Industry News

CHANGES IN THE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT

01 September 2009

In Categories: Nursing , Industry News , Industry News > General

There has been speculation in the media around a number of national skills development issues including the SETAs move to the Department of Higher Education and Training, the future  SETA landscape, the National Skills Development Strategy III (NSDS III), the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) and the Organisational Framework for Occupations (OFOs). Current reporting is often based on “unofficial documentation” and individuals making statements in public forums.

To allay speculation and to ensure that our stakeholders remain abreast of the latest developments, we wish to inform you of the situation as it currently stands.
The move from the Department of Labour to the Department of Higher Education and Training was gazetted on 07 July 2009. The move is now official. The Skills Development Act, (excluding Employment Services and Productivity SA), the Skills Development Levy Act and Section 9 of the NQF Act will fall within the ambit of Department of Higher Education and Training legislation. The restructured Department of Higher Education and Training is expected to be operational by 01 November 2009.

It is the intention of the National Skills Authority and the Department of Labour to create an opportunity for public comments on the SETA landscape during the months of September and October 2009.  Stakeholders will be informed of this when we receive the event notice.

The draft NSDS III will in all probability be released by the National Skills Authority in September 2009. NSDS III will also go through a public comment phase. Once the document has been released, HWSETA will distribute it to stakeholders and facilitate the process of obtaining input from our sector.

The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) will move from the Department of Labour to the Department of Higher Education and Training. Although the QCTO Board has not yet been established, a number of pilot projects are currently testing the various concepts, rules and regulations which will underpin the QCTO in future.  The HWSETA is, with assistance from GTZ, participating in such a project.  The HWSETA is well on its way to implement the Organisational Framework for Occupations (OFO) within the Health and Social Development Sector.  It should be noted that the OFO is the cornerstone of the QCTO standards generation and quality assurance processes.
HWSETA has always viewed change as a positive development and has always embraced it, seeking out new opportunities to improve our services to stakeholders.  We discourage circulation of unverified reports and rumour mongering and will continue to act professionally in these times of uncertainty. We strive for continuous contact and consultation and will continue to inform and consult with all stakeholders as these processes unfold.

HWSETA would like to alert its stakeholders to the fact that the Department of Labour has not released any official documentation regarding any of the issues discussed above.  The Department of Labour has asked stakeholders to refrain from circulating or acting upon documentation that has not been officially released by them.  HWSETA would like to caution its stakeholders not to attend any conferences or workshops that may be convened to discuss any of the above named issues until the official documentation become available from the Department of Labour or from the HWSETA.
ISSUED BY THE HWSETA CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MR CORRIE SMIT, 2 BRADFORD ROAD, BEDFORDVIEW.   TEL: (011) 607 6900.  Email: reenat@hwseta.org.za.  28 AUGUST 2009