LEANERSHIPS AND QUALIFICATIONS A presentation by Loffie Naudé

Background The Department of Labour aims to introduce policies and programmes to reduce unemployment, poverty and inequality Aims inter alia to = improve economic efficiency and productivity = skills development and employment creation

Background (2) Two critical pieces of policy: Learnerships: Learnership framework was built on the established apprenticeship framework. Theoretical and practical training aiming at competence Notion of Lead Employers: Several employers involved in training of a single person – rotating the learner in different contexts

SAQA and Learnerships SAQA invited SETAs to participate in NSB and SGB processes to ensure: Qualifications meet learnership requirements Qualifications meet SAQA requirements JIPs are entered into between SAQA and SETAs to identify qualifications required for learnerships

Learnerships Learnerships are defined as new professional and vocational education and training programmes which combine theory and practice and culminate in a qualification that is registered on the NQF. A person who successfully completes a learnership will have a qualification that signals occupational competence and which is recognised nationally

What is a Learnership? (2) Work-based learning route to a qualification registered on the NQF Integrates education and training Structured institutional learning & assessment Structures workplace learning & assessment Leads to any qualification on levels 1 – 8 Covers all 25 economic sectors

Developing a Learnership DoL and SETAs should Identify labour market needs Determine purpose of the learnership Establish partnerships and develop capacity Analyse employment context Establish qualification pathway Identify existence of relevant qualification; if there are none: Develop qualifications through SAQA processes

Developing a Learnership (2) Developing a Learnership should include: Institutional learning programme Workplace learning programme Institutional assessment Work-place assessment Quality assurance process Develop curriculum, material etc

Learnership Registration Criteria SETA submits an application to DoL and ensure that: Learnership leads to a qualification There is demonstrable need in the market Learnersships are unit standards based or not unit standards based Provides learner with practical work-place experience Indicates work opportunities Range of learner tasks is indicated Application registered by DoL

Implementation PQM approval to offer qualification/ learnership (a new qualification) Enter into a learnership agreement between: Employer/Training provider/Learner Register learnership agreement with SETA Quality assure delivery of learnership Award qualification

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