HUMAN CAPITAL AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT (HC&SD) DIVISION
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n recognition of the critical role the metal and engineering sector plays in skills development in South Africa, SEIFSA’s Human Capital & Skills Development team continues to solicit and consolidate stakeholder views, lobby, advocate and influence these views to develop a skills-development solution that is in the interests of all stakeholders. SEIFSA, acting through direct representation on the Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) Standing Committee on Education and Training (SUB-CET), plays a major role in co-ordinating the views of business and lobbying for employer-friendly skills development policies and approaches at national level. The HC&SD Division is represented on and engages in the following platforms: • • • • • • • • • •
African Academy (City & Guilds) Board; merSETA Board; merSETA Metal Chamber; merSETA Regional Committees; BUSA Social & Policy Transformation Committee; BUSA Sub-Committee on Education & Training; Human Resource Development Council (Champion for Skills Development and Transformation); National Artisan Development Advisory Body; The South African Society for Co-Operative Education Board (SASCE); and Department of Higher Education’s Occupational Team Conveners.
In order to effectively represent the interests of the membership and to advance the human capital and skills development agenda in the sector, it is critical that SEIFSA continues to play an active role in these various platforms. The NDP Vision 2030 subscribes to the objectives of eradicating poverty, removing inequality and reducing unemployment. It is well known that without sufficient focus and continued investment in skills development,
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SEIFSA ANNUAL REVIEW 2017
these objectives may not be realised to any meaningful extent. Within the manufacturing sector, there is a myriad of challenges associated with development of relevant skills. Amongst others, a legacy of poor educational opportunities, a complex tertiary education and training landscape and a poor basic education system, have resulted in many employees having little or low levels of skills. The national shortage of skills in all economic sectors exacerbates the challenges associated with the retention of staff, and increases the demands for training and development in the sector. The skillsdevelopment environment is also complex, with many policies, regulatory and legislative requirements. Traversing these requirements and challenges can be resource-intensive and exhaustive for many companies in the industry. To counter skills shortages, SEIFSA’s member companies invest in employee training and development in multitudinous interventions that include learnerships, bursaries, apprenticeships, internships and adult education. The industry also supports training and skills development in the communities where operations are located, helping to make socio-economic growth possible. Ensuring that the views of the membership are presented and heard is critically important in influencing the human capital and skills development regulatory environment in a way that does not negatively impact on the sector’s business viability and sustainability.
Changes to Legislation In a significant development, the government launched the National Skills Development Plan during 2016 and signalled its intention to extend the SETA landscape and the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS) III until 2020.
