Sunday Times Skills July 2022 Edition

2022

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT www.businessmediamags.co.za

Davi Moodley

Genevieve Koolen

George Asamani

Waseem Carrim

Tilly Reddy

Nokuthula Chonco

CONTINUOUS LEARNING IS KEY A rapidly evolving economy, digitisation, and social impact imperatives require a new philosophy and approach to skills development

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F ROM T HE EDI T OR Published by:

PIcasso Headline, a proud division of Arena Holdings (Pty) Ltd Hill on Empire, 16 Empire Road (cnr Hillside Road), Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193 PO Box 12500, Mill Street, Cape Town, 8010 www.businessmediamags.co.za EDITORIAL Editor: Ryland Fisher Content Manager: Raina Julies rainaj@picasso.co.za Contributors: Jermaine Craig, Trevor Crighton, Jacques Farmer, Anél Lewis, Denise Mhlanga, Anthony Sharpe Copy Editor: Brenda Bryden Content Co-ordinator: Vanessa Payne Digital Editor: Stacey Visser vissers@businessmediamags.co.za DESIGN Head of Design: Jayne Macé-Ferguson Senior Designer: Mfundo Archie Ndzo Designer: Bulelwa Sotashe Cover Images: Supplied

CONTINUOUS SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IS KEY

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n this issue of Skills Development, we feature some amazing initiatives to improve skills levels, many of those led by private enterprises.

We look at how technical colleges are helping to equip students to prepare for the post-COVID economy, and we ask whether we have teachers with the skills to prepare students for the modern economy.

We highlight an interesting project that originated on a wine farm in the Western Cape, where young people have the opportunity to learn new skills that will, hopefully, stand them in good stead in future. We also look at how young people are being helped to advance their careers through internships, as well as some of the problems they have experienced.

Of course, you cannot talk about skills development in a vacuum, so we have to talk about what is being done to counter unemployment and how we create a society where more people will be paying taxes and fewer people will be relying on social grants.

We also look at the interesting issue of people studying in one discipline and ending up in totally different careers. There appears to be some merit in being skilled in different disciplines.

A contentious issue is the list of scarce skills recently released by the Department of Home Affairs. How do we get to a situation where we have enough people internally to cover scarce skills?

Ryland Fisher Editor

SALES Project Manager: Jerome van der Merwe jeromev@picasso.co.za | +27 21 469 2485 +27 820 668 1496 Sales Team: Frank Simons, Gavin Payne PRODUCTION Production Editor: Shamiela Brenner

CONTENTS

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Advertising Co-ordinator: Johan Labuschagne Fatima Dramat | fatimad@picasso.co.za

MANAGEMENT

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INTERNSHIPS On-the-job training opportunities, particularly virtual internships, can offer South Africans valuable workplace experience.

Management Accountant: Deidre Musha Business Manager: Lodewyk van der Walt General Manager, Magazines: Jocelyne Bayer

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SCARCE SKILLS The Department of Home Affairs’ recently released list of scarce skills covers a range of professions. We look at what is needed to fill the gaps.

COPYRIGHT: No portion of this magazine may

be reproduced in any form without written consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material. Skills Development is published by Picasso Headline. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Picasso Headline. All advertisements/advertorials have been paid for and therefore do not carry any endorsement by the publisher.

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A look at the role and capacity of TVET colleges in addressing the skills crisis.

Subscriptions and Distribution: Printer: CTP Printers, Cape Town

EDUCATION

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

How skills development is being prioritised and legally mandated in the mining sector.

MULTISKILLING Can multidisciplined learning and multiskilling improve employability and career growth?

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WORKPLACE TRAINING Workplace training is essential for ensuring a steady flow of updated skills and business continuity.

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UNEMPLOYMENT A look at the work two organisations are doing to prepare young people to find jobs and be work-ready.

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YOUTH DEVELOPMENT A partnership between Delheim Estate and the Pinotage Youth Development Academy has given a group of young people the opportunity to learn skills and create and sell wine.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

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The National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA) Human Capital Development Program

ABOUT NMISA

NMISA is a public entity reporting to the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic).

