Skills Development Planning for the Environmental Sector An overview of key initiatives

Skills and Human Capital Development Planning in the Environmental Sector ESSP Scarce and critical skills & skills development profile for the sector ESSP Scarce and critical skills & skills development profile for the sector Human Capital Development Strategies SANBI / TLF Biodiversity Sector HCD Strategy Environmental Quality and Pollution Control HCD initiatives Natural Resource Management HCD (agric, fisheries, forestry, mining) DEA HCD Strategy for the Environmental Sector Strategic Plan DEA HCD Strategy for the Environmental Sector Strategic Plan DST Global Change HCD Strategy DST Global Change HCD Strategy

Why all of this now? Skills development planning for the sector has been neglected (e.g. missing from NSDS and Sector Skills Plans; qualifications inadequate; skills planning ‘reactive’ rather than pro-active) – Skills needs in the sector are critical (e.g. not enough scientists, environmental lawyers, environmental engineers, air quality control officers etc.) Workplace skills planning is an important, but inadequate mechanism for systemic skills planning There are key systemic issues that need to be dealt with to ensure pro-active human capital development in South Africa (e.g. cross-sectoral co-operation of SETAs, new programmes in HEIs; improved workplace skills planning; improvement of quality of EPWP training to strengthen empowerment and livelihood capacity) Urgent need for the sector to intervene in the newly emerging National Skills Development Strategy (3), and mainstream the environmental driver into the national skills development system (SETA system; HEIs; Formal Education curriculum revisions; F/VET colleges) and national HRD Strategy

Questions shaping the initiatives Key research questions What growth is expected & What are the ‘drivers’ for skills development in the environment sector? What is going on in terms of employment, skills demands, and new job opportunities? (eg. Formalisation of EGS, Green Jobs) What are the scarce and critical skills needed across the sector? What is the current status of environmental training in the system? (SETAs & Higher Education?) What is the quality of environmental training, what training system interventions are needed to improve training outcomes? What high skills, intermediate skills and elementary occupation skills are needed? In the next 2 years? In the next 5 years? In 20 years? What critical interventions are needed to mainstream the environmental driver into the NSDS and national education, training and skills development system?

ESSP and DEA Strategic Plan HCD research is completed, stakeholder meetings have been held in all provinces and 3 x at national level Drafts of DEA ESSP and DEA HCD ready in January 2010 – for tabling at MINMEC and MINTECH in early 2010 Starting with key initiatives to mainstream environmental driver into NSDS 3 and new National Skills Planning System DST Global Change Human Capital Development implementation is being funded – starting 2010 NRM HCD Process is starting SANBI Biodiversity HCD research is completed, and HCD Strategy is being drafted – 2010 Key interventions out of the plans are being mobilised Progress and Delivery