Institutes of Sectoral or Occupational Excellence (ISOE)

Institutes of Sectoral or Occupational Excellence (ISOE)

1. Introduction and Purpose This document sets out the guidelines for the recognition and support of Institutes of Sectoral or Occupational Excellence (ISOEs). These guidelines are informed by the guidelines previously set by the Department of Labour. It incorporates the legislative background and a summary of the relevant imperatives from the National Skills Development Strategy III. It identifies principles of good practice and these are used in the document to inform the definition of an ISOE within the context of National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS). Minimum criteria are outlined and will guide Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) in the identification of ISOEs for support and/or recognition. Finally, the document sets out the roles of the DoL and SETAs in the support and recognition of ISOEs. The purpose of the guidelines is intended to guide the MICT SETA in the implementation of one of the outputs of the NSDS III. 2. Defining an Institute of Sectoral or Occupational Excellence An ISOE is a provider institution, or body (cluster) of provider institutions or workplace provider/s, that offers training and learning opportunities within an occupational area in the advancement of a culture of excellence in skills development and lifelong learning. 3. Background Information 3.1 Skills Development Act The Skills Development Act of 1998 was established with amongst others the following purposes: 2 (1) (a) to develop the skills of the South African workforce (i) to improve the quality of the life of workers, their prospects of work and labour mobility; (ii) to improve productivity in the workplace and the competitiveness of employers; (iii) to promote self-employment; and (iv) to improve the delivery of social services; 1

(b) to increase the levels of investment in education and training in the labour market and to improve the return on that investment; (c) to encourage employers to - (i) use the workplace as an active learning environment; (ii) provide employees with the opportunities to acquire new skills; (iii) provide opportunities for new entrants to the labour market to gain work experience; and (iv) employ people who find it difficult to be employed; (d) to encourage workers to participate in learnership and other training programmes; (e) to improve the employment prospects of persons previously disadvantaged by unfair discrimination and to redress those disadvantaged through training and education; (f) to ensure the quality of education and training in and for the workplace; (g) to assist (i) (ii) (iii) work-seekers to find work; retrenched workers to re-enter the labour market; employers to find qualified employees; and (h) to provide and regulate employment services. In accordance with the Skills Development Act these purposes are to be achieved by: 2 (2) (a) establishing an institutional and financial framework comprising (i) the National Skills Authority; (ii) the National Skills Fund; (iii) a skills development levy-paying scheme as contemplated in the Skills Development Levies Act; (iv) SETAs; (v) labour centres; and (vi) the Skills Development Planning Unit; (b) encouraging partnerships between the public and private sectors of the economy to provide education and training in and for the workplace; and 2

(c) co-operating with the South African Qualifications Authority. 3.2 2.2 Implementing the Act In accordance with section 2(2) (a) of the Act, 25 Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) were established in March 2000, there are now 21 SETAs in 2011. Each SETA is responsible for ensuring quality education and training, as directed by the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS), within its respective economic sector. The National Skills Development Authority (NSA) is responsible for developing the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS) at five-year intervals. This labour market intervention strategy sets national priorities in skills development to address the scarcity of skills and the lack of capacity within the current labour force to meet the challenges posed by economic growth and poverty alleviation. Further, SETAs are charged with: I. Developing the skills of the South Africa s workforce The Skills Development Act was promulgated to facilitate and incentivise skills development in the South African workforce to improve the quality of the life of workers, their prospects for work and labour mobility. It therefore also supports the improvement of productivity in the workplace and the competitiveness of employers. II. Emphasising the workplace as an active learning environment A further aim of the Act is to motivate employers to train and use the workplace as an active learning environment. SETAs have been established to ensure relevant quality education and training, within the framework of the NSDS, in their various economic sectors. A number of functions referred to in the Act relate to the implementation of learnerships, apprenticeships and skills programmes; thus emphasising assistance to employers that become involved and which use the workplace as an active learning environment. 3.3 NSDS III output Output 4.2.1.1 of the NSDS III states reads as follows: SETAs research and identify middle level skills needs in their sectors and put in place strategies to address them, particularly through the use of the public FET colleges and universities of technology working in partnership with employers providing workplace based training. 3

