Future SA - May -July 2021 Edition

EDUCATION l SKILLS DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING l EMPLOYMENT VOLUME 1

MAY 2021

w el f a r e

The business of

is everyone’s business

5

tips

to get you hired quickly

Four real insights

that will change your approach to corporate learning

The power of

learnerships

to transform youth employment in South Africa

Unemployment matters - the importance of training initiatives to create a new wave of young skilled individuals Driving entrepreneurial growth through mentoring

FEM EXPANDS

CSI Activities

FEM’s FEM’s employee employee volunteer volunteer program program(EVP), (EVP), Kindness Kindness in in Action Action that that was was launched launchedlast last year year encouraged encouraged employees employees to to support support community community causes; causes; itit also also inspired inspired employees employees to to get get to to know know FEM’s FEM’sCSICSIsupported supported organisations organisations and and to to work workwith with charities charities of of their their own own choice. choice. Our Ourregional regional branches branches in in Cape Cape Town, Town, Johannesburg, Johannesburg,&& Durban Durban are are committed committed to to supporting supporting communities communities by by identifying identifying && adopting adoptinglocal local charities. charities.

FEM’s volunteer programme embraces embraces aa quote quote by

by Desmond Desmond Tutu Tutu that that

Your ordinary acts of love and hope hope point point to to the the extraordinary promise that every every human human life life is is of inestimable value. value.

In terms of FEM’s Corporate Social Investment, Investment, the the organisation organisation strives strives to to add add value value to to society. society.

“We continue to contribute to interventions interventions in in the the Health, Health, Housing, Housing, Education, Education, and and Social Social Services Services sectors. Our approach to corporate social social investment investment seeks seeks to to solve solve the the challenges challenges we we see seeand and encounter in our communities by partnering partnering with with NGOs NGOs who who are are specialised specialised in in aa particular particulararea. area.

“Overall, we partnered with 40 NGOs NGOs for for 2021,” 2021,” explains explains Neziswa Neziswa Ndamase, Ndamase, Corporate Corporate Social Social Investment Coordinator at FEM.

FEM EXPANDS

CSI Activities

As part of this program and to coincide coincide with with WORLD WORLD AUTISM AUTISM ACCEPTANCE ACCEPTANCE MONTH, MONTH, FEM took the opportunity to shine shine the the spotlight spotlight on on Autism.

Autism. Over Over the the years years the the company has formed a strong partnership partnership with with Autism Autism South South Africa Africa and and has has been been privileged to see first-hand, the impact impact on on the the lives lives of of children children and and adults adults living living with with autism and their families.

World

AUTISM Awareness month month

FEM invests in Teacher Development programmes. As Brad Henry Love, captured, when he spoke of the importance of teachers when he said, “A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instil a love of learning.” FEM’s CSI strategy pays particular attention to teacher development through internships, workshops, and training programmes.

“We support teacher development through Thandulwazi Maths & Science Academy, Khanyisa “Inanda Seminary, Starting Chance and Christian Liphoko School; through these institutions, we reach teachers in the Free State, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Western Cape, and Gauteng,” Ms Ndamase adds.

FEM supports 17 NGOs in the education space to make education accessible.

In 2020 FEM reached 21 000 learners in seven provinces through these partnerships.

The programmes that we supported focused on Early Childhood Development in both Primary School and High School.

FEM awarded 28 Bursaries in 2020

FEM also awards external bursaries to students pursuing studies in the Health Sciences, Built Environment, and Engineering.

FEM has changed my life, they have “covered my school fees, books, and a

stipend from 2016 to 2019. In my family, no one was working. My father depended on a grant and my mother passed away when I was young. FEM brought hope to my life, Today I am a qualified registered professional nurse. I am currently working at Mediclinic.

“

Currently, I am the product manager for the Internet of Things (IoT) at one of the leading telecommunications companies in Africa. My days are filled with excitement as I have the opportunity to provide customers with state-of-the-art solutions. Day by day, week by week, I go to bed knowing that I am assisting Africa’s growth within the 4IR domain

“

Testimonies

“

It is with thanks to FEM, that I am a qualified electrical and electronics engineer who graduated with distinctions in more than 30 modules. I went on to complete my master’s in electrical and electronic engineering.

“

Student

“

We continue to be committed to developing strong partnerships with community-based organisations and investing in programmes that have a long-lasting impact. As a business, we take our responsibility towards socio-economic development seriously with a view to empowering historically disadvantaged communities.

011 359 4300 | enquiries@fema.co.za |

www.fem.co.za

Editor's note

Welcome to the first edition of FUTURE SA. We hope you will enjoy reading the magazine and feel free to give us feedback on areas where we can improve.

A year of massive change since the pandemic started, shows that education remains key in all aspects of life. Looking at the poor academic results of scholars – who were unable to attend school because of lockdown – it proves that spending less time on education can cause major problems for the success of our future leaders.

Education is also one of the most important factors that help people escape from poverty. Over the years, education has proven time and again to intervene positively where there is poverty, crime and substance abuse, amongst others. It is only through education that people are able to improve their lives.

We all need to remain focused on our future plans and not lose our way.

Unfortunately, for many, the pandemic has been reason enough to just give up; but that is no solution. Staying focused and seeking help wherever necessary is more important than ever.

While the unemployment rate has sky rocketed during the pandemic, it is imperative that we continue to learn and educate ourselves and each other so we can become better citizens, get a job and be good citizens.

The only way a society can continue to grow and prosper is through proper education at all levels.

Let’s continue to learn and educate to keep our society healthy and stable.

Enjoy reading.

Regards,

Elroy @FutureSA.Media

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@FutureSA9

MediaXpose

Education shows us the importance of hard work and, at the same time, helps us grow and develop faster. Thus, we are able to shape a better society to live in by knowing and respecting the rights, laws, and regulations of our country.

M LE

A SE

GE STA

RE

PROTEIN WHEN YOU NEED IT.

TI UL

The FUTURELIFE® HIGH PROTEIN Range is high in protein which assists in the maintenance of muscle mass. Formulated with SmartProtein3D™, a scientific blend of 3 protein sources (Whey, Casein, Soy), the range provides a sustained release of protein over time.

Available in a cereal, bar or convenient on the go shake.

CHANGE YOUR PROTEIN. CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

Contents 6

Unemployment matters – the importance of training initiatives to create a new wave of young skilled individuals

8

Advertorial: MTN SA Foundation accelerates e-learning support to ensure children’s hopes and dreams can be realized

12 14 18 20 24 28 30 34

Four real insights that will change your approach to corporate learning Why digital training is increasing globally Governments must work collaboratively if education is to be delivered effectively in the future Animation helps local educators fill COVID-19 learning gaps Five tips to get you hired quickly

40 44 46 50 54

A comprehensive approach to mental health is a no-brainer for student residences Driving entrepreneurial growth through mentoring Amy Foundation – changing lives Why executives believe closing the skills gap is an urgent priority The business of welfare is everyone’s business Focus: Guide to the refrigeration industry, affiliation counts!

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Temporary employment services – sector important economic health indicator

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Flexible staffing solutions help to address diversity & inclusion challenges in a post-COVID world

Employers need to take care, claims for workplace injuries can be repudiated if alcohol-related Supporting the rise of the side hustle economy The power of learnerships to transform youth employment in South Africa

6 Carlton Crescent, Parklands, 7441 | Tel: 021 424 3625 | Fax: 086 270 9693 Email: info@futuresa.co.za

@FutureSA.Media

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Website: www.mediaxpose.co.za

@FutureSA9

MediaXpose

PICTURE CREDIT: 123rf.com / pixabay.com DISTRIBUTION:

ON THE DOT PRINTED BY:

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or its agents. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information published, the publisher does not accept responsibility for any error or omission contained herein. Consequently, no person connected with the publication of this journal will be liable for any loss or damage sustained by any reader as a result of action following statements or opinions expressed herein. The publisher will give consideration to all material submitted, but does not take responsibility for damage or its safe return.

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EDITOR Elroy van Heerden editor@futuresa.co.za

DESIGN & LAYOUT: Anja Bramley artwork1@mediaxpose.co.za

SUB-EDITOR Tessa O’Hara tessa.ohara@gmail.com

PROJECT MANAGER Maurisha Niewenhuys maurisha@mediaxpose.co.za

CONTENT MANAGER Wadoeda Adams wadoeda@mediaxpose.co.za

ADVERTISING SALES Rene van Heerden rene@tobuild.co.za

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Mamiki Matlawa Gareth Fletcher Professor Nicky Roberts Fred Razak Rhys Evans Alan Shannon Trent Lockstone Andrew Weinberg Indigo Knights Michael Gullan Dr Armand Bam Jeandie Leone

SOCIAL MEDIA Kyla van Heerden social@mediaxpose.co.za DISTRIBUTION & SUBSCRIPTIONS Shihaam Gyer distribution@mediaxpose.co.za CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Shaun Mays shaun@mediaxpose.co.za RECEPTIONIST Daniela Daniels receptionist@mediaxpose.co.za

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Opinion

Unemployment matters –

the importance of training initiatives to create a new wave of young skilled individuals

By Mamiki Matlawa, MD of Qunu Workforce

According to Stats SA, there is a staggering unemployment rate of 63.2% among the youth, accounting for individuals between the ages of 15 and 24. As the emerging workforce, this age bracket of individuals finds themselves in a difficult position, struggling to secure employment due to the economic downturn and their lack of experience.

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Opinion

Now that the new academic year has commenced, the fate of recent matriculants is even more distressing as not everyone has the means for tertiary education. This has clearly highlighted an urgent need for South Africa to establish a workforce that can gain skills and training without the prerequisite of a degree. Temporary Employment Service (TES) providers can have a significant impact here, already positioned to provide vital training and skills development to the youth, along with learnership placements.

are unsure if work is going to be steady through winter, we’re unsure as to whether there will be another wave of COVID-19 infections.

Emerging workforce struggles

Seeing the bigger picture

A staggering two million jobs were lost in 2020 after the nationwide shutdown, which paints a bleak picture moving forward. It can be incredibly tough seeking employment with only a basic education and no tertiary qualifications or skills training. While many did not achieve the marks necessary to qualify for tertiary education placement, many others lack the funding and means to attend university.

A two-fold solution

Times have changed. Job seekers can no longer pick up a newspaper to find local vacancies and expect to be employed.

Today, the youth have to get creative in their approach to the job market.

