAL program or scarce skills area. 

    Scarce skills areas include:

    Accounting 

    Financial management 

    Actuarial studies 

    Auditing Business Management 

    Economics 

    Physics 

    Computer science 

    Chemistry 

    Geology 

    Information systems 

    Mathematical sciences 

    Agriculture Statistics 

    Financial Accounting 

    Bio-technology 

    Engineering

    Types of SETA grants.

    In 1998, the levy-grant system legislation was introduced to encourage skills development in the workplace. 

    All employers who have a wage bill larger than R500 000 per annum and are registered with SARS for PAYE are required to conform to the legislation. The levy is calculated at 1% of the full salary bill, which is payable monthly.

    Levies are paid to the South African Revenue Services (SARS), which acts as a collecting agent for the relevant SETA. SARS then distributes the funds to the specific SETA, and these are broken down into the following distribution:

    • 20% of the fund goes to the National Skills Fund
    • 10.5% of the fund goes to SETA administration costs
    • 20% is funded towards mandatory grants and,
    • 49.5% is funded towards discretionary grants, which has mainly been used to fund PIVOTAL programs

    SETAs pay is paid to employers based on the SETA Grant Regulations. 

    The main grant conditions include:

    · Employers that have 50 or more employees must submit an application for a WSP and an ATR, and

    · that they must apply for a mandatory grant within 6 months of registration.

    After receiving this grant, employers reinvest it to train their employees. The amount an employer qualifies for depends on the amount that they’ve contributed as a skills levy. 

    Discretionary grants are awarded and paid at the discretion of the applicable SETA. The discretionary grants focus primarily on PIVOTAL learning programs.  

    Mandatory Grants

    The Mandatory grant encourages companies to provide their Skills Development data to their SETA based on their workforce and skills needs, which is reported in the annual WSP and ATRs.

    The SETA must then use the Skills Development Levy to pay back 20% to companies and employers who successfully submitted their annual documents.

    Discretionary Grants

    Of the 49.5% Discretionary Grants, 80% is awarded for PIVOTAL programs at the discretion of the SETA, and 20% is awarded for NON-PIVOTAL programs at the discretion of the SETA.

    Employers and companies need to apply for this funding through their relevant SETA procedure, but it provides an opportunity for employers to receive incentives for investing in scarce skills in the workplace.

    TETA

    What is TETA?

    The Transport Education Training Authority (TETA) is the Sector and Training Autohority (SETA) that is geared towards providing a Quality Assurance and Skills Development Framework that is cost effective as well as innovative for the purpose of exceeding the stakeholder and government Service Level Agreement (SLA) along with its overall requirements.  TETA is one of 21 SETAs that deal with different industries in South Afria. This article looks into the various aspects that involve TETA’s functions and purpose and overall strategic intent.

    TETA Mandate

    TETA operates within the following legislative mandates as provided courtesy of the TETA website:

    1. Constitutional Mandates
      The sections within the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act No. 108 of 1996) that guide the operations of the Transport SETA include the following:
      • Promoting and maintaining high standards of ethics
      • Providing service impartially, fairly, equitably and without bias
      • Utilising resources efficiently and effectively
      • Responding to people’s needs; the citizens are encouraged to participate in policy-making
      • Rendering an accountable, transparent and development-oriented administration.
    2. Legislative Mandates
      • Skills Development Act 1998 (Act No 97 of 1998) as amended
      • Skills Development Levies Act, 1999 (Act No 09 of 1999)
      • Regulations published in the Government Gazette, No. 35940, 03 December 2012 regarding Monies Received by a SETA and Related Matters
      • South African Qualifications Authority Act, 1995 (Act No 58 of 1995)
      • The National Qualifications Framework Act, (Act No. 67 of 2008)
      • Public Finance Management Act (Act No 29 of 1999)
      • Employment Equity Act, 1998 (Act No 55, 1998)

    What is the Function of Teta?

    TETA has many functions that cover:

    • Developing a Sector Skills Plan (SSP) in respect of the transport sector
    • Implementing the Sector Skills Plan (SSP) through the implementation of learnerships
    • Attending to the approval of Workplace Skills Plans (WSPs)
    • Allocating levy grants
    • The monitoring of activities around Education, Training and Development (ETD) pertaining to the Transport Sector
    • Quality assurance in terms of all interventions that pertain to Education Training and Development (ETD)
    • The disbursement of levy grants

    The Transport Education and Training Authority (TETA) also operates within the following sub-sectors:

    Aerospace sector

    The Aerospace sector is the industry that employers and employees are grouped together for the purpose of the transportation and related activities that involve aircraft and space craft and related components.  For this sector, TETA is responsible for:

    • Regulation and operation
    • Design
    • Manufacturing as well as maintenance, repair and overhauling
    • Testing
    • Providing as well as regulating airport, heliport, airspace and air traffic services and the calibration, servicing and maintenance of related equipment

    TETA’s contribution to the Aerospace sub-sector

    Each year over 4 billion people as well as 150 tons of cargo travel by air internationally.  This is enabled through a dedicated workforce comprising over 9 million professionals in the aviation industry globally which includes more than 25 000 South African professionals.

    It is reported that approximately 63 million jobs are incumbent upon the aviation industry at a global level and it is predicted that an estimated 36 million new aviation industry jobs could be created worldwide by 2030.  TETA’s role therefore is vital in helping South Africa’s aviation workforce achieve the education and training necessary to enable this country to compete at a global level.

    TETA’s role therefore consists of:

    • Increasing human resources investment in the Aerospace sector.
    • Enhancing the quality of education and training development in the Aerospace sector with the goal of meeting the aviation needs both nationally and internationally.
    • Promoting and enabling access to opportunities in the Aviation sector.
    • In line with The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) principles, ensure the provision of quality Education and Training Development .
    • Establish effective synergies and cooperation between key partners in the Aerospace sector in pursuit of common goals.

    Forwarding and Clearing Sector

    TETA is also involved in the Forwarding and Clearing sector where it concerns applying value added solutions via organisations and their distribution channels to the management of the international components of the procurement and acquisition and the transport and storage of parts and materials and final inventory.

    Using all modes of transport including, sea, air, rail and road, the forwarding and clearing industry which is globally referred to as the “Architects of World Transport, facilitates the international supply chains and logistics processes of goods on behalf of the importing and exporting industry by applying cost-effective dedicated solutions.  In this light the forwarding and clearing sector is responsible for the movement of 90% of international trade in South Africa. 

    To enable the South African industry to compete globally the evolution and growth in this industry has meant that TETA has strategically collaborated with industry stakeholders to facilitate the development of the required occupational qualifications and skills to enable South Africa to meet the required standards.

    This sector has, in the past decade, evolved into what is now known as the world of supply chain management which recognises the important role that international logistics plays within the management of worldwide global supply chains in providing importers and exporters with end-to-end supply chain solutions.

    Freight Handling Sector

    TETA’s involvement in freight handling concerns the handling, stock control and storage of various cargoes via airports, ports, factories, distribution centres and other depots.

    This sector plays a pivotal role in the supply chain management system and provides an essential support service to industries across the spectrum of all modes of transport.

    There have, however, been many challenges in this sector due to the advent of the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) in the sense that the industry is rapidly adopting widespread computerisation and the computer literacy skills of employees are lagging behind.

    Maritime Sector

    TETA plays a role in the maritime sector with regards to all seafaring vessels and their associated services on land where it concerns:

    • Transportation of cargo and people
    • Sub-marine mineral resources mining and their transportation to South African ports
    • Marine living resources that are caught and harvested within the South African designated fishing zone and transportation to South African ports.
    • Seafaring vessels repair, maintenance, testing and overhaul.

    Over 95% of South African trade as measured by volume is transported by sea via South Africa’s commercial ports, of which there are seven, and this places South Africa in the top 12 sea- trading countries.  Hence, the maritime sector comprises a workforce garnered from fishing and the merchant shipping arena as well as port authorities.

    TETA’s strategic plan involves the Maritime Chamber as one of its implementation units that focusses on maritime priorities and strives to align industry requirements to TETA’s overall mandates and commitments.

    It is also evident that only 0.3% of the world’s carrying capacity is controlled by South African companies which offers a gap for important growth opportunities inherent within this sector.

    Rail Sector

    TETA is also involved in activities that relate to:

    • Transporting goods, livestock and passengers via rail
    • Railways and related rail services control, accomplishment, maintenance, management and exploitation.
    • Locomotives and rolling stock servicing, maintenance, repair, overhaul and testing

    The TETA-driven skills development training initiatives that are currently in place in this sector are annually reviewed to determine consistent relevance in order to strengthen the sector using Sector Skills Plans  (SSPs).  Transnet’s capacity currently stands at over 200 million tons on an annual basis.

    Over 90 000 people are employed by the rail industry mainly in two subsectors, namely PRASA in terms of passenger services and Transnet that handles goods and freight services.  Many medium sized rail operations play a vital role in the sector from an economic perspective with the bulk of the tonnage in mineral ore and coal transportation to local as well as foreign markets. 

    The rail sector has, however, conceded its traditional advantage in favour of the road freight sector which has become more competitive.  And since the road freight sector is predominantly a privately-owned sector it has therefore become more competitive with improved road networks across the country.

    Road Freight Sector

    TETA is also involved in road freight where it concerns the movement of goods for reward by means of goods vehicles on a public road.

    The road freight industry spans both private and public transportation services and includes the likes of trucks that carry freight:

    • Between airports
    • Between rail stations
    • Between clients
    • From pipeline distribution centre to petrol station

    Approximately 70 000 employees comprise this industry which handles the daily transportation  of freight and recently saw an increase in the volume of goods transported from ports and markets or production sites.  It is calculated that 80% of all freight handled in South Africa is carried out by road with the road freight market amounting to approximately 640 million tonnes of traffic annually.

    Road Passenger Sector

    TETA is concerned with the movement of passengers via bus for reward as well as the maintenance and management of such vehicles.

    As defined by the National Land Transport Transition Act, the bus industry consists of the following types of vehicles that provide passenger transport services:

    • Mini-buses
    • Buses
    • Long distance bus services
    • Bus services via commercial contract
    • Charter bus services
    • Tour bus services
    • Inter-city bus services
    • Cross-border bus services
    • School(learner) bus services
    • Bus services for special hire
    • Bus services for private hire
    • Scheduled bus services
    • Non-scheduled bus services
    • Subsidised bus services
    • Non-subsidised bus services

    This sector greatly contributes towards the country’s economic development.

    Taxi Sector

    TETA is involved in the taxi industry which deals with the transportation of individuals for reward via taxi services carrying up to 18 passengers in terms of The National Land Transport Act of 2009 (NLTA). 

    South Africa’s taxi industry is therefore concerned with the following vehicles other than buses that transport passengers for reward via road:

    • Minibus taxis
    • Metered taxis
    • Shuttle services
    • Chauffeur services
    • School transport services

    Between 400 000 and 600 000 people are employed in the taxi industry with 95% of the workers being of African persuasion and only 2% of the industry comprising of female workers.  Approximately 69% of households is estimated to make use of these services daily with over 300 000 taxi owners/operators in the country.

    TETA Accreditation

    The TETA accreditation process involves the certification, involving a particular time period, whereby a person, body or institution is able to fulfil a particular function as set up by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) quality assurance system in terms of the Act.

    TETA follows a dedicated process which anyone who is interested can refer to the following documentation as published on the TETA website. 

    E-Learning Documents

    Application for E-Learning Approval
    E-Learning Guidelines

    Assessor Documents

    QAFM04 Rev 10 Assessor-Moderator Application form

    Provider Documents

    Provider self- evaluation and Site Report
    QAFM01 Rev 10 Provider Accreditation Form
    QAFM05 Rev 07 LPE Self Assessment Form
    Accreditation Guidelines
    Monitoring and Auditing Tool
    Alignment Matrix

    TETA Funding

    Discretionary grant funding

    Applications for TETA Discretionary Grants 2021 are opening during mid-November 2020. 

    Discretionary Grants are prioritised in terms of Hard to Fill Vacancies (HTFV) and critical skills that exist within the sector.  Members should ensure that they have a Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) registered with TETA and applications should be made online.

    Mandatory grant funding

    Registration:  In order for a company to submit an application for a mandatory grant a Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) needs to be appointed who will handle the submission on their behalf.  If the company employs more than 50 staff a Training Committee needs to be in place.

    How do you get a SETA learnership?

    Although each Seta, including TETA, facilitates the general recruitment and implementation of all learnerships, the onus is not on the Seta but falls instead on the shoulders of the employer, the training provider and the service provider to handle the recruitment of learners.  Therefore, the processes and steps involved for each participating body must be followed and learners should via this process defer to their employers if they would like to apply to participate in a learnership.

    TETA Bursary

    Transport Education Training Authority (TETA) appliations for the 2021 Unemployment bursary are now open.  Please visit the TETA website for further details.

    Who should apply:

    • Grade 12 learners who are currently in Matric and wish to pursue an occupation within the industry.
    • Students who are currently registered at colleges or universities and who require funding for the 2021 academic year.
    • Aviation students who hold a PPL (Professional Pilot’s Licence)
    • Commercial divers with a Senior Certificate (Matric)

    Qualifications funded through the TETA Bursary Scheme are dictated by industry needs and may change from time to time.

    What is Seta?

    SETA, which stands for Sector Education and Training Authority, is a South African body in charge of overseeing skills development and training within a particular industry sector. This body is an initiative of the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS), and different SETAs were put in place for different industry sectors according to the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998. 

    The development of work-related skills through vocational training is an essential advantage for any youth today. Skills development broadens their opportunities and empowers them as individuals. Besides the primary skill that students acquire, it enables individuals to enhance their networking, time management, and communication skills. Training skills also contribute to economic growth and development.

    Millions of youths throughout South Africa are looking to learn new skills and sharpen already existing ones. SETAs enable these youth who require further training or additional skills by providing a platform for them to develop their skills. Trade Unions, government departments, employers, and bargaining councils (where applicable) constitute a SETA in each industrial sector. There are currently 21 SETAs that cater to each economic sector, and these SETAs were responsible for the private and public sectors.

    The creation of SETA aimed to encourage adequate and meticulous planning of sector skills within a defined framework of the NSDS. There were originally 23 SETAs established in 2000 by the Minister of Labor at the time, each SETA with sectors and sub-sectors.

    The SETAs are also responsible for disbursing training levies payable by all employers across the country. They are accredited by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) as an Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) body. 

    Before establishing SETA, there were thirty-three previously existing industry training boards that performed similar functions as SETA. However, SETAs are concerned with learnerships, internships, unit-based skills training, and apprenticeships, while former training boards were particular about apprenticeships. The previous training boards did not cover all industrial sectors while the twenty-one SETAs can do this.

    With the funds accrued from skills levies from the employers collected by SETA, the body can fund the education and training programs and provides grants and bursaries to those enrolled. The SETAs undergo a period of recertification to enable them to be functioning optimally in their full capacities. 

    The direction of the National Skills Authority (NSA), Mr. Thabo Mashongoane, was instrumental in the establishment and supervision of the SETAs. His department assumed full responsibility for skills development in 2009. The Department of Labour previously controlled skills development. A year after, he announced that he would implement a refined SETA structure from 2011 to 2016. He also facilitated the reduction of the SETAs at the time from 23 to 21 because of redundant and non-performing SETAs. He took legislative steps to ensure effective management and governance of the SETAs.

    Each year, thousands of high school and college graduates set out to seek jobs, but many soon realize that their search is fruitless may not yield something substantial. The available jobs to job seekers ratio are significantly low, highlighting the SETA programs’ significant importance. People who want to run thriving small-scale businesses, persons with disabilities, and those who need to upgrade their current skills are some of the significant beneficiaries of SETAs. 

    In a country where over 4 million people are currently unemployed, vocational skills are in high demand. They are one of the pathways to financial stability, employment, and better opportunities for the youth.

    Seta accredited

    WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF SETA?

    There are many reasons behind SETA’s establishment, but SETA’s main purpose is to develop and enhance skills within its sector. It is also aimed at identifying skills development needs and ensuring national standards, which refer to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). To achieve these objectives, a SETA will be responsible for developing and implementing sector skills plans. To achieve these, a SETA will also oversee education and training within its sector.

    After accreditation of a SETA by SAQA as an ETQA, it evaluates and accredits training providers within its sector. Furthermore, SETAs also administer accrued funds collected in the form of Skills Development Levy and facilitate the creation of learnerships within the concerned sector.

    A SETA also functions to conduct quality assurance tests to ensure that applicable standards are being maintained and that learners and members of the workforce have the necessary skills required by employers in the industry sectors.

    Under the Skills Development Act, 1998, the roles and responsibilities of SETA include the following:

    Development and Implementation of Sector Skills Plan

    The sector skills plan refers to current trends in the sectors, high demand skills, and the precedence for skill development. The SETA is tasked with developing such plans that should be implemented in various sectors. A sector-specific skill plan is also important to oversee the functions of the body itself.

    Development and Conducting of Learnerships;

    In addition to Developing sector skill plans, learnerships, which are outcome-bared structured learning opportunities for gaining practical skills and theoretical knowledge, are also developed and administered by SETAs. It usually takes 18 months to commence and complete a learnership. People undergo four learnerships to obtain artisan equivalent qualification. 

    Promoting the Implementation of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF)

    NQFs, which have been vital components of the South Africa tertiary education system for almost 25 years, are supervised and implemented by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). This comprehensive higher education system has been authorized to register quality-assured national qualifications and part- qualifications. The framework’s major objectives are tied to facilitating high-quality education and training and contributing positively to the learner’s overall development.

    Handling of Quality Assurance based on the provisions of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO)

    The major objective of the QCTO is to effectively manage the Occupational Qualifications Sub-Framework (OQSF) to set appropriate standards for national occupational qualifications for those who want a trade or occupation and for professions. They are also involved in developing these occupational qualifications and quality assurance.

    The QCTO is one of the Quality Councils (QCs) responsible for a part of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). These Quality Councils and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) work for learners and employers’ benefits. 

    The four stipulated QCTO requirements include:

    • Track provision to ensure that programs are being followed;
    • Accredit education and training providers;
    • Register Assessors;
    • Work with other Education and Training Quality Assurers (ETQA);

    Expending levies collected from employers in their sector

    SETA disburses skills development levies that are collected from employers. Employers must pay 1% of their salaries to the South African Revenue Services (SARS) every month. 80% of monies paid is distributed to SETA and eventually allocated for grants and management costs. 

    Reporting to the Minister

    SETAs are set up by the Act of parliament and hence, discharge their duties in the public’s interest. As statutory bodies, they handle public funds. Therefore, they are required to report to the Director of the Department of Higher Education and Training on the efficient and meticulous use of these funds. The Public Finance Management Act also governs SETAs, and this Act requires that public bodies operate responsibly and economically. SETAs also report to the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on how they fulfill their roles as an Educational Training and Quality Assurance (ETQA) body.

    WHAT IS A SETA CERTIFICATE?

    SETA training centers offer SETA accredited courses and qualifications to learners. After completing these courses, each participant will receive a Certificate of Attendance after the course. This Certificate will indicate competency in compliance with the SAQA and SETA standards.

    Such institutions are SETA accredited training providers, which means they have met the particular SETA accreditation requirements. These centers are easy to find via internet resources or directly contacting the relevant SETA, after which you can request a list of training centers around you. Training providers usually state their accreditation status on their websites or in their course brochures to help incoming students make informed decisions. Interested candidates can also ask training centers for a copy of their accreditation certificate.

    After completing courses in the training, there will be no examinations. However, an assignment package is given to students, and this is called a Portfolio of Evidence. Answers to the portfolio package questions will be supplied back to students within one month of course completion. A certificate of competency certifies the successful completion of the course. After the assessment, students deemed not competent are allowed to resubmit their Portfolio of Evidence. Registered constituent Assessors and registered competent Moderators are specialists who assess and moderate the Portfolio of Evidence, respectively. They are registered with the specific ETQA body.

    All moderators and assessors have to be qualified and registered with different SETA. To become a qualified moderator or assessor, the candidate must initially be trained on unit standard 115753. The candidate must give a portfolio of evidence and be judged competent by the Education, Training, and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority (EDTP SETA) in the training course. This standard accessor unit is for those who assess people for their success in learning outcomes in terms of stated criteria using pre-formulated assessment instruments and capable of conducting assessment in their expertise fields. 

    To register with the SETAs as an Assessor or Moderator, the following processes must be adhered to:

    1. Obtain a SETAs assessor or moderator registration form or visit www.trainyoucan.co.za/setasetqa.co.za for more information.
    2. For TRAINYOUCAN members, they could request further support by visiting www.trainyoucanforum.co.za
    3. Update your curriculum vitae (CV), also known as a personal portfolio, which should include personal detail, a comprehensive list of all your qualifications, and a comprehensive list of places you have worked, including duration and years of experience.
    4. Take along original copies of all your Certificate to validate the information on your curriculum vitae.
    5. Take along a list of all the unit standards or qualifications you request scope to indicate that you have 2 to 3 years of experience in each request. You can download this from the SAQA website on this link here http://regqs.saqa.org.za/ or download the SAQA Help document from http://trainyoucan.co.za/saqa.

    There is no exact SETA cost involved in the registration process. Still, some agencies might request a fee to assist in compiling the paperwork as part of the administration procedure. Most learners do this themselves as the process is fairly simple to follow.

    HOW DO YOU GET A SETA LEARNERSHIP?

    A learnership, an organized learning method for obtaining academic knowledge and practical skills in the workplace, is one of SETA’s opportunities. A learnership guarantees a qualification registered on the NQF. These structured learning processes are outcomes-based and not time-based, acknowledges the need for prior learning. The duration of learnerships varies but lasts for 18 months on average. To obtain an artisan equivalent qualification (NQF level 4), the trainee must complete four separate learnerships. This means that qualifications at NQF levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 must be attained.

    Certain conditions for learners must be met before commencing a SETA learnership, and these include:

    • Learners may be new entrants or existing employees or;
    • Learners must meet entry requirements for the specific learnership they wish to enroll in as set by the qualification conditions on which the learnership process is based;
    • Learners must meet the selection criteria set by the organization taking on the learner.

    There are also specific processes involving employers, training providers, and other learners to be followed, and these include;

    1. Employers are approved in their workplace and are expected to meet the pre-registration criteria.
    2. Training providers are accredited to provide particular learnerships by the ETQA.
    3. Qualified assessors are available. They may be either in-house assessors or contracted assessors.
    4. Companies advertise learnership opportunities through the media.
    5. Learners apply and are selected by the company recruitment process.
    6. A tripartite learnership agreement is signed among the employer, provider, and learner.
    7. A Short-term employment agreement is signed between the learner and the employer, assuming the learner is unemployed.
    8. The learning program and process is discussed and agreed to with the training provider.
    9. Employers fund the learnership through grants obtained from SETA.
    10. Employers and training providers deliver relevant learning and experience, working closely together to manage the training process.
    11. Learners are provided with support through mentoring and feedback.
    12. Learners are assessed by qualified assessors(formative and summative assessments)
    13. The Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority quality assuror is called to supervise the assessment. The provider must undertake internal supervision.
    14. A national qualification is given to the learner after the successful completion of the learnership.
    15. Learners get a record of their results for unit standards achieved if learnership is not concluded.

    Once the learnership is concluded, the employer can decide to approve the learner for a new learnership, employ the learner or release the learner for future employment by another organization if he/she was originally unemployed.

    Learnership is an integrated learning program that combines practical workplace and theoretical learning experience if concluded successfully. It leads to a qualification enrolled on the NQF. Under the Skills Development Act, a learnership should include the following elements:

    • Practical work experience (on-the-job training)
    • A structured learning component (theoretical training)
    • It must relate to an occupation.
    • If concluded successfully, it must lead to a qualification. 

    SETAs do not perform the learnerships themselves or administer learnerships directly but aid the implementation of learnerships and learners’ recruitment. SETAs also subsidize the provision of the theoretical training, and in some cases, also subsidize the learners’ allowances or stipends.

    SETA ACCREDITATION 

    The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) describes accreditation as the process through which a body, an institution, or a person has been approved as having the capacity to satisfy a particular responsibility in the quality assurance system organized by the South African Qualifications Authority.

    A SETA can only be commissioned or accredited if the training provider fulfills the stringent application conditions prescribed by a relevant SETA. The relevant SETA in question decides whether a training provider has the required ability and capacity to offer quality training in line with the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) standards.

    SETA accreditation is a very important process as it ensures that education and training are of the highest standards and quality. It is also carried out to guarantee relevance to the needs of the industry sector in question. A training provider will attain SETA accreditation if the training provider’s courses comply with the NQF standards.

    Courses offered would have been evaluated to ensure that they are in line with these standards. Another objective of SETA accreditation is to verify that similar courses offered by different training providers are consistent. SETA accreditation also guarantees that training providers will be able to provide relevant training and education that is in line with national standards. Courses being offered by accredited training providers are also scrutinized to confirm their significance to industry needs and empower students with the skills they need in the workplace.

    SETA accreditation is extremely beneficial for the students, as they can earn the suitable NQF credits after completing a SETA accredited course through a training provider with SETA accreditation. This is important because NQF credits count towards full qualifications that are recognized in the country. Therefore, a course or qualification can be formally recognized because of SETA accreditation. Some employers in particular sectors often request evidence of formal education from employees, and SETA accreditation makes this a possibility. Students can also change courses without having to repeat subjects they have previously completed, and this is possible because of formal recognition from SETA accreditation.

    There are also benefits for training providers as 

    SETA accreditation validates the reputation of the training provider and shows that the institution is credible. Furthermore, SETA accreditation guarantees that the training received will be useful and applicable in the workplace. It also ensures that students are equipped with skills that are in high demand by employers in different industry sectors. 

    The general requirements for SETA accreditation include the following:

    • Training providers must register properly according to the appropriate legislation.
    • Training providers must have a Quality Management System (QMS) in place. The QMS refers to the combination of processes used to ensure that the degree of excellence specified is achieved. It involves policies that regulate how training providers ensure quality training. 
    • Training materials must be developed according to the standards of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
    • Training providers must have registered assessors and moderators that perform their roles according to the unit standards.

    Besides the above-listed requirements, the different SETAs may have their accreditation requirements, and these can be found on their respective or obtained by directly contacting the particular SETA.

    Training providers must comply with these requirements set at high standards to ensure quality education and training. Therefore, training providers need to be properly organized and must possess all required documents and policies. Accredited SETA training is in high demand, and this highlights the huge value placed on accreditation.

    LIST OF SETAS

    There are currently 21 SETAs, and these have been listed in alphabetical order below:

    List of SETAs:

    Agricultural Sector Education and Training Authority (AgriSETA)

    Banking Sector Education and Training Authority (BANKSETA)

    Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA)

    Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA)

    Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality, and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA)

    Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDP SETA)

    Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA)

    Fibre Processing and Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority (FP&M SETA)     

    Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Fasset)

    Food and Beverage Manufacturing Industry Sector Education and Training Authority (FoodBev SETA)

    Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA)

    Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (Inseta) 

    Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (LGSETA)

    Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (merSETA)

    Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICT SETA)

    Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA)

    Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority (PSETA)

    Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority (SASSETA)

    Services Sector Education and Training Authority (SSETA)            

    Transport Education Training Authority (TETA)

    Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority

    MICT Seta

    What is MICT Seta?

    MICT Seta stands for the Media Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority, otherwise known as MICT Seta.  This particular Seta was established in terms of the Skills Development Act, 1998 (Act No. 97 of 1998) and is also a public entity.  MICT Seta therefore fulfils an essential role within the sub-sectors it operates in achieving economic growth and skills development in South Africa.  MICT Seta mainly operates in the following sub-sectors:

    • Electronics
    • Film and electronic media
    • Advertising
    • Telecommunications
    • Information Technology (IT)

    What is the function of MICT Seta?

