3.5. Skills Development and Research

This report captures the state of the SDR unit in terms of performance, and the implementation in relation to Programme 2 of the MQA Annual Performance Plan: Improve skills development planning and decision-making through research. It is the responsibility of the unit to manage the implementation of research and administer sectoral data by meeting the following expectations:

• quality research – qualitative and quantitative; • trends analysis within the labour market; • advice on skills shortages in the sector; • information of national/regional needs and emerging areas; • facilitate the disbursement of mandatory grants by the regulated timeframe; and • ensure quality of data received.

Below is a reflection of the programmes – and annual performance in relation thereto – the MQA committed itself to for the 2021-2022 financial year.

3.5.1. ANNUAL PERFORMANCE UPDATE

Registration of Mining and Minerals Sector Companies with the MQA:

Inter-SETA Transfers To allow companies to move from one SETA to another to ensure that companies are classified with the correct/preferred SETA. There were 3 Inter-SETA transfers received during the period of reporting: SETA Transferring to SETA Transferring from MQA Wholesale and Retail SETA MQA CETA MQA TETA

3.5.2. DEVELOPMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING OF SDFs

The project aims to build capacity for all the mining and minerals sector skills development facilitators (SDFs). Below is the achievement as at 31 March 2021:

Indicator Annual Target Achievement Update SDF 5 workshops 14 Fourteen (14) SDF workshops were conducted in September 2021 and February 2022.

3.5.3. REVIEW THE SUBMISSION OF WORKPLACE SKILLS PLANS, ANNUAL TRAINING REPORTS AND SECTOR SKILLS PLAN

The WSP-ATR system went live on Friday, 4 March 2022. The MQA received 827 WSP-ATR for the year 2021-2022 against a target of 750. Provincial and size breakdown of submissions are as follows:

Province

Eastern Cape Free State

Gauteng KwaZulu-Natal

Limpopo Mpumalanga North West

Northern Cape Western Cape GRAND TOTAL Large Medium Small Grand Total 3 2 10 15

9 6 8 23

94 94 182 370

10 7 20 37

17 11 27 55

58 32 32 122

41 26 31 98

15 18 20 53

8 9 37 54

255 205 367 827

Target

750

Approved Not approved Received to Date

827

740

87

2021 WSP-ATR Dispute:

The MQA received 1 WSP-ATR dispute. The dispute was resolved amicably.

3.5.4. MANDATORY GRANT PAYMENTS

The mandatory grant payments for 2021-2022 were as follows:

Budget 2021-2022 R312 159 000,00 Payment 2021-2022 R282 462 000,00

*Some small organisations are exempted from paying levies based on revenue generated thus may not attract mandatory grants.

3.5.5. THE ORGANISING FRAMEWORK FOR OCCUPATION (OFO) CODES FOR THE MINING AND MINERALS SECTOR

The purpose of the project is to update the mining and mineral sector specific OFO codes to ensure they are in alignment and inform the DHET national list of OFO codes.

OFO Codes Update The DHET allows SETAs to submit OFO code change requests throughout the year. This process is ongoing. Progress to Date The MQA had workshops to update the OFO codes and these were submitted to DHET on 30 September 2021. The updates were approved and version 2021 OFO Codes was released on 15 December 2021. The new version has been incorporated onto the 2022 WSP-ATR template.

3.5.6. REVIEW THE RESEARCH RELATED TO SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN THE MINING AND MINERALS SECTOR (MMS)

No Short Project Title

1 SSP Annual Update 20212022

2 WSP-ATR 2020 submissions and 11 year trends analysis reports

3 Hard-to-fill occupations versus the training interventions Research Objective

Develop SSP annual update as per Department of Higher Education (DHET) requirements for submission on 31 August 2022. This is aimed at providing insight into key factors influencing the MMS which could impact the dynamics of skills supply and demand in the sector.

To provide updated trends and analysis of MMS in terms of geographic location, size and composition of companies. This is also intended to analyse trends in training offered over an 11-year period of WSP-ATR submissions.

This project is aimed at analysing the relationship between the scarce and critical skills and training interventions that are implemented in the MMS.

4 Assessment of the effectiveness of the partnership between Community Education and Training Centres (CETs) and the MQA The research is aimed at unpacking the following:

• What is the scope and aim of CETs from the

DHET perspective? • What is the nature (purpose, goals, and principles) and scope underpinning this partnership in the MQA? • Identifying the intention of the NSDP in expanding skills development through CETs and how the MQA is implementing this vision. • What are the strengths and weaknesses of these partnerships? • What works, what does not work and why? • What role can the MQA play in assisting the

CETs? • Based on the key findings, develop a model for effective and efficient partnership, a model that will lead to improvement of synergy between the MQA and CETs. Research Partner

Research team Timeframes Progress/Status

May 2021 – August 2021 Final SSP submitted and approved by the DHET.

Research team August 2021 –March 2022 The projects were completed.

Research partner April 2021 – March 2022

Research partner April 2021 – March 2022 Service providers were appointed in quarter 4 to conduct research which will be concluded in 2022-2023.

Service providers were appointed in quarter 4 to conduct research which will be concluded in 2022-2023.

No Short Project Title

5 Exploring the state of managerial progression of Historically Disadvantaged South Africans (African, Indian and Coloured) employees in the MMS

6 Exploring the factors that are impeding attainment of equity targets with respect to people with disabilities within the mining and minerals sector The research is aimed at unpacking the following:

• In the past 5 years, how much change has occurred to promote Black employees into managerial positions? • Ascertain the contributing factors that lead to occupational progression. • Establish the reasons why progression of

Black employees is moving gradually. • Determine the sector’s readiness towards achieving the Mining Charter, 2018’s transformational targets. • Provide specific recommendations that are necessary to improve entry and career advancement of black people with interventions .

The research is aimed at unpacking the following:

• What is the nature of the employment profile with respect to provincial, sub-sectoral, racial, gender, age and occupational distribution of people living with a disability (pwd)? • What are the factors shaping the medical boarding of employees in MMS? • What training interventions are put in place for employees that are medically boarded in the MMS to enable employment of people with disabilities in the MMS? • Provide specific recommendations necessary to improve the absorption of people with disabilities in the labour market within the

MMS. •Provide specific recommendations necessary to improve the absorption of medically boarded employees in the MMS. Research Partner

Research partner

Research partner September 2021 – March 2022 Service providers were appointed in quarter 4 to conduct research which will be concluded in 2022-2023.

September 2021 – March 2022 Service providers were appointed in quarter 4 to conduct research which will be concluded in 2022-2023.