INSETA Western Cape Stakeholder Forum Workshop – 4 October 2005

FSC Learnership Implementation

Lessons Learnt

Workshop Agenda

FSC Criteria (Guidelines) 9.00 Lessons 9.15

Planning and Joint VenturesLearningOther Learnership Infrastructures

Tea Break 10.45 INSETA Session on New Grant Policies

11.00-13.00

Financial

Sector Charter

When, where, who & why? In August 2002, at the Nedlac Financial

Sector summit, the Financial Sector committed itself to the development of a BEE charter.

The parties committed themselves to actively promote a transformed, vibrant and globally competitive financial sector that reflects the demographics of SA and contribute to the establishment of an equitable society by effectively providing accessible financial services to black people and by directing investment into targeted sectors of the economy.

What is the FSC?

Voluntarily developed by the sector Transformation charter as contemplated in the BBBEE

legislation Framework - establishes the principles upon which

BEE will be implemented in the Financial sector Partnership programme as outlined in the

Government’s strategy for BBBEE Basis for the sector’s engagement with other

stakeholders, including Government Targets and unquantified responsibilities in respect of

each principle Processes for implementing the charter and

mechanisms to monitor and report on progress

Application of FSC Targets applied from 01 January 2004 (effective

date) – 31 December 2014.

2009 – FSC Council to review charter and make decisions re. implementation in 2nd term.

2015 FSC Council to review charter to establish impact & further steps to address short comings.

Exemptions from HRD provisions - companies less than 50 employees exempt from 5, 11.3 and 11.4.

Exemption from all provisions - companies less than 50 ee’s and less than R10 m designated investments.

Targets regarding HRDBy 2008:

Senior management (R501,126.58 plus p.a.):20 – 25% black people 4% black women

Middle management (R278,482 – R501,126.58 p.a.):30% black people10% black women

Junior management (R167,088.60 – R278,481 p.a.):40 – 50% black people15% black women

By 2014 – 33% black women representation across all levels.

Human Resource DevelopmentParagraph 5 (5.7)

“The financial sector undertakes to implement a Learnership Pogramme in terms of which, over one learning cycle of three intakes, each financial institution will employ up to 4.5% of its total staff in the form of black matriculants, or the NQF Level 4 equivalent, in registered learnerships. Direct spending in excess of that recovered from the Seta’s or Government will form part of the skills development targets of 5.5. The sector commits to review its matriculant learnership programme after the first cycle in consultation with the department of labour, with a view to implementing a second cycle. This commitment is subject to satisfactory resolution of the principles and funding of matriculant learnerships with Government and the relevant Seta’s.”

Paragraph 5.5

“Over and above any skills levies payable by a financial institution , each financial institution will, from the effective date of the charter to 2008, spend 1.5% of total basic payroll per annum on training of black employees.”

Impact on industry

Implementation of learnership programmes – restrictive / other initiatives less costly?

Learning cycles 4.5% (calculated when?) Black matriculants (advantaged / Employed) NQF level 4 (address right level in industry?) Prescriptive list of learnerships? Review after 1st cycle (who to facilitate the

process and when – Dec 2007?) Commitment subject to funding & principles …

Charter Council Chairperson = Cas Coowadia

Operations committee (Ops Co)

Sub-committees: HRD/SME/access/procurement/etc.

Reone Kerr – Chairperson HR sub-committee

2 weekly progress/status report to Ops Co:-issues being addressed by committee-’dummies’ guide to understand HRD component

(clear definitions, practical issues, scorecard – early 2006)

Issues being addressed by the FSC Committees

Human Resources sub-committee

– Verification of baseline data and targets– Definition of employees– Reporting periods between DOL, INSETA and

FSC– Increase to the salary bands– Definition on package– Clarity on Learnerships– Clarity on training spend

“HR Sub-com status report”

Inseta’s role regarding FSC

Quality Assurance regarding: Qualifications Providers Learnership implementation Certification Upload onto NLRD

Facilitation of NSF application process on behalf of industry

Planning and Joint Ventures

Planning Process Funding Joint Venture Recruitment Provider Procurement

Planning Process

Workplace readiness established upfront Senior management and Finance managers must have a

clear understanding of funding of learnerships as well as the direct and indirect costs involved to implement a learnership– Must enable senior managers to make informed decisions (about

the implementation of learnerships within the organisation and on where learners will be placed in the business

Compressed time lines Return on Investment and Employment strategy thinking

must be moved forward to planning stage and not at end of learnership

Planning (Continued…) B/U need to provide details on:

- number of Learners required- Job Profile- Areas that learners will be placed in

Work/Job Streams of learner identified and additional training requirements identified

Reconciliation to be done on number of Learners required per qualification-Training requirements discussed with training provider

Regional structures must exist for National implementation

Planning (Continued…)

Problems / Recommendations:-LS Co-ordinator’s must provide information to LM’s on an ongoing basis and on time

The Question on who is accountable for taking decisions on placement of learners must be clarified- accepted targets to be signed off senior Stakeholders

Funding

FSC Grants (R25 000 per learner per LS) Tax Rebates

– based on Learner Allowance (average rebate on allowance of R18 000 PA = R10 000)

– Not direct income– Difficult to factor into income budgets of large companies

Direct and Indirect Costs– Direct cost (Recruitment cost, Training provision, cost of co-

ordination etc)– Indirect Costs (Technical Training, Cost of accommodating

the learner in the workplace) Actual Expenditure vs Income

– Real full costs are much higher than Grants + Tax Rebates

Joint Venture

Very good organisational partnerships Economies of Scale

- Training Provision - Recruitment

Learnings- Group Dynamic (not possible to have mixed groups of learners)