    MICT Seta has a broad range of functions which this article seeks to address.  The most critical of those being:

    • To address recognised scarce skills in South Africa, the Role of MICT Seta involves partnering amongst others, with Universities, TVET colleges (public and private) and industry in delivering specific learning programmes.  MICT Seta is committed to enhancing and developing the deployment of skills development in respect of rural communities and SMMEs (Small Medium and Micro Enterprises) and is a major contributor in terms of addressing much needed skills.  One of the top priorities of this Seta is skills planning and partnering with all stakeholders in scoping their skills development requirements using credible data.  This results in relevant demand-driven learning programmes that can be realistically implemented to address the training gaps that exist in making the trainsition into the workplace.

    MICT Seta Vision

    MICT Seta’s vision is in terms of seeking to be a global leader in the development and deployment of ground-breaking skills in the ICT (Information Communications Technology) arena.

    MICT Seta Mission

    MICT Seta’s mission is centred around providing opportunities for their stakeholders to actively participate in South Africa’s economy through skills development funding towards creating significant employment and fostering entrepreneurship, all with the aim to make South Africa an innovative and creative developmental nation.

    MICT Seta Research

    MICT Seta is also involved in Sector Sills Planning (SSP) research that gives an overview of existing skills gaps within the scope of the MICT industry and details appropriate interventions targeted at addressing scarce and critical sector priority occupations.  Presented annually as a document known as the SSP, this research is founded upon a broad triangulation process involving detailed consultation processes within the industry at large.  The SSP therefore:

    • Identify those projects that should be considered as priority for the Seta.
    • Guides the grant allocation process
    • Detect key industry drivers of change
    • Identify sector priority occupations

    MICT Seta – Skills Development Facilator (SDF)

    MICT Seta sees to it that only registered Skills Development Facilitators (SDFs) submit Workplace Skills Plans (WSPs) and Annual Training Plans (ATRs) or Pivotal Training Plans (PTRs) and Planned Training Reports (PTRs) in line with legislation and on their behalf.   

    • What is a Workplace Skills Plan (WSP)?

    The WSPs/ATRs as they are commonly known, reflect an employer’s training plan and cover the period from 1 April to 31 March of the following year and define what skills gaps and occupational shortages exist with the employer and those training programmes that need to be implemented by the employer over the period covered by the previous WSP.  This information is important for MICT Seta as it forms part of the broader sector skills plan and information related to labour market supply.

    Those Skills Development Facilitators who represent employers within the sector are able to provide MICT Seta with a letter presented on the company’s letterhead that confirms that the Skills Development Facilitator is summarily authorised to represent the said company regarding skills development issues and should submit these documents on their behalf.  Prior to undertaking the role of Skills Development Facilitator the SDF is required to be both registered and accepted. 

    With respect to the submission and administration of the Workplace Skills Programs (WSPs) and Annual Training Reports (ATRs) as well as Planned Training Reports (PTRs) the Skills Development Facilitator will be trained in the capacity of being able to use the MICT Seta information management system.  The SDF should also possess a sound understanding of and experience in matters related to the MICT Sector, Human Resources Development, Education and Training, strategies and business operations pertaining to their own organisations and the business environment in general and the macro economic environment at large to enable them to provide an effective service.

    Strategic Planning

    MICT Seta is involved in strategic planning which is aimed at providing a plan to address the skills development gaps and requirements of Government and the sector in which it operates.   This planning outlines MICT Seta priorities, plans and programmes scoped out over a period of five years and is informed by Government strategic plans and policies as well as the Seta’s own SSP.  Strategic development and implementation is approved by the Executive Authority which is the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and is dependent upon available resources.

    Bursaries

    MICT Seta also grants bursaries to South Africans who wish to embark upon full-time study within one of the fields that fall within the reach of its sectors.  Offered through partnerships with the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and the majority of Technical Vocational Eduation and Training (TVET) universities and colleges, the bursary programme is aimed at providing support to financially challenged and deserving individuals seeking assistance.

    Learnerships

    In a nutshell, learnerships are work-based education and training programmes that are linked to a qualification that is registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).  Essentially, learnerships comprise both practical workplace experience and structured theoretical programmes and are occupationally directed.

    • Learnership benefits

    To the learner: 

    • Increase likelihood of employment opportunities
      • Enable easy access to learning
      • Enable learners to earn while they learn
      • Help with self-development and career pathing
      • Provide a port of entry into the industry for those learners who are unemployed
      • Provide the platform to acquire a formal qualification

    To the employer:

    • Help with the development of capable staff
      • Help with the provision of experienced as well as skilled employees
      • A platform to deal with targets related to employment equity
      • Improves BEE performance
      • Enable a more competent workforce that requires less supervision
      • Helps to bridge recognised skills gaps
      • Help to enhance productivity in the workplace as well as business outcomes

    To the industry:

    • Helps to create a pool of more professional qualified individuals
      • Helps to provide the industry with a global competitive edge
      • Helps to grow individuals into world-class performers

    Internships

    Through specialised training and structured exposure to the workplace, an internship is a type of programme that is structured to provide FET College and University graduates with opportunities to further their academic qualifications base.  Those participating in internships are usually placed for a period of between 8 and 12 months on a full-time basis in Government organisations as well as stakeholder organisations.  This ensures that the learner gains sufficient workplace experience in order to build upon their existing qualifications.

    Internships are ideal solution for those who lack workplace experience and unlike learnerships, they are not regulated or strictly defined and can be flexible enough to afford graduates the opportunity to enhance their qualifications without too much red tape.

    MICT Seta Accreditation

    The MICT Seta accreditation process follows a strict process as outlined below.  This is a general guideline obtained from the MICT Seta website and slightly amended for copyright purposes.

    Criteria and guidelines / Code of conduct

    1. Accreditation guidelines
    2. Code of conduct for training providers

    A body can be accredited as a provider by an Education and Training Quality Assurance Body whose primary focus accords with the main focus of the provider, provided that the body who seeks accreditation –

    1. (a) is registered as a provider with respect to the relevant legislation at the time the application for accreditation is made;
    2. (b) Possesses a quality management system that includes but is not limited to –
    3. (i) quality management policies that provide a definition of that which the provider seeks to acccomplish;
    4. (ii) quality management procedures that allow the provider to practise its defined quality management policies; or

    (iii)review mechanisms that ensure that the quality management policies and procedures defined are applied and remain in place.

    MICT Seta Funding

    Mandatory Grants Funding

    Those companies who are eligible to qualify for funding will be awarded with Mandatory Grants by MICT Seta.  These grants are calculated at 20% of the employer’s 1% skills levy.   To qualify,  employers should submit a Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) and Annual Training Report (ATR) by 30 April each year in order to claim back the 20% as a mandatory grant.  Those companies that have a wage bill of less than R500 000 are not required to pay this levy.

    Employers who wish to qualify to receive mandatory grants from MICT Seta must meet the following criteria:

    • The company must have employed a Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) to handle all related matters
    • The company must be up to date with its levy payments and be registered with the Skills Development Levies Act
    • The Workplace Sills Plan (WSP) and (ATR) should be submitted by the required deadline
    • The Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) pertaining to the previous reporting period should already have been submitted and implemented. 

    Discretionary Grant Funding

    Discretionary grant funding is awarded to projects linked to scarce and critical skills and those that have been identified as sector priority occupations and with the purpose of being a platform to fund skills development.  Discretionary grant funding has its focus on Professional, Vocational, Technical and Academic learning (PIVOTAL) programmes.  Nevertheless, according to MICT Seta policy, grants may be awarded for PIVOTAL and non-PIVOTAL programmes alike.  The grant submission period is advertised annually on the MICT Seta website. 

    How do you get a Seta learnership?

    While each Seta, including MICT Seta, facilitates the general recruitment and implementation of all learnerships, the onus is not on the Seta but falls to the employer, the training provider and the service provider to take responsibility for the recruitment of learners.  Therefore, the processes and procedures involved for each participating entity must be followed and learners should via this process defer to their employers if they wish to apply to participate in a learnership.

    MICT Seta Qualifications

    MICT Seta deals with the following qualification programmes:

    Qual / Prog IDQualification Title/Learning Programme Title  NQF Level  Min Credits  
      LEVEL 2
    78963Certificate: Telecommunications for Customer Premises EquipmentLevel 2120
      LEVEL 3
    21799Certificate :Telecommunications for Customer Premises EquipmentLevel 3135
    49077/ 61591National Certificate:Information Technology: End User ComputingLevel 3130
    49077/ 61591National Certificate:Information Technology: End User ComputingLevel 3130
    59569National Certificate: ElectronicsLevel 3120
    59910National Certificate:Information Technologies OperationsLevel 3130
      LEVEL 4
    21190Further Education and Training Certificate:PC EngineeringLevel 4120
    21191Further Education and Training Certificate: PC SupportLevel 4120
    21797Certificate: Telecommunications for Customer Premises EquipmentLevel 4152
    48811/67462Further Education and Training Certificate:Music Industry: Sound TechnologyLevel 4159
    49127Further Education and Training Certificate:Design FoundationLevel 4141
    49138/62610National Diploma: CopywritingLevel 5240
    50479Further Education and Training Certificate:AdvertisingLevel 4148
    59057Further Education and Training Certificate:Telecommunication Network OperationsLevel 4132
    61450Further Education and Training Certificate:Film and Television Production OperationsLevel 4157
    63849Further Education and Training Certificate:ElectronicsLevel 4122
    63849/80306Further Education and Training Certificate:ElectronicsLevel 4122
    61450Further Education and Training Certificate: Film and Television Production OperationsLevel 4157
    65874Further Education and Training Certificate:Telecommunication SystemsLevel 4132
    71853Further Education and Training Certificate:End User ComputingLevel 4132
    73298Further Education and Training Certificate:PhotographyLevel 4128
    73390Further Education and Training Certificate:Graphic Web Design and MultimediaLevel 4136
    73391Further Education and Training Certificate:Website DevelopmentLevel 4136
    73429Further Education and Training Certificate:Computer ProgrammingLevel 4136
    78964Further Education and Training Certificate:Information Technology: Technical SupportLevel 4165
    78965Further Education and Training Certificate:Information Technology: Systems DevelopmentLevel 4165
      LEVEL 5
    22711National Certificate: Computer ScienceLevel 5120
    48573National Certificate: Information Technology: Systems SupportLevel 5147
    48671National Certificate:Music Industry: Sound TechnologyLevel 5139
    48792Certificate: Broadcast EngineeringLevel 5120
    48872National Certificate: Information Technology (Systems Development)Level 5131
    49121National Certificate: Interactive MediaLevel 5130
    49122National Certificate: Radio Station ManagementLevel 5157
    strong>49138National Diploma: CopywritingLevel 5240
    57607National Certificate: 3D Animation and Visual EffectsLevel 5149
    57611National Certificate: 2D AnimationLevel 5136
    58394National Certificate: Film and Television ProductionLevel 5122
    58820National Certificate: AdvertisingLevel 5124
    58978National Certificate: JournalismLevel 5120
    60509/90721Certificate:Design TechniquesLevel 5121
    62069National Certificate: Radio ProductionLevel 5159
    63769National Certificate: Business Analysis Support PracticeLevel 5138
    65876Certificate:Telecommunications SystemsLevel 5120
    83026National Certificate:Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Software TestingLevel 5138
    83446National Certificate:ElectronicsLevel 5135
      LEVEL 6
    63909National Certificate:Business AnalysisLevel 6149
    71850Certificate: Technology: Database DevelopmentLevel 6120
    71869Certificate:Information Technology: Database AdministrationLevel 6120
      LEVEL 7
    49317National Certificate: ScriptwritingLevel 7147

    Is working from home effective and easy?

    Windows on the world of change

    “Getting with the program”

    I am one of those people from the Gen X group who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s and entered the workforce as a junior clerk in a bank in the mid-1980s.  Back then, we were just starting out in the world of bits and bytes.  There were numerous bits of new technology to play around with and we worked on mainframe computers with desktop terminals that hooked into some nebulous system that average people didn’t understand.  Computer programmers were earning ten times more than the average person and those who didn’t understand computers had to ‘get with the program’ quickly or suffer the consequences of not being able to keep pace with the status quo.

    The ‘old normal’ had to quickly be adopted at the click of a mouse

    The arrival of the ‘new normal’ of 2020 that we are currently in the process of getting used to is no different from the shift into the digital age when Gen Xer’s embraced what can now be seen as the ‘old normal’ that had to quickly be adopted at the click of a mouse.   What is the common denominator here?  The answer is simple:  Change.  Whether we are now working from home (WFH) when we used to drive into work every day, or we are embracing a completely different way of working in the new gig economy, the shift is the same.  Because no matter what changes come at us, the fact of the matter is that we all need to ‘adapt or perish’ as it were.  In 1945, H G Wells penned this timeless quote: “Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature’s inexorable imperative.”  

    The sun doesn’t always shine on TV

    No one is immune to the forces of change that are happening around us.  Nevertheless, we are all creatures of habit and human beings generally do not like change, especially when it is forced upon us.  When told that we are now ‘working from home’ instead of going into the office every day, there are mixed reactions.  It may have been someone’s dream ten years ago to work from home.  But, thinking about it and doing it, are two completely different things.  I remember how I used to feel when I was sitting at my workstation at the bank and wishing that I didn’t have scores of people running around me all day long.  Wondering what it would be like if my desk was at home in a quiet space instead of having noisy people aroud to disturb my concentration.  If I was working from home I could choose my own version of noise by putting on my favourite TV channel.  But, now that I am working from home and there are no distractions other than what is going on in my own environment, I realise that the sun doesn’t always shine on TV.  Let us take a brief look at some of the positive and negative reactions to working from home.

    Positive reactions

    • “Great, now I don’t have to sit in traffic every day!”
    • “I am so happy I don’t have to get dressed up to go to work, I can work in my pyjamas.  What a pleasure!”
    • “I can work in my own space, at my own pace and no one can disturb my concentration.”
    • “I can work to my own schedule and take breaks whenever I need to.  This helps me to better manage my time.”

    Negative reactions

    • “I have this great idea that I want to bounce off my colleagues, but I am sitting here all by myself with no one to talk to and Zoom is giving me a headache.  I wish I could chat to a ‘live’ person.”
    • “I miss connecting with people every day.  There is no sense of camaraderie in my new workspace.”
    • “It’s hard for me to concentrate on my work when I am in ‘at home’ mode.
    • “It’s hard for me to discipline myself when I am working at home on my own.  I wish I had someone to inspire me and give a little push.” 
    • “I used to like going into work.  I made a lot of new friends that way and I enjoyed the social aspect of the office environment.  I wish I had someone to ‘rub shoulders with’.  Nowadays, I am so lonely and would like to meet new people but I am stuck at home.”

    A paradigm shift from one mode of existence to another

    Let’s back track a little.  Let’s also be honest with ourselves and admit that what we are dealing with here is a complete paradigm shift from one mode of existence to another.  The industrialised world of today has been built by people who left their homes every day to seek out new ideas, people, places and things with which to develop the world and make it a better place.’  Those same people were told by parents and teachers to: ‘Go out there and find a job’.  But there is no ‘out there’ anymore. 

    People used to say: “Leave your problems at work when you get home.”  How is this possible when work and home are in the same place?

    Now, working from home means that there is little or no distinction between the workplace and home environments.

    Married couples who are both working from home at different jobs are ‘sitting on top of each other’ day in, day out.  There is no time apart.  The children are also being schooled from home.  Arguments persist over small things and they all need a break from each other. 

    It’s fine if you work from home when you live in a good home with a nice garden to walk around in when you need a break.  But, what about those who live in an apartment building?  What about those who live in poorer conditions and have no dedicated space of their own in which to work?  Such individuals welcomed the daily commute and were much better off for it. 

    There are so many pros and cons to working from home.  To list each one extensively would be to miss the point entirely.  What we are dealing with here is our ability to successfully and effectively manage change through the paradigm shift that has taken place.  Whether change involves shifting your office from a large corporate building to the dining room in your house or suddenly finding yourself in the position of having to manage a remote team the paradigm shift from one state to another is the same. 

    What ultimately separates the wheat from the chaff in this case is how individuals and groups go about managing the change that is now upon us. 

    Top tips for managing change during a paradigm shift

    As discussed earlier on in this article, change is at the heart of the ‘new normal’.  Let us now take a look at some of the best tips we can use to guide us in managing change as we navigate the way forward.

    • See the positive in change – every cloud has its own version of a silver lining

    Some changes can be difficult and disruptive, yet, can still produce positive results.  Avoid dwelling on the negative.  Instead, focus on the potential new opportunities and benefits that change brings.  Focussing on the positive aspects of change will lift your spirits during phases of transition.

    • Do not resist change

    When change occurs our first reaction is to resist the change and, often, we may refuse to adapt.  Unfortunately, this is not ideal since the only constant we can rely on in this world is change.  The sooner we grasp and accept this the better equipped we will be to map our way forward.

    • Establish and maintain control

    One of the main reasons we find change stressful is because change destabilises our sense of control.  Often, we feel powerless in the face of change since change brings about a sense of loss of control.  The important thing here is not to allow a feeling of powerlessness to overwhelm you and to tackle new challenges with a cool head and a brave heart.  Instead of allowing change to destabilise you focus on how you can make the change work in your favour.  This will give you a whole new sense of self-empowerment. 

    • Familiarise yourself with the change

    The quicker you can make change become more ‘familiar’ to you the better.  That means tackling change head-on.  If you can quickly assimilate new changes into your daily routine, you will effectively build a new sense of familiar.  This will help you to better integrate the change into your daily existence so that it becomes an ‘accepted’ way of doing things. 

    • You are not alone – we are all in this together

    One of the most important things to remember when facing widescale change is that you are not alone.  You can find a new sense of normal during any transition by connecting with like-minded individuals and sharing thoughts and ideas about the change with others.  A sense of unity and common ground with others will go a long way towards keeping you grounded during any transition.

    Helen Fenton

    Senior Analyst, Business Optimization Training Institute

    www.boti.co.za

    Adapting to change working from home

    Embracing the winds of change: are the answers blowing in the wind?

    The Greek Philosopher Heraclitus once said: “The only thing that is constant is change”.   And change is now on the cards for everyone, especially where the workplace is concerned.  Notwithstanding, an important point to bear in mind when everything that was once routine has been overturned, is that change often brings about the opportunity to explore new ways of doing things, paving the way for novel and sometimes better solutions.  The English Proverb:  Necessity is the mother of invention sums up the situation perfectly.  Covid-19 has overturned our routine on a global scale, creating a paradigm shift that leaves us reeling – yet, while change may seem as though a dark cloud is hanging over us there is a silver lining to all of this.  And as we encounter new challenges while embracing the winds of change, let us not allow ourselves to be at the mercy of the winds, but instead let us seek the answers that are blowing in the wind.  

    As we move forward in a climate fraught with grand scale changes, let’s take a moment to reflect on where this leaves us. 

    No more ‘Radio Ga Ga’ during the New Drive Time

    Whether you are a business owner or working for a large organization, driving into work in the mornings used to be a time when, while sitting in the traffic and listening to drive-time radio shows, you took the opportunity to contemplate how you were going to go about tackling the tasks and challenges of the day ahead.  This was a time to reflect, a time to plan and a time to perhaps meditate a little and relax the mind before hitting the grindstone at full force. 

    Adapting to change

    Human beings are known for being creatures of habit and routine. It can take approximately 20 years or even more to grow our adult personalities.  During this time, we form habits and behaviours that will remain with us for a lifetime.  But, changing habits and behaviours does not happen overnight.  If it takes 20 or so years to learn something it can take time to undo some of this work and adjust to new routines. Bear this in mind as you are on your way to work each morning, as you walk down the passageway from your bedroom into the dining room where you have set up your new ‘home office’.  It is not so much that there is a problem here, it’s just that you are in a different space while at work and this can take some time to get used to. 

    We could discuss the number of changes affecting the world of work since Covid-19 reared its head ad nauseum.  However, to produce another laundry list of these changes is like flogging a dead horse.  By now, most of us have become acutely aware that the world of work will never be the same again, at least for the foreseeable future.  Hence, for the purpose of this discussion, we will not focus so much on the changes themselves, but, rather, how we will adapt to these changes. 

    So, the example of one of the new workplace ‘normals’ that we will use to illustrate how we deal with change is the practise of ‘working from home’ (WFH).  Let’s take a look at the WFH landscape among salaried, white collar workers as it currently stands for some of the European countries.  A recent survey conducted by CASS Business School, IESE Business School and HR Service Provider SD Worx reveals some interesting WFH trends.  As the table below suggests, the WFH trend has seemingly strongly embedded itself.

    Country                                  Percentage of the workforce working from home

    UK                                            65%

    Belgium                                  62%

    Spain                                      60%

    France                                    59%

    The Netherlands                   55%

    Germany                                 40%

    It’s not that working from home in itself is the problem here, shifting one’s mindset to accept that this is part of the ‘new normal’ is where the real issue lies.  For most people, change is frightening and most often extremely difficult to handle.  Being able to forego familiar routines in favour of the unfamiliar is challenging since humans tend to avoid fear and fearful situations at all costs.  So, think about this as you listen to the radio while you work. 

    How long does it take to form new habits or routines?

    In a study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, Phillippa Lally, a health psychology researcher at University College in London along with her research team, investigated just exactly how long it takes to form a new habit.  The study surveyed the habits of 96 people over a period of 12 weeks.  Each person participating in the study chose one new habit for the 12-week period and was given the task of reporting daily as to whether they performed the task and when they did, how ‘automatic’ this new behaviour felt to them. 

    Certain individuals chose simple habits such as drinking a bottle of water with lunch, while others opted for more arduous habits such as running for 15 minutes before dinner.  The researchers analysed the data at the end of the 12-week period with the purpose of determining how long it took each individual to move from starting a new habit to performing this new habit automatically.

    The verdict

    The study reveals that, on average, it takes over 2 months, in fact, 66 days to be exact, for someone to automatically form a new habit.  However, this is merely the benchmark.  Since, the length of time it takes to form a new habit can vary substantially, and largely depends on the individual concerned, the type of behaviour and the circumstances involved.  Hence, the study in question actual reveals that it can take anywhere between 18 and 254 days for an individual to form a new habit.  Realistically, if you need to put a timeline in place, the verdict stands at anything from 2 to 8 months before the new habit is built into the person’s routine. 

    Does time heal all wounds?

    There remains no doubt that Covid-19 has inflicted a number of serious wounds upon the world at large and that it will take time for us to absorb the impact created by the pandemic itself not to mention the domino effect that this has had on global health, the global economy and the workforce; and humanity at large.  Yet, if Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy’s quote:  “It has been said, ‘time heals all wounds’” holds any truth at all, it will take a significant length of time for the world to deal with the changes brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The way forward

    So, what does this all mean for business?  Whether you are a cog in the wheel of a large organization, or you manage a business with a team of 10 people, the impact of change is the same.  Human beings need time to digest the magnitude of the changes we are currently experiencing on a worldwide scale.  This means that over and above the nitty gritty of it all, we need time and a triple dose of patience in dealing with ourselves, our businesses, our habits and our need for security and hope for the future and success will come when we learn to successfully deal with change. 

    Reference sources:  Psychcentral.com, Jamesclear.com

    Junior Management Courses in South Africa

    Management is an interesting career path.   And there are many ways that people become managers.  Certain people are employed in a managerial capacity on first job, once they graduate from university, while others join an organisation upon finishing high school, work their way up the corporate ladder into managerial positions and are seen to be qualified by experience along with any formal studies undertaken during the course of their careers.  Others still, may be placed into management positions to fulfil a specific organisational need.  One way or the other, there is always a first time for everything, and it is no different with first-time managers no matter what age or stage they may be at.   Before we discuss the management process at large, let’s start our junior managers off on the right footing with these top 15 tips for anyone embarking on a managerial career:

    • Make every effort to get to know and understand everything you can about the business in which you are operating.
    • Brush up on your time management skills and book yourself on a time management skills training course.
    • Become an active listener
    • Take the leap and learn to lead – this means learning how to lead and motivate employees.  Book yourself on a leadership course to get you off on the right footing.
    • Actively pursue getting yourself training in any areas that you feel you are lacking expertise.
    • Avoid isolating yourself.  Instead, network with those around you.
    • Don’t think that because you are a manager that you need to know all the answers.  No one does.
    • Be humble and don’t take all the credit.
    • Don’t expect your direct reports to be perfect – no one is.
    • You cannot do everything yourself – learn how to effectively delegate.
    • Work towards gaining the confidence and respect of senior management.
    • Resolve problems when they appear – don’t get into the habit of ignoring problems without putting measures in place to resolve them.
    • Create and maintain a sense of urgency to keep the momentum going.
    • Question the way things have been done in the past.  There is always room for improvement.
    • Learn to make decisions without hesitation.

    When one is on a new path, it often feels as though one is navigating blindly when faced with new and untried situations.  And the territory can seem a little rocky in the beginning.  Get used to the idea that mistakes will be made.  Notwithstanding, mistakes can be avoided if you are aware of how they occur, and you are equipped ahead of time to find ways to remedy situations when things go wrong.   What follows is a list of some of those common mistakes and how to tackle them:

    • Beware of giving your staff assignments that are vague or unclear.  When employees are confused and frustrated because they have no clear direction they will do the work, but half-heartedly.  The work will therefore not be up to the required standards and as a manager, your expectations will not be met.  You and your employees alike will not be satisfied with the outcome and this in turn will have a negative affect on business performance. 
    • Avoid keeping all the interesting work to yourself and merely assigning routine tasks to your direct reports.  Since certain situations may indeed provide ideal training opportunities for your employees and help them to grow.
    • Guard against trying to fix work that has been poorly done by your staff.  Instead, sit with the individuals concerned and help them through the work.  This gives your staff a sense of accountability and ownership and you get the opportunity to impart your knowledge and expertise onto others, again helping them to solve problems and grow from challenging experiences.
    • Don’t try to impress a new boss by stealing the thunder away from your staff as well as your peers.  This type of behaviour breeds mistrust and suspicion and will only serve to alienate you from your colleagues both junior and senior to you.
    • Make sure that you don’t spend unnecessary time and effort on the wrong projects or issues.  Focus only on those tasks and activities that are in line with your company’s strategic objectives and mission or those that are important to your superiors.
    • The opportunity to network with other managers is a huge mistake.  Your colleagues have a wealth of knowledge and information to offer – leverage it.
    • Avoiding confrontations with staff members who are poor performers or who are otherwise troublesome is not the way to go.  Seeking to establish where the real problems lie is paramount.  Often, trouble arises when employees themselves are troubled or they are being influenced by others who are troublemakers.  Rather than shying away from confrontation, make the effort to tackle situations head on since, one way or the other the problem will not disappear on its own and ultimately performers need to be dealt with – there is no other way. 
    • You may have a great team but there will always be those who stand out as exceptional and those who generally hit the mark around average most of the time.  You may be tempted, especially at times when remuneration packages are being renegotiated and bonuses are being awarded, to ‘feel sorry for those who would otherwise deliver good performance but did not make it this time round’ and give them the same rewards as those who genuinely do deserve the rewards and recognition.  Remember that assessing individuals performance does not respond well to a ‘one size fits all’ approach. 
    • When mistakes occur, instead of labelling them as merely mistakes, try to see the learning opportunities involved and leverage those. 

    What are the functions of the management process?

    Essentially, there are four functions of the management process.  As such, these functions combine to create, execute and achieve organizational goals and objectives.  These management functions form an overall process whereby each function builds upon the previous one.  Hence, one needs to carry out each function of the process in the correct order.  Thus, the four functions of the management process are:

    • Planning
    • Organising
    • Leading
    • Controlling

    Planning

    In the planning phase, managers set goals that the organization must achieve and develop an action plan as to how they will go about achieving these goals.  It is during the planning stage that management makes strategic decisions that will give the organization the direction it needs, in other words the path that needs to be followed in working towards organizational goals.  The planning phase requires a thorough analysis of where the organisation is at, while taking into account the vision and mission of the company and assessing what resources are needed to accomplish company goals.  Internal as well as external factors that may affect the execution of the plan need to be considered, such as the economy, competitor activities and customer trends and biases.  Timelines need to be put in place to achieve these goals.  Processes such as SMART which is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound are used to give the business project structure and support, to define more clearly what goals are to be achieved and by when.  There are also various levels of planning:

    • Strategic planning

    Strategic planning is usually a top management or executive function and sets the general goals for the entire organization.  The strategic plan often incorporates a SWOT analysis which analyses the company’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.  The timeframe for a strategic plan is long term, often up to three years.