With so many individuals actively seeking employment, it is important to do everything in their power to stand out from the rest. From the TES provider perspective, we need to shift our focus from qualifications to start looking at the individual – skills that can be taught, passion to work and enthusiasm to learn is what makes a person stand out from the crowd with good potential to hire.

As our country seeks to begin economic recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical for our youth to take any opportunity to gain valuable work experience along with participating in multi-skilled training and refinement programmes. As a starting point, TES is an ideal solution that can reduce the youth unemployment rate through placements, learnerships and skills programmes in the business services and technical sectors. Other industries that are likely to benefit from TES by placing younger people in entry-level jobs include retail and e-commerce, engineering, construction, contact centres, telecoms, warehousing and logistics.

TES providers can bring job seekers and companies together in a manner that is mutually beneficial, providing industries with flexible contract workers that can be upscaled or downscaled as operations demand, while affording the workers the opportunity to gain experience and learn new skills while earning an income.

Given that universities are not churning out graduates that are ready for the job market, we have to be realistic about the situation. Skills gained through experience are far more urgent than formal qualifications currently. The private sector and TES providers need to work together in creating a skilled workforce moving forward. That gap between skills and opportunity needs to be tightened to balance the need of enhanced youth skills sets while combating the issues of unemployment.

Companies approaching TES providers for assistance in meeting their labour requirements should be open to on-thejob training, or skills development programmes so that young job seekers can continue to upskill themselves. Experience earned in entry-level jobs can later be used to unlock better employment opportunities down the line, so it is important for youngsters to bear in mind that an entry-level job is better than no job.

It is also just as important for businesses to realise that it is not only about profitability and survival - they actually have a critical role to play in addressing the current challenges of unemployment in order to further our goals of economic recovery.

Mutually beneficial arrangement

Temporary employment solutions are not just for job seekers, as these services can be of great benefit to businesses and sectors currently faced with financial constraints. Many companies are currently hesitant to hire new people on a permanent basis because there’s still so much uncertainty in the future. We

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Mamiki Matlawa, MD of Qunu Workforce

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Advertorial: MTN

MTN SA Foundation accelerates e-learning support to ensure children’s hopes and dreams can be realised

By Kusile Mtunzi-Hairwadzi, General Manager: MTN SA Foundation

The impact of rampant vandalism, theft and break-ins at schools is having a chilling effect on the hopes and dreams of children across the country. Thousands of Computer Application Technology (CAT) pupils will not be able to access the digital tools they need to succeed unless urgent support and greater access to technology is provided on a large scale.

Advertorial: MTN

In May last year, Timeslive reported that more than 1 500 schools were hit by vandalism and theft during the SA national lockdown, with computer laboratories the hardest hit. The situation has not improved early in the New Year, with more than 42 computers stolen at just one school south of Johannesburg during early January.

Through our Foundation, we see first-hand the ripple effects this criminal activity is having on our future generations. It is truly devastating to see the impact on learners. These children had just been given access to computers for the first time in their lives, and to have them taken away is heartbreaking.

To date, MTN SA Foundation’s flagship project within the e-Learning offering has been the provisioning of multimedia centres in schools, institutions of higher learning and communities across the country. However, as many as 34 of the schools that were connected between 2014 and 2017 have, sadly, reported burglary,

theft, or some form of vandalism during the past three years. The 34 schools represent over 26% of the total schools connected over the past three years.

Visiting the schools targeted truly lays bare the broad impact these crimes are having. Grade 12’s, for instance, were using the multimedia centres to apply to university and for bursaries, while free access to data and computers was opening the door to a myriad opportunities for learners and teachers. Hundreds of Grade 10’s had also just started their studies in Computer Applied Technology (CAT), and there is a risk many schools and their learners may not be able to do the practical work needed to pass their exams, or may be unable to continue with their subject at all. This will leave them to enter the job market unprepared for the digital world, which will only widen the digital divide and take away future opportunities from the children.

Teachers and their ability to keep up with curriculums will also be hindered as they use the labs to research and formulate lesson plans. Not only that, but entire communities also lose out, as the multimedia centres established at many schools were being used by all members of the community, giving them access to the benefits of the digital economy and connected world.

There is no doubt futures and dreams of these children are being placed in jeopardy by these unacceptable actions.

The torching of schools has, of course, further hampered progress as it normally takes time to repair vandalised school buildings.

With the education system as fragile as it is at the moment, working to weather the COVID-19 storm, digital solutions for children in remote or disadvantaged areas, who may not be able to access physical classrooms, teachers, textbooks or computers, is more critical than ever.

While MTN is saddened by the devastation wrought at many of these centres and schools, we stand steadfast in our commitment to support vulnerable children and schools.

Important that barriers for learners are removed As the Fourth Industrial Revolution ushers in exciting opportunities, it is important that barriers for learners are removed. Learners simply cannot be exposed to computers for the first time when they enter university. It is imperative that the class of 2021 receives support to close the gaps in accessing online tools and learning.

This year again, together with key partners, MTN SA Foundation will work to help these and other children, teachers and educational institutions overcome the hurdles that have been placed in their path, and continue

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Advertorial: MTN

to drive greater access to education across South Africa as children head back to classrooms.

The 2021 MTN SA Back-to-School programme is focused on increasing learner’s school performance and access to e-learning, building on the Foundation’s pivotal work during the COVID-19 school lockdowns. The programme aims to assist those in need, and especially children who may not enjoy the benefits of textbooks, teachers, or even properly functioning schools.

Several interventions and offerings of e-education and virtual schools will leverage the existing MTN technology solutions.

This is critical as the pandemic has shown how crucial it is to drive seamless connectivity and support to help improve learning outcomes, no matter how challenging the situation may seem. For instance, during the ongoing COVID-19 storm, MTN’s 96% LTE connectivity is enabling e-learning and virtual classes in previously unreachable areas.

In the Eastern Cape alone, 72 000 SIM cards were pre-loaded with mobile data and provided to the Eastern Cape learners, in addition to the zero-rating of educational websites, and provision of equipment for modern multimedia centres, across the country.

Working with the Siyavula Foundation Working with the Siyavula Foundation, the MTN SA Foundation has invested into the Siyavula e-learning platform that offers textbooks, practice software and exam preparation content. This investment is ensuring that SA’s Grade 10 to 12 learners across South Africa have access to world-class Mathematics software and online textbooks for CAT and IT. Education is a right and a crucial opportunity. It holds the key to a better life for all children and adolescents worldwide, a life with less poverty, better health and an increased ability to take their future into their own hands and succeed in whatever they set out to do.

Our primary focus on education seeks to drive reach and access to information using technology as an enabler.

Therefore, key consideration will be placed in creating an MTN e-school that will use virtual platforms to provide access to curriculum aligned information to the target audiences.

Through ongoing collaboration and support with like-minded partners in the public sector, aligning to the strategic intent of the National Department of Education, Department of Social Development (DSD) and Department of Basic Education (DBE), in 2021 and beyond, we will continue to assist with brightening the futures of children and communities, despite the obstacles being placed in their way.

This work will be ramped up even further this year as we continue to bring the benefits of the modern, connected life to more people.

ABOUT MTN GROUP Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a leading emerging markets operator with a clear vision to lead the delivery of a bold new digital world to our 240 million customers in 21 countries in Africa and the Middle East. We are inspired by our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code “MTN”. We are pursuing our BRIGHT strategy with a major focus on growth in data, fintech and digital businesses.

Visit us at www.mtn.com or www.mtn.co.za Follow us on Twitter @MTNza

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www.futuresa.co.za

Corporate Learning

Four

real insights that will change your approach to corporate learning

By Gareth Fletcher, Product Director of G&G Advocacy™

The modern workplace today is a stressful one, filled with disruptions.

The average adult learner is already busy balancing home and work commitments, along with distractions from social media, all of which impact achieving their learning goals. Todays’ adult learners need a learning experience that fits into their busy lifestyles, that enriches and interests them, and enables them to learn in high disruption workspaces.

There have been several studies focused on the effect of disruptions on performance, all of which proved that disruption affects us more than we realize. Noise disrupts the performance of visual recall tasks (Jones; LeCompte) and interruptions harm performance (Zilstra and Roe 1999). In fact, a study conducted by Demarco and Lister in 1999 concluded that it can take up to 15 minutes for a person to regain concentration and focus on a task after an interruption.

The true scarce commodity of the near future will be the human attention span.

Satya Nadella, Microsoft

Add to that the fact that social media has shortened our attention spans. In a paper called, “An introduction to medical teaching” in 2014, William Jefferies and Kathryn Huggett state that our attention span wanes considerably after 15 minutes. Microsoft have famously concluded that someone will ‘switch off’’ if not interested after 8-12 seconds.

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Corporate Learning

For learning to be effective it must consider these factors, and deliver material in short, impactful segments, capturing learner’s attention quickly. How best to do this?

01

02

03

04

Understand learners

Content that resonates

On demand and available

Content capsules

Malcom Knowles, the father of modern adult learning, stated that a key principle of adult learning is to appreciate that adults already have work and life experience, and learning should acknowledge and build on their existing experience. Vygotsky (1997) champions the theory that learning is a process of just ‘constructing’ new knowledge on what you already know. Learning must be relevant and focus on issues that relate to the learner’s work or home life.

We all learn differently, but what is clear is the power of impactful content.

Dale (1969) conducted an interesting study in which he tested different types of content against recall. There were significant differences in recall between a spoken lecture, and a lecture guided by visuals — after three days, subjects could only recall a maximum of 20% of the spoken content, but over 70% of the visual content.

This is not surprising: 3M in 2001 found that the brain processes visual cues 60 000 times faster than text, while Thorpe, S., Fize, D. & Marlot, C.1996, estimated that it only takes our brains a quarter of a second to recognise an icon or image.

Compare this to the fact that it takes on average six seconds to read 20 words.

A recent report from Axonify shows that organisations that allow their employees to train on mobile devices saw a training frequency improvement of over 40%.

What’s more, an average of 3 hours 15 minutes is spent on our mobile phones everyday (Via Rescue Time), it makes sense that learning should be delivered on our most favoured device and format, on demand when we want it.

Adult learning should be delivered in short, relevant, high-energy and mobilefirst learning pieces, that deliver a single meaningful outcome with each interaction. This method must combine gamification elements, challenges and interactions to enrich the user experience, and a stateof-the-art communications plan to remind, inspire and reward all learners.

Gareth Fletcher is the Product Director of G&G Advocacy™.