The institute provides the confidence that measurements made in South Africa are accurate, comparable and internationally accepted. The work that NMISA does impacts the daily lives of all citizens at various community levels. From the quality of drinking water, monitoring of air pollution, food safety, health care to law enforcement, all industries require the measurement foundation that NMISA provides.

WHAT IS METROLOGY?

Metrology is defined as the science of measurement. Part of NMISA’s core responsibilities is to ensure that results obtained from measurements performed in South Africa are fit for purpose, and effective, equivalent to the national measurement standards of other national metrology institutes in the world. The fact that modern society simply could not exist without measurement means that metrology is everywhere, playing a vital role in our everyday lives. Time, size, distance, speed, direction, weight, volume, temperature, pressure, force, sound, light, energy, etc. are among the physical properties for which humans have developed accurate measures, without which we could not live our normal daily lives.

WHAT IS AN SI UNIT?

In its simplest definition, SI units are internationally agreed on units of measurement. It consists of the base units; metre, kilogram, second, kelvin, candela, mole and ampere units derived from the base units such as the newton (the unit for force) and certain other non-SI units approved for use with the SI, such as the litre, the unit for volume.

NMISA BURSARIES

NMISA offers bursaries to students who are looking to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in fields of science and technology at recognised South African Universities. Upon completion of their studies, the graduates will be required to work one year for every year of study sponsored at NMISA. This will allow the graduate to gain extensive practical work experience in metrology.

NMISA INTERNSHIPS & STUDENTSHIPS

NMISA offers a 12-month internship programme, which allows qualified graduates to get practical work experience in their various areas of study. The intern will also receive a monthly stipend differentiated according to their level of qualification.

Studentships are offered for Masters and PhD students to do their research based on the technical needs of the institution. The internship/studentship opportunity areas are as follows: Support Functions • Human Resources & Information Technology • Finance & Supply Chain Management • Legal / Risk / Compliance / Office Administration • Communications & Marketing • Facilities • Safety, Health, Environment & Quality (SHEQ) • International Liason Technical Divisions • Chemical, Material and Medical Metrology • Physical and Electrical Metrology • Applied Metrology

HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE?

NMISA advertises all bursaries, studentships and vacancies on its website, http://www. nmisa.org/opportunities/Pages/Vacancies. aspx. You can also follow the Institute on its social media pages, as most opportunities are posted on LinkedIn and Facebook where all vacancies are also listed.

Facebook: National Metrology Institute of South Africa Twitter: @NMISouthAfrica Instagram: @nmisouthafrica LinkedIn: National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA) YouTube: National Metrology Institute of South Africa NMISA

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

The NMISA offers full cost bursaries in the Engineering (Electrical/Electronic, Mechanical, Mechatronics), Materials Science, Physics and Chemistry fields of study.

Minimum selection criteria • Bursaries are offered on academic merit and financial need.

• Applicants must be registered full-time students at a recognised South African University in any of the fields listed above.

• Candidates who can provide grade 11 results and a progress report for grade 12 or have grade 12 university entry with acceptable symbols.

• Applicants must be South African citizens.

For additional information contact us: NMISA Human Resource Office, email careers@nmisa.org or hr@nmisa.org

Workback Success Stories WHAT TRAINING DID YOU UNDERGO?

Firstly, as a person, you should do self-training or self-studying about the metrology field and about what it entails so that the related training makes sense. I attended short courses relating to metrology. Courses relating to methods used, how are results analyzed/interpreted, what factors influence measurement results and the measurement system used for the measurements.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE?

To engage in more collaborations with other stakeholders in the metrology field in South Africa and worldwide. Doing career outreach in rural areas where people know nothing about metrology and how metrology enables our daily lives and allows us to remain safe and have a good quality of life.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR THOSE INTERESTED? BRIAN MABOKO, 34

The career path of the “Science of Measurement” which is known as Metrology, is wide and multi-disciplinary. Gather metrology information and then choose any metrology field that you want to specialize in and master.