As a SETA, we have listed the following as our measurement indicators with regards to this output: Strategy document approved by DHET. Documented and signed collaborative agreements with FETs, Universities of Technology in all provinces. Identified and recognised 2 ISOEs. The MICT will enter into MOUs with acclaimed research institutions, such as JCSE, supporting them in skills development initiatives 4. Criteria to recognise ISOEs These institutions are recognised because they are capable of a combination of the following, but not limited to: designing, developing, delivering and reporting on training in specific sectoral or occupational areas where scarce and/or critical skills have been identified, supported by best practice and transformational objectives; simulating workplace application scenarios and work practices to ensure that successful learners have as seamless as possible a transition into jobs; providing access to technologically relevant equipment; providing access to emerging best practice in training, and related to the specific occupations, as well as with regional and international training institutes, practitioner and/or research bodies; delivering training that meets industry demands in terms of relevance and quality; and co-operating with and acknowledged by employers or employer bodies in a way which ensures a high intake and placement rate of learners. 5. Minimum requirements applicable to an ISOE receiving SETA support/recognition Bearing in mind the definition of an ISOE, the following minimum conditions should be in place for a SETA to recognise and support an ISOE. Prospective ISOEs should be able: (i) To demonstrate that they are or can become an industry-focused institute of training excellence; (ii) To demonstrate that they have a commitment to excellence and innovation and that their practices support this criteria; 4

(iii) To be identified by SETAs on the basis of demonstrated capacity and engagement with the sector. This requirement is not designed to prevent other institutions from applying for recognition as occupational or sectoral institutes of excellence, but rather aims to ensure that at least one of each of the five ISOEs that the SETA is to recognise and support, has previously been engaged in improving quality, relevance and intake of learners to meet the demand for sectoral skills; (iv) To be recognised or acknowledged as providing training to meet occupational needs, preferably in those areas where scarce and/or critical skills have been identified. Thus, they will have the ability to deliver critical occupational skills that are linked to relevant economic drivers or learning programmes that will produce skilled people who can make a positive contribution to the South African economy that also competes globally; (v) To be able to deliver learning programmes against various levels in the specified occupation and not only a single level qualification. The focus should thus be a one- stop-shop for a career path for a specific occupation or occupational group, and should include at least related skills programmes and qualifications; (vi) To co-operate with SETA or SETAs and employers or employer bodies; demonstrate the potential to function as a hub in co operation with, and drawing on, established partnerships and to network with other centres of excellence in support of transformation in the country (i.e. equity, partnerships with emerging providers, CBOs, NGOs co operatives, rural participation, etc); (vii) To have a placement strategy and mechanisms to track learners and report on learner placements, promotions, etc; (viii) To meet the SETA ETQA requirements of accreditation (as a provider of education and training programmes, as well as have approval for specific programmes or qualifications); (ix) To practice good corporate governance; sound human resources practices and to comply with all relevant legislation (i.e. BBBEE, EE, etc.); (x) To have in place an efficient and effective reporting, administrative, technological, communication and financial systems, including separate accounts for any SETA funding, towards the ISOE. Although the above criteria suggest that an ISOE should be an established entity with a track record in effective skills development, SETAs are encouraged to support emerging providers acting in partnership with institute of excellence. 5

6. Possible institutional forms for ISOEs In order for a SETA to develop an ISOE strategy, it is important to clarify what form/s these could take. This could be one or a combination of the following: An ISOE could arise from a collaboration of providers across a sector/s or an occupation/s; An ISOE could be an occupationally based teaching and learning institution, faculty, or department within the FET or HET bands, as a single entity, or consortium of providers; An ISOE could be a work-based, or college or university-based or a combination of these; An ISOE could be a centre of innovation and research that supports growth and development of skills within a sector. 7. List of MICT ISOEs The MICT SETA has over the years bestowed the following Institutions with an ISOE status: Institution Province Type of Institution SmartXchange Kwazulu-Natal Incubator (SMME development) Cape IT Initiative (CITI) Western Cape Incubator (SMME development) Joburg Centre For Software Gauteng Training Provider Engineering (JCSE) Center for Education Policy Gauteng Research Development Supersport (Multichoice) Gauteng Training Provider Innovation Hub - Coachlab Gauteng Incubator Vuselela FET North- West Training Provider Nkoka Gauteng Training Provider Creative Arts Kwazulu-Natal Training Provider 6