    • Tactical planning

    Tactical planning involves short term planning of goals or objectives that will take up to a year to achieve.  Tactical plans are usually undertaken at middle management level of the organisation and are handled at departmental level and tackle areas such as production, marketing, finance and human resources. 

    • Operational planning

    Operational planning involves tactical planning with the objective of achieving a strategic plan.  With operational planning a timeframe is developed to accommodate parts of the overall strategic plan. 

    Organising

    The organising phase involves assigning resources and delegating tasks to those designated to achieve company goals in the planning phase.  Departments and teams work together in pursuit of common company goals and managers need to create a working environment that is geared towards productivity.  When assigning tasks to others, managers need to ensure that employees clearly understand what is required of them.  Managers should ensure that individuals are given an appropriate amount of work as well as enough time to complete the tasks at hand.

    Leading

    In its basic form, leading involves motivating people and influencing behaviours with the goal of achieving organizational objectives.  Leading therefore involves managing people in the form of employees, groups and teams as opposed to managing tasks.  While managers may lead a team by giving orders and directing as it were, managers who are seen as successful leaders endeavour to connect and engage with their direct reports using interpersonal or ‘soft’ skills that inspire, encourage and motivate people to perform at their best. 

    Controlling

    The controlling phase involves monitoring and evaluating the execution of a plan and making necessary adjustments as and when they are required in pursuit of organisational goals.  During this phase managers manage deadlines and deploy staff training where necessary.  Employees are monitored and the quality of work is assessed.  Employee performance appraisals are conducted with feedback sessions to offer suggestions for improvement if required and positive feedback when employees are doing well.

    Competencies that every manager needs to develop

    Managing and leading others can be a little frightening in the beginning.  While certain people tend to be natural leaders and are comfortable in positions of leadership, there are certain competencies that every manager needs to develop. 

    Learning to supervise others

    If you have had no previous experience in managing others, being a first-timer in a supervisory role can indeed be a challenge.  Embarking on training courses that can help you learn what to do and what not to do is a first port of call.  For example, if you are newly promoted into a supervisory capacity and are placed in the position of managing those who were once your peers, this can be a highly sensitive situation that needs to be delicately managed and making this transition needs to be handled correctly to keep things in balance. 

    Learning to resolve conflict

    Firstly, what you need to bear in mind is that incidents of conflict in the workplace is inevitable.  The importance of resolving conflict should not be underestimated and failure to do so can affect the relationships between individuals as well as groups.  Since, if left unattended, unresolved conflict can create a toxic working environment, and negatively impact productivity levels as well as organizational culture.  As a leader you need to learn to resolve conflict to the satisfaction of all parties involved.  Resolving conflict can be done by finding the source of the problem and using negotiating skills to come to a resolution.

    Learning to lead with emotional intelligence

    Emotional intelligence or EQ can be defined as “the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically.”  Also:  “emotional intelligence is the key to both personal and professional success.”

    Possessing a high EQ is a sure sign of professional emotional maturity and is a skill that can be learned and applied with practise since it often takes years to learn and master.  While some individuals naturally possess a higher EQ than others, it can be learned and it is advisable to undergo Emotional Intelligence training if you feel that you are not naturally that way inclined.

    Learning the art of good communication

    One of the fundamental competencies any manager needs to have is good written and verbal communication skills.  The importance of sharing information cannot be overemphasised.  Sharing information within the organization, among groups and teams and with individuals is hugely important.  Often, there is a dedicated process within every organization around how information should be shared and disseminated amongst employees.  Questions should be asked such as:  how often should one communicate with staff?  What is the process for communicating new information to employees? 

    Learning how to manage performance

    To effectively be able to manage staff, managers need to understand and apply the principles of performance management.  Performance management training is strongly advisable.  The principles behind performance management involve, among other things:  making sure that expectations are clearly articulated, setting and monitoring employee Key Performance Areas (KPAs), holding individuals accountable, ensure that employees are rewarded for good performance, providing employees with coaching and mentoring  and disciplining employees if deemed necessary.

    Learning how to develop effective interviewing skills

    Knowing how to identify the right talent to match people with positions is vitally important to an organization’s success.  This is where learning to develop good interviewing skills can be a tremendous advantage.  There are a number of things one can do to improve one’s interviewing skills such as:  ensuring that you are adequately prepared for the interview, making sure that you are well versed in the job that is being applied for, knowing how to effectively review candidates’ CVs and application forms and knowing what questions to ask potential candidates.  You will also derive tremendous benefits by Enrolling for a training course on how to develop effective interviewing skills.

    Learn to develop high performing teams

    Building high performing teams that move in tandem with organizational goals and objectives is tantamount to organizational success.  This requires one to learn how to foster team spirit in working towards common goals.  Team dynamics need to be properly managed to minimise conflict situations and leading teams takes constant practise since we are dealing with human beings that come with different abilities, have their own personal goals, display a variety of strengths and weaknesses and are subject to the ups and downs of life despite the roles they fulfil.  Training courses are available to help you manage your team for optimal results. 

    Learn how to delegate effectively

    Delegation is a strategically important part of every manager’s job description.  Learning to trust your direct reports to successfully perform tasks means that you have confidence in their abilities and that you are also intent upon growing their skills and capabilities.  Delegating effectively also frees up a manager’s time to perform more high-level tasks and shows that they are mature enough to hand over to others those tasks that they themselves would usually take credit for.

    Learn how to lead during times of change

    Especially in these Covid times, organisations are forced to change to remain competitive in an economy that has seen more downturns than a canoe paddling through dangerous rapids.  Those organizations who prepare for and embrace change stand a better chance than those that are simply swept up in the tides.  Indeed, the only constant one can rely on in this world is change.  Leaders are better equipped to deal with change if they develop the skills to become a change agent as it were and help their employees adjust and find new ways of doing business. 

    Learn how to be a good coach

    Employees who lack experience and knowledge need to be coached.  As a manager, you can offer your staff much when you share your knowledge, experience and lessons you have learned with others.  It is a hugely rewarding experience, both for yourself and for your direct reports.  Being able to coach someone in developing their skills and knowledge means that you have helped that person to grow and others can benefit from your successes as well as your mistakes when shown the best way to perform tasks. 

    Learning the art of creative problem solving

    Problem solving skills are an integral part of a manager’s job, since, without them, it would be near to nigh impossible to cope with daily trouble shooting when managing people and processes.  Problem solving relies on identifying where problems occur, understanding basic problem-solving techniques and facilitating the process of solving work-related issues.  It is infinitely worthwhile attending a complex problem-solving training course so as to inculcate problem solving as a matter of course and make it part of one’s daily routine.

    Learning how to motivate others

    An important aspect of managing others involves understanding what inspires people and how to motivate them to get the work done in discovering a very critical aspect of every individual, that is, ‘what makes them tick’.  In this light, many different motivational models exist that can be incorporated into a manager’s strategy when it comes to keeping others motivated.  The key here is to find out what motivates people and develop processes and systems that support those motives that drive your employees. 

    Reference sources:  Monster.com, Thethrivingsmallbusiness.com, Indeed.com

    Is critical thinking a talent?

    What is critical thinking?

    What exactly is critical thinking?  Essentially, critical thinking is one’s ability to think rationally and clearly in terms of what to do and what to believe with regards to a given situation.  Critical thinking also involves reflective thinking as well as independent thinking.  Hence, critical thinking skills include the following:

    • The capacity to understand the logical connection between ideas
    • Being able to identify, construct and evaluate an argument
    • The ability to identify inconsistencies and mistakes when reasoning
    • The capability to systematically solve problems
    • The ability to recognise the importance and relevance of ideas
    • The capability to reflect on the validation of one’s own values and beliefs

    One however needs to bear in mind that critical thinking is not merely a matter of accumulating information.  Someone who possesses a good memory and who is a storehouse of many facts is not necessarily proficient where critical thinking is concerned.  Hence, someone who is a critical thinker possesses the faculty of being able to infer consequences from what they know and knows how to use information for problem solving and is able to keep finding new sources of information to stay informed.  

    While critical thinking is applied to the process of exposing errors, misconceptions or flawed reasoning it also plays an important role when applied to constructive tasks and cooperative reasoning.  Therefore, critical thinking assists us in supporting arguments, expanding our theories and becoming more knowledgeable.

    Critical thinking is a fundamental element of the creative process.  It demands thinking ‘out-of-the-box’ and is an essential skill for improving ideas and evaluating the creative process.

    In this day and age we are more aware of the need to analyse vast amounts of information that we process on a daily basis.  This information is involved in the construction of the way we perceive reality and aids us in our cognitive development.  Hence, critical thinking is a cognitive process that requires a systematic approach in analysing information that we accept as legitimate.

    When educating people to apply critical thinking, it also means that they are working at improving their decision-making ability.  It also happens that with critical thinking, opinions or information are not accepted as true or false until such has been through the critical thinking analysis process.

    As There are 8 steps in the critical thinking process:

    • Reflection – we question ourselves about information received when we reflect
    • Analysis – we use our own knowledge and other data to evaluate arguments and information that support or question ideas when we analyse
    • Acquisition of information – we confirm or reject information that has been analysed by collecting and comparing data from numerous sources
    • Creativity – the need to link ideas and knowledge is stimulated by creativity and aids the process of building arguments
    • Structuring arguments – so as to reinforce any criteria we have constructed, we structure arguments based on a solid foundation of ideas
    • Decision making – based on our own criteria, we learn to make decisions
    • Commitment – we are committed to our own arguments and opinions
    • Debate – when we debate we use our ability to explain and defend our criteria set, comparing it to other criteria that may validate our own

    Why is critical thinking important?

    Critical thinking is used across all disciplines

    No matter what career one decides to pursue the ability to think clearly and rationally is hugely important.  Pursuing a career in finance, research, management or education requires critical thinking skills.  Yet, critical thinking is an advantage for any occupation.

    Critical thinking is crucial in the new era of the 4th Industrial Revolution

    The new era of the 4th Industrial Revolution is defined in terms of and driven by technology.  Technology shifts, evolves and changes at a rapid rate and in this light one needs to be able to respond quickly and efficiently to these changes.  As highlighted by the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2018, critical thinking is one of the top workplace skills required to meet the demands of the 4th Industrial Revolution since the ability to integrate varied sources of information and knowledge to solve problems in a rapidly changing workplace is paramount.

    Critical thinking improves comprehension

    Critical thinking can improve comprehension when learning how to analyse texts with a logical structure, not to mention that the way we articulate ideas is definitely enhanced with clear, systematic thinking.

    Critical thinking goes hand in hand with creativity

    When devising creative solutions to problems the process is not only about brainstorming new ideas but those new ideas also need to be relevant and helpful to the situation in question.  Therefore, critical thinking plays a vital part in the evaluation of new ideas, choosing the most appropriate ones to go with and in making adjustments where required. 

    Critical thinking is vital to introspection

    Introspection is the ability to self-reflect and to endeavour to discover more about our nature and what drives us to make certain decisions and live and breathe our chosen set of values.  Critical thinking is a vital part of the process of introspection, helping us to justify and come to terms with why we think, feel and act the way we do.

    Critical thinking in business

    Companies that are hiring staff for the future would be well advised to consider the vital role that critical thinking and analysis plays.  According to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2018, Critical thinking is one of the top 10 skills required to meet the demands of the workforce as we move further into the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution,  since members of the workforce need to keep pace with the rapidly changing technological advances and economic changes brought about by 4th Industrial Revolution trends.  Seen in this light, it is highly developed decision-making capabilities and problem-solving skills that are required to elevate businesses to entirely new levels of operation and success largely depends on individuals being able to quickly learn new skills and to perform effectively in situations that require critical thinking and problem solving abilities.

    The Top 5 Critical Thinking skills required in business today

    Analysing Problems

    Analysing problems involves the ability to take a problem situation, analyse it and identify the prime significance of critical elements of data.  A skilled problem solver uses interpretation and analytical skills to understand the intricacies involved in any given problem situation and devise appropriate solutions.

    Evaluating Options

    When we talk about evaluating options what we are referring to is the ability to distinguish between different choices available when devising creative solutions to any problem, assessing the quality of those options and being able to explain the reasons for choices and decisions made based on the criteria of those options. 

    Deductive reasoning

    What deductive reasoning really involves is the ability to analyse precise contexts with the aim of being able to predict logical consequences and outcomes.

    Problem solving in ambiguous contexts

    Ambiguous contexts involving risk and uncertainty require inductive reasoning capabilities to gauge the most appropriate solution to a problem given the set of available information.

    Problem solving in quantitative contexts

    Problem solving in quantitative contexts refers to the ability to reason appropriately in contexts that involve numerical data, evaluate information presented in different formats and formulate applicable solutions.

    How to improve your critical thinking skills

    The first step in learning how to become a critical thinker involves understanding how to identify a problem.  Even in the best circumstances, there is always room for improvement.  Therefore, anything that needs to be improved can be defined as a ‘problem’.

    • Keep to the basics

    Often, when trying to navigate our way through a problem the explanation itself becomes so complex that the original question gets lost.  To counteract this, revisit the basic questions you posed to yourself when you first set out to solve the problem then re-evaluate the situation with these basics in mind.  This will help avoid the situation where you cannot see the wood for the trees.

    • Always question any basic assumptions

    Taking it for granted that established assumptions are always right is a huge mistake.  Innovation happens when you challenge the status quo in the light of circumstances around the problem at hand.  For instance, if we consider that the world is constantly in a state of flux, shifting and evolving with the advent of new knowledge, new technologies and new ways of doing things, failing to question basic assumptions founded upon circumstances that were relevant 10 years ago for instance, is a sure fire way of closing the lid on new possibilities.  Every assumption should be challenged in light of new information and fresh circumstances.

    • Monitor your mental processes

    The speed of human thought is quite incredible.  Yet, we need to sometimes slow it down in order to apply critical thinking to our processes.  Since our brain uses mental shortcuts known as heuristics to gauge what is going on around us we need to consciously monitor our mental processes to switch into critical thinking mode.  Critical thinkers are aware of their own personal prejudices and predispositions in terms of their thinking and what effect it has on how solutions are derived and decisions are made. 

    What are the benefits of critical thinking?

    • Curiosity is encouraged

    To help us gain a deeper understanding of the world around us as well as the things that matter to us in our own experience, we are endowed with the faculty of curiosity.  Critical thinkers generally have a wide range of interests and are curious about various topics, ideas and situations.  They remain curious about people and the world in general and appreciate and understand the beliefs, cultures, views and opinions that are a shared quality of humanity at large.  As a result, they are considered lifelong learners.  And since, by nature critical thinkers are curious, at every moment of the day there are countless opportunities for them to apply their critical thinking skills.  The predisposition towards thinking critically about even the smallest issues indicates an aspiration towards positive outcomes.  As such, critical thinkers ask appropriate questions, for example:

    • What is happening?  What exactly am I seeing?
    • Why is this important?  Who is affected?
    • What am I missing in this situation?  What is hidden and why is it important?
    • Where did this emanate from?  How do I know for sure that it is true?
    • Who is imparting this information?  Why should I be listening to this individual?  What can I learn from this person?
    • Is there anything else I should consider? 
    • What if…..? 
    • Why not?

    Good critical thinkers never take anything for granted.  They never stop asking questions and like to investigate all aspects of an issue and discover facts hidden deep within every situation.

    • Problem-solving ability is enhanced

    Critical thinkers have a tendency towards being instinctive problem-solvers at heart.  One of the world’s most famous critical thinkers, Albert Einstein, had the following to say: “It’s not that I’m so smart; it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”  Einstein also proclaimed that when given an hour in which to solve a problem that he would likely spend 5 minutes on the solution and the remaining 55 minutes defining the problem and researching into it.  This level and patience and degree of commitment to thoroughly understanding the problem is a hallmark of the ultimate critical thinker.  Therefore, being able to acquire and develop sound critical thinking skills enables us to handle significant complex problems.

    • Critical thinking helps us develop other mental skills

    Critical thinking involves numerous diverse disciplines and cultivates a wide spectrum of cognitive talents and among other things promotes stimulates the development of:

    • Reasoning ability
      • Analytical thinking skills
      • Evaluation skills
      • Logical thinking processes
      • Organizational skills
      • Planning skills
      • Language ability
      • The ability to self-reflect
      • The ability to be a good observer
      • The faculty of open-mindedness
      • Creative visualization skills
      • The ability to question
      • Decision-making skills
    • Critical thinking is a life-long skill

    Life-long learning has become an increasingly important part of our lives.  Especially now, with rapid advances in technology.  Technology is an essential part of our daily lives but while a computer is able to analyse and store information it is not possible for it to work with data when it comes to those tasks involving decision making abilities.  Our ability to apply critical thinking to aid us in our use of technology is much needed indispensable skill.

    Reference Sources:  Wabasabilearning.com, Elesapiens.com

    Small business management course in South Africa

    In South Africa, Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises, otherwise known as SMMEs account for approximately 40% of South Africa’s GDP and make up over 50% of the private sector workforce.  And as far as world economies are concerned, an estimated 80% of new jobs are being created by SMMEs worldwide.  Hence, small business is a key driver in growing South Africa’s economy.  Further estimates indicate that over 1.5 million self-employed individuals comprise the SMME sector in South Africa and contribute approximately 40% of South Africa’s total remuneration.

    Where to start

    At the outset it is worth mentioning that starting a new business is no mean feat and definitely not for the fainthearted, since a whopping 80% of start-ups in South Africa do not make the grade and fail within the first five years of operation.  Simply having the desire to be your own boss is an insufficient guarantee of success and before your doors open for business you need to seriously consider whether you possess the right qualities to set you on the entrepreneurial path such as leadership skills, a dedicated support system ad whether or not you indeed have the right temperament to be an entrepreneur.

    Honestly Appraise your Strengths and Weaknesses

    By conducting an honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses, you will gain insights into those areas that need improvement.  And, after evaluating what the overall picture reveals, you will have a better feel as to whether entrepreneurship is indeed your calling as it were.  So, take time to go through the questions that follow and ask yourself if you have what it takes to join the world of entrepreneurship.

    Self-starter or needing a push?

    There are certain individuals who are ‘self-starters’ by nature and those that need a little push to get them going.  As an entrepreneur, you will need to have the stamina and staying power needed to initiate, develop as well as drive projects.  You will also need good time management skills and be able to follow through on the nitty gritty details involving any project. 

    Decision-maker or hesitant?

    As a business owner, you are required to think on your feet, often while under pressure and you will frequently be placed in the position of having to make on-the-spot decisions without consulting with others. 

    Long work hours

    Owning and running a business means that you are in it for the long haul.  That is, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Especially in the first couple of years, your business will literally become like nursing your own child.  Do you have what it takes to dedicate yourself to working round the clock?

    Planning versus let’s wait and see what happens

    Planning is all about creating a dedicated road map and then sticking to it.  Research reveals that many start-ups fail due to bad planning.  Organising business finances, inventory management, working towards dedicated schedules are all elements of good planning that ensure the smooth running of any business.

    Investing in the business

    For any business to succeed certain sacrifices need to be made.  Investing the necessary time and effort as well as financial capital is a prerequisite.  This may mean that you will need to tap into your personal savings and investments. 

    External sources of funding

    One of the main reasons that businesses fail is due to insufficient capital investment.  Often, it is not only banks that will give you a source of funding but, you may also need to rely on family members and friends to help you raise required funding.  Many businesses are funded in this manner.

    Can you keep yourself motivated?

    Managing a business can be extremely taxing and can often lead to periods of burnout.  Especially during times when your business appears to be going through a down cycle, it takes true grit and a steely determination to push forward to keep yourself motivated to stay in the game.

    Balancing your business and family responsibilities

    Running a business can have an impact on your family.  Working long hours can mean less time spent with your spouse and children and often, there are financial sacrifices that need to be made in getting your business off the ground.  This may impact your standard of living as well as your family relationships. 

    If you have honestly considered your responses to any of these points and you are comfortable with each one, then you are more than likely comfortable with the idea of becoming an entrepreneur.  If not, it is likely that the world of entrepreneurship may not be the right choice for you.

    How will you form your business?

    In South Africa, there are many ways to legally get your business up and running.  This largely depends upon a number of factors such as how many people are involved, future plans and personal risk factors. 

    If you register as a Sole Proprietor income is paid directly to you and other than meeting any tax requirements there are no messy statutory returns.  The drawback to this type of structure is that since the business is not a separate legal entity, you, as the owner, are liable for any debts accrued.  Should you pass away, the business will no longer exist.

    In a partnership, this structure allows for up to 20 partners sharing in on the overall responsibility, skills deployment as well as absorbing the liability of the business.  A partnership necessitates the requirement for a contract to be in place to formalise each partner’s contribution to the business, their responsibilities, what profit share they will be awarded, how disputes will be resolved, arrangements around death/disability insurance and what procedures will need to be followed if the partnership is dissolved or changed in some form. 

    (Pty) Ltd Company

    Forming a (Pty) Ltd company means that the business is a separate legal entity and all directors are protected from individual liability.  Shares can be made available to staff as a ‘Private Company’ or to the public as a ‘Limited’ company.  (Pty) Ltd companies must undergo an annual audit and this structure is best suited to those who eventually intend to list on the stock exchange or sell the business to a larger competitor. 

    Costs involved in starting a business

    Essentially, one needs to consider that funds will be required in terms of once-off start-up costs and thereafter at least six months funding will be needed for working capital.  It is wise to inflate estimated costs to cover any unanticipated expenses and include these in the overall business plan. If you are unsure of what your expenses may amount to, make every effort to determine what these projections are as part of your due diligence.  If necessary, enlist the services of a lawyer or an accountant who has experience in working with start-up operations.

    Cash flow management

    It goes without saying that failure to manage business cash flow is one of the leading causes of business failure.  While you may still generate profits, bankruptcy can happen if there is simply no cash flow.  A cash flow forecast will give you an idea of estimated funds flowing into and out of the business over a specific time period which will in turn enable you to establish budgets, set targets and monitor business performance. 

    New venture creation smme training

    10 Tips to get your business up and running

    1. Invest in the right advertising

    Once you have established the profile of your ideal customer and you have a good idea of who makes up your target audience don’t waste your time and money targeting those who are not interested in your products or services.  It is important to only advertise to those who would be interested in what you have to sell.  This will save you time and money and help you generate better quality leads.  Now that we are living in a fully-fledged digital world, and over 3 billion of the world’s population are connected to the Internet, consider your website as your ‘online office’.  Your target audience needs to know who you are, what you are selling and at what price.  Don’t waste valuable customer time with essays about the history of your business, people are simply not interested.  Your primary goal should be to create the ultimate customer experience.  Hence, your website needs to make things easier for people to find what they are looking for.   You need to give your customers every good reason to choose you over your competitors. 

    2. Invest in the right team

    One thing that you need to bear in mind at the outset is that you simply cannot do everything on your own.  There are times when you need to let go of the reins and delegate the work to members of your team.  It is important that you focus on what you do best and delegate the less important tasks to your staff.  But, having said that it is vitally important that you have employees that you can rely on and who can be trusted since your staff is a major element of your company reputation and image.  Your customers will judge you on the quality of work and the level of service that your staff delivers.   Having a good team means that you need to be selective as to who you hire and what they have to offer.  It is important that your staff fit into the overall culture of your business and that they can work well together in pursuit of company goals.  As the owner of the business, you also need to  maintain a balance between being the team leader and actually managing the team since at certain times you will need to take a firm control over problematic situations, yet, at other times you can hand over to your team.  This is where the competence and reliability of your staff really comes into the picture.  Essentially, your business should be able to effectively run in your absence.  This is when you know you have the right people on board. 

    3. Be poised to embrace change

    For your business to survive it needs to be flexible in the face of change.   Since, no matter which way you look at it, change is inevitable.  In fact, the only constant we can rely on in this world is change.  And it goes without saying that this is abundantly clear and true in light of recent changes ushered in by the ‘new normal’ that has come about as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.  Not to mention that technology is the single most important driver of change in the new era of the 4th Industrial Revolution.  Staying abreast of the latest technologies and trends relative to your industry and keeping up to date with those trends and technologies is critical to business survival.  Gearing up for change can be made easier if you are prepared for change.  Bear in mind also that as your business evolves, so do your customers and your target too markets will change.  Hence, it is vital to constantly analyse and monitor consumer behaviour trends. 

    4. Keep on networking

    The old adage: ‘it’s not what you know but who you know’ applies here.  Networking is a powerful tool that can lead to a whole host of new opportunities for your business.  Networking is also considered to be one of the most powerful marketing tactics for making new business connections, building new relationships and generating potential new business leads.  It is also a good way to improve your knowledge by learning from the successes as well as the mistakes of others. 

    5. Stay firm in the face of rejection

    Often, the answer is ‘no’ when clinching a potential deal.  For instance, with cold calling, only 2% out of every 100 calls made will result in an appointment or even a conversion.   The trick here is not to lose heart and let disappointment rule the day.  Things don’t always pan out the way we would like them to but there are always opportunities so stay firm.

    6. Remain confident in the face of insecurities

    It is completely normal to sometimes feel insecure when you are trying your utmost to run a successful business.  Yet, you need to maintain an air of confidence so that your customers have confidence in you and your business. 

    7. Focus on increasing customer service

    Customer service has to be the single most important aspect of any business and showing your customers that you are genuinely concerned about their needs and wants will help your business tremendously.  Since, among other things, making the needs of your customers a priority embeds trust and generates positive referrals. 

    8. Manage your business account responsibly

    Since growing your business requires dedicated resources, bear in mind that each time you draw from your business funds you are robbing your company of those precious resources.  While you deserve adequate compensation in the form of a salary, make reinvesting in your business a chief priority. 

    9. Seek out new markets

    While your current market may be serving you well, there are always new markets to explore.  Especially in the light of change, when one door closes new ones are always opening up, most likely along avenues that you never thought would be viable or even possible.  So, do your research and establish what other markets you could serve.

    10. You cannot please all of the people all of the time

    Another old adage that applies to our point of discussion is:  you cannot please all of the people all of the time.  This literally means that you simply cannot do everything and be all things to all people.  The trick here is to know what is beyond your control and to accept that there will always be situations beyond your reach.  What this really boils down to is that you have to know where best to focus your energies in order to obtain the best results. 

    Further Education and Training Certificate: New Venture Creation

    SAQA I.D. 66249
    NQF Level: NQF Level 04
    Credits: 149

    This is an accredited qualification

    Course duration:  30 contact days over 9 – 12 months

    What you will learn

    BOTI’s New Venture Creation Basics course will enable you to develop the appropriate knowledge and skills required in order to establish and develop a small to medium business venture, and address the administrative, economic and behavioural barriers that contribute to the success of starting the venture and ensuring that it is sustainable.

    Course outcomes

    Upon completion of this course you will be able to effectively:

    • Apply innovative thinking to the development of a small business
    • Apply the principles of costing and pricing to a business venture
    • Be able to demonstrate an understanding of an entrepreneurial profile
    • Competently demonstrate an understanding of the function of the market mechanisms pertaining to a new venture
    • Explain and apply the concept, principles and theories of motivation in a leadership context
    • Finance a new venture
    • Implement an appropriate action plan for a new venture
    • Manage the finances of a new venture
    • Manage the general administration of a new venture
    • Negotiate an agreement or deal in an authentic work situation
    • Plan strategically in order to improve new venture performance
    • Develop and produce business plans for a new venture
    • Research the viability of new venture ideas and opportunities
    • Implement and manage human resource and labour relations policies and acts
    • Accommodate the audience and context needs in respect of oral and signed communication
    • Interpret and use information from written text
    • Use correct language and communication in occupational learning programmes
    • Write, present and sign texts in respect of a range of communicative contexts
    • Apply knowledge of statistics and probability in order to critically interrogate and effectively communicate findings regarding life -related problems
    • Engage in sustained oral and signed communication and evaluate spoken and signed texts
    • Read, view, analyse and respond to a variety of texts
    • Represent, analyse and calculate shape and motion in 2-and 3- dimensional space within various different contexts
    • Use correct language and communication in occupational learning programmes
    • Apply mathematics to investigate and monitor the financial aspects of personal, business, national and international affairs
    • Write, present and sign for a wide range of contexts
    • Interpret basic financial statements
    • Motivate and build a team
    • Tender to secure business for a new venture

    Who is this course suitable for?

