W&RSETA February 2020 Newsletter

WHOLESAY February 2020 Newsletter

W&RSETA celebrates 10 years of the ILDP 2020/2021 GRANTS SEASON IS NOW OPEN!

Submissions of Annexure II documents due by 30 April 2020

Editorial Team Martha Shingange – Editor-in-Chief Rhulani Mavunda - Editor Desmond Mashao – Production Coordinator

Editor’s Note ................................................. 2 ILDP reaches a 10-year milestone .................. 3 iStore graduates its second learnership intake... 6 2020/21 Grant Season is now open!............... 8 Whole Diary................................................... 8

Message

from the Editor-in-Chief

In the month of February...

celebrated the tenth year of our flagship executive development programme, the ILDP with the graduation of the 2019 group. Our stakeholders joined us for this celebration as we reflected on the gains that we have made as a sector in developing leaders to contribute to the economic growth of our country.

The State of the Nation Address that was delivered by President Ramaphosa to Parliament painted a bleak picture of the country’s economy which continues to decline and impact on unemployment.

The President said “the most significant contribution we can make to inclusive economic growth is in the development of appropriate skills and capabilities.”

As the W&RSETA, we are encouraged by the contribution of the Wholesale and Retail Sector in addressing the challenges that our country faces through its participation in various skills development interventions.

In the month of February, we celebrated these contributions with the successful completion of various learning programmes through graduation ceremonies.

On 7 February 2020, we joined iStore for the graduation of 23 learners

The 2020/21 Grants Season is in full swing ahead of the due date of the submission of Annexure II documents. It is important that stakeholders start preparing their submissions on the new Management Information System (MIS).

Stakeholders have until 30 April 2020 to make submissions.

Thank you to all our stakeholders for working with us to finalise outstanding activities to allow us to conclude the 2019/20 financial year on 31 March 2020.

In March 2020, we also look forward to marking and celebrating 20 years of the W&RSETA as one of the most significant milestones in our role as the skills development authority in the Wholesale and Retail Sector.

Until next month, enjoy the read.

Yours in skills development,

Martha

Manager: Marketing and Communications Yours in skills development

from the 2019 Learnership programme. Two weeks later, on 21 February, we

Our values

• Accountability

• Agility

• Integrity and Trustworthiness • Quality Services

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February 2020 Newsletter

• Mutual Respect

ILDP reaches a 10-year milestone Action Learning Topics • Make suggestions for learning institutions’ participation to implement Work Integrated Learning principles in learning programmes

On 21 February 2020, the W&RSETA reached a significant milestone when it marked ten years of implementing the highly The 2019 group comprised 51 senior managers from small to large wholesale and retail companies.

The programme was implemented by Regenesys Business School with delegates registering on the Bachelor of Business Administration in Retail Management NQF level 7 and Postgraduate in Business Administration NQF level 8 qualifications.

The 2019 ILDP included study tours to the United State of America, Russia, China, India and Ghana in benchmark best practices and learning from leading

• Identify the skills needs to implement technology driven retail employment opportunities for people with disabilities • The value of placing graduates in the workplace to gain practical knowledge • Entrepreneurial opportunities within the retail sector by comparing observed entrepreneurial activities within any two countries • Entrepreneurial opportunities to address surplus food wastage within the sector • The role of universities and TVET colleges to support the future skills demands of the wholesale and retail industry • The implications of the fourth industrial revolution towards the Human Resource planning activities within your work environment

companies.

• Plan to address food wastage that will benefit informal businesses in your environment.

Delegates were also allocated research topics

• Comparison of smart store visited throughout the programme and the skills within a traditional store.

Suggest the processes needed to upskill the traditional store employees to reach the skills witnessed in the smart store

related to the South African retail and presented recommendations to a panel of industry experts.

• Implications of the fourth industrial revolution towards the Human Resource planning activities within your work environment The reports will be made available on the W&RSETA website

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Opening the graduation ceremony, the Chairperson of the W&RSETA Board, Yvonne Mbane said that the graduation was a celebration of individuals for achieving a milestone. She reminded the graduates that the W&RSETA and the sector expected a return on the investment made Mbane further encouraged the delegates to be catalysts of social transformation and take the lead through the challenging economic environment. Addressing the captains of industry, Mbane said: “The skills that the delegates have acquired must be implemented, otherwise they will be obsolete.”

Yvonne Mbane, Chaiperson of the W&RSETA Board speaking during the graduation

In his opening remarks Praise God Ndaba, W&RSETA Board Member said, “As we celebrate this milestone, let us remain committed to the course of skills development and our contribution to addressing some of the challenges that our country is faced with which include an unyielding unemployment rate, particularly among our youth; poverty and inequality”.

Tom Mkhwanazi, CEO of the W&RSETA, reflected on the 10year ILDP journey and expressed gratitude to stakeholders for the support that has resulted in this milestone. “He highlighted some of the key achievements which included a 399-member alumni, investment of over R180m, promotion of more than 150 delegates and establishment of new ventures by some of the alumni. Mkhwanazi also announced that the implementation of the ILDP would be paused to allow the W&RSETA to conduct an impact assessment in order to enhance the programme and address key developments such as the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

W&RSETA CEO, Tom Mkhwanazi reflecting on the ILDP

“It is all about skills development” were the words echoed by Dr Marko Saravanja from Regenesys Business School during his address on the overview of the 2019 ILDP. He thanked all parties that contributed in making the programme a success, especially the graduates and the W&RSETA.

