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Explore the dynamic landscape of workplace learning through an insightful comparison, focusing on learnerships, successes, challenges, and strategies for improvement. Delve into the valuable acronyms, frameworks, and processes shaping professional development in this comprehensive analysis.
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Understanding the Challenges and Successes of Work Integrated Learning and Learnerships : A comparative analysis Gizelle Mc Intyre The Institute of People Development
Institute of People Development (IPD) The Institute of People Development (IPD) is committed to an ongoing process of achieving and maintaining its status as a "centre for learning excellence". • Primary Aim • To enhance the quality of workplace learning provision through the development of managers, supervisors and learning development practitioners. • The Institute strives to be a "change agent" by • Providing qualifications to managers, supervisors and learning & development practitioners • Offering recognition of prior learning (RPL) services to experienced learning & development practitioners • Conducting research projects designed to generate best practice products and processes through a continuous professional development (CPD) programme • Expanding the field of learning & development practices to the wider public through seminars, media releases, on-line resources and communities of practice workshops and consulting • Making available its learning facilities and resources in Midrand to its clients and stakeholders for the purposes of high quality learning provision
Introduction • Learnerships • Advantages • Disadvantages • Work Integrated Learning • Challenges and Successes • Standing on the NQF • Strategies for improvement
Acronyms are king! • ABET – Adult Basic Education and Training • AQP – Assessment Quality Partner • AIDS – Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome • BBBEE – Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment • CHE – Council on Higher Education • COGTA – Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs • DHET – Department of Higher Education and Training • DPSA – Department of Public Service and Administration • DQP – Development Quality Partner • DTI – Department of Trade and Industry • FABCOS – Foundation of African Business and Consumer Services • FET – Further Education and Training • GDP – Gross Domestic Product • HEI – Higher Education Institution • HESA – Higher Education South Africa • HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus • HRDSSA – Human Resource Development Strategy for South Africa • ICT – Information and Communication Technology • IPAP – Industrial Policy Action Plan • JIPSA – Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition • M&E – Monitoring and Evaluation • NAMB – National Artisan Moderating Body • NCV – National Certificate (Vocational) • NSA – National Skills Authority • NSDS – National Skills Development Strategy • NGO – Non-governmental Organisation • NQF – National Qualifications Framework • NSF – National Skills Fund • PIVOTAL – Professional, Vocational, Technical and Academic Learning • QCTO – Quality Council for Trades and Occupations • SEDA – Small Enterprise Development Agency • SETA – Sector Education and Training Authority • SLA – Service Level Agreement • SMME – Small, Medium and Micro-sized Enterprises • SSP – Sector Skills Plan
CHE UMALUSI QCTO
Knowledge / theory Practical Work experience External, summative assessment (to be conducted by AQP) Occupational Qualification Registered SAQA QCTO Curriculum Model DQP/ INDUSTRY Occupational Purpose Curriculum components Assessment Specifications. Qualification document
Flow chart NQF 6 NQF 4 NQF 5 OFO: 242402 OFO: 242401 OFO: 242401
Level 10 Level 9 Level 8 Level 7 Level 6 Level 5 Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 Qualifications Framework NQF Doctoral Degree OQF Masters Degree CHE-HEQC Master Postgraduate Diploma Professional Qualifications s Degree HEQF Bachelor Degree Advanced Diploma Eg, National Skills Certificates Eg, National Occupational Awards Diploma Advanced Certificate Advanced National Certificate (Vocational) Higher Certificate Advanced National Certificate (Vocational) 5 Incl. subject / unit certificates National Senior Certificate (Grade 12) Adult National Senior Certificate National Certificate (Vocational) 4 QCTO GFETQF Units of learning to be accumulated National Certificate (Vocational) 3 UMALUSI National Certificate (Vocational) 2 General Education & Training Certificate (Grade 9) Adult National Senior Certificate
Workplace Integrated Learning Constructive workplace learning is directed at shifting the individual from being merely competent to becoming proficient or expert (Dreyfus and Dreyfus).