    This course is aimed at those who wish to start, operate, manage and grow a new small to medium business venture.

    Click here to book your seat on the course that will set you on the path of entrepreneurship.

    Artificial Intelligence short course in South Africa

    What exactly is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

    While the term Artificial Intelligence or AI has, in the past, usually been associated more with the realms of science fiction, this is no longer the case in the wake of the new era of the 4th Industrial Revolution.  Before we get into a discussion about the 4th Industrial Revolution as a whole, let us first examine exactly what is meant by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

    Artificial Intelligence (AI), which, on occasions, is also referred to as machine intelligence is the form of intelligence exhibited by machines and differs from the natural intelligence displayed by animals and humans.   The term Artificial Intelligence is also frequently used to describe machines or computers capable of mimicking the so-called cognitive functions that humans correlate with what the human mind can do such as creative problem solving and critical thinking and learning.

    For research and study purposes the field of Artificial Intelligence draws from many disciplines that include but are not limited to information engineering, computer science, psychology, mathematics, philosophy and linguistics.

    First founded as an academic discipline in 1955, the field of Artificial Intelligence rested on the assumption that human intelligence can be precisely described to the point that a machine can be designed to simulate it.  However, philosophical debates arise where it concerns the mind and the question of whether it is ethical to create artificial beings designed with human-like intelligence capabilities.  Such issues have been scrutinised by philosophy, myth and science fiction alike since time immemorial and certain individuals even consider AI to be potentially dangerous to humanity if given the opportunity to progress without taking all factors into consideration.  While others also hold that Artificial Intelligence will pose a very real threat as a risk to creating mass unemployment.

    AI techniques have therefore resurged in the wake of advanced computer technologies involving massive amounts of data.  Hence, AI techniques form an integral part of the evolution of technology and help to solve pressing problems in software engineering, operations research and computer science.

    How is Artificial Intelligence being used in South Africa?

    Recent research highlights the fact that pilot processes and numerous forms of experimentation with AI are already underway in South Africa.   Many South African businesses are increasingly showing more of a willingness to embrace AI technologies and are trying out new ways to explore and experiment with new AI technologies.

    It is encouraging to note that around 46%, that is nearly half of South African companies, are already in the process of piloting AI technologies within their organisations.  Many businesses are experimenting with the likes of technologies that include:

    • Roboting Process Automation
    • Chatbots
    • Advanced Analytics

    Machine Learning

    It is also interesting to note that trends reveal that around 67% or roughly two thirds of South African businesses currently highlight machine learning as the most useful form of AI technology closely flanked by biometrics and robotics.

    On the same trajectory, certain AI experts also pinpoint that it is not a mere lack of technical skills that inhibits the progress of the development of AI technologies, but, rather there is a greater need to establish a culture of experimentation in this field.  Lillian Barnard, MD of Microsoft South Africa believes that since AI is still in the infant stage of development in South Africa what is important is that South African businesses currently show a willingness to keep experimenting with new ways of using Artificial Intelligence capabilities.

    South Africa invests in Artificial Intelligence (AI)

    South Africa has made significant strides to invest in Artificial Intelligence technologies having invested US$ 1.6 billion over the past decade with the main portion of investment being channelled into social media and IoT followed by planning, optimisation and scheduling and smart mobile technologies.

    Future expectations on the Artificial Intelligence (AI) horizon

    It is estimated that approximately 96% of South African businesses anticipate significant financial benefits in the future by optimising their operations using AI technology solutions.

    Those companies surveyed cite that AI solutions are most used in terms of automation at 83% and prediction at 70%.  Cases in point involve a wide variety of applications ranging from increasing productivity levels to predicting consumer conversion rates.

    Even though South Africa currently has a high unemployment rate, the understanding of Artificial Intelligence is relatively low which, while the new technologies may be exciting, their existence inevitably translates into a fear of job loss among a large percentage of South Africans.

    In 2019, South Africa narrowly avoided the biggest banking strike in the country’s history when increased automation in the banking sector resulted in numerous job cuts.

    In the light of 4th Industrial Revolution technologies and the proliferation of Artificial Intelligence we are here concerned not so much with the phenomenon in itself, but rather as to how we position ourselves to deal with it in the next few years.

    Recent reports reveal that as early as 2021 or in light of recent events around COVID-19, these technologies are even more prolific with the advent of more people engaging in remote working and using technology to enforce the ‘new normal’ in a post Coronavirus world.  The following scenario is increasingly evident:

    • It is predicted that Artificial Intelligence assistants will handle a whopping 85% of all customer service queries.
    • More than 50% of businesses will invest more funds in developing bots and chatbots as opposed to traditional mobile applications.
    • 75% of customer credit engagements are managed via self-service portals and an Electronic Virtual Assistant deals with 80% of enquiries at only 10% of the cost of employing human agents.
    • In Africa, since leading industries are mostly labour-intensive, the risk of automation will leave hundreds of thousands of people without jobs. South Africa alone notes approximately 500 000 jobs in the mining industry that are prone to switching to a high level of automation.  And in white collar industries administrative workers are also at risk with the increasing adoption of Artificial Intelligence robotic automation processes.

    Changes to the South African business landscape brought about by the advent of 4th Industrial Revolution technologies

    Looking ahead, there is much to anticipate in terms of how 4th Industrial Revolution technologies will impact the South African business landscape.

    Customers

    Customers are at the heart of the economy and 4th Industrial Revolution technologies are driving how best to improve customer service delivery.

    Products

    Digital enhancements to products and services will increase their value and this combined with other innovations will also arise, resulting in more durable products.  Data and analytics will also alter how maintenance is handled.

    Innovation

    Similar to open source technologies, connectivity and innovation both enable and necessitate collaboration and partnership.  Machine learning, Artificial Intelligence, mobile computing and automation are no longer futuristic concepts but are now part of our everyday reality.  And even though union driven, labour intensive emerging markets like South Africa may be drawn towards taking the stance of resisting the proliferation of 4th Industrial Revolution technologies, increased globalisation and competition as well as increasing production efficiencies of the more established economies will give rise to slower economic growth, a reduction in foreign investment and increased unemployment rates.

    There is a delicate balance that therefore needs to be maintained which juggles the forceful yet strategic adoption of new technologies while seeing to it that the current and future workforce is sufficiently prepared to meet the demands of a rapidly changing business landscape.

    An experiment: Artificial Intelligence as human companion

    There is another angle of approach that is interesting to note and that is that humans and machines work well as partners to each other’s capabilities as opposed to one being more superior than the other.

    More than 4000 people participated in an experiment using an online game that involved groups of individuals being required to coordinate their activities in pursuit of a collective goal.  Human players interacted with anonymous bots that were programmed with three different levels of behavioural randomness, giving the bots the ability to sometimes deliberately make mistakes.  The bots were also placed in different parts of the game network.  It was found that not only did the inclusion of bots aid the performance of the human players but also proved to be invaluable when tasks increased in difficulty.  It was discovered that the inclusion of bots accelerated the median time for groups to solve problems by 55.6%.  Those individuals whose performance improved by working with the bots also influenced other human players to step up their performance.

    Augmented Intelligence

    Augmented intelligence, also known as intelligence augmentation (IA) or cognitive augmentation, proposes the idea that Artificial Intelligence is not a replacement of but rather a complement to human intelligence and is therefore about helping humans to become better, smarter and faster at performing tasks.  The idea here is to combine human and artificial intelligence to establish greater outcomes.  Like humans, Artificial Intelligence is also not perfect and is subject to errors or unintended outcomes caused by, among other things, incorrect interpretations of outcomes, bad data or bad domain models.  The proposition hence revolves around the fact that while Artificial Intelligence is superior in many ways, in many of its applications human supervision is nevertheless necessary.

    Train up on Artificial Intelligence for the 4th Industrial Revolution

    So, how do we educate ourselves around the impact of the advent of Artificial Intelligence as companion along with all the other 4th Industrial Revolution technologies?  While technical skills training is tantamount to success in any career, staying abreast of technological trends and developments and how to leverage these to ensure business survival will not only enable us to move forward with greater confidence but also help us to anticipate what comes next.

    Business Optimization Training Institute (BOTi) offers an extremely valuable short course on how to prepare for changes brought about by the advent of 4th Industrial Revolution technologies.  Click here to book your seat on this much needed short course packed with tremendous insights around what the world of work has in store for us all.   Keep reading for a brief introduction to this powerful short course.

    Course Introduction

    Prepare Yourself for the 4th Industrial Revolution. Don’t be left in the Dark Ages – Understand the impact and start making changes. Huge economic, societal and individual Impact. This is a powerful course that will move you forward with confidence.

    The world of work is a rapidly changing environment as the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) takes hold of society.  A recent research paper by Deloitte has revealed that, overall, executives around the world are in the early stages of readying their organizations to harness the full potential of the 4th Industrial Revolution. The question is: how do we as individuals and companies prepare and ready ourselves for the 4IR which is arriving sooner than we think?

    What does the 4th Industrial Revolution involve?

    The 4th Industrial Revolution has a broad signature across many different fields with technology breakthroughs in numerous disciplines including:

    • Fully autonomous vehicles
    • Robotics
    • The Internet of Things
    • Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT)
    • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
    • Fifth-generation wireless technologies (5G)
    • Additive manufacturing/3D printing

    The 4th Industrial Revolution is different from the previous three eras in that instead of being marked by technological advances, it is concerned rather with advances in communication and connectivity.  Such technologies hold the potential to further connect billions more people to the web and significantly enhance business and organizational efficiencies as well as helping to regenerate the environment using improved asset management techniques.

    Course Outline

    Delegates will be issued with the book, The Fourth Industrial Revolution – by Klaus Schwab, which will be supplemented by notes that add in a South African perspective.

    Areas covered in the course on the 4th Industrial Revolution, Industry 4.0 or 4IR include:

    • Introduction to The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4th Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0 or 4IR)
    • Events leading up to the 4th Industrial Revolution (historical context) and impact
    • Reasons for the 4IR: Megatrends, Digital, Physical, Biological, Point of no return
    • How the 4IR will impact: the economy, growth, type of work, business, collaboration and new ways of doing things
    • The international and South African effect of the 4th Industrial Revolution. Impact on governments, countries, regions and cities as well as security
    • How the 4th Industrial Revolution will shape society: Inequality and the Middle Class
    • The impact of the Revolutions on individuals
    • The impact of 4IR on universities, companies and organizations
    • Brainstorming a way forward.

    Course Duration

    2 days

    Who should attend

    This course is designed to bring managers and executives up to speed with the impact of 4th Industrial Revolution technologies on both the way we live and the way we work.

     

    How to Become ISO Certified In South Africa

     

    International standards are an important strategic tool that can help companies and business organizations to deal with some of their more pressing challenges. Most people already know that ISO can add tremendous benefits to their business but only a few know the best way to get ISO certification with maximum rewards and minimal investment. This article will guide you on how to become ISO certified in South Africa.

    What is ISO?

    ISO, an acronym for International Organization for Standardization, is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies. It is a non-governmental organization that comprises standards bodies from more than 160 countries.

    ISO is an independent, non-governmental, international organization that develops standards to ensure the quality, safety, and efficiency of products, services, and systems.

    In a global marketplace, checks and balances need to be in place. Otherwise, it would be difficult to maintain consistency and quality across industries and nations. International standards help to keep a level playing field, and one such organization is ISO.

    What is an ISO Certification?

    ISO certification certifies that a management system, manufacturing process, service, or documentation procedure has all the requirements for standardization and quality assurance.

    ISO standards exist in many areas of industry, from energy management and social responsibility to medical devices. ISO standards are in place to ensure consistency. Each certification has separate standards and criteria and is classified numerically.

    In South Africa, ISO certification provides companies operating in the country with the necessary frameworks and tools for improvement of quality, consistency in meeting clients’ requirements, and improvement in processes.  ISO certification is not a once-off process, instead it is an ongoing improvement.

    ISO Courses in South Africa

    There are several different ISO standards in South Africa. As every business organization has its own interesting needs and objectives at various phases of its business life cycle, it can sometimes be hard to understand which ISO standards are the most suitable for each business. However, we have experts who can find out the standards that are powerful and customized to every organization’s particular needs. Here are some of the ISO courses in South Africa that we handle:

    • ISO 27001: Information Security
    • ISO 27032: Cyber Security
    • ISO 27002: Training Courses & Certification that gives guidelines for the best Information Security management practices.
    • ISO 27005: Information Security Risk Management
    • ISO 27035: Incident Management Training Courses & Certification
    • ISO 9001: Quality Management
    • ISO 13485: Medical Devices Quality Management System
    • ISO 17025: Laboratory Management System (General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories)
    • ISO 20000: IT Service Management
    • ISO 45001: Training Courses & Certification on how to reduce workplace hazards, protect the safety, health, and welfare of the people engaged in your workplace.
    • ISO 22000: Food Safety Management System
    • ISO 18788: Security Operations Management System
    • ISO 20121: Event Sustainability Management System
    • ISO 50001: Energy Management System
    • ISO 14001: Training Courses & Certification on how to increase resource efficiency, reduce waste, and drive down costs.
    • ISO 37101: Management Systems for Sustainable Development in Communities
    • ISO 26000: Social Responsibilities
    • ISO 21001: Educational Organizations Management
    • ISO 20400: Guidelines for Sustainable Procurement

    While some standards are industry-specific, many of the most popular standards are generic and can be implemented into an organization no matter what sector it is in. However, if you are not certified to any ISO standards and are interested in certification, or want to add more, we have outlined the most popular ISO standards above.

    At BOTi, we represent considerable authority in the whole scope of ISO management framework certification standards. We have built ourselves among prominent ISO Consulting Services in South Africa.

    If you are not sure how you can obtain ISO Certification in South Africa for your organization, you are in safe hands.  We deliver one of the most comprehensive ISO Certification Consulting Services packages for organizations in planning, structuring, executing, monitoring, testing, developing, and reviewing their management system compliance.

    Some of the most important ISO certifications to consider include ISO 17025, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001.

    What Does ISO 17025 Mean?

    ISO 17025 is the international standard for testing and calibration laboratories. It was established to improve processes within laboratories – Laboratory Management System. ISO 17025 is a set of requirements those laboratories use to show that they operate a quality management system and that they’re technically competent to do the work that they do.

    In a nutshell, ISO 17025 is the single most important standard for calibration and testing laboratories all over the globe. Laboratory accreditation bodies use the ISO 17025 standard specifically to assess factors relevant to a laboratory’s ability to produce precise, accurate test and calibration data; including:

    • Traceability of measurements and calibrations to national standards
    • Technical competence of staff
    • Maintenance of test equipment
    • Quality assurance of test and calibration data
    • Validity and appropriateness of test methods
    • Appropriate handling and transportation of test items
    • Quality of testing environment and sampling

    The recent version of ISO 17025 is the ISO 17025:2017. ISO 17025 has two key clauses: Management Requirements which are associated with the performance and efficiency of the Quality Management System inside the laboratory, and Technical Requirements which focus on the competencies of employees, testing methodology, equipment, and the test and calibration results.

    Management Requirements

    Clause What it covers
    4.1 – Organisation Legal status

    Facilities (permanent, temporary or mobile)

    Responsibilities of key staff

    How confidential information is handled

    Management – structure; deputies; appointment of quality manager; supervision of staff

    4.2 – Management system Establishing, implementing and maintaining a QMS appropriate to the scope

    Issuing a quality manual and quality policy

    Commitment to professional practice and complying with the standard

    Staff familiarising themselves with the QMS

    Responsibility and authority of quality manager

    4.3 – Document control Procedures for:

    • Controlling all documents (internal and external) relating to the QMS – regulations, normative reference documents, drawings, specifications, instructions, manuals etc.
    • Approving and issuing documents (including maintaining a master list)
    • Changing/correcting documents
    4.4 – Reviewing requests, tenders, and contracts Policy and procedure for reviewing requests, tenders, and contracts
    4.5 – Subcontracting tests and calibrations Policy and procedure for subcontracting testing and calibration work
    4.6 – Purchasing services and supplies Policy and procedure for choosing and buying services and supplies that, when used, may affect the quality of tests and/or calibration
    4.7 – Service to the client Good communication and co-operation with clients

    Protecting clients’ confidentiality

    4.8 – Complaints Policy and procedure for recording and resolving complaints
    4.9 – Controlling non-conforming testing and/or calibration work Policy and procedure for dealing with non-conforming work or problems with the QMS, testing and/or calibration
    4.10 – Improvement Continually improving the QMS by using the quality policy, auditing, data analysis, corrective and preventive action, and management review
    4.11 – Corrective action Policy and procedure for taking corrective action when non-conforming work or faults in the QMS or technical operations have been identified
    4.12 – Preventive action Policy and procedure for identifying and taking preventive action
    4.13 – Controlling records Procedure for controlling records (identification, collection, indexing, access, filing, storage, maintenance and disposal of quality and technical records)
    4.14 – Internal audits Policy and procedure for conducting internal audits and implementing findings
    4.15 – Management reviews Procedure for management reviews of policies and procedures, audit findings, corrective and preventive action, customer feedback etc.

     

    Technical Requirement

    Clause What it covers
    5.1 – General Factors affecting results of testing or calibration
    5.2 – Personnel Ensuring all laboratory staff are properly skilled and qualified
    5.3 – Accommodation and environmental conditions Policy and procedure on monitoring, controlling and recording accommodation and environmental conditions so testing and calibration is done correctly
    5.4 – Test and calibration methods and method validation Policy and procedure for choosing methods of testing and calibration (which covers sampling, transport, storage, uncertainty, control of data etc.)
    5.5 – Equipment Policy and procedure for ensuring equipment used for testing and/or calibration is available, suitable and properly maintained
    5.6 – Measurement traceability Procedure for choosing, using, calibrating, checking and maintaining measurement standards, reference materials used as measurement standards, and equipment used for testing and calibration
    5.7 – Sampling Plan and procedure for sampling
    5.8 – Handling test and calibration items Policy and procedure for recording and resolving complaints
    5.9 – Assuring the quality of test and calibration results Procedure for monitoring the validity of testing and calibration
    5.10 – Reporting results Ensuring results of testing and calibration are reported clearly and objectively

     

    Why Is ISO 17025 Important?

    Becoming certified against ISO 17025 demonstrates your commitment to implement the requirements of this standard. As a certified professional, you will enable laboratories to demonstrate they operate competently, and can generate valid results. More so, you will be able to increase your job opportunities because there are many large laboratories and companies that will value your comprehensive knowledge as a professional in this field.

    Presently, many organizations have started to offer contracts only to certified professionals and laboratories, as the majority of customers prefer to receive services from certified labs, consequently, enabling you to maximize your earning potential. This means better job opportunities or profit for you.

    Here are other benefits you stand to enjoy when you become an ISO 17025 certified professional. You will be able to:

    • Improve your reputation
    • Create new business connections
    • Gain a competitive advantage
    • Increase laboratory effectiveness
    • Gain access to more contracts for testing and calibration
    • Offer proficiency in improving work processes
    • Offer more reliable and efficient lab testing and results
    • Achieve customer reliability

    As a customer, ISO 17025 accreditation helps you to minimize risk by ensuring that you are choosing a technically competent lab that has a sound quality system in place. This also allows you to avoid expensive retesting, which enhances your confidence in our product by assuring that it has been thoroughly evaluated by an independent, competent testing or calibration laboratory that has been assessed by a third party.

    Who Needs ISO 17025?

    Though ISO 17025 accreditation is not mandatory but voluntary, it is proof of global competence. Hence, all laboratories need it to implement a quality system. All laboratories that want formal and international recognition of testing competence need ISO 17025 accreditation.

    More so, ISO 17025 is necessary for individuals who want to understand the basic concepts of Laboratory Management Systems.

    How Do I Get ISO 17025 Certified?

    If you are willing to take the challenge of obtaining an ISO 17025 certification, you can acquire knowledge on Laboratory Management Systems through our ISO 17025 training courses today.

    Our experts will ensure a qualitative experience where your needs will be met, and you will become part of our global network family. Contact us to start with the first step. Here are the following certified ISO 17025 training courses available. Kindly check which one suits you best:

    ISO/IEC 17025 Introduction

    This one-day training course is specially made for:

    • Individuals who are interested in Testing and Calibration Laboratories Management.
    • Individuals seeking to gain knowledge about the main processes of Laboratory Management Systems.

    The training material for this course contains over 100 pages of information and practical examples.  It doesn’t require any examination. A participation certificate of 7 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits will be issued after the training. Click here to learn more about this course.

    ISO/IEC 17025 Foundation

    This two days training course is specially made for:

    • Individuals involved in Testing and Calibration Laboratories Management
    • Individuals seeking to gain knowledge about the main processes of Laboratory Management Systems (LMS)
    • Individuals who are interested to pursue a career in Laboratory Management.

    Course outline

    Day 1: Introduction to Laboratory Management System (LMS) concepts as required by ISO/IEC 17025

    Day 2: Laboratory Management System requirements and Certification Exam* (1 hr.).  The exam covers the following competency domains:

    Domain 1: Fundamental principles and concepts of a Laboratory Management System (LMS)

    Domain 2: Laboratory Management System (LMS)

    The training material for this course contains over 200 pages of information and practical examples.  A participation certificate of 14 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits will be issued after the training. Click here to learn more about this course.

    ISO/IEC 17025 Lead Implementer

    This five days training course is specially made for:

    • Individuals involved in Testing and Calibration Laboratories
    • Managers or consultants seeking to master the implementation of a Laboratory Management System
    • Laboratory technicians responsible for maintaining conformance with Testing and Calibration Laboratories Accreditation requirements
    • Individuals responsible for supporting the operations of a Testing and Calibration Laboratory
    • Technical experts seeking to prepare for Testing and Calibration Laboratories competence assessment.

    Course outline

    Day 1: Introduction to ISO/IEC 17025 and initiation of an LMS

    Day 2: Plan the implementation of an LMS

    Day 3: Implementation of an LMS

    Day 4: LMS monitoring, measurement, continuous improvement and preparation for accreditation

    Day 5: Certification Exam* (3 hrs.). The exam covers the following competency domains:

    Domain 1: Fundamental principles and concepts of a Laboratory Management System (LMS)

    Domain 2: Laboratory Management System (LMS)

    Domain 3: Planning an LMS based on ISO/IEC 17025

    Domain 4: Implementing a management system based on ISO/IEC 17025

    Domain 5: Performance evaluation, monitoring, and measurement of an LMS based on ISO/IEC 17025

    Domain 6: Continual improvement of an LMS based on ISO/IEC 17025

    Domain 7: Preparing for an accreditation.

    The training material for this course contains over 450 pages of information and practical examples.  A participation certificate of 31 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits will be issued after the training. Click here to learn more about this course.

    ISO/IEC 17025 Lead Assessor

    This five days training course is specially made for:

    • Individuals seeking to perform and lead an accreditation assessment of testing and calibration laboratories.
    • Managers or consultants seeking to master an ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation assessment
    • Laboratory technicians who are responsible for maintaining conformance to ISO/IEC 17025 requirements.
    • Technical experts seeking to prepare for testing, sampling and/or calibration laboratory accreditation assessment.

    Course outline

    Day 1: Introduction to Laboratory Management Systems (LMS) and ISO/IEC 17025

    Day 2: Principles, preparation, and launching of an assessment

    Day 3: On-site assessment activities

    Day 4: Closing the assessment

    Day 5: Certification Exam* (3 hrs.). The exam covers the following competency domains:

    Domain 1: Fundamental principles and concepts of a Laboratory Management System (LMS)

    Domain 2: Laboratory Management System (LMS)

    Domain 3: Fundamental concepts and principles of assessment

    Domain 4: Preparation of an ISO/IEC 17025 assessment

    Domain 5: Conducting an ISO/IEC 17025 assessment

    Domain 6: Closing an ISO/IEC 17025 assessment

    Domain 7: Managing an ISO/IEC 17025 internal audit program.

    The training material for this course contains over 450 pages of information and practical examples.  A participation certificate of 31 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits will be issued after the training. Click here to learn more about this course.

    *In case of exam failure, you can retake the exam within 12 months free of charge.

    What Does ISO 9001 Mean?

    ISO 9001 is the most popular family of ISO 9000. This standard details how to put a Quality Management System (QMS) in place to better prepare your organization to produce quality products and services. It is customer-focused and emphasizes continuous improvement and top management processes that extended throughout the organization.

    ISO 9001 defines the requirements for creating a quality management system (QMS). The QMS is a process approach for documenting procedures and responsibilities governing quality and control objectives to ensure continual improvement.

    Getting ISO 9001 Certification in South Africa is an objective to standardize companies to meet International Quality Standards by providing value-added services. Also, ISO 9001 certification helps to boost your business quality and the overall potential of the business.

    Benefits of ISO 9001

    By implementing ISO 9001, the certified professionals will help organizations to adopt continuous improvement practices and provide them with the essential techniques to ameliorate their working processes. As a result of increased efficiency, all the processes within the organization will be aligned accordingly and understood. Moreover, productivity will increase and costs will decrease.

    ISO 9001 experts enable organizations to identify and address organizational risks, and achieve customer satisfaction. They also enable organizations to increase their global presence as many clients require ISO 9001 certified experts before conducting business.

    By becoming an ISO 9001 certified professional, you will be able to:

    • Gain expertise in Quality Management Systems
    • Help the organization to offer qualitative products and services
    • Help the organization to reduce costs
    • Gain a competitive advantage
    • Increase effectiveness
    • Assist the organization to focus on risk-based thinking
    • Contribute to the organization’s continuous improvement
    • Improve performance
    • Streamline organizational operations
    • Increase the efficiency of the supply chain management

    At BOTi, we provide one of the most comprehensive training courses for ISO Certification Services in South Africa to help the company plan, design, implement, monitor, improve, and enhance their quality management system.

    What Is The Difference Between ISO 17025 And ISO 9001?

    In many ways, the difference between ISO 17025 and ISO 9001 is due to the applicability of the standards. For instance, ISO 9001 applies to all types of companies in all industries, whereas ISO 17025 is only applicable to testing and calibration laboratories.

    There are some minimum set of QMS requirements that are needed for the ISO 17025 standard, which are similar to those found in ISO 9001. These are:

    • Improvement
    • Management reviews
    • Management system documents control
    • Documentation of management system
    • Corrective actions
    • Handling risks and opportunities
    • Records control
    • Internal audits

    How Do I Get ISO 9001 Certified?

    If you are willing to take the challenge of obtaining an ISO 9001 certification, you can acquire knowledge on Quality Management Systems through our ISO 9001 training courses today.

    Our experts will ensure a qualitative experience where your needs will be met, and you will become part of our global network family. Contact us to start with the first step. Here are the following certified ISO 9001 training courses available. Kindly check which one suits you best:

    ISO 9001 Introduction

    This one-day training course is specially made for:

    • Individuals who are interested in Quality Management.
    • Individuals seeking to gain knowledge about the main processes of Quality Management Systems.

    The training material for this course contains over 100 pages of information and practical examples.  It doesn’t require any examination. A participation certificate of 7 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits will be issued after the training. Click here to learn more about this course.

    Certified ISO 9001 Foundation

    This two days training course is specially made for:

    • Individuals involved in Quality Management
    • Individuals seeking to gain knowledge about the main processes of Quality Management Systems (QMS)
    • Individuals who are interested to pursue a career in Quality Management.

    Course outline

    Day 1: Introduction to Quality Management System (QMS) concepts as required by ISO 9001

    Day 2: Quality Management System requirements and Certification Exam* (1 hr.).  The exam covers the following competency domains:

    Domain 1: Domain 1: Fundamental principles and concepts of a Quality Management System (QMS)

    Domain 2: Quality Management System (QMS)

    The training material for this course contains over 200 pages of information and practical examples.  A participation certificate of 14 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits will be issued after the training. Click here to learn more about this course.

