Businesses offering learnerships, internships, skills programmes and apprenticeships are obliged to deal with various Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).
However, there are 21 SETAs all with different processes and systems, so dealing with SETAs if you don’t know the landscape can be a complicated. Not only that, if qualifications are to be recognised by the SETA, training needs to be provided by an accredited institution.
Partnering with a training provider can ease the difficulty of navigating SETAs and deliver quality, accredited training.
A complicated landscape
Although the landscape is complicated, SETAs offer valuable vocational training and skills transfer in line with the National Development Plan.
A business that offers skills development as part of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE), for example, needs to be involved with at least the SETA in their particular industry, and often SETAs in other industries too.
There is no centralised system for SETAs, and systems and processes change frequently. This complicates the registration process, especially when enrolling learners with different industry SETAs.
As many businesses don’t employ a team dedicated to training and development, they don’t have the time or expertise to handle these complexities.
Challenges can impact training outcomes
Challenges dealing effectively with SETAs can negatively impact training objectives. If the processes are not conformed to the SETA may reject registrations, and the entire process must start again, causing significant delays.
The complicated registration process can hold up the process, resulting in the late registration of learners. This may affect B-BBEE scores due to a lack of skills development points. The learners themselves also suffer, as they are not able to start their skills development programmes.
The external moderation of learners can also prove to be a stumbling block because this requires accredited personnel, and without this external moderation, the SETA will not award the learner with their certificate or qualification.
A training partner is an invaluable asset
A training partner is an invaluable asset. Not only do they have the accreditations to be able to handle the process from end to end, but they also dedicate resources to dealing with complex registration.
As the core business of a training partner is to facilitate training, they will also take over the entire process of registrations, making sure that documents are correctly completed according to the various requirements of the different SETAs.
A training partner will also follow up to make sure there are no delays so that learners can start on time and B-BBEE points can be allocated correctly. When it comes to navigating the complexities of SETAs, partners are critical.
Make sure your partner with an experienced, accredited training provider who has expert knowledge of the ins and outs of the various SETAs. This is essential in navigating this important, yet often frustrating and time-consuming facet of business in South Africa.
By Daniel Orelowitz: Managing Director of Training Force