He combines his passion for technology, with his love of training to build unique, interactive, online –based learning environments for companies to inspire, motivate and engage their staff.

www.futuresa.co.za

It’s time for training programmes that add real value to organisations and their employees. We believe that through strategic design and implementation of initiatives that work with the needs and preferences of learners, while using modern communication and digital innovations, organizations can create high-quality human capital that will improve their productivity and competitive capability.

Our entire approach is based on providing the best possible user experience for every member of our learning programmes, and that means developing a true understanding of what their needs and requirements for learning are.

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Digital Training

Why digital training

is increasing globally Digital learning is the future.

As more organisations use technology to make learning and training more convenient for their employees, the shift from classroom to online is well on the rise. Even before COVID-19 swept across the globe and forced organisations to work from home, some businesses started increasing their digital learning and training budgets to keep staff upskilled, engaged and motivated.

The World Economic Forum reports that in 2019, more than US$18 billion was invested in language apps, virtual training, video conferencing tools and online learning software, to improve digital training. And since the pandemic erupted, digital training has become even more crucial as organisations quickly realised the key benefits digital learning and training offers employees and stakeholders. These include: More flexibility: Employees can learn in their own time, at their own pace with tools they already have.

Increased information retention: With learning moments presented interactively, learning is more fun and easier to remember than static workbooks and traditional testing strategies.

Less time: Digital learning means no travelling or all-day learning sessions, which are time-consuming, costly, demanding on staff, and which can, in the short term, reduce productivity.

Cost-effective: Digital learning cuts expenses linked to in-person learning and training, such as printing of material, travelling and accommodation costs. Organisations can save money and enjoy the benefits of increased employee productivity ultimately resulting in higher profitability.

“We have seen the increased demands for digital learning and training, and the G&G ADVC solution meets these needs,” said Michael Gullan, co-founder and Managing Director of G&G ADVC. “Recognising that people are time-strapped, we’ve introduced learning moments, or Content Capsules™, that can be digested in bite-sized experiences. This empowers employees and stakeholders to personalise their learning opportunities, to decide how much they want to learn at any particular time,” he added.

Although access to Internet services still lacks in many parts of the developing world, the popularity and effectiveness of digital learning and training will continue even after the pandemic is over.

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Digital Training

Here are the top trends creating a surge in digital learning and training: Platforms are easily accessible:

Interactive content is a must:

Learning analytics:

It’s crucial for employees to access digital learning and training opportunities easily. Platforms that offer flexible access from any device, at any time, meet the needs of employees with busy schedules.

Digital learning considers that individuals learn at different paces and accommodates employees to learn at their own pace.

Informative content is no longer enough. Content has to be interesting and interactive so that employees can have an engaging and better learning experience as they navigate through the material. This interactive content can include quizzes, polls, audio clips and videos.

While employees and stakeholders navigate digital learning and training platforms, organisations can monitor their progress and engagement across the programme. This will offer valuable insights and allow organisations to evaluate the success of the platform. These insights also inform decisions on how to improve learning opportunities to achieve business outcomes.

Digital learning and training trends are focused on making the experience easier and more valuable for employees and organisations. As technology advances, digital learning will only get better as technology based learning solutions respond to market needs.

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icdl.org.za icdl.org.za icdl.org.za

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CiTi operates at the intersection of business, government and society to positively shape the future of the economy and society. We bring people together to bridge the digital divide and enable participation in the digital economy.

CiTi has been playing a catalytic role in the digital economy for the last 21+ years addressing various gaps in the digital value chain.

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Education

Governments must work collaboratively if education is to be delivered effectively in the future

The COVID-19 pandemic has paved the way for a hybrid model in education, combining digital and traditional methods of teaching and learning — but governments need to act so that progress from the past year is not lost, according to the latest report from Oxford University Press (OUP), the world’s largest university press.

The report, Education: the journey towards a digital revolution, captures insights from experts across seven markets — the UK, Brazil, South Africa, Pakistan, India, Spain, and Turkey — as well as from hundreds of teachers globally, and extensive secondary research. With the pandemic affecting more than 1.7bn students worldwide1 over the past 12 months, the report analyses how teachers, students, and parents adapted to new ways of delivering education, and will continue to use digital learning tools and resources to shape educational practice in the future.

In South Africa, specific issues such as a lack of digital devices for students and how much data online learning would use up were major barriers that severely hampered learning, as well as poor

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Education

internet connectivity in general. These ongoing challenges mean that our experts believe that more support is required to facilitate learning, and that infrastructure in schools will need to be improved to enable a hybrid learning model.

The experts consulted in the region scored South Africa scored the country’s response transitioning to digital as 2.3/5 – one of the lowest of all markets surveyed.

While there were clear regional trends surveyed, there were also similarities across all markets: • 98% of OUP’s experts said they believe digital learning will be firmly embedded in teaching practices in the future.

• The factors deemed to have impacted the most on the effectiveness of digital learning were socio-economic barriers (79%) and uncertainty in day-to-day life caused by the pandemic (74%).

• Long-term impacts of the pandemic such as the digital divide and the impact on wellbeing need to be addressed; 70% of OUP’s experts concluded the shift to digital learning has raised concerns about student wellbeing, and 85% believed that learners from disadvantaged backgrounds have fallen behind their more advantaged peers.

• Curricula needs to evolve so that learners develop the core skills needed to navigate future uncertainty and become ‘digitally fluent.’

Drawing on the insights, OUP is urging governments and educators globally to address the challenges brought about by a year of educational disruption and ensure that

positive developments from the past year are not lost. Key recommendations include: • Governments should actively collaborate and learn from teachers and students and use their recent experiences to inform future policy and curriculum development.

• Governments need to work with institutions to address the digital learning divide, not just now, but for the future too.

• Wellbeing must be considered as part of education policy as digital becomes increasingly embedded in education — including support for teachers and parents.

• Curricula should evolve to provide learners with the skills they need to be both digitally fluent, and adaptable to whatever the future holds.

Speaking about the research, Nigel Portwood, CEO of Oxford University Press, said: "The coronavirus pandemic has, unsurprisingly, prompted a rapid increase in the adoption of digital learning. As we start to reimagine what education may look like in the future, it is imperative that the government — and indeed, governments all over the world — learn from those who have been on the frontline, delivering and receiving learning. We have a huge opportunity to learn from all our experience to develop education systems that will work for both local and global society."

For more information about the report, or to speak to a contributing expert, please contact Derek Ballantyne at email: Derek.Ballantyne@oup.com

98% of those consulted believe digital learning will be embedded in teaching practices in the future - but action needs to be taken to build on learnings from the past year.

Nigel Portwood, CEO of Oxford University Press

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Education

Animation

helps local educators fill COVID-19 learning gaps The impact of COVID-19 on education could be felt for as long as ten years! By the end of 2020, it was estimated that despite efforts made in both private and public schools, “children lost a full six months of learning and even now they’ve gone back, it’s patchy because they can only go one or two days a week,” says education expert, Professor Nicky Roberts.

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Education

sifting through the mountain of new digital education programmes on offer – from maths and science to coding and drone technology.

How does a parent or school discern the quality, credibility and differentiators of each education platform? It’s not easy. Meanwhile, education companies need to work harder to stand out in the tsunami of content in this evolving industry.

Furthermore, South Africa is not unique. According to the UNESCO Monitoring Report, 192 countries had implemented nationwide closures, affecting about 99% of the world’s student population, and a total of 1.75 billion learners.

Simultaneously, the pandemic forced disruption in ways of learning. Innovators accelerated blended learning, distance learning and open educational applications to reduce disruption to education, following a suggestion by UNESCO, and in so doing, propelled e-learning by three to five years.

Steve McDonald, the co-founder at animation and video studio, 3rdfloor, explains: “The industry is in total flux. Online education platforms are desperate to stand out. They want to catch the attention of learners and educators and hold it. Their websites and social media are their shop window, so that initial impression really matters. Google Analytics shows that the bounce rate – the percentage of people who land on your website and then leave without visiting another page – is almost 57%. In other words, you have to make it count.”

How do you discern the quality, credibility & differentiators of each education platform

With the third wave of COVID-19 currently hitting Europe, open schools may once again be under threat with online education as the only real alternative. The challenge for parents and educators is

Animated videos help organisations simplify their message Animated videos help businesses and organisations simplify their message and show their target audience who they really are. A good video will draw on a number of tools from the animation toolbox – animated infographics, custom character design and a style that is made to catch the attention of the viewer you are speaking to.

“Animated videos are also extremely versatile: we often make multiple versions in different languages, edit videos into bite-size ‘cut downs’ for various social platforms, pull out gifs and images and even offer a full digital asset library which our clients can use across their entire brand,” he adds.

3rdfloor is currently creating a series of animated videos for MySociaLife, the South African digital life skills programme which teaches online safety, media literacy and social media awareness in schools.

MySociaLife's founder, Dean McCoubrey, says: “We educate students and parents, teachers and psychologists, and we teach eight different modules about the complexity of life online. It's a lot to explain; we didn’t believe that our story could be told in 90 seconds. The animated explainer encapsulates it all so concisely, and the animated characters make the programme memorable.

The feedback has been phenomenal.”

“Every client is different, so we conceptualise and design the entire visual universe according to the brand and message that your video needs to convey. Not only does this help you stand out from the crowd, but it also gives your message longevity,” Warren Willmott, Animation Director at 3rdfloor, adds.

He also proposes some considerations for educators looking to produce animated videos: Focus on the story: You can’t have an engaging video without an engaging script. Spend time on this part of the process and make sure you get it right.

Keep it short: We usually say 90 seconds is a good duration, but if you can tell your story in less then go for it. Anything that doesn’t perform a function must go.

Be brave. Be bold: A little humour and quirkiness go a long way. So does the choice of music, voice artist and the use of sound effects.

Don’t be afraid to go with cool ideas that are different - go with them because they’re different.

You get what you pay for: There are no shortcuts, good work takes time. So before you choose your supplier, look closely at their body of work and the level of detail they offer.

"To stand out in the digital noise that is the media environment of today, you really have to be able to tell a story on multiple levels. It’s visual, informative and emotional, and if you can strike the right balance, your video will connect with people and be remembered."

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The balancing act professional development in the 21st-century

Balance is a fundamental characteristic of every aspect of our personal and professional lives. Education and, specifically, an educator’s professional development is no different. But how do you balance the theoretical side of professional development with the practical side? ITSI can help you achieve a proper balance in growing as an educator.