Scientist, Quantum Standards

WHAT TRAINING DID YOU UNDERGO?

I completed a basic vibration sensor calibration course which entailed the basic ideas required for the calibration of vibration transducers. I also gained experience in working with a mobile kibble balance and its construction.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE?

I would love to become a technical signatory. I am planning on taking on projects that will bring about awareness of metrology in industrialization to encourage more talent in the field. Hopefully, this will grow the metrology space.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR THOSE INTERESTED?

Skills improvement is vital in any workspace. I would encourage anyone starting in this career to learn all skills required to carry out tasks as soon as possible. Always be willing to take on new and available projects, this will enable career growth and networking with other scientists.

LANDILE MNDEBELE, 21

Scientist, Acoustics, Ultrasound and Vibrations (AUV) Section

WHAT TRAINING DID YOU UNDERGO?

I’ve undergone several training sessions which includes the use of analytical chemistry measurement techniques, such as inductively coupled plasma (ICP) instruments and chromatography. I’ve also done many technical short courses applicable to chemical metrology science.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE?

I want to move into the mining sector and do chemical testing for mining purposes.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR THOSE INTERESTED? NWABISA TAKATA, 30

Find a mentor. Having a mentor can give you valuable insight and help increase your visibility in the industry.

PhD Bursar, Materials Metrology Section

WHAT TRAINING DID YOU UNDERGO? I studied Mechanical Engineering and obtained a National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering. I also received training at NMISA. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE? I would like to further my studies in Mechanical Engineering and enter the field of Failure Analysis.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR THOSE INTERESTED? Be open to learning new things and improving. Take on new opportunities when it is presented to you, it can help you gain experience.

CINDY MCFARLANE, 26 Engineer, Length Section

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EDUCAT ION

SKILLS DEMANDS AND THE ROLE OF TVETS How equipped are higher education institutions to deal with the modern economy? By DENISE MHLANGA

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for both knowledge and simulated practical kills development is a key driver for course modules. upskilling the workforce to keep Zuko Mdwaba, area vice president for pace with continuous technological Salesforce South Africa, says businesses are advancements, and to address the critical in job creation and skills development. urgent need for job creation and the “Companies must cultivate inequalities in the workplace, a culture of continuous says Louis Van Huyssteen, learning and investing in Retail Motor Industry (RMI) soft skills to solve complex national training director. problems, challenge the Van Huyssteen says there status quo, and engender a is a huge need to address the shared sense of purpose.” skills crisis by strengthening He says Salesforce offers and building more Technical Trailhead, a free online and Vocational Education platform for job seekers with and Training (TVET) colleges an internet connection. and shifting the focus toward Trailhead features more vocational and technical Louis Van Huyssteen bite-sized, conversational education, especially in the information that seeks automotive sector. to make complicated topics simple “We need to encourage new entrants to understand. into the sector and equip them with the right IT varsity is an online skills so we can see increased productivity technology training service and professional standards,” he says. provider offering short To help develop skills in the workplace, the programmes, digital skills South African government created the Skills certificates, coding, App design Development Act in 1998, which incentivises and entrepreneurship training, employers to provide essential skills training among other courses. The to employees who lack skills in their chosen varsity can provide solutions fields of work. The Department of Higher to skills development, says Education and Training is responsible Johanita Serfontein, chief for managing and developing all higher organisational officer at education and skills development training.

IT varsity.

