Education & Training

As South Africa continues to grapple with its massive youth (15-34 years) unemployment rate of 4.7 million individuals (Q4 2023), there is a critical need for innovative approaches to skills development and employability. I view learnerships as an excellent platform for creative training methodologies thereby, paving the way for a more agile and adaptable workforce.

How do I know if Learning and Development (L&D) initiatives are making a difference to employee and business performance? What should I measure and how do I take a data-driven approach? Learning Metrics is a practical book for L&D professionals which answers these questions and provides guidance for measuring and communicating the impact of L&D activity in the business.

An oftentimes overlooked subject when it comes to effective parenting, empowering children with financial literacy from a young age is one of the greatest gifts parents can give to their children. As the world becomes increasingly complex, teaching your little ones about sound financial management isn’t just about educating them about what Rands and cents are or, how money works; it’s about equipping them with the skills and knowledge to navigate a financially savvy future.

In the wake of COVID-19 and the accelerated digitisation of financial services, the gap between South Africans who have highly developed financial literacy and those with little or none has not just widened – it has taken on new dimensions.  The consequences for South African society are dire.

The rush to enrol at universities and colleges is just about over. But by December, about 60% of the students who enrolled this year will drop out. With the dropout rate will go the career dreams of many, hard-earned savings, and the realisation that student loans will now have to be repaid.

The South African skills development landscape is undergoing a significant transformation with the enrolment end-date of “legacy” qualifications “scheduled for 30 June 2024. Employers will no longer be able to registers learners on legacy qualifications not yet aligned to the Occupational Qualifications Sub-Framework (OQSF).

South Africa is at a crossroads of a significant educational and vocational transition as it shifts from the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) to the Occupational Qualifications Sub Framework (OQSF) managed by the Quality Council for trades and Occupations (QCTO).

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been comprehensively embraced in the private sector in South Africa in less than a year, but more must be done to ensure that the public sector – and especially students in public schools and universities – are also empowered and prepared for the future world of work.

Spare a thought for educators. Artificial intelligence (AI) has made their jobs harder, particularly when spotting plagiarism and corner-cutting among learners. Yet, AI also offers new opportunities for educators to do more with less and create new engagement within their classes.

For most South African businesses, the skills development component of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) scorecard is one of the most challenging and costly elements to deliver on. However, by strategically combining employed and unemployed learnerships, businesses can secure the most points for the least money spent, while achieving the best return on their training and skills development investment.