    Certified ISO 9001 Lead Implementer

    This five days training course is specially made for:

    • Managers or consultants involved in Quality Management
    • Expert advisors seeking to master the implementation of a Quality Management System
    • Individuals responsible for maintaining conformance with QMS requirements
    • QMS team members.

    Course outline

    Day 1: Introduction to ISO 9001 and initiation of a QMS

    Day 2: Plan the implementation of a QMS

    Day 3: Implementation of a QMS

    Day 4: QMS monitoring, measurement, continuous improvement and preparation for a certification audit

    Day 5: Certification Exam* (3 hrs.). The exam covers the following competency domains:

    Domain 1: Fundamental principles and concepts of a Quality Management System (QMS)

    Domain 2: Quality Management System (QMS)

    Domain 3: Planning a QMS implementation based on ISO 9001

    Domain 4: Implementing a QMS based on ISO 9001

    Domain 5: Performance evaluation, monitoring, and measurement of a QMS based on ISO 9001

    Domain 6: Continual improvement of a QMS based on ISO 9001

    Domain 7: Preparing for a QMS certification audit.

    The training material for this course contains over 450 pages of information and practical examples.  A participation certificate of 31 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits will be issued after the training. Click here to learn more about this course.

    Certified ISO 9001 Lead Auditor

    This five days training course is specially made for:

    • Auditors seeking to perform and lead Quality Management System (QMS) certification audits
    • Managers or consultants seeking to master a Quality Management System audit process
    • Individuals responsible for maintaining conformance with QMS requirements
    • Technical experts seeking to prepare for a Quality Management System audit
    • Expert advisors in Quality Management

    Course outline

    Day 1: Introduction to Quality Management Systems (QMS) and ISO 9001

    Day 2: Audit principles, preparation, and launching of an audit

    Day 3: On-site audit activities

    Day 4: Closing the audit

    Day 5: Certification Exam* (3 hrs.). The exam covers the following competency domains:

    Domain 1: Fundamental principles and concepts of a Quality Management System (QMS)

    Domain 2: Quality Management Systems (QMS)

    Domain 3: Fundamental audit concepts and principles

    Domain 4: Preparation of an ISO 9001 audit

    Domain 5: Conducting an ISO 9001 audit

    Domain 6: Closing an ISO 9001 audit

    Domain 7: Managing an ISO 9001 audit program.

    The training material for this course contains over 450 pages of information and practical examples.  A participation certificate of 31 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits will be issued after the training. Click here to learn more about this course.

    Certified ISO 9001:2015 Transition

    This two days training course is specially made for:

    • Managers, trainers and/or consultants involved in an ISO 9001:2015 QMS transition
    • Individuals responsible for planning and implementing an ISO 9001:2015 transition
    • Auditors seeking to perform the ISO 9001:2015 transition certification.

    Course outline

    Day 1: Introduction to ISO 9001:2015

    Day 2: Transition from ISO 9001:2008 to ISO 9001:2015

    The certification Exam* (2 hrs.) covers the following competency domains:

    Domain 1: Fundamental principles and concepts of ISO 9001:2015

    Domain 2: Understand the differences between ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 9001:2015

    Domain 3: Understand how to apply the new High-Level Structure to an existing QMS

    Domain 4: Understand, interpret and plan the implementation of ISO 9001:2015 changes

    Domain 5: Plan and carry out the QMS transition based on ISO 9001:2015

    Domain 6: Continual improvement of a QMS based on ISO 9001:2015

    The training material for this course contains over 120 pages of information and practical examples.  A participation certificate of 14 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits will be issued after the training. Click here to learn more about this course.

    *In case of exam failure, you can retake the exam within 12 months free of charge.

    What Does ISO 14001 Mean?

    ISO 14001 is a standard relating to the environment. It also includes multiple standards, similar to ISO 9000. ISO 14001:2015 establishes requirements for an Environmental Management System (EMS) and is based on the continuous improvement model PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act). It is a voluntary standard, put in place by companies who want to improve their processes.

    In a nutshell, ISO 14001 is the international standard that specifies requirements for an effective environmental management system (EMS). It provides a framework that organizations can follow, rather than establishing environmental performance requirements.

    When Did ISO 14001 Start?

    The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) created the ISO 14000 family of standards, which include ISO 14001, in 1996. However, ISO 14001 underwent its first revision in 2004 and the current revision of ISO 14001 was published in September 2015.

    Who Needs ISO 14001?

    ISO 14001:2015 should be used by any organization that wishes to set up, improve, or maintain an environmental management system to conform to its established environmental policy and requirements.

    The requirements of the standard can be incorporated into any environmental management system, the extent to which is determined by several factors including the organization’s industry, environmental policy, products and service offerings, and location.

    ISO 14001:2015 is relevant to all organizations, regardless of size, location, sector, or industry.

    What Are The Benefits Of ISO 14001:2015?

    Using ISO 14001:2015 has many benefits for organizations with environmental management systems. Organizations and companies find that using the standard helps them to:

    • Improve resource efficiency
    • Reduce waste
    • Drive down costs
    • Have an assurance that environmental impact is being measured
    • Gain a competitive advantage in supply chain design
    • Increase new business opportunities
    • Meet legal obligations
    • Increase stakeholder and customer trust
    • Improve overall environmental impact
    • Manage environmental obligations with consistency

    As an individual, obtaining an ISO 14001 certification will enable you to:

    • Improve your career opportunities in the Environmental industry
    • Minimize environmental impact
    • Increase environmental awareness within the organization
    • Reduce the organization’s costs and waste production
    • Enhance the organization’s profile and integrity
    • Increase the profits

    How Do I Get ISO 14001 Certified?

    If you are willing to take the challenge of obtaining an ISO 14001 certification, you can acquire knowledge on Laboratory Management Systems through our ISO 14001 training courses today.

    Our experts will ensure a qualitative experience where your needs will be met, and you will become part of our global network family. Contact us to start with the first step. Here are the following certified ISO 14001 training courses available. Kindly check which one suits you best:

    ISO 14001 Introduction

    This one-day training course is specially made for:

    • Individuals who are interested in Environmental Management
    • Individuals seeking to gain knowledge about the main processes of Environmental Management Systems (EMS).

    The course contains “Introduction to Environmental Management System (EMS) concepts as required by ISO 14001.” The training material for this course contains over 100 pages of information and practical examples.  It doesn’t require any examination. A participation certificate of 7 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits will be issued after the training. Click here to learn more about this course.

    Certified ISO 14001 Foundation

    This two days training course is specially made for:

    • Individuals involved in Environmental Management
    • Individuals seeking to gain knowledge about the main processes of Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
    • Individuals who are interested to pursue a career in Environmental Management.

    Course outline

    Day 1: Introduction to Environmental Management System (EMS) concepts as required by ISO 14001

    Day 2: Environmental Management System requirements and Certification Exam* (1 hr.).  The exam covers the following competency domains:

    Domain 1: Fundamental principles and concepts of an Environmental Management System (EMS)

    Domain 2: Environmental Management System (EMS)

    The training material for this course contains over 200 pages of information and practical examples.  A participation certificate of 14 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits will be issued after the training. Click here to learn more about this course.

    Certified ISO 14001 Lead Implementer

    This five days training course is specially made for:

    • Managers or consultants involved in Environmental Management
    • Expert advisors seeking to master the implementation of an Environmental Management System
    • Individuals responsible for maintaining conformance with EMS requirements
    • EMS team members.

    Course outline

    Day 1: Introduction to ISO 14001 and initiation of an EMS

    Day 2: Plan the implementation of an EMS

    Day 3: Implementation of an EMS

    Day 4: EMS monitoring, measurement, continuous improvement and preparation for a certification audit

    Day 5: Certification Exam* (3 hrs.). The exam covers the following competency domains:

    Domain 1: Fundamental principles and concepts of an Environmental Management System (QMS)

    Domain 2: Environmental Management System (QMS)

    Domain 3: Planning an EMS implementation based on ISO 14001

    Domain 4: Implementing an EMS based on ISO 14001

    Domain 5: Performance evaluation, monitoring, and measurement of an EMS based on ISO 14001

    Domain 6: Continual improvement of an EMS based on ISO 14001

    Domain 7: Preparing for an ESMS certification audit.

    The training material for this course contains over 450 pages of information and practical examples.  A participation certificate of 31 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits will be issued after the training. Click here to learn more about this course.

    Certified ISO 14001 Lead Auditor

    This five days training course is specially made for:

    • Auditors seeking to perform and lead Environmental Management System (EMS) certification audits
    • Managers or consultants seeking to master an Environmental Management System audit process
    • Individuals responsible for maintaining conformance with EMS requirements
    • Technical experts seeking to prepare for an Environmental Management System audit
    • Expert advisors in Environmental Management

    Course outline

    Day 1: Introduction to Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and ISO 14001

    Day 2 Audit principles, preparation, and launching of an audit

    Day 3 On-site audit activities

    Day 4 Closing the audit

    Day 5: Certification Exam* (3 hrs.). The exam covers the following competency domains:

    Domain 1: Fundamental principles and concepts of an Environmental Management System (EMS)

    Domain 2: Environmental Management System (EMS)

    Domain 3: Fundamental audit concepts and principles

    Domain 4: Preparation of an ISO 14001 audit

    Domain 5: Conducting an ISO 14001 audit

    Domain 6: Closing an ISO 14001 audit

    Domain 7: Managing an ISO 14001 audit program.

    The training material for this course contains over 450 pages of information and practical examples.  A participation certificate of 31 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits will be issued after the training. Click here to learn more about this course.

    Certified ISO 14001:2015 Transition

    This two days training course is specially made for:

    • Managers, trainers and/or consultants involved in an ISO 14001:2015 EMS transition
    • Individuals responsible for planning and implementing an ISO 14001:2015 transition
    • Auditors seeking to perform the ISO 14001:2015 transition certification.

    Course outline

    Day 1: Introduction to ISO 14001:2015

    Day 2: Transition from ISO 14001:2004 to ISO 14001:2015

    The certification Exam* (2 hrs.) covers the following competency domains:

    Domain 1: Fundamental principles and concepts of ISO 14001:2015

    Domain 2: Understand the difference between ISO 14001:2004 and ISO 14001:2015

    Domain 3: Understand how to apply the new High-Level Structure to an existing EMS

    Domain 4: Understand, interpret and plan the implementation of ISO 14001:2015 changes

    Domain 5: Plan and carry out the EMS transition based on ISO 14001:2015

    Domain 6: Continual Improvement of an EMS based on ISO 14001:2015

    The training material for this course contains over 120 pages of information and practical examples.  A participation certificate of 14 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits will be issued after the training. Click here to learn more about this course.

    *In case of exam failure, you can retake the exam within 12 months free of charge.

    Conclusion

    Are you planning to become ISO certified in South Africa, our ISO training courses is your best step to achieving your dream. Our qualified ISO lead auditors are ready to offer you practical advice about the best approach to take for implementing an ISO Certification project and discuss different options to suit your budget and business needs.

    For more information on how to become ISO certified in South Africa, kindly contact us or send us an email on [email protected]. One of our professional staff will get back to you as soon as possible.

    10 Reasons Why Training Legislation in South Africa Is Important

    Skills development training is considered an important pillar for economic growth, stability, and success in South Africa. That is why training legislation was created in South Africa to oversee and coordinate the affairs of skills development training in the country.

    Training legislation has been around since the mid-90s and is often considered as one of the many tax laws. However, training legislation is very important and offers lots of opportunities that are being overlooked by several employers.

    Therefore, this article is specially curated to provide everything you need to know about training legislation in South Africa, especially the Skills Development Act. This article sheds more light on the key aspects and importance of training legislation, which includes the opportunities it offers.

    What is the Legislative Framework for training and development in South Africa?

    The main purpose of the legislative framework for training and development in South Africa is to control, fund, and oversee the improvement of skills levels in South Africa in a structured way. A second broad goal is to regulate the standard of education/training. For these purposes, a National Qualification Framework (or “NQF”) was established.

    The NQF is a framework that classifies the levels of occupational qualifications. It is designed so that people can choose from various options how they qualify for a career, and also carry training and experience over those qualifications. NQF also gives people a chance of obtaining recognized qualifications in education and employment.

    The following legislative frameworks were created at different times to manage the training and development programs in South Africa:

    • South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) Act (Act 58 of 1995),
    • Basic Conditions of Employment Act (Act 75 of 1997 as amended Act 11 of 2002),
    • Skills Development Act (Act 97 of 1998 as amended Act 37 of 2008),
    • The Skills Development Levies Act (Act 9 of 1999), and
    • The BBEEE (Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment) Act (Act 53 of 2003).

    You might also enjoy this article:  Skills Development in South Africa

    South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) Act (Act 58 of 1995)

    This framework was created to provide for the development and implementation of a National Qualifications Framework and for this purpose to establish the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and to provide for matters connected therewith.

    Basic Conditions of Employment Act (Act 75 of 1997 as amended Act 11 of 2002)

    This framework mainly deals with the conditions for employment in South Africa as regards the relationship between the employee and the employer. This Act was made to correct the exploitation and abuse of labourers in the domestic sector and to protect their rights, which are infringed upon by their employers.

    The BBEEE (Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment) Act (Act 53 of 2003)

    The Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Act provides the legislative framework for Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment in South Africa. Its main purpose is to address the legacy of apartheid and promote the economic participation of black people in the South African economy.

    Skills Development Act (Act 97 of 1998 as amended Act 37 of 2008)

    This framework was aimed at improving the skills of workers by promoting education and training in the workplace. The Act also saw to the establishment of Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).

    The Skills Development Levies Act (Act 9 of 1999)

    The Skills Development Levies Act of 1999 is in support of the Skills Development Act. It was created to fund the skills development initiative in South Africa by ensuring that private companies also contribute to the development of skills development in South Africa.

    The Role of SETA

    Skills development training, referred to as learnership, is managed by the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs). There are 21 of these SETAs and they all manage and oversee the registration of learnerships to meet the needs of skills development training across the sectors. These bodies also set out the basic requirements for the applicable learnership program.

    Did you know that from time to time Services SETA awards Discretionary Grant Funding?  Get in touch with us now to find out how to apply.  Call us direct on 011 882 8853.

    Skills Development Act

    Of all the legislative frameworks, the Skills Development Act is the most recent and the most concerned with skills training and development. The Act was created when the South African government realized that the short supply of skilled personnel is a serious obstacle to the competitiveness of industries.

    The Skills Development Act was promulgated by the South African government in 1998 during the high levels of unemployment, low levels of investment in the South African labour market, pronounced disparities in income distribution and inequality of opportunity as a result of apartheid and poverty. The Act was made to support the further development of skills within the South African workforce. The Act encourages firms and places of work to become active learning environments and make provisions for ongoing education and skills development.

    Through this Act, the government aimed to address two main priorities, which are:

    • The need to improve skills and increase productivity to compete successfully in the global economy, and
    • The need to reverse apartheid imbalances and to create a more inclusive and cohesive society.

    The Skills Development Act aims at expanding the knowledge and competencies of the labor force to improve employment and productivity.

    The aims of the Skills Development Act are:

    • To develop the skills of the South African workforce. To improve the quality of life of workers, their prospects of work, and their labour mobility. To improve productivity in the workplace and the competitiveness of employers. To promote self-employment. To improve the delivery of social services.
    • To increase the levels of investment in education and training in the labour market and to increase the return on that investment.
    • To encourage employers. To use the workplace as an active learning environment. To provide employees with opportunities to acquire new skills. To provide opportunities for new entrants to the labour market to gain work experience. To employ persons who find it difficult to be employed.
    • To encourage workers to participate in learning programs.
    • To improve the employment prospects of persons previously disadvantaged by unfair discrimination and to redress those disadvantages through training and education.
    • To ensure the quality of learning in and for the workplace.
    • To promote self-employment. To assist job seekers to find work, retrenched workers to re-enter the labour market, and employers to find qualified employees.
    • To provide and regulate employment services.

    It was hoped that the Act would help in addressing the issue of shortage of skills that the country was facing at the time.

    It was expected that increased investment in skills development via the Skills Development Act would translate into greater returns on investment (ROI) for employers, while simultaneously generating a more competent workforce with improved future employment prospects.

    Through providing access to further training and education in a controlled environment, the Skills Development Act sought to empower employees while enticing employers to participate with promises of increased profits.

    The aims of the Act are to be achieved by establishing an institutional and financial framework called the National Skills Development Strategy. This is a framework for skills improvement created to:

    • Provide for the participation of the government, organized business, and organized labour.
    • Encourage good quality training in the workplace
    • Indicate how Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAS) should use the money allocated for the skills development levy.

    This framework led to the establishment of different institutions, which included the National Skills Authority (NSA), the National Skills Fund (NSF), the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), and institutions in the Department of Labour.

    Don’t wait to improve your skills.  Call us now on 011 882 8853.  Our expert Consultants will guide you to get the best out of your skills development journey.

    The National Skills Authority (NSA)

    The Act established the National Skills Authority on 12 April 1999. The functions of the NSA are to advise the Minister of Labour on the formulation of the national skills development policy and strategy, and on guidelines to implement the national skills development strategy. It also advises the Minister on the allocation of subsidies from the National Skills Fund (NSF). It reports to the Minister on the progress made in the implementation of the strategy. The NSA has to conduct investigations on any matter that arises out of the application of the Act. The NSA also liaises with the SETAs and reports progress on the implementation of skills plans to the Minister.

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    The National Skills Fund (NSF)

    The National Skills Fund (NSF) funds projects that have been identified in the national skills development strategy as priority or other projects the Director-General sees as necessary to the achievement of the purposes of the Act.

    Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs)

    SETAs have the function to monitor the quality of education and training in their sectors. They have to liaise with Employment Services, the NSA, and the provinces. A SETA must develop and implement a sector skills plan, within the national skills development strategy, by establishing sector workplace skills plans by means of the skills development grants. It has to promote learnerships by identifying workplaces for practical work experiences.

    One of the functions of a SETA is to establish a learnership that has a structured learning program and a practical work experience of a specified nature and duration. The learnership must lead to a qualification that is recognized by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). A SETA has to report to the Director-General of the Department of Labour on the implementation of its sector skills plans and its income and expenditure. The SETAs are financed for the levies collected from its sector and monies paid to it form the National Skills Fund.

    While the Skills Development Act of 1998 as well as the Skills Development Levy Act of 1999 set the bar for focused skills development programs, SETAs were implemented to monitor skills development efforts and ensure that energies spent were in line with the overall Sector Skills Plans.

    The Skills Development Levies Act (Act 9 of 1999)

    The Skills Development Levies Act of 1999 was launched to oversee the collection, administration, disbursement, and regulation of the monies in the Fund. This Act sees to it that there is money available to pay for the training of people as is stipulated by the Skills Development Act. This Act makes skills development training affordable.

    The Skills Development Levies Act provides ways of making training affordable by:

    • Implementing payment of skills levies
    • Implementing payment of grants
    • Requiring the appointment of Skills Development Facilitators (SDFs)
    • Requiring Workplace Skills Plans (WSPs)
    • Requiring Annual Training Reports (ATRs)

    This Act ensures that all employers in South Africa who are registered with the South African Revenue Services (SARS) and have an annual payroll of over R500,000 have to pay the skills development levy, which is usually 1% of the payroll, to the South African Revenue Services (SARS). SARS refers to this payment as the “leviable amount” and also gives clear guidelines on what amounts are included or excluded from the skills development levy.

    However, not all organizations must pay the skills development levy (SDL). Some employers are exempted from paying a levy based on the following:

    • Companies whose annual payroll does not exceed R500,000,
    • Public Service Employers (PSEs) in national and provincial governments. Rather than paying to SARS, these employers must earmark 1% of their payroll for the training and education of their employees;
    • National and provincial entities if 80% or more of their expenditure is paid from funds voted by Parliament. Rather than paying to SARS, these employers must earmark 1% of their payroll for the training and education of their employees;
    • Any municipality that received a certificate of exemption from the Minister of Labour.

    Application for an SDL exemption is contained in the SDL 101 form issued by the Commissioner of SARS. The Commissioner will finally decide whether an employer is qualified for an SDL exemption or not.

    If a company is not exempted but fails to pay the SDL or any portion of the SDL at the appropriate time, which is not later than seven days after the end of every month, the company has defaulted and has to pay:

    • Interest on the outstanding amount; and
    • A penalty of ten percent (10%) of the unpaid amount.

    The levies paid by companies to SARS are deposited into a special fund from where 20% goes to the National Skills Fund, who will fund skills development projects that are not within the scope of the SETAs. The remaining 80% will be distributed to the relevant institutions and SETAs as follows:

    • 10% for organizational expenses of the SETA.
    • 50% as grants to businesses for providing workplace skills development training (learnership), and for planning and implementation of reports by SETA.
    • 20% goes to the SETAs that are responsible for providing learnerships and other skills.

    If an organization is training employees already, such an organization must still pay the SDL. However, such an organization may be eligible for a grant. In the first year of the levy grant scheme, an organization can recover in grants a minimum of 50% of the SDL paid as long as it meets all the requirements for the different grants. The details of these requirements are issued by the appropriate SETA.

    Originally the Skills Development Levies Act distinguished two types of grants to be paid to employers – the mandatory grants and the discretionary grants. Therefore, companies that pay their SDL can enjoy discretionary grants up from 10% to 20% and mandatory grants down from 60% to 50%. In total, a company can recover in grants up to 70% of the SDL paid.

    You might enjoy this article:  Why Learnerships are important

    The Requirement of Mandatory Training in South Africa

    Foremost all business organizations in South Africa must register with SARS. Business organizations that are interested in the mandatory training in South Africa must be registered and accredited as a workplace training provider with the appropriate Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) in charge of the training.

    Here are the requirements to become a SETA-accredited training provider:

    • The program (and/or assessments) offered by the education and training provider must culminate in unit standards and/or qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
    • The curriculum (design, content, and learning materials) must align with the unit standards and/or qualifications.
    • There must be suitable and qualified staff as well as facilitators and registered assessors.
    • The learners should have access to adequate learning support services.
    • The assessment methods and tools used to measure the requirements for the unit standard and/or qualification should be fair, valid, and reliable, and should be used to enhance learning.
    • Must select and recruit learners for the learnership program.
    • Must provide all the necessary skills, training, mentorship, supervision, and work experience needed by the learners for the particular learnership program.
    • Must allow the learner to attend appropriate and useful training.
    • Must ensure that the learner is easily assessable by any registered learnership evaluator.

    10 Benefits of the Skills Development Act

    The Skills Development Act was promulgated in response to the demand for equity and the need to redress the imbalances created by apartheid. It came into being to deal with the lack of skills amongst the unemployed people that made it hard for them to get employment. The Skills Development Act became an integral part of the national skills development strategy aimed to develop the skills of existing workers.

    The Skills Development Act offers the following benefits:

    1. It enhances improvement in productivity in the workplace
    2. It enhances improvement in the quality of life of workers
    3. It encourages ongoing skills and development, learning, and the acquisition of new skills and work experience
    4. It improves labour mobility, promotes self-employment, improves the delivery of social service, and quality of life.
    5. It encourages employers to use the workplace as an active learning environment, it provides employees with the opportunities to acquire new skills, it provides opportunities to new entrants to the labour market to gain experience, and it employs persons who find it difficult to be employed.
    6. It encourages workers to participate in learnership programs and other training programs
    7. It improves the employment prospects of those previously disadvantaged by unfair discrimination and redresses the disadvantages through training and education.
    8. It assists work/job seekers to find work, it assists retrenched workers to re-enter the labour market, and helps employers to find qualified employees.
    9. It ensures the quality of education and training in and for the workplace.
    10. It provides and regulates employment within the country.

    Don’t wait to improve your skills.  Call us now on 011 882 8853.  Our expert Consultants will guide you to get the best out of your skills development journey.

    The Negative Impact of Skills Development Act

    Despite its many benefits, the Skills Development Act also has some negative impacts on the nation. Here are some of the negative impacts of the Skills Development Act.

    1. The Skills Development Act is bureaucratic and requires a large amount of paperwork and administration. The Skills Development Act can sometimes take long procedures.
    2. The Skills Development Act, as well as other laws and Acts, are very difficult to monitor and control.
    3. Employees are often forced to do training.
    4. While employees are being trained, their workload and deadlines remain.
    5. Permanent employees can become unsettled when learnership workers outperform them in the workplace
    6. Specialist positions must be created in the business to drive the skills development program.
    7. Extra administrative resources are required for data-capturing
    8. Incentives are only paid to employers when they employ people from designated groups
    9. Learnership workers require lots of coaching and mentoring.
    10. Negative effect on concentration. When the employees work consistently on their tasks, they do not lose volumes of work. But sometimes they work and do training together, thereby, losing their productivity and concentration as well.

    Conclusion

    This training legislation in South Africa affords all key stakeholders the platform and opportunity to participate in a meaningful way in the rebuilding of South Africa. Through this training legislation, a positive transformation can be made in the business sector.

    Understanding BBBEE Skills Development

    Did you know that Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) has the potential to address inequality, create a better life, and boost economic growth and development through skills development?

    This article provides an in-depth understanding of what BBBEE is, including the BBBEE Act, BBBEE skills development, BBBEE skills development training, and BBBEE skills development strategy. Read on.

     

    What is BBBEE?

    BBBEE is an acronym for Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment. It’s a form of economic empowerment introduced by the South African government to eliminate inequality and distribute wealth equally to all South Africans who were previously disadvantaged.

    BBBEE is a program borne out of the effort of the South African Government to educate, train, and give a better life to a larger percentage of South Africa’s population that was previously disadvantaged under the apartheid rule.

    In a nutshell, BBBEE can be defined as a South African government authorized tool for unlocking funds for empowering broad-based community “upliftment.*”

    *Upliftment, mostly used in South Africa, is the process of raising the education level and economic status of disadvantaged groups.

    BBBEE is implemented to help many black people who have been disadvantaged by the legacy of the apartheid systems and inequitable educational practices. The program aims at accelerating the participation of black people in the economy by encouraging positive changes.

    When properly executed, BBBEE is capable of supporting job creation and global competitiveness, and boosting economic growth through skills development.  BBBEE creates a more skilled workforce by reducing the burden on entrepreneurs.

    BBBEE Act

    The BBBEE Act is the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003. It provides the legislative framework for the BBBEE program in South Africa.

    The main purpose of the BBBEE Act is to address the legacy of apartheid in South Africa and promote the economic participation of Black People in the South African economy.

    The BBBEE Act is a powerful expression of the policy enacted by the South African government to actively promote and implement BBBEE.

    In terms of the BBBEE Act, it’s a criminal offence for a person to intentionally:

    • Misrepresent or attempt to misrepresent a firm’s BBBEE status,
    • Provide false information or misrepresent information to a BBBEE verification professional to secure a certain BBBEE status or benefit,
    • Provide false information or misrepresent information relevant to assessing BBBEE status to an organ of state or public entity,
    • Engage in a “fronting practice*.”

    *Fronting practice is a transaction, arrangement, or other act/conduct that directly or indirectly frustrates or undermines the achievement of the objectives of the BBBEE Act or the implementation of any of the provisions of the BBBEE Act.

    An individual who is found guilty will pay a fine and/or be subjected to up to 10 years’ imprisonment. A firm that is found guilty may be fined up to 10 percent of its annual turnover.

    A convicted individual, as well as his/her directors and shareholders (in certain situations), is banned from transacting with the Government and public entities for 10 years from the date of conviction.

    A BBBEE verification officer, a procurement officer of a governmental body, or a procurement officer of a public entity who becomes aware of such a criminal offence but fails to report it is considered guilty of a criminal offence and is liable to pay a fine and/or be subjected to up to 12 months’ imprisonment.

    The BBBEE Act also:

    • Introduces a statutory right for the Government and public entities to cancel any contract or “authorization” awarded due to “knowingly” furnished false information on a firm’s BBBEE status;
    • Imposes an absolute obligation on Government and public entities to apply the BBBEE Codes in their procurement policies and qualification criteria for licenses and authorizations, and for entering public-private partnerships;
    • Imposes an obligation on entities listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange to report to the Commission on their compliance with BBBEE.