Learnerships A learnership is the funding of a vocational education and training programme that facilitates the linkage between structured learning and work experience (WiL) in order to obtain a qualification. It combines theory and workplace practice into a qualification that is registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).Jul 30, 2004
Disadvantages • Basic conditions of employment • Unhappy employed/”older” staff • Training costs • Bad recruitment • Internal costs including administration • Learner Management System costs • Assessment costs • Learner allowance (over and above the stipend) • Coaching, mentoring and supervision for learners
Benefits 1. Cash Grants • Employers who pay the skills levy can claim cash grants when they provide training. These grants can be used to offset learnership costs. Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) may also provide grants for the implementation of learnerships. Employers should get in touch with the SETA to which their skills levies are paid to find out if learnership grants are available. These learnership grants are "discretionary", so check with your SETA about this grant which can be paid in addition to the levy repayment for drafting and/or implementing a work place skills plan. You may thus be able to get back from the SETA more than your levy payments. 2. Tax Incentives • Following the registration of your learnership with a SETA you are eligible to claim a tax incentive from SARS. • There are two tax incentives, one at the beginning of the learnership and one at the successful conclusion of the learnership.
Benefits At the beginning of the learnership: • Learners already employed by you - 18(1): Once you have entered into a learnership agreement with a learner and have registered the agreement with a SETA , you may deduct 70% of the annual wages paid to that learner, up to a maximum amount of R17 500 during the relevant year of assessment. • Unemployed learners - 18(2): Once you have entered into a learnership agreement with a learner and have registered the agreement with a SETA, you may deduct 100% of the learnership allowance paid to the learner up to a maximum of R25 000 during the relevant year of assessment. • On completion of the learnership you can claim again! Your claim can be up to 100% of the annual wage paid to an employee (18(1)) or 100% of the allowance paid to the "unemployed" learner (18(2)) of up to a maximum of R25 000 during the relevant year of assessment. For further details of the tax incentive, please consult the SARS website or contact your SETA.
Implementation of Learnerships Choose a learnership • A list of available learnerships can be found on the Department of Labour's website. Remember - you can choose any learnership irrespective of which SETA developed and registered it. • Many websites including SAQA advertise learnerships • Include strategic skills planning in your choices Apply for a learnership grant • In addition to the amount that can be claimed for a workplace skills plan and the implementation report (learnerships are a very good way of implementing training) you may apply for a learnership grant once you have entered a learnership agreement.
Implementation of Learnerships Establish an employment contract for unemployed learners • Make sure that you have an employment contract that complies with the learnership determination published by the Minister of Labour for the period of the learnership. • Ensure you do a similar contract for your employed learners that will function as a learner contract Get copies of the learnership agreement • A learnership agreement must be signed by the employer, learner and a training provider. Obtain copies of the format of the learnership agreement from SETAs, your nearest labour centre or the Learnership Support Service. Identify mentors and/or Workplace coaches • Identify the person who is going to be the learner's mentor within your organisation. This person will guide the learner and help him/her deal with any problems. • Ensure they are properly trained for this role
Implementation of Learnerships Choose a provider • Make sure that the provider you choose is accredited by a SETA and has approval to provide the qualification you wish to use.. Choose a learner • You can choose someone who is already in your employment - as described by the Skills Development Act in section 18(1) - "employed learner: if a learner was in the employment of the employer party to the learnership agreement concerned when the agreement was concluded, the learner's contract of employment is not affected by the agreement" OR • You can choose someone as described by the Skills Development Act in section 18(2): "unemployed learner: if the learner was not in the employment of the employer party to the learnership agreement concerned when the agreement was concluded, the employer and learner must enter into a contract of employment."
Implementation of Learnerships • For an employed learner, you will continue with their current employment contract and you will only have to sign a learnership agreement. For a previously unemployed person, you will have to sign both the learnership agreement and an employment contract. There are also differences in the grants and tax breaks as outlined above. • Employers who provide training and work experience through a learnership to unemployed people are under no obligation to offer the qualified learner permanent employment once the training is completed. It is hoped that employers will be able to recruit at least some, but even if they cannot, the learners will have a qualification and work experience. Sign the learnership agreement • There are two contracts that you will need to understand: • The learnership agreement • The employment contract
Implementation of Learnerships A learnership agreement specifies: • What the training is designed to achieve, for example the qualification that the learner will earn and the skills she/he should be able to perform. • What the responsibilities and rights are of the employer, the learner and the training provider. • b) You will also have to sign an employment contract if you are taking on a previously unemployed learner (18(2)). Start the learnership • Once the above arrangements are finalised, the implementation of the learnership can begin. • You need to plan and budget for 18 months Employment and Skills Development Agencies (ESDAs) • The Department of Labour will be implementing a pilot programme for ESDAs over a three-year period commencing late in 2003. The ESDA pilot programme aims to assist with the placement of learners into learnerships within the small, micro and medium enterprise (SMME) sector. • ESDAs will be established and will act as the employer of learners. ESDAs perform all the duties of an employer, but they do not provide the work experience part of the training. The ESDA manages the placement of learners with host employers/on-the-job trainers and registered training providers. The hosts are usually SMMEs. • The ESDA pilot programme is aimed at providing learnerships for unemployed young people (under 35). • The ESDA undertakes a number of associated functions that are usually the responsibility of an employer. These functions include: • Direct dealing with government agencies • Entering into long-term employment and training contracts • Handling all government legislative requirements, such as taxation, payroll or other "red tape" • The selection of high quality learners • Arranging and monitoring the on and off-the-job training • Ensuring suitable on-the-job training by rotation through various employers • Counseling and problem-solving for both employers and learners. • From an employer's perspective, the flexibility to be able to participate in the training system without the administrative obligations normally associated with learnerships, is a major attraction.