‘Re-tool’ your teaching Firstly, we need to look at the theoretical side of professional development and how this can serve as a method to ‘re-tool’ your teaching and enhance the learning taking place in your classroom. In Jane Hunter’s 2015 book, Technology Integration and High Possibility Classrooms, she makes a convincing argument for the need for theory in the process of having the best tools for teaching.

Hunter identifies the following areas where theoretical professional development is crucial: Construction of learning

With the modern advances in neuroscience and psychology, we now know significantly more about the brain and how it works. This has dramatic implications on how our students learn.

Purposeful teaching

The better we understand our students’ capabilities, the better we can plan and teach.

Enriched subject matter

Knowing and understanding the technologies and supporting resources for enriching subject matter is crucial to 21st-century teaching.

Reflective learning

In understanding the value of project-based learning and other 21st-century teaching developments, students are engaged to actively reflect on their own learning.

Growth mindset

With the rapid development of society, education cannot remain static.

A growth mindset is a crucial tool in the 21st-century educator’s toolkit.

Authentic student engagement

With relevant foundational knowledge on the 21st-century student and their educational context, students can be engaged in authentic and transformative educational experiences.

The theoretical side of professional development is a fundamental part of delivering balanced and relevant teaching.

Practice makes perfect Now that you have an overview of the importance of the theoretical dimension of professional development, let us explore the practical side. In a blog post by Powerful Learning Practice, they reflected on ten things educators want from their professional development.

Two of these stood out, namely:

Practical skills and tools

Balance of theory and practice

Educators are interested in courses and workshops where they can implement the strategies taught immediately. There is nothing worse than attending a workshop intended to teach practical skills, only to sit through a lengthy presentation and leaving without any new skills or tools to use. Practical skills and tools are required for balanced professional development.

Educators want professional development courses that make them better educators.

In many cases, educators are not given the tools or skills to become more effective educators. For example, it is fantastic when educators know all the do’s and don’ts of making educational videos. Still, this knowledge means very little if they cannot use practical tools such as iMovie to produce the videos.

Striving for balance We have now seen that educators need a balance of both theory and practice from their professional development to enhance their teaching skills. Therefore, it is crucial to keep both the theoretical and practical side of things in mind when selecting your professional development opportunities.

ITSI offers courses on a wide variety of professional development topics, including coping and managing with technological change in your teaching, flipped classroom implementation, and presentation tools. Consider some of these opportunities to enhance the balance in your professional development journey.

Get everything you need to create the ultimate teaching experience. contact the classroom team now by sending an email to helloclassroom@optimi.co.za.

Employment

Five tips to get you hired quickly

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Employment

Getting a job after COVID-19 is possible

By Fred Razak, Chief Trading Strategist at CM Trading, shares a few tips to help improve your chances of finding a job after lockdown.

The CM Trading Partners programme is a training and trading resource for forex traders that allows you to generate a passive income through referrals.

Lockdown has had severe effects on global economies and South Africa is no exception. Unfortunately, many people currently find themselves in the job market again. Whatever your reasons may be for seeking out a new employer, selling yourself well can help you get hired sooner, rather than later. And it starts with a few important touches.

1

Get your CV right Think of your CV as a brochure that sells you as an exciting new product. When you’re looking to buy something and are doing your research, you don’t want to be overwhelmed with information. You need to know what the product is and what it can do for you – as quickly as possible.

There’s no need to put a header at the top that says ‘CV’ or ‘Curriculum Vitae’, because anyone who is looking at the document will know what it is. Start with your name, contact details and job title. You can also include a link to your LinkedIn profile if it’s relevant to the position you’re applying for.

Next, create a short personal profile – no more than two to three lines. This is your main ‘sales’ statement to the prospective employer, so be sure to highlight your best professional qualities. Follow that with your work experience and responsibilities in point form, then your qualifications and finally, references. Don’t include a photograph of yourself on your CV. (CV Library has some slightly more detailed tips.)

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Employment

2

Write a great cover letter Before your future employer has even looked at your CV, they’re going to read the email it’s attached to. This is a real opportunity for you to stand out. Depending on the employer, some cover letters can simply be written in the body of the email. In more corporate or formal environments, a letter attached to the email is preferred.

There are three things a cover letter should be doing for a prospective employer: 1. Telling them who you are and what your desired job title is; 2. Briefly summarising your experience; and 3. Telling them why you are the right fit for the position (based on the job description).

Keep it as concise as possible and tailor-make every cover letter for each job you apply for. Keeping it personal shows that you have paid attention to what the employer is asking for. Career Junction has a few pointers that may help.

3

The all-important interview Once your professionally crafted CV and brilliantly written cover letter have secured you an interview, it’s time to impress in person. Start by doing thorough research on the company that is interviewing you. Familiarise yourself with their products or services and their culture.

Practice answers to standard interview questions you’re likely to get and also remember that you are also interviewing the employer, to an extent. Prepare your own questions beforehand, for example, “What would my daily responsibilities be?” and “What is the internal process for that?”

Being well-informed is the secret ingredient to having a successful interview. And if you have done your research before the interview, you are likely to appear more confident, too. Knowledge is the best way to calm those nerves.

4

The kind of upskilling you do will obviously depend entirely on what your chosen profession is. Whatever that may be, it never hurts to learn something new – even if it’s just for personal peace of mind.

5

Broaden your horizons You can do whatever you like for a living. And if it’s taking a while to find a job in the field you have chosen, you could always look at finding alternative means of income or at least broadening your search. You can do this in the real world or online, depending on your skillset.

Sites like UpWork and People Per Hour are a way to find contract or freelance work in a variety of specific professions. You can also earn ongoing passive income by referring people to CM Trading. Referring friends, family or colleagues costs nothing and can earn you an income every time someone you have referred trades. These referrals can be surprisingly lucrative.

If you’re in the job market, the most important thing to remember is that rejection does not mean failure. It should be treated as an opportunity to learn and perhaps approach the next application differently.

Elvis Presley, the Beatles and even Kanye West were rejected by record labels before they became famous. Bill Gates was turned away by more than 1 200 companies before he became a billionaire. So, keep trying. Your job is out there.

To start your referral journey with CM Trading and to kickstart your passive income, visit www.cmtradingpartners.com

Upskill yourself The more you can do, the broader your options are for employment. If you have the benefit of time while you’re looking for a new job, take a moment to think about how you could improve your skills to make yourself more ‘employable’.

Taking an online course is never a bad idea. And there are quite a few sites that offer courses at no charge.

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Coursera offers free and paid courses in a number of fields and Udemy offers paid courses in anything from IT to photography.

Fred Razak, Chief Trading Strategist at CM Trading

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Opinion

Employers need to take care, claims for workplace injuries can be repudiated if alcohol-related In South Africa at least 60% of road deaths are attributable to alcohol consumption according to a recent World Health Organisation Global Status Report on Road Safety. Alcohol abuse has also been shown to increase a person’s risk of early death due to conditions such as heart or liver disease and disability.

By Rhys Evans, Managing Director at ALCO-Safe

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Opinion

Thus, it’s no surprise that medical aid and insurance providers generally reject claims for accidents that are alcohol-related, both in the workplace and on the road. This makes it important for employers to ensure that they’re providing a safe working environment by taking all measures necessary to prevent employee accidents that are caused by alcohol consumption.

Medical aid and insurance claims: the implications of alcohol induced-injuries

The danger of alcohol in the workplace

Employees that report for duty under the influence of alcohol present a real danger to themselves, their colleagues and their employer. The use of alcohol affects sight, speech, coordination and reaction speed, which is extremely hazardous when that person is working with machinery or driving a vehicle. According to the South African Labour Guide, 20% to 25% of injuries in the workplace involved employees under the influence of alcohol.

Who pays for medical expenses incurred where an individual is injured on the job? Ordinarily these costs would be covered by the Compensation Fund or the employer’s insurance if the injury occurred during the scope and course of the individual’s job. However, an employee can be disqualified from claiming benefits where drugs or alcohol are the primary cause of the incident.

This means that employees could be in a position where their injuries are not covered, preventing them from getting the treatment they require to return to work or place them in financial trouble. This in turn will impact their productivity and have a detrimental effect on the business.

Similarly, where an individual is involved in a road accident and tests positive for alcohol levels above the legal limit, most vehicle insurance providers will not pay their claim. Standard policy wording allows for a claim to be repudiated if the driver is "under the influence or exceeds the legal limit". A big mistake that people make is thinking that the insurance provider requires a breathalyzer test or blood result to prove that they were driving under the influence.

A number of considerations can be used to deduce that the individual was drinking, including the person’s demeanor at the time of the accident, whether they smelled of alcohol, the circumstances of the accident, where the person was before the accident and any reports of witnesses who may have seen the person drinking alcohol before the accident took place.

Ensuring a safe working environment

Without an enforceable alcohol policy that allows businesses to regularly check on employee sobriety, organisations open themselves up to risk. The workplace can play an important role in preventing alcohol and substance abuse if employers implement appropriate measures to prevent, reduce and remedy alcohol and drug related problems in the workplace.

This starts with having a written policy on alcohol and drug abuse that details the company’s approach to keeping alcohol out of the workplace. To prevent intoxicated employees from entering the workplace in hazardous industries, organisations must conduct regular testing by means of breathalyzers for alcohol or saliva testing for chemical substances.

ALCO-Safe for example, is a major supplier of breathalyzing and drug testing equipment, providing organisations easy access to the equipment they need to reduce alcohol related injuries that can lead to claim. In doing so, the organisation can protect its workers and minimise the chances of having a legitimate injury claim repudiated because it is alcoholrelated.

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Rhys Evans, Managing Director at ALCO-Safe

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Entrepreneurship

Supporting the rise of the side hustle economy

By Alan Shannon, Executive Head of Professional and Small Business Banking Marketing at Nedbank Photo by Gary Barnes from Pexels

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Entrepreneurship

Over the past decade, South Africa has seen a sharp increase in the number of people earning an income outside of formal employment. For some, the need for a self-generated income arose from falling victim to the country’s steadily rising unemployment figures. But many people have also recognised the potential that exists to earn a second income through an entrepreneurial venture, while still employed.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the national lockdown response highlighted the opportunities for these so-called side hustles, and the work-from-home protocols have made it easier than ever for employed individuals to operate small businesses from home.