Ishara Ramkelawan, spoke on behalf the ILDP Alumni and reflected on the role of the ILDP on leadership development and how the programme had led to her ascension to a top management leadership position.

“The programme made me to be courageous” – Ishara Ramkelawan, 2011 ILDP alumnus, Supply Chain Executive, UDP

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February 2020 Newsletter

Tony da Fonseca, Group CEO of OBC, delivered the key note address which focused on courageous leadership during the tough economic climate that the country is experiencing. He emphasised the importance of customer centricity. da Fonseca remarked that programmes like the ILDP were great for the country. He encouraged leaders that this was not a time to give up but to work towards building the country.

Keynote address speaker at the celebration event, Tony da Fonseca

Perspective from the Wholesale and Retail Sector

“The ILDP taught me to invest in people. Do not fear to develop people being afraid that they leave your company because it is fine if they leave to open their own businesses; that is what our economy needs” - Dr Philly Malatsi, Owner, Lethabo Retail Enterprise

“ILDP has been a cornerstone of how we invest and measure the return on people which has contributed to transformation in the industry. The W&RSETA is in a unique position to lead from the front to assist the industry and the country to weather the storms of the economic challenges. Will the industry be better off with the ILDP? An emphatic yes!”- Lance Knowling, Head of Learning and Development, Pick n Pay

“10 years of developing globally competitive leaders” February 2020 Newsletter

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iStore graduates its second learnership intake

Newcomer in the W&RSETA skills development process, iStore continues to make inroads in the upliftment of young people in the technological space.

On 7 February 2020, we joined the Apple reseller, iStore, for the graduation of their second learnership intake at the retailer’s head office in Sandton, Johannesburg.

In 2019, iStore enrolled 30 young unemployed people on the NQF level 4 IT Support qualification with CTU Training. 25 of them successfully completed the programme.

In his address, the CEO of iStore, Chris Dodd, confirmed that 75% of the graduates had been offered permanent employment within the business. He thanked and acknowledged the W&RSETA for the continued support in skilling young people in the country. He congratulated the graduates and encouraged them to continue on their journey of education. Dodd commended the graduates for completing the programme considering that retail is a tough environment, but their commitment had stood the test of time. He was particularly impressed by the number of females that were part of the learnership as the IT support is traditionally male dominated. Dodd Chris Dodd provided an overview

of iStore’s skills development agenda

also shared the retailer’s expansion plan to open 100 new stores that would provide opportunities for these and previous graduates. The retailer was also improving its offering to customers to respond to the Fourth Industrial Revolution which also required an added investment on skills development.

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February 2020 Newsletter

Jephrey Nene, the W&RSETA Regional Manager for Gauteng South, delivered a message of support on behalf of the SETA and congratulated the graduates for completing the programme. Nene also thanked iStore for its commitment to skills development as demonstrated in the success of its programmes. In conclusion, Nene addressed the graduates on the opportunities that are available through the W&RSETA for further development including qualifications up to level 6 as well as the management development programmes.

Jephrey Nene, the W&RSETA Regional Manager for Gauteng South, delivered a message of support on behalf of the SETA and congratulated the graduates for completing the programme. Nene also thanked iStore for its commitment to skills development as demonstrated in the success of its programmes. In conclusion, Nene addressed the graduates on the opportunities that are available through the W&RSETA for further development including qualifications up to level 6 as well as the management development programmes.

Jephrey Nene delivered the message of support.

W&RSETA CEO, Tom Mkhwanazi and iStore CEO, Chris Dodd congratulating the graduates

Mpho Mapeta spoke on behalf of the graduates and thanked iStore and the W&RSETA for this exciting opportunity. “We learned a lot from the programme�

Mpho Molapisi also represented the learners and was awarded the overall achiever of the 2019 group.

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GRANTS SEASON IS NOW OPEN! As we enter into the twentieth year of skills development in the Wholesale and Retail Sector through the SETA system, levy-paying companies are invited to contribute to addressing the skills gap in the sector by participating in the 2020/21 Grants Season.

Companies are requested to submit applications for Mandatory and Discretionary Grants for the 2020/21 financial year by completing Annexure II documents on the W&RSETA Management Information System by 30 April 2020, midnight. The following documents should be completed for the application to be considered: •

Annual Training Report (ATR) 2019/2020

•

Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) 2020/2021

•

Professional, Vocational, Technical and Academic Learning (PIVOTAL) programmes Report 2019/2020

•

PIVOTAL Plan 2020/2021

With the introduction of the new MIS which has several improvement features and requirements, stakeholders are encouraged to start populating information on the system to familiarise themselves with the system and to avoid the last minute rush.

Stakeholder can contact the relevant regional offices should they require assistance.

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Name of Province

Proposed date

Event

Midrand, Gauteng

4-5 March 2020

2020 Black Business Summit

February 2020 Newsletter

Name of Province

Proposed date

Event

Midrand, Gauteng

4-5 March 2020

2020 Black Business Summit

49 Heystek Street Rustenburg 0299

You TA Tube

014 592 0483 Call Centre: 086 270 027 Web: www.wrseta.org.za

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