PIVOTAL Programmes PIVOTAL programmes definition • Professional, vocational, technical and academic learning programmes that result in qualifications or part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) that address critical and scarce skills needs.
PIVOTAL Programmes • Professional learning programmes shall mean programmes that lead to designations that are registered by professional bodies. • Vocational learning programmes shall mean programmes that lead to a trade and/or the National Certificate Vocational (NCV). • Technical learning programmes shall mean programmes that are occupationally-directed and registered by the SETA; such programmes include apprenticeships, Learnerships and skills programmes. • Academic learning programmes shall mean programmes that lead to academic qualifications such as certificates, Higher Certificates, Diplomas and Degrees.
Scarce and Critical Skills • “Scarce and critical skills refer to an absolute or relative demand, current or future, for skilled, qualified and experienced people to fill particular • roles/professions/occupations or specializations in the labour market.” • Scarce skill: • an absolute or relative demand for skilled people to fill a particular role, profession or occupation for example doctors • Absolute demand: • means that suitable skilled people are not available • Relative demand: • means that there are suitable skilled people available, but they do not meet other employment criteria • Critical skills: • refers to the demand for an element of practical or fundamental competence which allows for specialization – in essence it refers to “top-up” skills for example the doctor needs to understand invoicing/time management/communication skills
What is Workplace Learning? • Workplace learning is the highly individual foundation-stone of life-long learning. It results from engagement in practice. Both experienced practitioners and novices engage in workplace learning. They receive, process and incorporate information (sensory, factual and codified or abstract) related to: • The work environment, the stimuli and the conditions which affect work performance • Social intercourse, e.g. conversations, role modelling and guidance involving co-practitioners, seniors and juniors, customers and clients, and those who are incidentally part of the work process • An underlying, conscious or unconscious feeling or perception of gaps, lacks, difficulties and challenges (70:20:10 Learning Framework) • Incidental, accidental and serendipitous events, interactions and readings • Participation in meetings, programmes, interventions and actions related to problem-solving, change or improvement • Testing out new activities, procedures (in the sense of a medical intervention, not as a work instruction), processes and systems
What is Workplace Learning? • Work also needs to be understood as a range of real-time activities in social, community and organisational settings. • All of the above may include formal education and training processes. The notion that accidental or incidental learning is restricted to informal learning arises from a misperception about how people acquire their personal knowledge, skills and attitudes. Even in formal learning situations people may acquire accidental and incidental learning which lies outside the scope of the formal learning objectives.
What is Workplace Learning? • The best workplace learning happens when practitioners are engaged in work activities that: • Involve the injection of some formal, bite-sized chunks of "theory" • Are based on a collaborative, multi-functional team effort • Involve stretch activities related to improvement, change, or challenges • Workplace learning for novices is fundamentally different from that for competent, proficient or expert practitioners (Dreyfus and Dreyfus) • Workplace learning may be a positive force when viewed from an organisational perspective but it can equally be a negative force when the motivation of the learner is to compromise, undermine and sabotage the efforts of the organisational leaders. In workplace learning there is often a tension between the interests of the learner and the interests of the employer. This is most evident in organisations which are built on a command-and-control culture. In organisations where there is an encourage-and-engage culture the outcomes of workplace learning will be more in line with organisational aspirations and objectives.
Workplace Readiness • Work readiness is the transitional process from education or unemployment to effective engagement in work processes • A “work ready” individual possesses the foundational skills needed in order to be able to engage in work processes. • After this they are then able to develop the specific skills to become job fit. • Work readiness is built into organisational process by providing the tools, methods, processes to attract, select and support the new entrant through this transition. • Work readiness includes an understanding of how organisations function
Our Future Reflexive Practical Foundational
Thank you! “Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
Contact Details Institute of People Development 011 315 2913 www.peopledev.co.za gizellem@peopledev.co.za