It is estimated that one in three employed South Africans has such a side hustle or side business. For most of these part-time entrepreneurs, many of them young professionals, the motivation is not just about bringing in a bit of extra cash. Their side hustle is often driven by the realisation that the changing global economy makes it possible to have multiple sources of income. In addition, a side hustle is often born of a desire to pursue a passion, which is a need that may not be fulfilled by the individual’s fulltime job.

And there are many other benefits to owning a side business. For one, the skills that these business owners acquire can often give them a competitive advantage in their formal career, allowing them to advance quicker. A successful side hustle can also be an excellent way of boosting confidence and self-esteem; enjoying more work variety; providing stimulation and opportunity for creativity; and even building valuable networks. This is especially true when these side hustles are in a completely different industry or sector to the one in which the person works for their formal employer.

Successful side hustles can create more employment opportunities

Possibly more importantly, if these side hustle businesses prove successful and sustainable, it is possible that they can also create employment opportunities, which makes them potentially very valuable contributors to the economy as well.

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The pace of digitisation across the world, driven by advancing technologies and better access to bandwidth, has also contributed to the stellar growth of the side hustle trend.

Technology is enabling people to work and do business anywhere. And young, tech-savvy professionals especially are leveraging this digitisation to give effect to their innovative ideas and entrepreneurial flair, develop their skills, and grow their side hustles.

Of course, starting and running a successful side hustle is no simple feat. Apart from the time pressures of operating a business alongside one’s formal employment, and the need to ensure that a side hustle doesn't impact on the quality of work delivered at a regular job, side hustle owners can put themselves at risk of burnout, add significantly more stress to their lives, and end up isolating themselves from friends and family.

Make full use of support available

This is why it is imperative for side hustle owners to make full use of every support opportunity available to them, particularly in terms of the non-essential components of running their businesses, like administration, tax and banking.

Entrepreneurs should take full advantage of SimplyBiz, a free digital community powered by Nedbank, for business owners, by business owners. Side hustle owners can set up both a personal and professional profile to connect with like-minded business owners.

Given our acknowledgement of the vital role that side hustles will have to play in rebuilding the SA economy after COVID-19, Nedbank also offers a vast range of small-business services designed to enable the owners to take full advantage of their opportunities and avoid the risks and pitfalls of owning a business on the side.

These range from business incubation programmes and mentorships to tailored business banking solutions, like the Nedbank Startup Bundle. This unique banking package offers businesses with an annual turnover of less than R3 million an array of free digital transactions, at no monthly cost, for six months, and access to an experienced relationship banker with keen business insights to help grow the operation.

As a country that recognises the importance of developing entrepreneurship, both government and the private sector have an important role to play in building a successful and sustainable small-businesses sector – and that includes the fastgrowing side hustle culture.

It is important to recognise these professionals as an essential part of the economy and offer them the help, guidance and business-building solutions they need to formalise and grow their business ventures.

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We believe learners are central to all skills development and BEE initiatives but skills development and BEE initiatives but notin much is invested in ensuring can produce not much is invested ensuring we can produce wellwe rounded and balanced individuals who are ready to enter the workplace or who require support well rounded and balanced individuals who are ready to enter the workplace or who require and continued development throughout the first stages of their support and continued development throughout the first stages of their working career. working career.

Our Learner Wellness offering can be Our Learner Wellness Service offering can be Service tailor made to suite antailor entry level to graduate made to suite an entry level to graduate level level learner. Contact uslearner. to enquire more about our programme.

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­ ­ ­ ­ ­

Learnerships

The power of

learnerships to transform youth employment in South Africa

By Trent Lockstone, CEO of AlefBet Learning

Learnerships are powerful tools to address an age-old quandary – employers want people with skills and practical knowledge to hit the ground running and be immediately productive, while young people need a practical learning ground to gain the meaningful and valued on-the-job experience, which employers so highly value.

South Africa faces a unique dilemma – a high unemployment rate, especially among youth (around 40%) and a shortage of skilled and qualified people to fill positions in many industries.

This is where learnerships play a pivotal role, and where businesses can invest into developing the practical skills and theoretical knowledge needed in their businesses, while radically changing the youth unemployment trajectory.

outsourcing. It leads to a registered qualification on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and is managed by the relevant Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).

Learnerships are unique to South Africa and were introduced by government to transform skills development and education in South Africa.

A learnership is a structured work-based programme over 12-24 months whereby the learner undergoes theoretical and practical on-the-job training directly related to a specific occupation – from engineering, to insurance to business process

Learnerships are developed by the industry so the skills sets are aligned to the requirements of the specific businesses operating in the sector, developing well-rounded candidates who have a good grasp of all the work processes.

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Benefits for employers

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Learnerships

There is an opportunity to constantly upgrade and widen skills sets and knowledge.

It makes excellent business sense for the employee and employer!

Employees learn new skills and knowledge that are applied in the workplace, which means improved standards, productivity and quality of work for companies.

There are significant tax rebates and achievement of employment equity objectives, more so for companies who provide ongoing employment (absorption) once the learnerships are completed.

Learnerships earn points on the BEE Scorecard under both Employment Equity and Skills Development and there is a SARS tax rebate if the learnership is a registered learnership with the Department of Labour and relevant SETA. This tax rebate is calculated per learner – a disabled learnership for example could translate into an R100 000 tax rebate for a 12-month period. Skills levy contributions can really work for the benefit of the company, its people and communities.

Benefits for learners

School, a SETA-accredited training provider within AlefBet Holdings serving the broader BPO industry has brought a significant differentiator to its learnerships by introducing an ‘executive edge’ to its training formula.

In the BPO sector, academic, technical and interpersonal skills training enable people to develop their career paths across different job roles and disciplines. Fundamental to anyone operating in such a customer-driven environment is the mastery of ‘soft’ skills such as empathy and the high EQ needed to work with people in a pressured environment.

For this reason, SA Business School puts learners through an Enneagram programme which is a powerful tool for personal self-knowledge and mastery, conflict resolution, team dynamics, leadership and developing emotional intelligence. Learners also undergo a comprehensive self-assessment with the Future Fit Index which assesses their effectiveness in the 15 critical skills needed to be effective now, and in the future world of work.

Typically, these tools and training would only be available at an executive management level for people with years of work experience. However, we believe that grasping these skills at an early stage in career development helps guide young people starting out on the learnership path to take control of their career progression, much earlier on. The skills they derive in such a learnership environment are applicable in virtually every business and industry.

Job prospects are better with theoretical and occupation-specific training backed by a nationally recognised qualification. This is a way to achieve a formal qualification when tertiary education at university/technical/FET College remains out of reach for many who cannot afford the tuition costs.

There can be no more powerful tool to tackle South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis than by investing in learnerships. It’s good for business, industry, the economy, and most fundamentally, for learners breaking out of hardship, unemployment and poverty.

The fixed-term employment contract for the duration of the learnership often results in permanent employment upon completion if the learner has performed well.

www.sabusinessschool.com

There is an opportunity to constantly upgrade and widen skills sets and knowledge. It makes excellent business sense for the employee and employer!

An allowance or stipend for the duration of the learnership helps significantly with costs such as transport, meals and so on.

Investing in growing South Africa’s BPO sector through learnerships South Africa’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector is a rapidly growing industry and in high demand of skilled people.

As a top offshoring destination, SA’s BPO sector is primed to employ 500 000 people in the next 10 years according to Business Process Enabling South Africa (BPESA). SA Business

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Trent Lockstone, CEO of AlefBet Learning

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Mental Health

A comprehensive approach to mental health is a no-brainer for student residences

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Mental Health

With more than 30% of university students confirming that they had experienced a common mental disorder in the preceding 12 months, with 20% having experienced common generalized anxiety disorder, it’s clear that academic institutions and student residences must place a priority on students’ mental health.

Furthermore, nearly three quarters of UCT students cited mental ill-health such as anxiety and depression being their greatest challenge during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, followed by disconnection from peers and lecturers, and a lack of quiet places in which to study.

Students’ mental health in the COVID-19 environment has been further impacted by loss of income in their families due to job losses, grief after deaths among those dearest to them, and academic pressure with the move to online learning.

Concerns about family safety and wellbeing also impact students’ mental health, with many NSFAS-funded students sharing their NSFAS meal allowances with their families, leaving the students hungry and destitute, with heightened anxiety or depression.

The risk is even higher for students in historically excluded and marginalized sectors of the population, particularly women, those of atypical sexual orientation, and disabled people.

“Students turn to formal structures like residences for a sense of structure and support, and from the collegial learning environment that offers the reassurance of time spent with others that have similar goals and objectives,” says Millet Nkanyane, ResLife manager at Respublica Student Living.

“We have noticed an increased need for psychosocial support among our students, who have had to deal with the complexities of online learning, family stress and trauma as a result of the pandemic and its impacts, all in addition to navigating their way through the challenges of tertiary education.”

Student accommodation must offer more than a roof over their heads Nkanyane has been forging new paths in student support for six years, with Respublica’s ResLife programme at its 10 purposebuilt residences in Johannesburg, Midrand, Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Cape Town, and emphasizes that student accommodation must offer so much more to students than a roof over their heads – particularly in the current challenging environment.

“Parents and funders should choose a student residence that gives students everything that they need to be able to focus on their lectures and assignments – particularly first-years who are away from home for the first time ever,” she says. “The current environment also makes it essential to offer specialized COVID-19 wellness support, whether it’s to support students who have contracted the virus, or to help detect mental illness and in turn to support those students too.”

Students must also have access to quiet study spaces, unlimited internet access, and sufficient facilities to prepare their own food – or to buy it, if needed. A residence that has uninterrupted power provided by on-site generators in the event of load-shedding, also helps reduce students’ stress.

“A strong ResLife programme will also help students learn positive ways of coping with the complexities of student life, whether it’s figuring out how to make new friends in a socially distanced environment or knowing that they have someone to turn to if they are struggling with mental health,” Nkanyane adds.

She says that more senior students can be very effective mentors to their younger counterparts, if trained properly, and that support from the likes of the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) is essential to the success of any student support programme.

www.futuresa.co.za

37

TSIBA Ignition Academy (Pty) Ltd is a for-profit social enterprise with a BEE Level 2 rating. TSIBA Ignition Academy specialises in vocational training, entrepreneurship and business development, as well as building custom Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) solutions for partners.

TSIBA IGNITION ACADEMY SOLUTIONS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TSIBA Ignition Academy in close partnership with the TSIBA Business School Faculty is able to analyse skills gaps, design, develop and execute bespoke training solutions for Corporate Partners.

