Tag: Rajan Naidoo

Is your company ready to successfully transition from learnerships to occupational certificates? As the deadline of 30th June approaches for the registration of legacy learnerships, companies must ensure they are prepared for the seismic shift in the skills development landscape. This pivotal moment marks the end of an era for historical learnerships and signals the coming-of-age for the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations’ (QCTO) occupational certificates.

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.

Strategic business planning in South Africa needs a forward-thinking approach so when it comes to cultivating a skilled workforce, there is one action that repeatedly delivers - the inclusion of learnerships into Workplace Skills Programmes (WSP) and Annual Training Reports (ATR).

Companies sponsoring learnerships are looking beyond profit towards a better future. Business success is not only about profit margins and market share - it is also about positively impacting society and contributing to the growth of future leaders.

As the Matric Class of 2023 nears the conclusion of their school career, a few of these learners will recognise Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) as a section in business studies. However, B-BBEE – and how companies decide to implement their skills development initiatives – may be the defining factor that determines some of these young people’s career prospects and future.

The Class of 2023 is eagerly anticipating the 18th of January for the release of their matric results. For some, their results will provide access to higher learning. For others, it’s their ticket to the working world - but while these youngsters may be keen to kickstart their careers, many will face the stark reality of scarce job opportunities and a struggling economy.

Earlier this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Employment Equity Amendment Act into law. While the proclamation of the implementation date is still pending, the Minister of Employment and Labour can establish equity targets for various economic sectors as well as prescribe demographic targets for designated employers (companies with 50+ employees).

Learnerships are an essential resource to future-proof your business. Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) is only effective in meeting its goals if the transformative ethos of the legislation is embraced. If B-BBEE is approached with a begrudging compliance mindset, merely ticking boxes, it will fail.

Learnerships are the key to optimising employability. Unemployment is a massive challenge that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. Predictions are that 35% of South Africans won’t have jobs by December. This only accounts for people who are actively looking for jobs. The number of unemployed who’ve given up looking for work is much higher.

The Department of Trade and Industry’s amendments to the B-BBEE Codes of Good Practice on Friday, 31 May, were published in the government gazette with very little fanfare considering the significant impact they may have on generic entities in the country. These changes to the codes and will affect businesses in terms of procurement, enterprise and supplier development as well as skills development.