    BBBEE Scorecard

    The BBBEE program is measured through the BBBEE Scorecard. The BBBEE Scorecard system is made up of seven elements namely:

    • Ownership,
    • Management and control,
    • Employment equity,
    • Skills development,
    • Preferential procurement,
    • Enterprise development, and
    • Socio-economic development.

    Each element has certain weighing points assigned to it. For instance

    BBBEE Element Maximum Number of Weighting Points Available
    Ownership 25
    Management Control 15 plus 4 bonus points
    Skills Development 20 plus 5 bonus points
    New Enterprise and Supplier Development 40 plus 4 bonus points
    Socio-Economic Development 5
    TOTAL 118

     

    Just as its name depicts, the purpose of the BBBEE scorecard is to determine your BBBEE preferential procurement level and to give you a guideline on how you can improve upon your current level.

    What Are The Benefits Of Utilizing The BBBEE Scorecard?

    Having favorable scores on the BBBEE scorecard gives many opportunities, which include the following:

    • Ability to improve your chances of winning Government tenders;
    • Ability to converse with like-minded companies who are in line with requirements needed for rating the scorecard;
    • Ability to make a difference in the sustainable economic landscape in South Africa.

    The BBBEE scorecard measures three main components of BBBEE and some scenarios need to be considered in all three:

    • Direct empowerment through ownership and management control,
    • Individual empowerment through employment equity and skills development,
    • Indirect empowerment through preferential procurement, enterprise development, and socio-economic development.

    BBBEE scorecard

    BBBEE Absorption Points

    The BBBEE absorption points help us to understand and use the BBBEE scorecard.

    Number of black people absorbed at the end of a learnership

    Companies should endeavour to absorb the unemployed black people on learnerships at the end of the learnership. A maximum of 5 bonus points is granted if the company absorbs the learners which are allocated according to the percentage of unemployed black learners absorbed at the end of the Learnership.

    For example: 5 unemployed learners were sponsored to complete the Learnership and only one learner gets absorbed upon completion. The company will earn 1 bonus point out of the maximum 5 available bonus points.

    Here are the points allocation for each element on the BBBEE scorecard:

    • Ownership

    This has to do with the level of black ownership of a firm or company and always has 20 main points plus 3 bonus points. When determining the level of black ownership of a company, the company or firms earns points for the following:

    Description Weighting Target Your score
    Exercisable voting rights in the hands of black people 3 25%+1 vote
    Exercisable voting rights in the hands of black women 2 10%
    Economic interest (% ownership) of black people 4 25%
    Economic interest (% ownership) of black women 2 2.5%
    Economic interest of black new entrants or black participants of broad-based ownership schemes or co-operatives 1 2.5%
    Ownership fulfilment (all shares fully paid) 1 Yes
    Net value of shares (as % of total net value) 7 5%
    Bonus points
    % of total shareholding by black new entrants 2 10%
    % of total shareholding by black participants of broad-based ownership schemes or co-operatives 1 10%
    Total Points 23

     

    Calculating ownership points:

    For instance, the target for black ownership (economic interest) is 25% with 4 achievable points. If a firm has only one black shareholder who owns 5% of the firm, then the firm has achieved 20% of the target and will, therefore, score 20% of the achievable 4 points i.e. 5% (actual) ÷ 25% (target) x 4 (achievable points) = 0.8 points scored.

    • Management and Control

    This has to do with the percentage of black people in control of the direction of a firm’s business operation as well as those in top management who control the daily operations. It has 10 points plus 1 bonus point.

    Description Weighting Target Your score
    Board Participation
    % of voting rights held by black board members (using ARG adjustment) 3 50%
    % of executive directors (using ARG adjustment) 2 50%
    Top Management Participation
    % of black senior top management (using ARG adjustment) 3 40%
    % of black other top management (using ARG adjustment) 3 40%
    Bonus Points
    % of black people who are independent non-executives 1 40%
    Total Points 11

     

    • Employment Equity

    This measures the representation of black people at each management level in business and counts 15 points plus 3 bonus points.

    Description Weighting Target (2017) Your score
    Black disabled people as a % of all full-time employees 2 3%
    Black senior management (using ARG adjustment) 5 60%
    Black middle management (using ARG adjustment) 4 75%
    Black junior management (using ARG adjustment) 4 80%
    Bonus Points
    Meeting or exceeding EAP* levels on the above items (one point per item, excluding black disabled people). Bonus points are subject to achieving at least 40% of all the above four targets 3 40%
    Total Points 18

    * EAP (Economically Active Population) refers to the percentage of the total labor force that is made up of black people, as determined by Statistics SA. It’s presently about 87%.

    • Skills Development

    Skills development measures a firm’s investment in the training and development of its black employees. It is an excellent way for any firm to align its business growth and BBBEE strategy, regardless of the size of the firm, because it directly benefits the skills base of the firm’s workforce.  To improve skills development an important aspect to consider is placing people on learnerships and accredited training programmes.

    Scroll down for more discussion about BBBEE skills development.

    • Preferential Procurement

    This element allows businesses to gain significant points on procurement or spend as long as the procurement is made from suppliers that already have high BBBEE score ratings.

    The immediate suppliers’ BBBEE score ratings, in turn, depend on their suppliers’ score ratings, and so the pressure to become BBBEE compliant spreads down the value chain – from the producer to the final consumer. This element has 20 points.

    Level of Suppliers

    Level of Supplier % claimable Amount spent Amount claimable
    Level 1 (100pts +) 135% R10,000 R13,500
    Level 2 (85 – 99) 125% R10,000 R12,500
    Level 3 (75 – 84) 110% R10,000 R11,000
    Level 4 (65 – 74) 100% R10,000 R10,000
    Level 5 (55 – 64) 80% R10,000 R8,000
    Level 6 (45 – 54) 60% R10,000 R6,000
    Level 7 (40 – 44) 50% R10,000 R5,000
    Level 8 (30 – 39) 10% R10,000 R1,000
    Non-compliant (less than 30) 0% R10,000 R0

     

    Description Weighting Target (2017) Your score
    Claimable BBBEE procurement spent as a % of total procurement spend 12 70%
    Claimable BBBEE procurement spent from Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs) and Exempted Micro Enterprises (EMEs) as a % of total spending. 3 15%
    Procurement from suppliers that are majority black-owned (max 3pts), or 30% or more black women-owned (max 2pts) 5 20%
    Total Points 20

     

    • Enterprise Development

    This element accounts for what a business does to support the creation or growth of another BBBEE business, which also involves the contribution to the enterprise development funds. This element has 15 points and is divided into two categories namely:

    Category A: contributions made to Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs) or Exempted Micro Enterprises (EMEs) that are mainly black-owned or owned by black women.

    Category B: contributions made to any other business that is mainly black-owned or owned by black women. The business must have over 25% but less than 50% black.

    Description Weighting Target Your score
    Average annual value of contributions made in the past five years, as a % of average annual net profit after tax for the same five years 15 3%

     

    • Socio-economic Development

    This element accounts for corporate social investment and has 5 points. Generally, this element includes a company’s donations to charity or involvement in industry-specific charity-based initiatives.

    Description Weighting Target Your score
    Average annual value of all qualifying contributions as a % of average annual net profit after tax 5 1%

     

    Priority Elements of the BBBEE Scorecard

    The amended BBBEE Codes of Good Practice, popularly referred to as the “new Codes,” came into effect on 1 May 2015. The new code introduced the concept of priority elements.

    There are three priority elements on the BBBEE scorecard which firms must comply with for verification. These priority elements are Ownership, Skills Development, and Enterprise and Supplier Development.

    A Qualifying Small Enterprise (QSE) must comply with at least two of the three priority elements, of which Ownership is compulsory while a generic entity must comply with all three of these priority elements.

    BBBEE Skills Development Training

    Understanding skills development is a necessity for all business owners. Although skills development training is always considered as an important pillar for economic growth, stability, and success, there are some practical issues, such as lack of funds, which can impede skills development.

    This is why BBBEE Skills Development Training is very important. It creates avenues for upskilling and bridges the gap between experience and certification.

    Of all the three BBBEE priority elements, skills development is one of the easiest to comply with. It measures the extent to which firms execute initiatives designed to develop or upgrade the competencies of black people internally and externally.

    Skills development carries lots of weight when it comes to BBBEE compliance and there are several benefits businesses stand to enjoy by complying. For instance, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) offers a tax break of R60,000 for each participant on a learnership program.

    Skills Development Scorecard

    The Skills Development Scorecard measures monetary spending on black candidates. It also measures the number of black people who are enrolled in Learnership programs. That is, the Skills Development Scorecard applies to hit targets on:

    • Total spending on training compared to total payroll,
    • Headcount of black people who receive training compared to total headcount. Note that points can also be earned by training unemployed black candidates.

    Total spending on training compared to total payroll

    Large businesses must spend about 6% of their total payroll on BBBEE skills development training while QSEs must spend about 3% of their total payroll. When they do this, they will earn 8 points on the BBBEE scorecard. They can further earn 4 points by training Black disabled employees.

    Headcount requirement of black people

    Businesses must train about 2.5% of their total payroll. This equals 1 person in every 40 staff and 10 persons in 400 staff, and so on. A business would earn 8 points by complying with this rule.

    Bonus Points for Employment

    A business can earn a maximum of 5 bonus points by employing learners at the end of their Learnership program or if the learner is employed by another business.

    Therefore, a firm must endeavor to employ unemployed black learners at the end of the program. The bonus points are allocated according to the percentage of unemployed black people on the learnerships absorbed at the end of the Learnership.

    For instance, if five unemployed black learners were sponsored to complete the Learnership and just one gets employed after completing the program. The company that handled the learnership program will earn one bonus point out of the maximum 5 bonus points available. However, this can only be effective if such a learner is employed permanently or on a fixed-term contract.

    Description Weighting Target Your score
    Skills Development Spending
    Skills Development expenditure on learning programs for black people as a percentage of payroll 8 6%
    Skills Development expenditure on learning programs for black employees with disabilities as a percentage of payroll 4 0.3%
    Learnership, Apprenticeships, and Internships
    Number of black people participating in learnerships, apprenticeships and internships as a percentage of the total number of employees 4 2.5%
    Number of black unemployed people participating in training as a percentage of the total number of employees 4 2.5%
    Bonus Points
    Bonus points for the number of black people absorbed by the measured company or the industry at the end of the learnership, apprenticeship and internship programs 5 100%
    Total 25

     

    The sub-minimum requirement is 40% of the total weighting points for skills development training, which on the BBBEE scorecard is 20 points. Also, black women should form about 40% to 50% of the beneficiaries of the relevant elements of the BBBEE scorecard. More so, black youths, black people with disabilities, black unemployed people, and black people living in rural areas form part of the beneficiaries.

    Note: Skills development training also includes on-the-job training (learnership) or core skills training, as long as the participant can quantify the cost involved in the training using a reasonable methodology.

    The skills development initiatives are divided into seven categories – A through G. Initiatives in category B, C, and D training will help businesses to achieve the maximum weighting under the skills development element. This will help there business’ overall rating.

    ABET, or Adult Education and Training (AET), is classified as Category A and B training on the learning program matrix. Learnerships are classified under category C and D training,

    At BOTi, we offer several ABET learning areas of which numeracy and literacy (communication in English) are the two most popular. We also offer NQF 1 to NQF 4 learnership programs in business practice, ICT, and manufacturing and engineering-related activities.

    Important Note:

    1. There are different BBBEE scorecards, which include the following:
    • Generic,
    • QSE,
    • ICTI Generic,
    • ICTI QSE,
    • Transport Generic,
    • Transport QSE,
    • Marketing, Advertising, and Communications Generic,
    • Marketing, Advertising, and Communications QSE,
    • Financial Generic,
    • Financial QSE,
    • Mining Generic,
    • Mining QSE,

    But for this writing, the generic BBBEE scorecard is used.

    1. In terms of skills requirements, a business cannot claim any score points for BBBEE skills development training if the following are not in place:
    • Preparation and proof of submission of the workplace skills plan (WSP)
    • Preparation and proof of submission of the annual training plan (ATR)
    • No mandatory training can be calculated for skills points
    1. Black people are categorized into the following groups:
    • African
    • Indian
    • Colored
    1. Disabled people include those who:
    • Have a mental or physical impairment
    • This impairment should be recurring or long-term.
    • This impairment should have limited the individuals of their prospects of entry or advancements in employment.
    1. Skills Expenditure

    As stated above, a business must spend at least 6% of its payroll on skill development training. This spending on skills development training includes the following:

    • Spending on black people.
    • 85% of the spending must be on accredited courses i.e. courses in category B, C, D, or E.
    • 15% of the spending can be on non-accredited courses i.e. courses in other categories.
    • This 6% skills expenditure must also be split according to the economically active population (EAP) published by STATS SA.

    For more information on our BBBEE skills development programs, kindly contact us or send us an email on [email protected]. Our professional team has over 15 years of experience in skills development training and can help your business reach its BBBEE scorecard goals.

     

    14 Tips to help you set up a Learning Management System (LMS) in South Africa

    In South Africa a Learning Management System (LMS) is “a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, automation and delivery of educational courses, training programs or learning and development programs.  The Learning Management System concept emerged directly from e-learning.”

    Here are our top 14 tips to help you set up a Learning Management System (LMS) in South Africa

     

    Tip 1:  The LMS System Needs to Cater to South African Legislation

    In South Africa, the LMS System should cater to South African legislation in the following manner:

    • Skills Development Legislation and the SETA environment (e.g. the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998
    • The Employment Equity Act
    • The Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003 (BBBEE Act)

    Tip 2:  The LMS System needs to integrate with the SETA Work Skills Plan (WSP) and Annual Training Plan

    • Generate Work Skills Plan (WSP) and Annual Training Plan
    • Reports to the relevant SETAs

     

    Tip 3: The Learner Management System (LMS) needs to be developed in the context of BBBEE

    The Learner Management System (LMS) captures the following  for each  Learner and this information has an impact on the BBEEE Act.

    • Title
    • First name(s), Surname
    • Persal Number
    • Date of Appointment
    • Race
    • ID Number
    • Contact Details (address, email and phone numbers)
    • Gender
    • Salary level
    • Rank, Job title
    • Province, Organisation, Branch, Directorate
    • Disability or Special needs
    • Educational Background
    • Manager’s Details

     

    Tip 4:  South Africa – Assessment and Moderation Administration

    The SETAs and other accredited bodies in South Africa have various requirements for the creation of Portfolio of Evidence: The system must:

    • Be able to capture Portfolios of Evidence received and link them to the allocated assessor
    • Have the capability to update assessed learners
    • Generate the assessment report
    • automatically upload assessment progress and outcome for courses attended online
    • Have the ability to flag outstanding assessments not captured on time and produce exception reports
    • Be able to select assessed learners for a defined percentage for moderation
    • Schedule moderation after assessment and link to moderators
    • Have ability to flag outstanding moderation not captured on time and produce exception reports
    • send an email to notify the assessors of the outcome of moderation
    • Be able to produce a moderation report
    • Administer learner assessment appeals and have the capacity to issue certificates and statement of results (where applicable).
    • Assessment/Question Types
      • Assessing learning is a crucial part of the learning and training process. Different types of questions will be accommodated, for example:
      • Formative Assessments e.g. Quizzes which include:
      • Choice questions
      • Scaled questions
      • Open-ended questions
      • Summative Assessments e.g. Written Assignments/ Portfolios of Evidence

    The system should have the capability of allowing uploading of different types/formats of documents e.g. pdf, docx, xlsx, ppt.

     

    Tip 5:  Ensure the system has good Reporting and Monitoring Systems / Data Analysis Systems

    The following highlights the functionality/modules of the desired solution for a learner and Learning Reporting is required in terms of:

    • Data Input and Import: up-to-date and accurate learner profile, inter-operable to the HR system, and Services SETA system, existing authoring tool and other relevant systems so that any changes to employees’ information are automatically updated
    • Learner profiles
    • Tracking and Reporting
    • The system must be able to generate
      • Data Analytics: learner trends, patterns and completion rate, and visualisation of data
      • Enrolment and Course Completion report
      • Individual learner transcripts
      • Compliance and non-compliance report for mandatory/compulsory training
      • The system must be able to track post-training activity e.g. Coaching and Mentoring (administration of the workplace post-training activity logbook)

    Tip 6:  Efficient Enrolment of Students – Capabilities Tracking and Monitoring of:

    • Admission to a learning programme
    • Enable the capturing of learner application for admission/enrolment to a
    • learning programme
    • Be able to link to the payment system of the Department
    • Send a notification for learners to complete and submit pre-training forms
    • Send a notification to managers for approval of learners
    • Register/re-register/de-register learners (and intergrate with SETA Systems)
    • Be able to detect enrolment withdrawals;
    • be able to detect enrolment duplications i.e. if the learner previously enrolled for the same course
    • Scheduling of trainers and assigning of training rooms; and
    • Generating an automatic application/enrolment outcome

     

    Tip 7:  The system must allow for the Creation of High Quality Training Courses

    • Uploading of Training Courses
      • The system must allow administrators to upload courses in the following categories:
        • Internal (In-house course)
        • External (Outsourced)
    • Course Creation (Creating Courses/e-Learning Delivery modes)
      • The e-Learning course should have some, if not all of the following multimedia modalities.
    • Combination of text, pictures, video and sound:
      • Text Advantages are relatively permanent and ability to process it at the reader’s preferred rate
      • Still Pictorial Images: Relatively permanent like text, attract attention and combine well with text
      • Motion Images: Such as video and animation, attract attention and improve attitudes and motivation
      • Aural Information: Such as voice, music and sound effects attract attention well, even when the user is not looking at the screen
      • Combine well with pictorial and motion images
    • Coaching and Cuing: Coaching is used in many forms of multimedia, it appears when the learner either asks for help or the program detects events signifying the learner is having difficulty
    • Collaboration and team learning: provide platforms where learners work together like chat forums, blogs, community of practice etc.
    • Self-Tests: A self-test allows learners to assess whether they are making progress
    • The system should allow for gamification
      • Games have a number of advantages for learning environments. Primarily they can effectively motivate learners and contribute to knowledge and skills
      • Logic games
      • Puzzles
      • Word Games etc.

     

    Tip 8:  Quality Management System in line with various Regulatory Requirements

    The following functionalities must be available:

    • Capturing and analysis of course evaluation forms
    • Document sharing, tracking and approval such as:
    • Policies
    • Training materials
    • Documents amendments and alterations
    • Training Reports
    • Evaluation (Reaction, Learning, Behaviour and Results)
    • Training Records Administration. Ensure that the Learner Management System has the capability to allow capturing of:
      • Attendance records
      • Assessment Submission
      • Learner Achievements; and
      • Notifications:
        • The system must be capable of generating the following notifications:
        • Mandatory training not attended
        • Reminder to learners scheduled for a class
        • To trainers; learners, supervisors and administrators when a learner does not show up for a class
        • Admission and training schedule to learners, supervisors, as well as trainers assigned to the programme
        • To assessors and moderators, for outstanding work
        • To learners for re-assessment; and
        • For the assessment outcome

     

    Tip 9:  The System needs to meet various Financial  Reporting requirements

    The system must be able to:

    • Allow for payment of courses
    • Generate expenditure report; and
    • Produce the overall training budget

     

    Tip 10: The System must allow for User Access: Learning Management System Functionality

    The following highlights the basic functionality of the desired e-Learning system:

    • User profiles and rights -The following profiles must be created:
      • E-Learning course creators: To design and develop e-courses
      • Editing Trainers: Can do anything within a course, including changing the activities but limited to changing the design and layout of the e-course
      • Non-editing Trainers: Can teach in courses and assess learners, but may not make changes to the course
      • Learners: Participate on the activities on the e-course
      • Training coordinator: Enrol learners to a course and provide learner support
      • Programme Manager: schedule courses and assign trainers to courses
      • Training Manager: monitor overall progress of learning activities
      • Security:
        • Internal users may be authenticated against Active Directory
        • External users may be registered as LMS defined users and authenticated against platforms such as LinkedIn, Google, Yahoo, etc.

     

    Tip 11:  Allow for virtual training rooms:

    • Live video streaming of training sessions from Head Office (GP) to other hubs (provinces and missions abroad)
    • Schedule a session and send a notification to the participants
    • Streaming must be compatible on both personal computers and smart phones
    • Generate attendance registers for streaming sessions
    • Virtual Breakaway room
    • Questions and Answers capability
    • Recording of training sessions
    • Document sharing.

    Over and above the virtual classroom software, there may be a requirement for rooms setup with all required equipment (interactive white boards, audio and video) to enable training delivery for a combination of both physical and virtual classrooms,

     

    Tip 12: Consider Connectivity

    The LMS system needs to take into account that a number of people do not have access to the Internet in South Africa. Therefore:

    • The system must have an offline mode, to download the e-course, work on the course and upload when back online
    • Mobile device compatibility (e.g. tablet, smartphones)
    • Consider Technical System specifications

     

    Tip 13: Consider whether you wish to have the system hosted at your premises or via a web application

    • Hosting: How will the solution be hosted
    • Will it be on premise within two data centres
    • How will it allow for service continuity
    • On what Operating system will be housed
    • What is the platform’s operating systems eg Windows Server 2012, § SUSE Linux,  Windows 10, Debian Linux, Ubuntu Linux or  SUSE Linux
    • What Database application will sbe used: SQL Server; or MySQL; or SQLite; or Redis
    • What Middleware will be used:
      • Rabbit MQ
      • Apache MQ
      • IBM MQ
      • Zero MQ
    • Web Browser
      • Internet Explorer
      • Microsoft EDGE
      • Firefox
      • Google Chrome
      • Safari
      • Mobile OS platform
      • IOS
      • Android

     

    Tip 14: Consider whether your provider is South African and is Level 1 BBBEE

    Learnership Meaning: Why learnerships are important?

    This post provides a basic yet in-depth understanding of what a learnership is and why it is important.

    It explains:

    • the difference between learnerships and internships
    • who qualifies for learnership
    • the advantages and disadvantages of learnerships
    • learnership rules
    • and lots more about learnerships

    Before explaining what learnerships and internships mean and why they are important, it’s necessary to know that both learnerships and internships provide a structured platform for learning and gaining some exposure in the career field you choose to pursue.

    What do Learnerships And Internships Mean and why they are important? What is the difference between Learnership and Internship?

    What does an Internship mean?

    • An internship is a structured program that provides you with an exposure and working experience that aligns with your particular field of study.
    • The essence of an internship is to make you experience what a particular role feels like in a full-time working environment. An internship also facilitates your personal and career development.
    • One thing to note is that internships always have a specific timeframe allocated to them by an organization – one month, three months, six months, or even a year. An internship has an option for a part-time or full-time program. Also, an internship may be paid or unpaid.
    • Another thing to note about an internship is that it is taken up majorly by students and graduates in expectation to build more skills and acquire increased experience.

    What does a Learnership mean?

    • Learnerships slightly differ from internships although both are used by organizations to develop individual skills and introduce real-life work experience.
    • A learnership is a more structured training program with both theoretical and practical elements that enables you to obtain the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) registered qualification without having received formal education from a tertiary institution.
    • In a nutshell, learnerships can be described as a well-structured learning program that enables participants to adequately acquire both practical skills and theoretical knowledge that earn them an NQF-registered qualification.  At the end of the learnership program, learners would receive a certificate that bears their qualification and their area of skill development.

    Please note that to acquire an artisan equivalent qualification, which equals to NQF Level 4, a learner must have undergone and completed 4 different learnership programs (NQF Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4).

    • Although learnerships also have a specific timeframe and different durations, the average timeframe is about 18 months.
    • From the explanations above, it can be seen that learnerships enable you to gain the same theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and real-life working exposure achievable through internship but without undergoing formal education or having the qualification of a graduate.
    • Hence, the learnership program targets individuals and students who have GCSE as their highest educational qualification and helps them to acquire a national qualification while they work simultaneously.
    • While an internship can be said to be time-based, learnership can be said to be work-based, yet most learners are paid.

    Who Qualifies For a Learnership?

    Anybody between the age of 16 and 35, and who has completed school or college qualifies for a learnership program.

    More so, unemployed South Africans are also qualify for learnerships as long as there is an employer ready to provide them with the necessary work experience. In this case, the learner is legally bound by the contract between both parties (the learner and the employer). It is also required of the learner to be fully employed by the employer for only the specified period of the learnership program. However, at the expiration of the learnership program, the employer may decide to continue with the employment or not.

    Learnership Rules

    Note: Learnerships are managed by the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA). There are 21 of these authorities and they all manage and oversee the registration of learnerships to meet the needs of skills development across the sectors.

    These bodies also set out the basic requirements for the applicable learnership program. So, it is important to always find out from the relevant SETA about your chosen career path.

    Also, since each learnership program ends in an NQF-registered qualification, a Learnership is designed to meet the necessary criteria for the NQF qualification laid out by the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA).

    Even when you qualify for the learnership program, there are some learnership rules you need to observe and obey. Here are some of the basic rules:

    • After identifying the learnership program that suits and supports your career path, you must find out the basic and entry requirements for that specific learnership program.
    • Note that different learnership programs have different entry requirements. Therefore, you’re required to contact the prospective employer or training provider of the learnership program for full information or the specific requirements for your chosen learnership program.
    • You cannot register for more than one learnership program at a time with a SETA as each learner’s details and results are also stored on the National Learner Records Database for assessment and there must not be a duplicate record.
    • The minimum entry requirements for most learnership programs are computer literacy and the National Senior Certificate (NSC) or National Certificate (vocational). However, prospective learners may expect more specific skills requirements or subject requirements.

    4 Advantages of Learnership

    Learnership programs hold benefits for both the employer and the learner. Here are some of the advantages of learnership to both the learners and the employers:

    4 Advantages of Learnership to Employers

    • Learnership involves on-the-job training. Hence, the employer will have a larger workforce to drive the productivity of the organization.
    • The employer will enjoy financial benefits. Foremost, SETA offer cash grants for learnership programs. Secondly, the government offers tax deduction and other incentives to employers for joining the learnership programs.
    • Employers/organizations earn points on the BBBEE scorecard for providing learnership training.
    • Learnership programs create skilled employees, who will, in turn, add value to the organization or support organizational growth and development.

    Other benefits of the learnership training include:

    • National recognition. Learnership creates an avenue for further learning and because it’s registered on the NQF, it’s also recognized nation-wide.

    4 Advantages of Learnership to Learners

    • Learners will still earn an income while undergoing learnership. This will not only motivate them but also enhance their career prospects.
    • Learners are given the opportunity for further learning and to obtain a national-recognized qualification that can be used across organizations.
    • Learnership creates an avenue for personal development and self-esteem improvement. This is especially true when a learner obtains a good qualification.
    • Learners don’t have to acquire formal education from a tertiary institution before participating in learnership.

    4 Disadvantages of Learnership

    Despite the interesting advantages of learnerships, they also have their disadvantages. Some of the disadvantages of learnerships include:

    • Learners are seen more as an assistant. Since learners are not yet skilled but only receiving on-the-job training, they are treated more like assistants than prospective employees. This may be considered as inequality.
    • Learners earn low salaries. Although learners earn an income during the learnership, this is a mere incentive and not a competitive payment that attracts talented individuals. Sometimes, learners may find themselves in a bad financial situation.
    • Learners get labeled. As long as they are undergoing the learnership program, they are given the title “learners.” This action may be patronizing and makes learners forfeit the necessary respect.
    • Learners may be made to do grunt works. Hence, they are made to perform menial or mindless tasks.

    Learnership Obligations

    Here are some learnership obligations required of both employers and learners:

    An employer:

    • Must be registered and accredited as a workplace training provider with the appropriate Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) in charge of the learnership.
    • Must select and recruit learners for the learnership program.
    • Must provide all the necessary skills, training, mentorship, supervision, and work experience needed by the learners for the particular learnership program.
    • Must allow the learner to attend appropriate and useful training.
    • Must ensure that the learner is easily assessable by any registered learnership evaluator.