Areas of expertise includes: • Business Ethics • Responsible Leadership • Statistics and Data Analysis • Sales and Customer Service

“...From the beginning the partnership was based on a shared vision of what we wanted to create.

We had a clear overlap of ambition about how we could contribute to the challenge faced by South Africa and its small businesses. We worked closely together to determine the strategy and to build the required team to support the strategy and within a few weeks, LevelUp was born...”

Rudi Visser Head of Innovation, RCS

www.tsiba.ac.za

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT We offer customisable accredited and non-accredited Vocational and Executive training solutions to our Corporate Partners. All our offerings includes design, project management, SETA liaison, learning materials, learner support, mentor capacitation.

These solutions include: • Employed Learnerships • Unemployed Learnerships • Self-paced Online Courses ENTERPRISE AND SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT Our interventions are designed to train and support future business leaders.

These interventions include: • Remote Learning Short Courses for Business Advisors • Business Essentials for Entrepreneurs • Next Level Growth a custom supplier Accelerator framework • Entrepreneurial Leadership

Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurial Finance Entrepreneurial Marketing Entrepreneurial Law People Management Entrepreneurial Practice

20 credits 20 credits 20 credits 20 credits 20 credits 20 credits

Mentorship

Driving entrepreneurial growth through mentoring

The rise in the amount of knowledge sharing and mentoring by businesspeople through partnerships with SMEs and entrepreneurs to help them survive and succeed, has been, and continues to be, a silver lining in the overwhelming COVID-19 cloud. It’s a new reality that needs to be encouraged to grow across all sectors of business.

By Andrew Weinberg, CEO of 2Engage

40

www.futuresa.co.za

Mentorship

The significant number of jobs losses in South Africa in 2020, now means there are more people who need to find some way to bring in income – many will become entrepreneurs and will start small or even medium enterprises.

A significant proportion of business survivors in this pandemic are themselves entrepreneurs. From the outset, they had reduced operational costs, they understand their markets, and were able to streamline and adapt to the rapidly changing economic environment.

For instance, in a local street in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg, out of five eateries that existed before the pandemic, one has survived – the one that was the most popular before the crisis. There are valuable learnings to be shared here that could make a difference to struggling SMEs or start-ups.

If a few thousand successful businesspeople take it upon themselves to advise, mentor and support just 10 entrepreneurs or potential small businesses each – according to their own time availability – and those mentored entrepreneurs then each partner with 10 more, ad infinitum, the number of successful and growing businesses would escalate exponentially.

Entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs

Personal experience with the international Endeavor organisation, a high-impact entrepreneurship movement of ‘entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs’, created to multiply the impact of its invited membership of entrepreneurs, has proven the value of knowledge sharing many times over.

The Endeavor model is designed to search for, select and scale up entrepreneurs with the greatest potential for large-scale success, then spread their stories and resources to sustain lasting economic and social transformation in their home markets and beyond. In 2018 and 2019, the 26 SA Endeavor Entrepreneurs created over 4 500 new jobs and an incremental R2 billion in annual revenue.

2Engage was privileged to be selected for the Endeavor International panel in 2017, after it reached the finalist stages of the FNB Innovation Awards. Since then, I have been in a position to share knowledge and experience with aspiring entrepreneurs, both through Endeavor and on other SME-building platforms in South Africa, on a partnership rather than on a ‘teaching’ basis.

From the start of the pandemic, it has been inspiring to see a definite and strong growth in the willingness by businesspeople – corporates and entrepreneurs – to work with smaller companies, building new partnerships, networking, encouraging innovation, and driving growth in those businesses.

This form of ‘paying it forward’ makes sound business sense – every business is part of the local community and economic environment where it survives and thrives. If that environment is struggling, the business in turn will struggle. Getting involved in contributing to the growth of small businesses and entrepreneurs, will serve the business well into the future.

Just a glance at South Africa’s economic status now is enough to remind every businessperson with something of value to share the value of sharing. Growth is imperative – and businesspeople are at the heart of that potential.

Andrew Weinberg is one of South Africa’s seasoned entrepreneurs. Having started his first two businesses in his second year of university, Andrew has conceptualized, grown and sold more than six businesses in the past 19 years. He currently heads up 2Engage, a leading customer engagement and incentive solutions business which has a presence in over 150 independent retail stores nationwide, more 1.5 million consumer members, and operates in eight African countries.

Andrew has been highly recognised for his achievements and was awarded the coveted title of Entrepreneur of the Year in 2019 by South Africa’s premier annual entrepreneurial platform - The Entrepreneur of the Year competition. He has also been a selected member of the esteemed Endeavor International organization since 2018 where he is very involved in mentoring SME’s and fellow entrepreneurs throughout South Africa and the world - something he is extremely passionate about.

www.futuresa.co.za

41

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Skills Development

Amy Foundation – changing lives!

By Indigo Knights

44

www.futuresa.co.za

Skills Development

There are more than 723 000 people aged 18 to 35 that are unable to find work as the youth unemployment rate rose to 61.3% in the final quarter of 2020. The future of South Africa is unemployed and confined to their homes, turning to drugs, alcohol, and gang violence as they struggle to support themselves and their families. To create lasting change to combat this, we need to provide more opportunities for youth to gain the vocational and personal skills needed to find work or start their own business.

The Amy Foundation, formerly the Amy Biehl Foundation Trust, was started in 1997 to continue the work of Amy Biehl, a brilliant young woman who dedicated her life to empowering and giving a voice to the people of South Africa. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating and empowering township youth through after-school and skills development programmes.

The foundation offers After-School Programmes (ASP) to children in Gugulethu and Bonteheuwel; distributed over three centres, the ASP include dance, music, literacy, numeracy, sports, environmental activities, and life skills such as leadership development and health awareness. The goal of the ASP is to provide a safe space for children to stay after class and form new friendships and experience different activities.

Amy Foundation also offers Youth Skills Development (YSD) programmes at the main offices in Sybrand Park, between

Athlone and Rondebosch. These programmes are for learners aged 18 to 35 with a matric that are Not currently in Employment, Education, or Training (NEET). Learners choose from free three-month programmes in hospitality, beauty, sewing and design, or technical skills. Learners are also able to take shorter courses in entrepreneurship or life skills, and all learners are offered one-on-one business coaching to assist them in furthering their career.

One alumni, Nqobile Nzuza, said, “I learned everything here.

Not only beauty therapy but self-esteem, how to start your own business, where to go, who to talk to, how to ask for help when you need it. I learned a lot of things that I thought I would probably have to go elsewhere for.” All programmes are designed to provide a positive alternative to drugs, alcohol, and violence, and allow youth to learn the skills necessary for employment.

Creating lasting change in their communities Since the inception of the YSD programme, 1157 learners have passed through the programmes and are on their way to creating lasting change in their communities. Of those learners, 81% then went on to do industry internships, were employed, or decided to further their studies at university. The Foundation continues to keep in contact with past learners and provide them with any help they may need, from assistance writing business proposals to designing business cards and CVs. When asked why he keeps coming back to the Amy Foundation after completing his course in hospitality, Mzoxolo Zwelibanzi said, “...this is my happy place. Today I just have to come in. And here they assist you with your assignments, your schoolwork if you need any help like that.”

The Amy Foundation’s Youth Skills Development Programme is changing lives. Youth that was previously sitting at home, unable to find employment or support themselves, are learning the skills needed to get jobs and are beginning their careers.

Many work as entrepreneurs and strive to employ others from their neighbourhoods, while others join industries and move forward in changing the dynamics of the workforce. The foundation continues to move forward with its mission, and over a thousand alumni are proof that what the Amy Foundation is teaching will help break the cycle of unemployment. www.amyfoundation.co.za

www.futuresa.co.za

45

Skills Training

Why executives believe closing the skills gap is an urgent priority Technology is a longterm solution that, when deployed correctly, can significantly address the skills gap, across all levels, in an organisation.

46

www.futuresa.co.za

Skills Training

Businesses that don't step up to address the skills gap will be left behind.

A McKinsey Global Institute Report indicates that a shortage of skills will push at least 14% of the global workforce away from their current employment by 2030, which will negatively affect business operations and growth. Although the increasing skills gap is an urgent priority for many organisations, the McKinsey survey indicates that most businesses aren't ready to address this need.

“As much as lockdown disrupted all industries, it also pushed business executives to rethink how they make learning and training accessible for all employees,” said Michael Gullan, CEO of G&G Advocacy™.

“Businesses that make e-learning a priority will be wellpositioned for future disruptions in their industry. In 2020, many businesses didn’t have the right solutions to provide much-needed training to their teams. Their inability to pivot to digital training solutions resulted in severe delays in skills development and knowledge transfer. This skills deficit had a significant impact on business,” Gullan added.

Technology is a long-term solution that, when deployed correctly, can significantly address the skills gap, across all levels, in an organisation. By implementing learning and training through an e-learning solution, businesses can address their most common concerns, including: • Budget constraints; • Lack of employee time to participate in training; • Lack of employee participation and knowledge retention; • Lack of appropriate training technology; and • Lack of accurate reporting, data and detailed insights.

Four things to consider before implementing e-learning to bridge the skills gap Identify what skills the business needs 1

Use a strategic consultation approach to identify what skills are needed in the business, what skills are available, and how to align the business learning objectives to ensure employees receive the right training and remain engaged and motivated to learn.

User experience is essential 2

Smart e-learning solutions should be easy to navigate and convenient for employees, even if they’re not digitally savvy. This includes providing them with an engaging and interactive experience, which encourages employees to complete the learning materials.

Interactive, bite-sized learning material 3

Provide content in interactive, bite-sized learning moments that addresses adult learners' attention span. Doing so will also cater to time-strapped employees', who struggle to find the time to learn and upskill themselves.

Make learning fun and bridge the skills gap 4

Gamification motivates employees and promotes behaviour change to make learning fun. This includes game mechanics such as badges, achievements, leaderboards, animations, and sound effects to engage your employees and keep them motivated in training.

Michael Gullan, CEO of G&G Advocacy™

www.futuresa.co.za

To address the increasing skills gap and ensure business continuity, relevance and competitive advantage, organisations should prioritise learning and training for all employees. Doing so will ensure that your workforce has the right skills for their roles. Developing a business philosophy of continuous learning and training will develop a pool of exceptional talent, improve job satisfaction, employee productivity and ultimately, an organisation's bottom line.

