Stakeholders inform skills priorities in the COVID-19 period Chantel Butler, Head of Organisational Effectiveness at Woolworths, provided an overview on how the Wholesale and Retail Sector has been affected by COVID-19. Butler emphasised the need of reskilling employees on digital programmes in order to respond to the disruption brought about by the pandemic. Leadership skills would also need to be a key focus requiring the W&RSETA to review its management programmes. The W&RSETA Retail Leadership Chair at Durban University of Technology (DUT), Yunus Doba, The W&RSETA is committed to ensuring continuity on skills
presented on the pre, during and post COVID-19 economy,
development during these uncertain times to ensure that the
particularly the impact on the Wholesale and Retail Sector.
sector is positioned to respond to the impact of COVID-19. This was one of the main themes of this year’s Sector Skills Plan
During the Mpumalanga session, Sarah Koster, Director
(SSP) stakeholder consultation process which commenced on
at Mica Nelspruit, shared her perspective on the impact
3 June 2020. It is the first time that the sessions are being
of COVID-19 on the hardware sub-sector in terms of
conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic and we
supply and demand during the lockdown. Koster further
are pleased with the stakeholder participation as we navigate
indicated the challenges of online shopping which had
through the new normal. Sessions have been conducted for
affected mainly small hardware retailers due to insufficient
the Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Eastern Cape,
resources for digital shopping.
Mpumalanga and Free State provinces. The main areas of engagement are around the following: The update to this year’s SSP will assist the W&RSETA to align
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critical skills needs including Hard to Fill Vacancies (HTFVs), scarce and critical skills gaps. Importantly, the process will assist
responding to labour market disruptions? •
the W&RSETA to identify urgent skills needs that are required to respond to COVID-19. During the sessions, stakeholders
What priority skills interventions to implement when What are the occupational changes as a result of COVID-19 disruptions?
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engaged on the challenges that they are facing as a result
What are the key focus areas to avoid massive job retrenchments?
of the coronavirus and how the sector and the SETA should
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What are the 3 skills priorities areas for the sector?
respond to these. The W&RSETA also outlined its COVID-19
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What type of support is required in order to simulate
measures and key interventions that are being implemented.
growth for small and informal businesses? The sessions will be concluded in July 2020 with the final draft of the SSP due for submission to the Department of Higher Education and Training on 31 August 2020. Please refer to page 12 for details on the outstanding sessions. Stakeholders can continue to provide input to these focus areas by sending an email to Mxolisi Maphakela on mmaphakela@wrseta.org.za.
Chantel Butler, provided an overview on the impact of COVID-19 in the W&R sector
Click here to participate in the W&RSETA COVID-19 Economic Survey. June 2020 Newsletter
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