    A learner:

    • Must register with an organization/training provider for the learnership program.
    • Must be ready, willing, and available to participate in all the learning processes, learning sessions, and real-life work exposures (theoretical or practical) required by the learnership program.
    • Must participate in all induction programs
    • Must work diligently for the employer/organization as part of the learning process
    • Must comply with all the policies and procedures set up by the employer/organization/training provider.
    • Complete any assessment tool – logbooks, timesheets, etc. – provided by the employer/training provider.

    Also, learners are required to sign two legal documents: the Learnership Agreement and the Employment Contract.

    The learnership agreement is a document that contains the rights and responsibilities of the learner, the employer, and the training provider and must be signed by these three parties.

    The employment contract is an agreement between the employer and the learner and must be signed with the employer. The employment contract is valid only for the timeframe of the learnership program.

    While undergoing the learnership program, learners are required to complete learnership test questions, tasks, assignments, practical tests, and projects. All these tests, tasks, and projects will be formally evaluated both in the workplace and classroom.

    How Much Does the Learnership Program Cost?

    The following costs may be incurred during the learnership program where applicable:

    • Tuition costs
    • Professional registration fees
    • Learner allowances
    • Assessment costs

    However, note that a Learnership Program is generally funded by the relevant SETA. More so, the cost of a learnership program varies according to the SETA and also depends on the type of qualification to be acquired and levels of qualifications in view. Therefore, it is very important to always contact the relevant SETA for more and latest information.

    Click the links below to view the learnerships BOTi offers:

    How do you discipline yourself when working from home?

    Top 10 tips on how to set up a home office and keep to a schedule of work during Coronavirus lockdown

    So:  How do you discipline yourself when working from home?

    How do you discipline yourself when working from home?

    How do you discipline yourself when working from home?

    While technology has given many of us the opportunity to work from home these days, and some of us have even become accustomed to occasional bouts of working remotely as the ‘new normal’, many people might find it unsettling and have no idea how to go about setting up a home office and keeping to a work routine in the absence of having a proper workplace structure during periods of Coronavirus lockdown.  Now, just about everyone whose jobs allow them to work from home will be doing so. So: How do you discipline yourself when working from home?  Here are some of our top tips to help you set up and manage your home office.

     

    1. Claim your workspace

    The first thing to do when setting up an office at home is to claim a dedicated workspace for yourself that will be free from unnecessary interruptions and afford you the space that you would have in a normal office. Even if it is a corner in your bedroom or living room, this space should be strictly reserved for work only. If you live with other people, it would be a good idea to set a few boundaries to restrict others from encroaching upon this space unless it is absolutely necessary.

     

    2. Stay connected with your colleagues

    A sense of loneliness and feeling out of the loop can quickly set in when you are working from home. Make it a part of your daily work routine to stay in touch with your colleagues on a regular basis. Even if it is a quick email or Whatsapp message. Better still, stay in touch via Skype or Zoom.  Even if you are not working on common projects with your colleagues, the more you stay connected the more you will feel like you are still part of the workforce.

     

    3. Dealing with domestic distractions

    Especially if you have children, it is not an easy task to separate work from domestic distractions. The urge to put in a load of washing while you are working on your laptop or see to the needs of others while you should be working is difficult to ignore. The trick here is to remind yourself that despite the fact that you are at home, you are also working and to try to discipline yourself to keep to your assigned tasks. You will feel a sense of achievement in getting work done at home when you are able to set schedules as well as boundaries and keep to them.

     

    4. Make your workspace as comfortable as possible

    Your normal office workspace is usually structured to be as comfortable as possible to maintain productivity. Yet, your home office may not come with ergonomically friendly furniture such as the adjustable swivel chair. Sitting at your desk for 8 hours a day can be taxing yet, sitting uncomfortably can have disastrous effects on your body and your stress levels. So, add a few cushions to your makeshift office chair and get settled in as comfortably as you can.

     

    5. Take regular breaks

    At work, you are usually entitled to a lunch break and regular tea breaks. Make it a point to take the same breaks at home as you would do if you were at work. That means, leaving your workspace entirely during these periods. Even if the only thing you can do is spend time in your garden, you need to take a dedicated break to split your day.

     

    6. Communicate with your boss

    Under normal circumstances you would spend a lot of your time in direct contact with your boss which means that communication is seamless. But, remote working means that communications can easily break down. It might also be the case that your manager has no experience working remotely either. The best way to tackle this problem is to stay in daily contact either telephonically or via email.

     

    7. Don’t lounge around in your pyjamas

    It is very tempting to lounge around in pyjamas while working from home. Yet, just because you can it doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. Get dressed and behave as though you were going to your ‘real job’ as it were and you will be surprised how this creates a shift in mindset that puts you into ‘work mode’.

     

    8. Avoid any other unnecessary distractions

    When you are at home with all your creature comforts around you it is not easy to work when you would rather be doing something else. The television, radio and other forms of home entertainment should be avoided during the ‘office hours’ that you set aside for yourself.

     

    9. Set goals daily

    If you were working on a regular home project you would have developed a timing plan and set appropriate goals to achieve it. The same applies to a work project carried out at home. As you would at the office, set your daily goals, make them realistic and dedicatedly work towards achieving them.

     

    10. Eat properly to boost your immune system

    When we are at work, in the daily rush of things it is often the case that we neglect to take good care of ourselves in eating properly. While working from home you have the time and opportunity to properly structure and control your diet and avoid unhealthy foods. This is a real bonus. Eat well and help build your immune system.

    You might also enjoy:  How ready are you for the 4th Industrial Revolution?

     

    Why should Learnerships be considered?

    Overview of what Learnerships entail

    Essentially, Learnerships encompass two main elements:

    • Theory
    • Relevant practical work experience

    A Learnership is conducted over a specified time period which is usually 12 months.

    There is a requirement for an agreement to be put in place between all parties to the Learnership which is referred to as a four-party agreement and is drawn up between the learner, the learner’s employer, the training services provider and the SETA.

    Once a learner has successfully completed the Learnership and deemed to be competent, they will be awarded with a National Qualification.   If a learner has reached competence in only parts of a National Qualification then those credits towards the National Qualification will be awarded to the learner.

     

    What is the context in which a Learnership can be pursued?

    A Learnership towards a full National Qualification can be achieved in the following ways:

    • Full Training Learnership

    A Full Training Learnership is pursued when the learner receives the full extent of the training required to complete the National Qualification and where the learner possesses little if any work experience or former training relevant to the National Qualification in question.

    • Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

    The approach to a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Learnership is carried out on the assumption that learning is in place based on former training and/or previous work experience.  The RPL Learnership is suitable for learners who are working in a certain capacity yet do not possess a qualification in the required field.  In the case where a learner has a certain degree of work experience and has already received training in various appropriate short courses the learner will not be required to undergo the full extent of the theoretical training component of the Learnership.  In this case a blended approach is applied using a combination of recognition of prior learning and the appropriate theoretical training in order to obtain the qualification.

     

    Funded versus Unfunded Learnerships

    Funded Learnerships

    With funded Learnerships, a learner’s employer will submit an application for funding to the relevant SETA which funds will be allocated towards a full learnership qualification.  However, in this case there are two types of learnerships that can be applied for:

    • Unemployed Learnership

    For unemployed Learnerships the employer would employ new staff on a temporary, permanent or contract basis.  In this regard the SETA will award funds which go towards supplementing the learner’s salary during the period of the Learnership and covering the training costs of the learner to complete the qualification.

     

    • Employed Learnership

    An employed Learnership is appropriate when an employer needs existing staff members to obtain a formal qualification.

     

    Unfunded Learnerships

    Should there be a case whereby no funding for Learnerships is available from the SETA concerned an employer may opt for an unfunded Learnership.  In this case all costs of the Learnership will be borne by the employer.  Nevertheless, when a company enters into one a Learnership agreement with one or more learners companies qualify for a tax rebate upon the learners completing the qualification which can be offset against training and assessment costs.

     

    Learnership Tax Implications

    When employees undertake to complete a Learnership, an employer will qualify for a tax allowance based on an amount determined by SARS that is deducted from the company’s outstanding funds due to SARS.  An employer will qualify for this tax rebate regardless of whether the Learnership was funded by the relevant SETA.

     

    Learnerships for Existing Employees

    The employer is entitled to apply for a tax rebate when an existing employee undertakes a Learnership under the following circumstances:

    • At the commencement of the Learnership an allowance of R40 000 may be applied for.
    • Upon completion of the Learnership a further R40 000 can be applied for.

    Hence, the amount claimed :  R80 000 x 28% (28% being the normal tax rate) = R22 400 which is deducted from the company’s amount owing to SARS per person completing the Learnership.  Since this is a tax deduction, companies will only benefit from the whole or parts of this deduction if they forecast to make taxable profits. Competence in the said Learnership does not need to achieved to qualify for this initial rebate.

    These allowances are increased to R60 000 for learners with disabilities.

    In the case of Learnerships that are less than 12 months, a pro rata portion of the allowance will be awarded irrespective of the reason for the Learnership not being completed during the 12 month period.

    Should an employee leave the company prior to completing the Learnership the company is no longer required to reverse the amount of the allowance claimed upon commencement of the Learnership.

    Case Study: Example of 100 employees undertaking a Learnership

    The example below illustrates how R2 240 000 (R22 400 x 100) is deducted from the company’s tax amount owed to SARS

    This tax saving is achieved by calculating the taxable amount of income of a company with and without the tax deduction of the Learnership.  Therefore, the difference between the two taxable amounts represents the company’s actual tax saving.  To illustrate this calculation let’s assume that a company achieves a R40 million revenue and its total expenses and deductions amount to R10 million.  If the company deploys 100 Learnerships for abled learners the company’s tax saving is calculated in the following manner:

     

    Without Learnerships With Learnerships
    R40 m = Revenue R40m= Revenue
    minus R10 m= Expenses Minus R10m  = Expenses
    Minus R8 000 = Learnership Tax Rebate
    R30m = Taxable Profits R22m= Taxable Profits
    Tax Payable Tax Payable
    R30m x 28% = R8.4m R22m x 28% = R6.16m
    When running 100 Learnerships the actual tax saving is:
    R8.4m – R6.16m= R2.24m

     

    Since this benefit is deducted as opposed to paid back, often, companies do not realize this important benefit.  If you use our example of the R2 240 000 tax deduction in the case where the company did not enter into any Learnership agreements the company would need to forfeit this amount to SARS.

    Companies who do not obtain funds for Learnerships from one of the SETAS may nevertheless put employees on an unfunded Learnership program even though they will need to pay for the training through a training services provider.   Such funds may be  offset by the tax rebate.

     

    Learnership Benefits

    Some of the benefits of a Learnership are highlighted as follows:

    • A Learnership affords the opportunity for employees to obtain a national qualification while they are working which they may not have been able to afford to do in their own time or at their own expense.
    • When employees are given recognition for their experience and the opportunity to upskill this results in increased levels of morale and job satisfaction.
    • Studies reveal that the employee attrition rate is reduced when employees are given the opportunity to complete a Learnership.
    • Employee morale is boosted when the company is prepared to invest in their training and development.
    • Completing a Learnership provides a solid platform from which individuals can further develop themselves.
    • Significant savings and tax rebates can be achieved.
    • Tax rebates can be used to offset any additional training costs and can also be put towards the annual training budget allocation.
    • Learnerships in certain instances can reduction in a reduction in Skills Development levies.

    The learnership may be subject to further benefits under the Employment Tax Incentive.

     

     

     

    BBBEE Benefits

    In terms of the Generic BBBEE Scorecard, Skills Development component is a key priority.  It carries 20 points plus an additional 5 bonus points.  The number and spend on Learnerships for designated groups can contribute substantially towards increasing one’s BBBEE Score.

    BOTi offers Learnerships in respect of the following qualifications:

    Learnerships – Qualifications

    *National Certificate:  Generic Management *Further Education and Training Certificate:  Generic Management
    SAQA ID 59201 SAQA ID 57712
    NQF Level 05 NQF Level 04
    Credits:  162 Credits:  150
    Accredited Accredited
    Course Duration:  30 days over 12 months Course Duration:  30 days over 9 – 12 months
    National Certificate:  Management General Education and Training Certificate:  Business Practice
    SAQA ID 83946 SAQA ID 61755
    NQF Level 03 NQF Level 01
    Credits:  120 Credits:  121
    Accredited Accredited
    Course Duration:  24 contact days over 12 months Course Duration:  24 contact days over 12 months
    National Certificate:  New Venture Creation (SMME) Further Education and Training Certificate:  New Venture Creation
    SAQA ID 49648 SAQA ID 66249
    NQF Level 02 NQF Level 04
    Credits:  138 Credits:  149
    Accredited Accredited
    Course Duration:  24 contact days over 12 months Course Duration:  30 contact days over 9 – 12 months
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    Course Duration:  24 contact days over 12 months Course Duration:  20 contact days over 12 months
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    Course duration:  30 contact days over 9 – 12 months Course Duration:  24 contact days over 12 months
     

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    End User Computing

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    NQF Level 03

    Credits:  130

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    Course duration:  30 contact days over 12 months

     

     

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    Black Lives Matter in the workplace – human:  handle with care

     

    The courier van pulled into the driveway of our Sandton office.  A man got out of the car carrying a very heavy parcel that was labelled:  Fragile:  handle with care.  No one knew what was in the parcel at that point but because it was covered with cautionary labelling, my receptionist carefully carried it into the office and brought it to me.  Such is human nature.  When something is heavily labelled, people will either diligently obey those instructions, make a mockery of them or disregard them entirely, which often results in less than desirable consequences.

    Human – handle with care

    No matter how they appear, human beings shouldn’t have to be labelled for us to handle them with care.  Treating people with care and respect should be an automatic response.  But this is not always the case.  Particularly in the workplace, with people from all walks of life who come from a whole host of diverse backgrounds and cultures.  The sad reality is that even in this day and age, discrimination, whether it be racism or sexism, is still rife in the workplace.

    Workplace discrimination

    Here we examine some of the more common incidents of racial discrimination in the workplace.

    Direct Racial Discrimination

    Direct racial discrimination takes place when someone is compromised because they happen to be of a different colour or cultural background.  To illustrate, let’s take the scenario of a lady of colour who applies for a job as a receptionist at a doctor’s consulting rooms in a predominantly white area.  While she meets the requirements of the job, after the interview the employer tells her that she probably wouldn’t ‘fit in’.  Instead, a white lady with similar skills is hired in her place.

    Indirect Racial Discrimination

    Indirect racial discrimination occurs when a policy or rule as laid down by an employer puts certain individuals from particular racial or cultural groups at a disadvantage.  For example, a man whose native language is Xhosa, applies for a position as an account executive at a marketing agency.  While the Xhosa speaking gentleman is fully bilingual and meets all the other requirements of the job, he is told that he does not qualify for the job because he is not a ‘native English speaker’.

    Racial Harassment

    Forms of racial harassment are varied.  Hence, they are not confined to merely passing offensive comments or insulting behavior.  Racial harassment can also include undesirable conduct in terms of a person’s race, especially where this results in violating a person’s dignity, thereby creating a toxic environment.   To cite an example, a Muslim gentleman is working as an administrator in a Local Government department.  His line manager constantly passes negative comments on his dress and general appearance and questions him about Islamic customs and culture.  As time goes on, the Muslim gentleman starts to feel as though his place of work is nothing short of intimidating and even hostile.

    Workplace Victimization

    Workplace victimization also comes in many forms and guises.  Let’s look at the case of a lady who has taken her case of victimization to a court of law after being racially abused by a group of colleagues.  Prior to the hearing, a number of her colleagues stop engaging with her and her manager puts her on probation.  This form of victimization appears as a direct result of her decision to take action against the perpetrators but also flies in the face of her trying to defend herself against racial discrimination.

    How sexism plays out in the workplace

    Sexism in the workplace is another serious issue that employers need to constantly monitor.   While we may no longer be living in a patriarchal society, sexism is still nevertheless rife in today’s workplace and can manifest in very distinct ways.

    Insulting comments disguised as jokes

    Insulting comments disguised as jokes is one of the most frequently occurring forms of sexual harassment in the workplace experienced by both men and women alike and can manifest as sexist remarks or jokes of an insulting nature based on gender.  For example, a male colleague telling his female counterpart to wear revealing clothing when seeing a client to ensure a better chance of sealing a deal.  This is not only completely demeaning to the woman concerned, but also infers that the only way to secure the outcome is to do so by using one’s ‘womenly wiles’ as it were.

    Undermining the views of women

    Undermining the views of women usually takes place when men engage in behaviours such as ‘talking over a woman’s head’ or over-explaining things as though women have absolutely no knowledge or expertise,  thus making women feel as though their views and opinions have little sway or value and ultimately go ‘unheard’ unless they are backed up by the man’s expertise.

    Stereotyping of male versus female roles

    Stereotyping of roles makes assumptions of the suitability of an individual to perform tasks based on gender.  For instance, comments such as ‘men don’t make good hairdressers’ or ‘would you trust a woman mechanic?’  have no basis in fact.

    Sexism based on physical appearance

    Sexism based on physical appearance involves comments made about dress, body shape or size and other physical characteristics over competence and skill.  For instance, comments such as ‘how could I concentrate on that lady’s presentation, did you see what she was wearing?

    How should businesses respond to incidents of workplace discrimination?

    Workplace discrimination is a hugely disruptive force for any company to deal with.  To minimize and fully understand the implications associated with discrimination in any form, businesses should be cognizant of the fact that from the point of view of the individuals concerned, incidents of racial or sexual discrimination can be extremely traumatic, emotional and offensive.  In light of this, businesses need to take these matters seriously and assign every possible resource to ensure that employees feel safe in the workplace and that they are treated with respect.  One way of effectively managing diversity in the workplace is to ensure that employees are given the right training such as Workplace Diversity Training.

    What needs to be entrenched in the culture of a company is to ensure that the Code of Conduct is regularly referred to.   All employees need to understand and be aware of the ramifications of any indiscriminate behaviours around sexual harassment or racial discrimination.

    In terms of best practice, businesses need to swiftly document any complaints of racial discrimination, meet with the individuals concerned and closely monitor the outcomes of any investigations.  It is often the case that employees feel unsafe and less than comfortable working with other parties against whom incidents have been lodged, and in this regard it is extremely important that companies put necessary measures in place to ensure that victims of harassment feel safe in the workplace.  If the individuals concerned do not feel comfortable options such as transferring the harasser away from those who feel victimized should be considered.  It is also vital that employers monitor the frequency and nature of any complaints lodged.

     

    Hayley Gillman

    CEO, Business Optimization Training Institute

     

    Hayley Gillman talks to Business Insider on workplace discrimination:

    Human Creativity: The critical survival skill of the 4th Industrial Revolution – how ready are you?

    How ready are you for the 4th Industrial Revolution?

    Only two decades into the 21st Century and the way of the world is fraught with change in light of the impact of the 4th Industrial Revolution as we move further into an era where the distinction between man and machine is becoming less and less obvious.

    The way we live, the way we work and the way we think are all going through changes as the new technologies deploy into our homes and places of work.

    What does the 4th Industrial Revolution involve?

    The 4th Industrial Revolution has a broad signature across many different fields with technology breakthroughs in numerous disciplines including:

    • Fully autonomous vehicles
    • Robotics
    • The Internet of Things
    • Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT)
    • Fifth-generation wireless technologies (5G)
    • Additive manufacturing/3D printing

    The 4th Industrial Revolution is different from the previous three eras in that instead of being marked by technological advances, it is concerned rather with advances in communication and connectivity. Such technologies hold the potential to further connect billions more people to the web and significantly enhance business and organizational efficiencies as well as helping to regenerate the environment using improved asset management techniques.

    The Fourth Doctor

    Dr WHO is not some health official from the World Health Organization famous for mucking around with petrie dishes in the WHO laboratories in search of a cure for COVID-19 in the year 2020.   Nor, as his other name, ‘The Fourth Doctor’ suggests, is he a mad scientist from the future who is controlling humanity using 4th Industrial Revolution technologies.  In truth, he is just a Time Lord from the UK classic science fiction series Dr WHO that first aired in 1963, and no, he is not plotting to destroy the human race.  Yet, the very sound of the name Dr WHO smacks of an evil character from a World Health Organization conspiracy theory story involving a character that instead of preserving the human race is hell bent on killing us all off.  Such is the flair of human creativity, as this story illustrates; that is, to create a stage that stimulates the imagination and takes us on an endless journey towards exploring the potentials of the human condition.

    Figure 1:  Dr Who (The Fourth Doctor)

    Ask anyone who has a business degree whether they think creativity is important in the grand scheme of their pursuits and you will more than likely be met with a response such as, ‘no, surely creativity belongs to the the realm of artists, musicians and graphic designers?’  In the past, this may very well have held true.  Yet, today, creativity is not only about putting paint to canvas.

    Covid-19 is responsible for accelerating the pace of the adoption of 4IR technologies and the need for creative problem-solving

     In light of recent events, it goes without saying that Covid-19 is responsible for accelerating the pace of the widespread adoption of 4th Industrial Revolution technologies.  Since, it is estimated that more than 7 billion people worldwide have been subjected to severe restrictions of movement during phases of lockdown in the past few months and systems that have for decades resisted change are now forced into going virtual.  Businesses from all economic sectors are applying creative problem-solving techniques in ways never seen before and are developing new technical solutions using digital technologies and revamping their business models at a rate that would have been inconceivable only months ago.  This brings to our attention the fact that 4IR technologies are now crucial to our very survival.

    Human creativity is driving 4th Industrial Revolution Technologies

    So, what does creativity have to do with any of these things?  For starters, we need to bear in mind that while 4th Industrial Revolution technologies are fast becoming the way to go in the world of the ‘new normal’, they are driven by something far superior to robots – human creativity.  And in recent times humans are applying their creative problem solving skills to using these technologies to kit us out for survival in the new era.

    The Internet of Things (IOT)

    Social distancing means that never before has there been more of a need for us to rely on the Internet of Things (IOT) to perform daily tasks such as staying in contact with others and working remotely.  Zoom has never before known such fame, with many individuals using the cloud-based videotelephony and online chat services platform for teleconferencing, distance education, telecommuting and social interactions.

    3D Printing

    To help protect frontline medical staff, manufacturing firms and hobbyists alike are using 3D printing technology to make thousands of face shields.

    Machine Learning

    Machine learning is being used by both researchers and medics alike to search repositories of scholarly articles pertaining to Covid-19.

    Artificial Intelligence helps in the fight against Covid-19

    According to a recent report by Euronews.com part of a research project in pursuit of identifying potentially new molecules that could be used for drugs against the coronavirus sees European scientists using Artificial Intelligence and High Performance Computing by combining algorithms, biochemistry and molecular screenings to help in the fight against Covid-19.

    Robots with a penchant for fast foods

    According to the Wall Street Journal, about a year ago McDonald’s already began rolling out testing of voice-activated drive-thrus and deep-frying robots that cook fries, chicken and fish.  Today, such technologies are not just about saving costs but preserving the human condition in the face of containing the spread of coronavirus and such innovations, rather than putting people out of jobs, are expected to enable McDonald’s staff to work on their soft skills such as customer service and teamwork.  Employees are shifting away from doing basic tasks such as taking orders since technologies such as self-order kiosks, robotics and AI will take over these basic tasks to enable employees to concentrate more on customer service.

    The Rolling Stones Zoom music to my ears

    Even creatives themselves can be 4IR savvy when streaming their performances from home studios.  In their One World:  Together at Home concert in April the Rolling Stones performed one of their classic tracks, “You can’t always get what you want” online and delivered to a global audience via Zoom.

    Understanding the Importance of Human Creativity in the 4th Industrial Revolution

    According to The World Economic Forum, Deloitte as well as McKinsey, creativity is in the top 3 of the most sought after skills needed to survive the 4th Industrial Revolution since it is a cognitive skill that simply cannot be automated.  In fact, McKinsey estimates that it is now even more important than complex information processing and interpretation and advanced literacy and writing skills in that it is anticipated that the demand for skills involving a high degree of creativity will further increase by approximately 14 percent in Europe and 19 percent in the United States in the near future.

     

    The 4th Industrial Revolution brings along with it a whole host of new technologies and sophisticated products and as a result, changes in the workplace to such an extent that will require both creative thinking and creative problem-solving skills.

    Creative thinking

    Creative thinking involves generating original ideas and unique ways of solving problems.

    Creative problem-solving

    Creative problem solving is concerned with solving issues that pose numerous possible solutions and how to determine the best way forward given these different variables.

    Hollywood may not be the place to hold a psychic convention but science fiction still has an uncanny knack of predicting the future

     

    “Psychic spies from China try to steal your mind’s elation

    An’ little girls from Sweden dream of silver screen quotation

    And if you want these kind of dreams, it’s Californication..’

     

                                                                                      Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Californication

     

    Let’s go back to the future and take a look at the light and dark sides of some of Hollywood’s notorious Artificial Intelligence characters

    Turning our attention back towards science fiction, it is also commonly believed that science fiction writers and Hollywood producers have seemingly more often than not had an uncanny knack of predicting the future.  And anticipating what it may be like to work with AI colleagues in the future brings to mind some of Hollywood’s most notorious AI characters.

    R2D2 and C3PO

    Life will be just fine if you happen to be in a good position with your AI counterparts.   Lucky Luke Skywalker of Star Wars fame was indeed fortunate in that two of his best friends were robots who went by the names of R2D2 and C3PO (first appeared onscreen in 1977).  These robots did whatever was necessary to aid Luke, helping him to fight off nasties such as the Storm Troupers.

    HAL 9000

    HAL 9000 is the main antagonist in Arthur C Clarke’s Space Odyssey series and is portrayed as an artificial intelligence character.  Hence, in the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, a system known as HAL (Heuristically Programmed Algorithmic Computer) is a sentient computer or form of AI (artificial intelligence) that interacts with the crew of the Discovery One spacecraft and controls the ship’s systems.  As well as maintaining the ship’s systems while on an interplanetary mission, amongst other things, HAL is also capable of speech and speech recognition, natural language processing, lip reading, facial recognition, automated reasoning, interpreting emotional behaviours, spacecraft piloting and playing chess.  However, something goes wrong and HAL ends up turning against his human counterparts and tries to kill off the ship’s crew members.

    Who is Dr WHO?

    As mentioned earliier, Dr WHO is not the Fourth Doctor from the 4th Industrial Revolution nor is he an official from the World Health Organization but rather he is a Time Lord who fulfills the critical role of fighting off a robot-like army of cyborg aliens known as the DALEKS.

    WHO WE ARE

    But, as we move forward in the world of the ‘new normal’, irrespective of what stage we are at, or what stage Hollywood will do justice to when the film industry is allowed to start shooting again, WHO WE ARE, as creative human beings, will undoubtedly be what saves us from one day being controlled by a world run by machines.

    Helen Fenton, Senior Analyst:  Business Optimization Training Institute (BOTi) www.boti.co.za

     

    References sources:

    1. World Economic Forum (WEF) Future of Jobs Report 2018
    2. Wikipedia
    3. Newswise.com
    4. Euronews.com
    5. Eater.com
    6. Restaurantdive.com

    Business Optimization Training Institute (BOTI) is a Johannesburg based, Level 1 BBBEE business.  As a Services and MICT SETA accredited company, we have trained thousands of individuals from over 650 companies and our extensive course offering consists of Short Courses, Soft Skills Training and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Learnership Programs.  In addition, we offer bespoke training programs designed to cater to specific business needs.  Our training courses are focused on knowledge and skills transfer and we pride ourselves in being able to provide training anytime, anywhere across South Africa.

    Machines in control

    How the technologies of the 4th Industrial Revolution will influence the world as we know it post Coronavirus

    The digital journey and lessons from history

    The general tone around taking a history lesson is often met with reactions such as, why is this important, how does it affect me and why should I care about what century it was when people stopped wearing swords?    Truth be told, yes, we should care and yes, while people stopped wearing swords and sidearms and ceased from decapitating one another in the late 18th Century, the truth is that these days we are wearing a different kind of sword – double-edged and mighty.