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AFRIKA TIKKUN SERVICES HELPING OUR YOUTH MEET 21ST CENTURY CHALLENGES

W

ith a current youth unemployment rate of 55.6%, a global pandemic to navigate and a modest economic growth rate of 2.1% in 2021, South Africa must employ herculean efforts to ensure its youth population is equipped for a 21st century digital future.

To do this, innovation, partnerships and a commitment to long term, sustainable change are necessary. This is something Afrika Tikkun Services (ATS), a Level 1 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) advisory, recruitment, training and placement company, understands well. “You can’t get a job without experience, and you can’t get experience without a job,” says Onyi Nwaneri, CEO of ATS. “We work from that premise.”

ATS’s Work Readiness service serves as a foundational programme focusing on supporting unemployed youth from under-resourced communities to access core skills required by the world of work post-Matric study.

Candidates are provided with the theory, practical instruction, simulations and language needed to develop their professional behavioral competencies.

These include intrinsic foundational skills, personal mastery and workplace skills.

Over and above the fundamental employability courses, ATS provides specialised, demand-driven training targeted at the ICT, Retail, Manufacturing, Vocational, Fintech and Hospitality sectors. This training, which incorporates face-to-face facilitation, online training and workplace experience, assists candidates to be more marketable, increasing their chances of becoming employed and economically active.

Through its Work Experience programme, YES Placements, Learnerships and Internships, and more traditional recruitment services, ATS helps young people become exposed to the rigors, dynamics and ultimate benefits of the working environment.

Companies choosing to partner with ATS on its skills development, training and placement programmes will receive the benefit of developing the youth of South Africa and can leverage this investment to meet SED/CSI/ CSR/ SD (Skills Development) standards/scorecards as required by the BBBEE codes.

For more information on how ATS is tackling youth unemployment, visit www.afrikatikkunservices.com

2022 APPLY NOW

Social Welfare

The business of

welfare

is everyone’s business

By Dr Armand Bam, Head of Social Impact and senior lecturer on Business in Society at the University of Stellenbosch Business School

50

www.futuresa.co.za

Social Welfare

A growing and unsustainable 'welfare gap' that has widened during the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many non-profit organisations (NPOs) to make tough business decisions on survival over service – raising questions on the 'business' of welfare.

At the same time that the pandemic-induced national state of disaster has seen the need for the social welfare and support services of NPOs increasing, their public and private sector funding sources are under pressure and their own fundraising activities have been curtailed by COVID-19 restrictions.

This puts strain on the social contract between the public, private and non-profit sectors, by which society’s most vulnerable and disenfranchised are cared for, and highlights the real extent of the 'welfare gap', the shortfall between government and private sector grants and subsidies and the actual cost of services to communities that NPOs have covered in the past.

Worsening state and plight of many non-profits

The recent announcement by the Cape Peninsula Organisation for the Aged (CPOA) of closure of three of its welfare homes for the elderly, which was met with widespread outrage from the community and politicians, drew attention to the worsening state and plight of many non-profits.

At the start of the pandemic and as we moved into strict lockdown, we expected that the survival of many NPOs would come under threat and the most disenfranchised would pay the greatest price. The CPOA closures are a clear example of this and have highlighted what has been hidden for a long time – the actual costs associated with running welfare homes.

The CPOA’s reported loss of R33.5 million over the past five years should not come as a surprise, and further losses will be compounded by the pandemic’s impact on business and government in terms of trade and tax collection.

Tough decisions have to be made and these include the closure of operations and service delivery to many communities in need. Operating welfare homes, or any NPO in fact, is neither easy nor cheap and reliance on pensions and restricted government subsidies just does not go far enough.

It can be asked how organisations like the CPOA, that runs a profitable 'business' on the one hand, can have its 'welfare business' fail on the other.

The simple answer is the power of privilege.

www.futuresa.co.za

The question of where morality, the good or bad, meets purpose is relevant not only to NPOs but for business and government, because it is all of our ‘business’ that those reliant on welfare can be taken care of.

While approximately one million people of retirement age in South Africa receive private pensions and are most likely willing and able to invest in ensuring they live in comfort in their aging years, a further four million are reliant on government support through pensions and grants in their old age.

At the top end of the CPOA offerings it provides life-right retirement apartments at a cost of R2 million per unit. In simplistic terms, this is easy money in the sense that the facilities cater to a niche market, or a selected privileged portion of our society, who can cover this cost. It can reasonably be accepted that an option like this is provided because there is a demand.

The proceeds from the re-sale of these life-rights retirement options are meant to be used to 'give back to society' in the form of five welfare homes run by the CPOA. But in practice, it appears that the welfare gap to be covered in areas such as Bonteheuwel, Heideveld and Bishop Lavis has just got too wide to cover and resources are now limited.

Those in need now suffer, families are displaced and a disinvestment in these specific communities occurs.

The motivation and morality of closing retirement homes

Questions around the motivation and morality of closing homes in the three areas and relocating residents to other homes in the CPOA portfolio raise the issue of 'the business of welfare and the relationship between an NPO’s business of sustaining itself and its moral purpose to serve.

51

Social Welfare

Does an NPO’s social mission supersede its imperative to remain financially secure, and is it reasonable of stakeholders to hold this expectation? Is the CPOA in the business of sustaining itself or in the business of providing welfare to those in need in the communities in which they come from?

Is it reasonable to expect that these two aspects are mutually exclusive when applied to non-profits, but not when applied to other organizations?”

The question of where morality, the good or bad, meets purpose is relevant not only to NPOs but for business and government, because it is all of our ‘business’ that those reliant on welfare can be taken care of.

NPOs are the glue that binds society

NPOs are the glue that binds society, providing the social safety net and supporting advancement of social justice and socio-economic inclusion, to the benefit of all the roleplayers in the social contract – business, government and communities.

Profit maximisation for shareholder benefit is self-serving when other sectors of society start to collapse. The reality is that the burden of covering the welfare gap that is becoming ever more visible in 2021 will eventually shift towards the public and private sector. Unless we want to see inequality grow, action must be taken by those in power.

While it is encouraging that the community has voiced their outrage at the planned closure of a community resource, citizens must get involved in serving and sustaining community organisations.

There is another side to community-based organisations that we forget to cherish. These are our organisations and we have a responsibility to ensure they succeed, whether by volunteering our time, finances, or other resources. We should not let them fail.

While it is not the sole responsibility of government to provide financial resources to sustain NPOs, they could do better. While people’s lives are impacted, some politicians have attempted to use this opportunity to disparage each other. This is not the time.

Funds available to do the work that non-profits do are not enough, and never were

The reality is that the funds available to be distributed to do the work that non-profits do are not enough. It never was. On both sides of the aisle in power or opposition, at a national or provincial level, politicians should look to themselves as the guardians of the public purse and answer how this is the case.

Businesses need to understand the impact of the pandemic on non-profits’ sustainability, with finances in a dire situation as few NPOs had been able to maintain fundraising activities under lockdown.

For both business and government, the ease and speed of accessing funding is critical and should be reviewed, particularly where NPOs are encouraged by potential funders to spend time and resources on preparing funding applications, with cumbersome application protocols to be followed, only to be turned down.

Business also needs to reconsider its approach of not funding NPO salaries if the sector is not to sink further, close doors and shed jobs.

Businesses don’t pay their employees with new computers or furniture; they pay them with money. Why then when considering support to NPOs is the approach any different?

Corporate social investment initiatives need to accept this reality and release themselves of this constraint and address the funding shortage for posts before it is too late. The CPOA and other organisations will otherwise share this burden of not having staff to perform the services being funded.

How often do we take the time to step inside of these organisations and ask what it is we can do to help? Whether they are faith-based, charitable or skills-directed, we must not only be ready to benefit from them but be ready to serve them before they disappear.

CPOA’s offer to donate the vacant buildings of the three welfare homes will hopefully bring about unique opportunities to contribute to the upliftment of the affected communities, with emphasis on the care needed for the elderly and frail.

1 CPOA press statement, 26 January 2021. https://www.cpoa.co.za/ update-regarding-the-closure-of-3-cpoa-welfare-homes/ 2 CPOA press statement, 11 February 2021. https://www.cpoa.co.za/ update-regarding-the-closure-of-3-cpoa-welfare-homes-2/

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Dr Armand Bam, Head of Social Impact and senior lecturer on Business in Society at the University of Stellenbosch Business School

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Focus:

Guide to the refrigeration industry, affiliation counts!

Getting started in a very technical industry can be tricky, this applies to all industries across the globe. Every industry has its basic requirements that are usually based on the industry’s regulations, codes and standards. The refrigeration, air conditioning and duct manufacturing industry is no exception. There are basic requirements that must be met by individuals who want to build a successful career.

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Saracca

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Mathematics and Science are vital subjects for individuals looking to become authorised refrigeration and air conditioning gas practitioners in every category of registration.

An individual may also be required to have an appropriate technical experience such as a trade test qualification in Refrigeration.

Theoretical education and practical skills are the basic requirements.

When an individual has been trained by an accredited refrigeration and air conditioning training provider, a practitioner is required to acquire practical work experience on refrigeration or air conditioning systems. When they have received theoretical and practical training, they are required to register as authorised refrigeration and air conditioning practitioners before they can begin practicing.

The Pressure Equipment Regulations (PER) govern the handling, installation, and maintenance of pressure equipment, and require everyone involved in the handling of such equipment and refrigerant gases in terms of regulation 17 in the PER to be registered with the South African Qualifications and Certification Committee of Gas (SAQCC Gas).

Refrigeration and air conditioning systems operate on a variety of refrigerant gases depending on the application. Therefore fittingly a knowledge of the types of refrigeration system and refrigerant gas used is essential. The above regulation, applies to those who work on new installations, maintenance, and repair of refrigeration systems under pressure.

SARACCA bridges the gap between the refrigeration industry and SAQCC Gas SAQCC Gas has been mandated by the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) to register every refrigeration and air conditioning practitioner in a regulated database. No-one can begin practicing until registration is complete.

One of the four member associations of the SAQCC Gas, the South African Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Contractors Association (SARACCA) was invited as a leader in the industry established to bridge the gap between the refrigeration industry and SAQCC Gas. SARACCA is an association of contractors who have individually agreed to a set of governing standards while operating in free competition against each other.

As members of SARACCA, being qualified and registered is not always enough to place an individual’s career at its peak.

SARACCA members recognise this, these members benefit immensely for carrying the name of a prestigious association on their badge. The refrigeration and air conditioning industry is extremely competitive, from previous accounts, companies affiliated with SARACCA often receive first preference in a bid for business. SARACCA members receive contractual advice if and when they need it, this gives them access to the counsels of pioneer industry players, placing them at a higher chance of securing contracts.