Consistencies with Learner allowance Sharing experiences on implementation processes

Recruitment

Standard pricing for recruitment costs In general high caliber learner (intellectual

capacity) Selection of the learners with the right attitude Profile testing must be based on qualification Profile testing also as an additional business need

– to be included before appointment During recruitment learners were assessed for

“Job Fit”

Recruitment (Continued…)

When selecting a Recruitment Agency ensure that:- Criteria is clear- Infrastructure is sufficient to handle mass- National Footprint- Community links- Minor errors are eliminated (application form, Telephone line, Fax line problems)

Provider Procurement Standard Pricing Standard Process for Implementation Flexibility Learners Support Administration

- Learnership Agreements- Progress Reports- Closure Reports- Updating of Learner Records onto NLRD

Briefing sessions for LM’s Assessment and Internal Moderation

Learning

Academic Learning Workplace Learning and Training Coaching, Mentorship and Management Experiences of Learners Learner Support

Academic Learning Not more or less important than workplace learning Learnership implementation partnership established with

provider – not only responsible for training Invaluable role of Student counselor Line Managers need to ensure that they remain informed on

learner academic progress and problems whilst with training provider

Methodology – Lectures and Facilitated classroom training interventions

Academic learning content is generic and learners will not be immediately productive

Portfolio of evidence projects versus workplace production versus company specific training (ratio)

Manage expectations of line managers

Workplace learning and training

Induction - To include organisational Performance management processes (KPA)

Orientation and Induction - Importance of workplace commitment (and possible prospects of employability) management of learner expectations

Induction - To take place before attending first training block and not after training block

Orientation and Induction - Learners must see the “bigger picture” regarding learnerships

Good acceptance of learners in workplace by employed staff Consistency between workplace and training must be maintained Learners should form part of existing functional teams

– Learners should be placed between employed staff and not seen as separate individuals or teams

Learners need a workstation and access to a PC for workplace projects and production purposes

Learners need access to Internet for Qualification research purposes

Co-ordinated workplace schedule de-briefing and guidelines to Line Managers

– % time for workplace projects/learner portfolio of evidence– % time for Company specific training– % time for job shadowing and other activities

Workplace learning and training

Learner attendance reporting processes whilst in training needs to pull through to Line Manager (Business)

Reporting processes whilst in training– Role of facilitators vs Line Manager whilst in training

must be clarified While on Training the Learner is still an employee

and the contractual rules still apply

Workplace learning and training

Coaching, Mentorship and Management

The Learner as an Employee

Line Manager (Supervisor)

Coach (On Job Trainer)

Mentor (Role Model / Generic Support)

Line managers

1. To manage the day to day performance and production of the business unit

2. To expose learners to the work done in the business unit3. To help learners find opportunities for completion of projects4. To ensure learners have adequate coaching and support in

completing projects.5. To sign-off projects where appropriate6. To meet with learners regularly to see what activities they

have been provided with and to assist the learner to plan his/her progress.

7. Coordinate feedback on learner progress8. To assist with trouble-shooting if needed

Coach (focuses on technical support)

1. Responsible for on the job training

2. To provide technical help to learners in completing projects

3. Signing off projects completed by learners to confirm that:– It is the work of the learner– It meets the requirements of the unit standard

4. Giving feedback as needed

Mentor (focuses on personal support)

1. To provide support to learners in dealing with difficulties in:– Integrating into the business unit– Personal difficulties

2. Giving feedback as needed

Experiences of learners

High uptake of learners into business– Shifted paradigm in industry– Matriculants without experience now recruited

Employability increased Good resources for industry (brokers, other

industries) Allowances served as income and support for

families

Learner support

Remember the profile, age and diversity of the learner !

Corporate world of work a new and daunting experience

Channel to address personal problems– Diverse range of personal problems– E.g. Pregnancy, HIV/Aids, substance abuse etc.

Special support required for learners with disabilities

Other Learnership Infrastructure

Admin Grants Learnership Co-ordination Learning Record Data Base Exit Strategies

Admin

Labour and Admin intensive despite outsourcing of Admin to Lead Provider

Paper Based Rigid processes and requirements

Grants

Challenge to align funding criteria to implementation plans / timelines

Paper Based Template / Format driven Release of grants dependant on

individual learner reports

Learnership Co-ordination Establishing and managing relations with mentors, training

providers, learners & senior role players within the business Ensuring that learners commence training on dates as

communicated to them, investigating if there are problems Setting them up in worplace (conducting a company

orientation programme, supporting mentors on-going, dealing with problems as they arise)Single point of contact for business stakeholders

Management of the implementation plan Financial Management Change Management Marketing and Communication

Updating of Learner Records

Challenge experienced by providers to get information loaded onto National system

Manage learner expectations around certification - process (this includes internal and external Quality Assurance processes- and time-lines (aligning closure reports with project finalisation)- Graduation and Certificate allocation happens at different stages

Exit Strategy Managing expectations of learners for

employment post the learnership B/U’s abdicated responsibility to advise learners

of whether they were accepted or not Process to be defined of how learners will be

made available to the business- Make data available to the business for recruitment of the learner- Additional support to be defined on how learners not taken will be marketed- Link up with internal agencies, INSETA website, Other contacts