    “Technology is a bit of a double-edged sword.  Used right, it’s a wonderful tool but unfortunately, it makes it easier for a lot of mediocre people to get really crappy ideas out.”

                                                                                                                                                       Martin Gore

    Age sometimes has its advantages.  While the tendency of mainstream society is to lean towards embracing the ideas of the fresh, innocence of youth to inspire growth and change, there are those who have lived a lot longer and seen and experienced a great deal more in terms of how the world has changed and how technologies have moved us forward in the past few decades.  And these individuals, from the Baby Boomer and Generation X age groups have a great deal of historical knowledge, much to teach and carry the accolades as the creators of the technologies that we use today.  Hence, the history of the forces that have since shaped the Digital Revolution are told by those who are not merely users but ‘creators.’

    The advent of the Digital Revolution

    The Digital Revolution, also known as the 3rd Industrial Revolution has its roots in and refers to the shift from mechanical and analogue electronic technology to digital electronics and began in the late 1950s through to the 1970s with the widespread adoption and use of digital computers and digital record keeping.

    At the core of this revolution lies mass production and the extensive use of digital logic, MOSFETS or MOS transistors and integrated circuit (IC) chips along with their associated technologies that include computers, microprocessors, digital cellular phones and the Internet.  Hence, these technologies are responsible for transforming traditional production and business techniques during the latter half of the 20th Century.

    Digital immigrants versus digital natives

    Some of those Baby Boomers and Generation Xers might not be the creators of the Digital Revolution and did not grow up with these technologies.  Yet, the early adopters and dedicated users of digital technologies of these generations have come to be known as ‘digital immigrants’ and these individuals have paved the way for the birth of the next generation of people who have been born into the machine age and have rightly been termed ‘digital natives’ since they have no idea what the world would be like in the absence of technology.  These digital natives, born after 1982, belong to the next generation, the Millennials.

    The rise of the machines

    Let’s take a look at the forerunners of the machines that are controlling our lives today and when and how they first came into being.

    The Typewriter – since 1860

    As you are reading this article you are scrolling and clicking and typing on an everyday computer, laptop or phone using the QWERTY keyboard which has been in use since 1860 with the invention of the typewriter.

    The Telephone – since 1876

    As you are scrolling through your mobile phone, take a moment to reflect back to almost a hundred and fifty years ago, when, In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.

    The Television – since 1926

    While you are changing channels with the remote control and checking to see what will be showing, take yourself back in time to the year 1926 when the television first became commercially available.  At that time a ‘television set’ was an expensive item and very few individuals could afford one and in 1940 a commercially-produced RCA electronic television cost in the region of USD200 – USD600 which equates to approximately USD3 600 to USD10 800 at 2019 prices.

    The Laptop – since 1975

    In September of 1975 IBM released the first laptop computer, the IBM5100.

    Apple I and Apple II – since 1976

    In 1976 Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs created their first Apple computer which sold for USD670 and a year later when investors began to see the potential of these machines the Apple II was released.

    Digital Camera – since 1975

    In 1975, Steven Sasson invented the world’s first digital camera while working at Eastman Kodak.  It was rather clumsy, weighing about 3.6kgs and shot pictures at only 0.01MP.

    The Internet – since 1989

    October 23 1989 was the day that the Internet went live, enabling thousands and soon after millions of individuals to connect worldwide.  By October 2005 one billion people were using the Internet worldwide.

    Is the pen mightier than the sword?

    And so it was, like any modern fairy tale that before the widespread use of technology became the norm, we may well remember that children learnt to read and write when they first began school.  These days, many chldren have a digital footprint by the age of two and instead they learn to tap and swipe before they learn to read and write.  World literacy rates have risen considerably in the past couple of hundred years.  In 1820, only 12% of the world’s population could read and write.  Whereas, nowadays only 14% of people in the world are illiterate.   Computer literacy world averages, as determined by The World Economic Forum found that the OECD countries are not as computer literate as one would expect since 25% of individuals don’t know how to use a computer, at least 45% rate poorly and only 30% rate as moderately to strongly computer literate.  (Ourworldindata.org)

    These stats are frightening when we consider that the accelerated changes brought about by the technologies of the 4th Industrial Revolution mean that you will not be able to do much going forward if you are not connected to the Internet.

    The Internet is our lifeline to the outside world

    The interesting thing is that the 4th Industrial Revolution involves the fusion of technologies that is responsible for blurring the lines between physical, digital and biological spheres that are collectively known as cyber-physical systems.  This might sound a little like Star Trek but truth be told, our relationships with our machines have become critical to our survival.  Thus, we depend on Google to answer our questions and we rely on the Internet to do our jobs, chat with others and even attend school and training courses.

    The Technologies of the 4th Industrial Revolution

    To sum up the technologies of the 4th Industrial Revolution we need to understand that these technologies have a broad signature across many different fields with technology breakthroughs in numerous disciplines that include:

    • Fully autonomous vehicles
    • Robotics
    • The Internet of Things
    • The Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT)
    • Fifth-generation wireless technologies (5G)
    • Additive manufacturing/3D printing

    Yet, the 4th Industrial Revolution is different from the previous eras in that instead of being marked by advances in technology it is concerned rather with advances in communication and connectivity.

    Power up with the remote control of life post COVID-19

    Until recently, the only remote control was a device for changing channels on the television.  But, social-distancing and quarantine in the face of COVID-19 has seen most of us using technology to work remotely, stay in touch with friends and relatives, conduct school classes and adult based education.  Yet, so many people are not computer literate enough to embrace these technologies, let alone live by them.  The question then arises as to how we will bridge the gaps to bring the world up to speed with technologies that are our lifeline to the outside world in a post- Covid-19 world where machines are in control.

    Reference sources:  World Economic Forum, Ourworldindata.org

     

    Learning Management System (LMS) Installed Overnight & Preloaded with up to 140 Courses for all your staff

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    Fighting COVID 19 – Wellness  Assessment Questionnaire

    Fighting COVID 19 – Wellness  Assessment Questionnaire

    Signing this form indicates that you confirm that you are feeling well and that you do not have any of the following symptoms:  Headache / high temperature/fever / cough / sore throat / loss of smell / loss of taste.  Should you be suffering from any of these symptoms please either self-isolate at home or seek medical attention.

    Signing this form also indicates that you confirm that that you have not recently been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

     

        Temperature Passed test? Feeling Well?  
    Date Name Temperature Reading Yes No Yes No Signature

    Disclaimer:  Use of this form is at your own risk including the addition and modification of any fields where necessary.

    Fighting COVID- 19: The BOTi guide to precautionary actions and procedures that need to be followed to guard against the virus upon returning to work

    As COVID-19 lockdown restrictions start to ease over the next few weeks many businesses in various essential services sectors in South Africa will gradually start to return to the workplace.  But, while these restrictions may be lifting, we still cannot afford to lift the lid entirely on things as we gradually make the shift towards recovery.  Here are some brief guidelines to help guide you.

    • Important: If you have the following symptoms:

      • Feeling unwell
      • Feeling tired
      • Coughing
      • Headache
      • Fever or high temperature

    SIMPLY DO NOT RETURN TO WORK!!!

    You should:

    • Wear a face mask at all times.
    • Practise social distancing at all times. This also applies to using company vehicles where a maximum of two people should be allowed in the vehicle at a time.
    • Avoid gathering in the canteen or dining area. Instead eat outside and maintain a 2 metre distance from the next person at all times.
    • Reduce the number of meetings where physical contact takes place to an absolute minimum and hold online meetings/discussions instead.
    • Limit the number of persons using the toilet area to 3 people at a time.
    • Keep hands sanitised at all times with alcohol based sanitiser or soap and water but especially:
      • Upon entering the workplace
      • Upon exiting the workplace
      • Prior to eating or drinking
      • After eating or drinking
      • Before using the toilet
      • After using the toilet
    • You should let your employer know immediately should you become aware that someone you have recently been in contact with has tested positive for COVID-19.
    • Prior to entering the workplace, each staff member is required to have their forehead temperature checked. If you have a high temperature you should return home or seek medical assistance immediately.
    • Prior to entering the workplace, each staff member is required to complete and sign a ‘Wellness Assessment Questionaire’. Should the questionnaire reveal that you are not 100% well, return home or seek medical assistance immediately.
    • Should you at any stage test positive for COVID-19 inform your employer immediately and place yourself in self-isolation for at least 21 days.
    • If after testing positive for COVID-19 do not under any circumstances return to work until you are feeling better and test results are negative.

    These guidelines also apply to customers or suppliers when visiting business premises.

     

    COVID-19 – Washing our hands of the hype

    COVID-19 – Washing our hands of the hype

    In the past few weeks the world has become awash with all manner and sundry of news, views and interviews with just about anyone from anywhere who has something to report on COVID-19. Governments have declared the virus a global pandemic and people have closed their doors in panic and removed themselves from mainstream traffic through bouts of quarantine and self-isolation. People who would normally gather in the local pub or coffee shop have been heard calling to one another from a distance, “Hi, how are you? Wish I could stop to chat but, sorry, I am practicing social distancing right now.” Sounds depressing doesn’t it?

    1980s sci-fi movies prepared us well ahead of time

    Taken into perspective, this all sounds like something out of a 1980s end-of-world-scenario apocalyptic sci-fi movie. The 1980s prepared us well ahead of time with the likes of Mad Max, who was found wandering the deserts of a once fertile world and The Terminator, well, whose prime directive was nothing more than to eradicate the human race in favour of a world controlled and populated by machines.

    The Nostradamus of Hollywood Phenomenon”

    Science fiction has always had a knack for predicting the future. Let’s call this phenomenon “The Nostradamus of Hollywood Phenomenon.” Even Nostradamus himself would be amazed at the amount of effort and creativity that has gone into ensuring that doomsday prophesies bear out in truth. Yet, truth be told, Nostradamus was accurate when he predicted the fall of the Twin Towers.
    So, when it comes to the hype around COVID-19 which gurus should we believe? Mainstream media? The Government? Facebook? Let’s go back to our old-school bookshelves and haul out a few prize paperbacks. Dean R Koontz – “The Eyes of Darkness” leaps from the shelf. In this novel, which was first published in 1981 and rereleased in 1989, a character by the name of Dombey tells the story of a Chinese scientist who took a ‘biological weapon’ called “Wuhan-400” to the United States. Interestingly, in the 1981 edition of the book the name of the weapon was “Gorki-400”. It was subsequently renamed for the 1989 edition. While it is true that the current outbreak of the Coronavirus emanated from Wuhan, China, the idea that the virus was created in a lab has been dismissed as social media generated conspiracy theory by scientists both in China and the West.

    A pandemic of the economic kind

    Nevertheless, as we look around us, we see that global sporting events have come to a grinding halt, schools have been closed and children don’t know what to do with themselves. Theatres, cinemas, restaurants, night clubs; in fact, anywhere people are likely to gather en masse, and in crowds surpassing the 100 permitted maximum number of persons, have all closed their doors. While there is global panic around the spread of the disease, it is even possible that the real truth has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that despite global infection rates, people are dying from COVID-19. In fact, the mortality rate is surprisingly somewhat low. Rather, it has everything to do with a pandemic of the economic kind leaving global stock markets in tatters. One would hate to think that like the story in the Dean Koontz novel, what we are dealing with here is overt biological warfare. Along with their tanks and their bombs, like zombies, World War 1 and World War 2 used guns and ammunition to wipe out the enemy. World War 3 is another story. What if we really are in the throes of the outbreak of World War 3 with its biological and associated psychological weapons? Are we being duped by hype around what could possibly amount to a case of “The Emperor’s New Clothes”? Perhaps, now is the time to speak up. Should we wash our hands of the hype?

    …And, on that soya note, spring roll anyone?

    So, post the Coronavirus apocalypse, what will the dust look like once it settles? How many people will have lost their lives and by extension how many people will still have their jobs? Every airline worldwide is on the brink of bankruptcy and no one is eating out. Chicken chow mein will never again be able to whet the appetite the way it used to. On that soya note, spring roll anyone? Recovery from any disease takes time. Recovery from a global stock market crash could take a long time. But, is there hope on the horizon?

    As far as the disease is concerned there is some good news:

    • China has now closed down its last Coronavirus hospital since there is now simply not enough new cases to justify keeping them open.
    • Doctors in India have successfully treated Coronavirus using a combination of drugs such as Lopinavir, Retonivir, Oseltamivir and Chlorphenamine. These Indian doctors are recommending that the very same drugs be used worldwide.
    • An antibody against the Coronavirus has reportedly been discovered by researchers at the Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands.
    • After being treated for a period of 6 days in Wuhan, China, a 103 year-old Chinese woman has made a full recovery from COVID-19.
    • Apple has reopened 42 of its stores in China.
    • In Israel, scientists are likely to announce the development of a vaccine against Coronavirus.
    • At Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi, all 7 patients who were being treated for Coronavirus have recovered.
    • Experts say that the reason that Italy has been so hard hit is that it has the oldest population in Europe.
    • In collaboration with Duke University and the National University of Singapore, a COVID-19 vaccine is being developed by a San Diego biotech company.

    Global Stock Markets Out of Breath

    While people are showing positive signs of recovery in terms of COVID-19 and for all intents and purposes, once the virus abates they will undoubtedly be able to breathe again, in the short term you can bet your bottom dollar, pound or Euro that global markets will take a lot longer to recover. Let’s hope it’s not a sad goodbye to the Nasdaq on the back of a bye bye Miss American Pie.. no lights on at home on the JSE and despite the abundance of crude oil, yes, I know… I drove my Chevy to the levee but the Levy was dry….

    Helen Fenton

    Senior Analyst

    Reference sources: Fin 24, Techstartups.com

    Tired of feeling like a Zombie?  Click the image below

    Taking training matters into sanitised hands – 7 seconds is all it takes

    Taking training matters into sanitised hands – 7 seconds is all it takes

    To help curb the spread of the Corona Virus, 7 seconds is all it takes to reach for the sanitiser, clean the hands and wipe down the laptop and mobile phone.

    While the world is on high alert to contain the spread of COVID-19, at Business Optimization Training Institute we are taking training matters into sanitised hands. How? You might ask. The short and simple answer is: By meeting your training and health and safety needs.

    Social distancing and self-isolation don’t mean that every step that you are taking to fulfil your learning and development needs should come to a grinding halt. Since:

    • Now more than ever we can take advantage of virtual training platforms. If you are concerned about putting your staff at risk by exposing them to a classroom filled with people, don’t panic. We can meet your training needs by providing a virtual classroom.
    • Sanitisation – When entering the classroom, nothing and no one is left unsanitised. We uphold best-practise hygiene standards as laid down by the WHO (World Health Organisation).
    • Post-training follow-ups such as discussions and Q & A sessions can be conducted telephonically or online via a virtual platform.

    Despite its physical consequences, we are also acutely aware of the effects that a global pandemic such as COVID-19 can have on one’s emotional and mental health.So, don’t feel isolated. We are here for you in many more ways than one.

     Simply follow the links below to view some of our Soft Skills training courses and book your seat on any Soft Skills training course before 30 April 2020 and receive a 10% discount.
    Have you got 7 Seconds?  Click the image below

     

    Human – handle with care 

    Human – handle with care 

    As we observe Human Rights Day in South Africa on 21st March, we realise that the fight for human rights is never over.

    For, while the Bill of Rights is enshrined in our constitution and protects all South Africans from human rights infringements, there is still so much to consider around how we go about ensuring that we address issues such as education, housing and gender-based violence.

    But, what of the business arena?

    Many employees and employers alike are not as clued up as they should be when it comes to human rights in the workplace and in the words of the late great Bob Marley feel like ‘A Buffalo Soldier – fighting on arrival, fighting for survival’.

     

    But, ignorance is not bliss in this case and one needs to be aware of what The Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) dictates where employee rights are concerned. A brief heads up informs us that employees are entitled to certain minimum rights where it concerns their terms and conditions of employment. Amongst others, these rights include:

    • Remuneration for work done
    • Being entitled to vacation leave, sick leave, maternity leave and family responsibility leave
    • Remuneration for overtime worked
    • Lunch breaks
    • Daily and weekly rest periods
    • Public holidays
    • Allowances for night work
    • Written terms and conditions of employment
    • Salary advices

     

    But, there is a great deal more to it than that and you don’t need to struggle to find the facts. Simply follow the links below to view some of our Human Resources Management training courses and book your seat on any Human Resources and Labour Relations training course before 31 March 2020 and receive a 10% discount. You can also take a look at all our public courses here or download our 2020 Training Catalogue right now!

    Effectively Manage Human Resources and Labour RelationsWorkplace Violence Course

    Workplace Harassment Course

    Human Resources Management Course

    Don’t struggle.  Click the image below to chill with the Buffalo Soldier!

    Hardcore leaders succeeding with soft skills in a world where the only constant is change

     

    Today’s workplace is fraught with change.  In fact, embracing change has become the norm.  So much so that as soon as change kicks in one can almost hear the gentle click and chug of the cogs that drive the wheels of progress just when one has started to settle in and get comfortable with people, places, systems and processes.  It is at that point that one needs to shift into a higher gear or run the risk of being left in the dust.

     

    “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

    Charles Darwin

    Leaders of the New Roaring Twenties and beyond need skills that were not even on the radar as recent as ten years ago

     

    So what does that mean for the captain at the helm?  The leader who is responsible to ensure that their team is sufficiently equipped to handle whatever comes their way.  Lots.  To be a leader today entails a great deal more than managing by walking around, calling the shots and acting as a buffer against the tide.  On the contrary, as we embrace the new era of the 4th Industrial Revolution with its associated technologies that are primarily responsible for driving most of the change that we see in the world today, the leaders of the New Roaring Twenties and beyond need to equip themselves with a whole host of critical skills that were not considered to be that important and not even on the radar as recently as only ten years ago.

     

    The fast trending discipline of ‘soft skills’ as critical skills for the 4th Industrial Revolution

     

    Whether one is an engineer or a banker, technical skills and qualifications are the ‘hard skills’ needed for one to be accepted into any profession. Yet, regardless of what profession or discipline one is involved in, the skills one needs to lead a team in successful pursuit of organisational goals and objectives are fast trending into a discipline of their own and have come to be known under the banner of ‘soft skills’.  These soft skills are a major topic of interest where it concerns the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2018.   It is these soft skills that now define the borders between a truly effective leader who is enthusiastic and engaged and one who is by all intents and purposes doing everything by the book, yet, is missing the mark at every turn.  The list of these ‘soft skills’ is rapidly growing as we constantly shift and evolve.  Let us now examine some of the main ones that will define the successful leaders of the New Roaring Twenties as we embrace the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

     

    The Spirit of Resilience

     

    Since the only constant we can rely on in the workplace of today is change, a good leader should adopt a spirit of resilience.  Individuals who are resilient are more often than not resourceful as well as agile and flexible.  As the landscape of the workplace shifts and changes, such individuals embrace change and adapt to what is happening around them regardless.  In other words, they have the ability to bounce back in a true spirit of resilience and are the ones that others look to when they become afraid.  An effective leader will acknowledge anxieties and fears and will find ways to relieve anxieties, assuage fears and boldly take risks to meet new challenges.

     

    A high degree of Emotional intelligence (EQ)

     

    In the last century and as recently as only twenty years ago, when we crossed the gap into the 21st Century, success was thought to be determined by the fact that one possesses a high IQ.  Today, nothing could be further from the truth.  While a high IQ will get you your banking or engineering qualifications it will do nothing for you if, at the other end of the scale, your EQ or Emotional Quotient is not up to scratch.  The truth is that while one might not be born with a high degree of emotional intelligence the good news is that it can be learnt and like anything else, practise makes perfect.  Emotionally intelligent leaders are the ones that constantly strive to understand why employees behave the way that they do, for example, as a result of a bad experience, a lack of trust or fear.  An understanding of this principle makes it easier to deal with any type of situation with poise and confidence.

     

    Responding with Empathy

     

    Responding to a situation with empathy enables leaders to better understand their employees as well as their customers.  That often means putting themselves into the shoes of others as well as being able to work their way into the hearts, minds and souls of the people.  This is par for the course in today’s leadership landscape and is often how a good leader will go about rallying the troupes to live, breathe and execute on their vision.

     

    Passion and enthusiasm

     

    When new to the task of leadership passion and enthusiasm are the spark to the flame, and form part of a cluster of electrifying qualities that are either present in the behaviour of a leader or completely missing in action. Since, often, when a lacklustre climate exists in the workplace, it is because these qualities are conspicuous by their absence in that the general vibe around what the leader puts out there is generally uninspiring, lacks vitality and the life force seems to have withered away.  True passion for a business, its products or services and its vision and mission is almost palpable.  Employees can spot a leader who is sincerely passionate and enthusiastic a mile away and the spin off effect is that these qualities are completely contagious and anyone who has worked with a passionate leader will attest to the fact that in more cases than most it is the passion itself that is the driving force behind the success of the business.

     

    Acting with Integrity

     

    It is an undisputable fact that leaders who act with integrity will engender trust amongst colleagues and their direct reports.  On the other hand, leaders who do not value integrity will not get buy-in from their teams which negatively impacts employee engagement and eventually erodes the bottom-line performance of the business.  Leading with integrity does not necessarily mean that mistakes don’t occur.  What it does mean is having the courage to own up to those mistakes when they do occur, thereby fostering a spirit of humility.  Those who lead with integrity also recognise that no one is perfect and that self-development, especially in a professional capacity, is an ongoing process.

    Leaders that will succeed in the new era of the 4th Industrial Revolution

     

    In summing up the essence of the importance of ‘soft skills’ in the workplace of the 4th Industrial Revolution, it goes without saying that individuals are more likely to follow the lead of someone who is a likeable boss.  Viewed from this perspective, the leaders that will succeed in the new era of the 4th Industrial Revolution are those who are naturally more approachable, friendly, well-spoken and demonstrate maturity and sincerity towards others.

     

    Helen Fenton, Senior Analyst:  Business Optimization Training Institute (BOTi) www.boti.co.za

    Business Optimization Training Institute (BOTI) is a Johannesburg based, Level 1 BBBEE business.  As a Services and MICT SETA accredited company, we have trained thousands of individuals from over 700 companies and our extensive course offering consists of Short Courses, Soft Skills Training and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Learnership Programs.  In addition, we offer bespoke training programs designed to cater to specific business needs.  Our training courses are focused on knowledge and skills transfer and we pride ourselves in being able to provide training anytime, anywhere across South Africa.

     

     

    Feeling like a castaway? Need a coach or mentor but no response to your SOS on SMS? Don’t send a message in a bottle, no man or woman is an island, we’re on to it!

    The news that a message in a bottle has been found floating in the ocean or washed up on a beach conjures up the idea that someone must have gone to a great deal of effort to get their message out there

    Some interesting facts about the message in a bottle:

    • Messages in bottles have been used since time immemorial to send distress signals, monitor ocean currents and carry letters to loved ones from those stranded at sea.
    • The Greek Philosopher Theophrastus was the first to send a message in a bottle in 310 B.C. by tossing it into the Mediterranean Sea as part of an experiment. Ever since, people have often relied on the oceans to get the word out in times of distress.
    • Invitations to prospective pen pals and letters to actual or imagined love interests have also been sent as messages in bottles.
    • In 2005 a group of teenaged migrants were abandoned in a boat off the Costa Rica coast by the crew who was smuggling the passengers illegally. Without the aid of any typical means of modern communication the passengers placed a message in a bottle that read “Please help us” and cast it adrift on the ocean in the hope that it would soon be found. Fisherman subsequently discovered the bottle and delivered it to a nearby World Heritage site island. The island staff notified their headquarters and the castaways were rescued and taken to the island to recuperate.

    Coaching towards success   

    • Coaching allows you to define your career goals in a realistic way. With the assistance of a coach, you can set these goals and then actively work towards them

     

    • Having a coach gives you a safe space to go and talk through sensitive issues
    • Through coaching you can learn more about yourself, discover more about how others perceive you and improve aspects of your personality that you are not satisfied with

    So, if right now you are looking for that extra little bit of attention and are wondering whether you need some coaching and mentoring don’t hit the bottle  

    Simply follow the links below to view some of our Coaching and Mentoring training courses and book your seat on any Coaching and Mentoring course before 31 March 2020 and receive a 20% discount. You can also take a look at all our public courses here or download our 2020 Training Catalogue right now!

    Got the message?  Click the image below to get in tune with it

     

    Is your fear of Excel greater than your fear of flying? Has Excel become the bad guy in your life? If so, then sum-thing good is about to happen….

    Is your fear of Excel greater than your fear of flying? Has Excel become the bad guy in your life? If so, then sum-thing good is about to happen….

    So, if:

    • You think that Excel has become the bad guy in your life
    • You start sweating every time someone mentions the dreaded ‘E’ word
    • You think you are allergic to numbers
    • The word ‘statistics’ causes you to break out into a nervous rash

    Then:

    There’s sum-thing you ought to know

    The simple fact about Excel is that with it you can do a number of useful things such as automatically add up a list of invoice amounts, keep a running total of stock, calculate your business expenses over time or solve problems. Apart from business tasks, you can keep track of your personal affairs such as budgets, shopping lists, But, without it you might find yourself flailing blindly when the numbers just don’t add up.

    And sum interesting stats

    • It is estimated that 2.5% to 6.5% of people worldwide suffer from aerophobia or what is commonly known as a fear of flying.
    • Research also reveals that an estimated one-third (that is 33.333%) of the industrial world is technophobic (suffering from a fear of technology) to a certain degree.
    • But, the real plus is that the fear of Excel is easier to conquer than the fear of flying and Excel phobia and technophobia at large can be overcome through formal training.

     

    And sum useful tips for overcoming your fear of Excel

    • Remember, anyone who is adept at working with Excel spreadsheets was taught by someone at some stage.
    • Everyone who uses Excel started with a blank spreadsheet.
    • Study one function at a time before you move on to the next one.
    • You don’t need to know the purpose of every single function of Excel. Only use the ones you need.
    • Practise. Practise. Practise.

    And sum-thing else you ought to know is that no one is born an Excel expert but we can help you become an Excel tough guy.

    So, don’t hit a blank when you see a blank spreadsheet and wonder what the heck to do with it. Excel is not the bad guy. Let us help you become an Excel tough guy. Simply follow the links below to view some of our Excel training courses and book your seat on any one of the different Excel courses we have on offer before 31 March 2020 and get ready for take-off with a 20% discount. You can also take a look at all our public courses here or download our 2020 Training Catalogue right now!

    BOTi Essential Course Excel 2013

    Excel Advanced Course MS Office 365

    Microsoft Excel Pivot Tables Course

    Writing Excel Macros with VBA

    And, give yourself a pat on the back for finding a way to solve the ‘bad guy’ problem.  Click the image below for some Grammy Award winning entertainment.

    With every breath you take, don’t be a Puff Daddy. Take the Sting out of Leap Year proposals – Take the Leap and Learn to Lead!

     

    Leap Day on February 29 has been known as a day of traditions, superstitions and folklore since it was first introduced over 2000 years ago by Julius Caesar.

    It is also believed that to balance out the traditional roles of women, an old Irish legend claims that St Brigid made a deal with St Patrick which allowed women to propose to men every four years on Leap Day.

    But, despite traditions, whether you are a man or a woman, who wants to hang around waiting for a proposal?

    Most women would be too embarrassed to take on this kind of leadership task.  And most men would be ticked off at being denied their role as the one to do the hunting and proposing.

    So, just because it’s February and what with Valentine’s Day, Leap Day and any other day in between why wait for a proposal?

    Take the leap and learn to lead with a 20% discount off any one of our leadership courses.  Follow the links below to view some of our leadership training courses or you can also take a look at all of our public courses here or download our  2020 Training Catalogue right now to find the exact course that you are looking for.  Then, simply book before 29 February.  You don’t need a ring.  Give us a ring and we will hook you up.

    Taking Charge as a Leader and Closing the Gap Between Specialist and Manager

    Build Winning Teams to Achieve Company Objectives

    Monitoring Individual Performance to Create High Functioning Teams

    Leadership and People Management Training Course

     

    Or, still feeling like some Puff Daddy? Click the image below.

     

     

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