Skills training courses are subsidised for all SARACCA members Due to the rapid change in technology, equipment and regulations, individuals are often required to update and refresh their skills through further training. Skills training courses are subsidised for all SARACCA members. SARACCA members also receive a subsidy on the cost of renewal of Authorised Refrigeration Gas Practitioners registration of the fee charged by the SAQCC Gas. SARCCA’s primary objective is to ensure the success of the refrigeration industry and its industry players. Education and skills are important, but affiliation with SARACCA is a much-needed stepping stone to a long-lasting prolific career in the industry.

For more information on SARACCA, visit www.saracca.co.za

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Temporary Employment

Temporary employment services sector important economic health indicator

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Temporary Employment

The Temporary Employment Services (TES) sector has proven once again to be an important measurement of the health of the economy. Contraction and expansion of the sector is a leading indicator of the state of the labour market, with TES workers typically the first to be laid off when demand for goods and services drop and the subsequent increase in the number of TES workers, often the first sign of economic recovery. As with so many labour market changes, South Africa is closely aligned to international trends.

During the Great Recession of 2008, TES proved itself the ultimate market indicator with an initial cliff drop in TES workers, followed by a 30% increase in TES jobs in between June 2009 and June 2011, as compared to just over 1% increase in traditional ‘permanent’ jobs. And with TES numbers dropping significantly in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, one expects a similar opportunity to track the state of global economic recovery by observing the increasing number of TES jobs in the coming months and years.

Flexibility critical to enable resilience and recovery

Research conducted by the Boston Consulting Group in 2011, reflecting on the impact of the 2008 recession, clearly illustrated that those companies who used TES had not only survived the economic downturn, but also thrived in the upturn as they were readily able to upscale production to meet the renewed demand for goods and services. The researchers concluded that optimum efficiencies for resilience were seen in companies with at least 30% flex within their workforce.

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Temporary Employment

In South Africa, anecdotal evidence gathered by the Confederation of Associations in the Private Sector (CAPES) from the past year points to a similar trend as companies who have optimized workforce solutions to incorporate flexibility not only were able to respond quickly to the sudden onset of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, but also adapt to the constantly changing conditions impacting on consumer supply and demand, social distancing demands on shift sizes, and changing lockdown levels etc.

A key driver for organisations to use TES is flexible access to skilled workers during economically uncertain times. To quote labour economist Susan Houseman, TES and the flexibility it allows, “provides a labour-force shock absorber for when business goes up or down".

TES provides relief to workers too

A McKinsey survey conducted in 2020, to assess the impact of COVID-19 by sector, indicates the differences resulting from changing consumer behaviour and regulatory restrictions.

Some sectors, such as hospitality and manufacturing, have been hard-hit by the restrictions in place to contain the spread of the virus, with TES numbers taking a plunge across these sectors.

Others, like IT, have remained neutral, as demand for virtual platforms to replace face-to-face engagements has increased and much of the work conducted by IT professionals can be done remotely. For some, the shift to online shopping and the demand for PPE to be shipped globally, as well as the higher levels of medical care required, means an increased demand for labour within the distribution and healthcare spaces.

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For those TES workers laid off in sectors experiencing a downturn, the chance to be re-skilled and re-deployed into other buoyant sectors of the market creates great opportunities and is invaluable. TES providers offer the chance to their affected workers to transition far easier than for individuals who are retrenched and left alone to navigate a suppressed job market.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its knock-on impacts have exposed the limits of traditional employment models and fast-tracked the need for organisations to expand their thinking to incorporate alternative methods and diverse forms of work – and workforce management - that provide the necessary flexibility to weather the unpredictable.

About CAPES: In 2002, the need to form a unified body to engage in macro-level activities, to proactively lobby and to form associations with other stakeholders was identified and CAPES was established.

CAPES has as its members the four staffing associations referred to hereunder, as well as several of South Africa’s largest private employment agencies.

CAPES has formalised its relationships with various institutions and associations and these include: Membership of Business Unity South Africa (BUSA), Membership of Black Business Council (BBC), Direct representation at NEDLAC via BUSA and BBC, Engagement with the Department of Labour and other Ministries, Engagement at various Bargaining Councils, Membership with primarily the Services SETA

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Part of Formerly

8 – 10 June 2021 DIGITAL EVENT Inspiring the industry with new talent, new talk, new tech!

Welcome to a new reality! A reality where all the players in the utility landscape have joined forces to make sure that a positive energy transition will be achieved. The urgency to achieve this energy transition is crystal clear; we need to act now before it’s too late. Bold moves have to be undertaken to make a significant impact. Everyone has the power to play a role in this transition by utilising their social, economic, political and technological influences. Diversity is our strength. There is no time for looking back, fearlessly we must move forward. Postenergy transition is the dawning of a new energy economy, an enhanced society, a healthier planet.

What is Initiate?

With the utility industry transforming, comes the opportunity for the next generation tech and young talent to play a major role in facilitating innovation and change. Initiate is hosted during Africas’s most valuable end-to-end energy, power and water event, namely Enlit Africa.

Connect with key players and stakeholders in the smart energy, power and water ecosystem. As a feature of Enlit Africa, Initiate is a hub for bright minds, start-ups, innovators, utility professionals and students of the future to gather, discuss, share and pilot ideas with the more established professionals from the industry.

“Initiate provides a great platform to bridge the gap between the energy industry and young generations both in the academia and research space as well as the innovation and start-up space. As Global Knowledge Partner of Clarion for their power and energy events’ series, we are proud to contribute sharing our research and connecting with alumni from our initiatives.”

João Duarte, Enel Foundation

Supporting partners:

Is Initiate for you?

Everyone has the power to play a role in the energy transition. Paramount to making a sustainable impact, are the social, economic and cultural drivers that facilitate a change in mind-set. Diversity is our strength and that’s exactly why we encourage everyone to step up and contribute to Initiate Join our global energy movement and connect with: • Startups • Young professionals • Smart energy students • Universities • Social entrepreneurs • Energy companies • Financial institutions • HR professionals • Investors • Accelerators and many more...

If you would like to apply for the Young Talent Challenge, Initiate SMME hub or simply contribute to making a positive impact in the sector, contact Nazlee Fredericks.

NAZLEE.FREDERICKS@ CLARIONEVENTS.COM CALL ON +27 21 001 3822 +27 71 404 1142

www.enlit-africa.com/Co-located Events/initiate

Opinion

Flexible staffing solutions help to address diversity & inclusion challenges in a post-COVID world

By Jeandie Leone, Commercial Manager at Workforce Staffing

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Opinion

The past year has been incredibly challenging for employees for a multitude of reasons. Adapting to the work-from-home (WFH) new normal, juggling this with home schooling and facing salary cuts and lay-offs were a few of the issues faced. The greatest pressure has been felt by unskilled workers, the youth and women.

In addition, there has also been an increase in discrimination around employees with health challenges or comorbidities.

Temporary Employment Services (TES) providers are ideally positioned to help both employees and employers with addressing diversity and inclusion, and other challenges, in a post-COVID world.

The marginalised pushed further to the edge

The most detrimental effects of the pandemic on the workforce were felt by those who were already marginalised. The Stats SA Quarterly Labour Force Survey shows that the lower income brackets and less skilled workers, who are often from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, were at greatest risk of losing their jobs. Pregnant women and those with comorbidities were also treated differently and were at risk, particularly if they were unable to work from home.

However, while these issues were highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, they were not caused by it. When it comes to diversity and inclusion, many businesses focus simply on physical disability, race and gender, without taking into account other inclusivity elements such as religious beliefs, mental health challenges, gender identity and sexual orientation, among others. They are simply not catered for when planning for business needs.

This was highlighted by the Stats SA QLFS, which showed that, between September 2019 and September 2020 there was a

decrease of 10% in the number of women in the workplace.

Inflexible business practices and workplace cultures that do not encourage open engagement with employers marginalised women during the pandemic, to the point where they felt the need to exit the workforce to meet the needs of their families, rather than seeking an alternative. This inflexibility also marginalises Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Questioning+ (LGBTQ+) and employees with mental health issues, who feel they cannot be open about their circumstances for fear of reprisal.

Flexibility is the future

The key to tackling these challenges and creating a workplace that is both diverse and inclusive, and one that appeals to the upcoming generation of employees who have very different needs, is flexibility. This is where a TES provider can step in and assist.

Businesses are always driven by the need to achieve operational excellence, but often employee engagement is lost in this drive. TES providers focus on the human resources component, which in turn actively contributes to operational excellence. TES providers allow organisations to focus on their core business, while they incorporate diversity and inclusivity, as well as focusing on employee wellness and fostering relationships with employees.

A TES provider creates an employee-focused value proposition that still supports the operational needs of the business. They will have the skills and expertise that their client -- the business -needs, as well as the ability to develop and instil a culture where employees feel valued and heard. The flexible staffing model of a TES assists companies to retain the skills they need despite challenges and changing circumstances. In addition, they can match employees to positions that are suitable, not only from a skills perspective but also from the perspective of other areas of inclusivity.

Jeandie Leone, Commercial Manager at Workforce Staffing

www.futuresa.co.za

TES providers help businesses cater to both diversity and inclusivity and facilitate a workplace that is accepting of vulnerable employees. They can create the right balance to match personal circumstances with operational needs, allocating employees to the most appropriate employer for all of their requirements, not just their skills.

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What is the Sustainable Schools Programme?

Shaped on a model of partnerships and collaboration, the Sustainable Schools Programme aims to cultivate Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) practices in a way that is locally relevant in South African schools.

Developed by the Cape Town Environmental Education Trust (CTEET), the Sustainable Schools programme is the first phase in CTEET’s Créche-to-Career Model and involves a multi-faceted, repeat-interaction and holistic approach to Education for Sustainable Development.

With the support of an interactive online platform, which acts as a teaching, learning, networking and management tool, the programme supports whole school participation in a continuous learning, action, reflection and adaptation process.

The aim is to empower individuals and communities to become environmentally sensitive citizens - actively restoring, taking care of and sustainably utilising our natural environment.

To get involved in this trailblazing initiative, contact us at 021 444 2794 or email sustainableschools@cteet.co.za CTEET is a registered NPO (031-964) and PBO (930 023 924) with Section 18A and Level 1 BBBEE status.

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