With receptive training institutions, Van Tilly Reddy For example, she says, many Huyssteen believes skills shortages can nongovernmental organisations be overcome. For example, in the case of have funding, but lack in-house skills, the automotive sector, these institutions digital training skills, and entrepreneurship should use data systems to train apprentices and leadership development for the on fault finding and repair to meet the youth. “We are ready to partner with such curriculum requirements of the occupational organisations, and currently have several certificate qualifications. partnerships to help organisations with He says the College of Cape Town has the technical training to their staff,” introduced this as well as automotive motor she explains. mechanic and online learning that provides

“THERE IS A HUGE NEED TO ADDRESS THE SKILLS CRISIS BY STRENGTHENING AND BUILDING MORE TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING COLLEGES AND SHIFTING THE FOCUS TOWARD MORE VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.” – LOUIS VAN HUYSSTEEN

FAST FACT

The top five most in-demand languages and skills from South African companies between March and April 2022 were C# (programming language), Python, JavaScript, Amazon Web Services and Angular, according to OfferZen marketplace,

COVID-19 AND SKILLS SHORTAGE Mdwaba says the pandemic has compounded the already substantial skills gap and inequalities. Businesses must prioritise reskilling to adapt to technology and address skill mismatches for an inclusive economy.

Tilly Reddy, deputy principal for Academic Services at The College of Cape Town, says the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted learning, with TVET colleges being the worst affected due to their reliance on face-to-face learning.

“The pandemic propelled TVET colleges to adopt technological resources with the ability to develop effective, engaging learning material and assessments for students in and out of the classroom,” she says, adding that The College of Cape Town has been very agile in its response.

Van Huyssteen says TVET lecturer development is an ongoing process, adding that RMI promotes collaboration between TVET colleges and industry partners to ensure quality training to apprentices and reduce the gap between the training provided at TVET colleges in the motor mechanic trade and the real-time skills needs in the private sector.

Stephen van der Heijden, vice president of Growth at OfferZen, a community-first job marketplace that helps companies accelerate their developer hiring, says even before the pandemic, software developers with specific skills and languages were in short supply in South Africa.

“The pandemic saw more companies shift to digital products and services, and remote work, creating a bigger demand for software developers,” he says. Full-stack developers are currently in high demand, and there is an increase in boot camps to bridge the skills gaps in the tech sector.

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IN T ERNSHIP S

Can virtual internships offer a competitive edge?

On-the-job training is vital for prospective employees hoping to work at a top company in a competitive environment. Virtual internships take this to the next level, offering South Africans valuable exposure to international companies, writes ANÉL LEWIS

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and by the next intake, over 500 students will have completed the programme in the short time it has been running. “Students are joining these internships to explore their interests, gain practical experience and build extracurriculars related to their field of interest,” says Pretorius.

The programme is already yielding positive outcomes, with Pretorius saying that many of the students have gone on to study with Crimson, or are already Crimson students.

These Crimson alumni have applied to study at top universities or landed coveted positions at Google, Tesla, Goldman Sachs and other leading global companies. “We have seen South African students take an active leadership role in their groups, grow in confidence through working in their global teams, win the best presentation in their cohort, and challenge themselves to create a high quality of work in their pitches and presentations.”

t’s often said children especially with well-known, in Grades 10 and world-leading companies like 11 are too young to make Uber, are very popular.” She subject choices that will says that to maintain high lay the foundation for their standards and ensure students future careers. “Students can complete the programme, in high school have limited students must apply, and those opportunities to learn what who are unlikely to be a good fit careers suit them, and this are turned away. continues into university,” says Fifty students are selected Rebecca Pretorius, South to take part in each cohort, Rebecca Pretorius Africa country manager at Crimson Education.

Cognisant of the need for more practical training even before learners matriculate, – REBECCA PRETORIUS Crimson Education launched the Crimson Careers Internship Programme in 2021 to offer remote and global work experience to students aged 14–19 years.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS The month-long programme runs as an Software development has been identified as one extracurricular activity, with learning and work of South Africa’s scarce skills. Jessica Hawkey, sessions taking place over weekends. Students managing director at redAcademy, says: “There is a have access to business mentors from top mismatch in the skills and opportunities available.”

Fortune 500 companies. By partnering with Teaching from static content has become outdated. global companies like Uber, HSBC, PwC and “Software and software development is changing Y-Combinator start-ups, these students can at such a rapid pace that tertiary institutions’ accelerate their career development and early content and teachings are far removed from what is work experience, explains Pretorius. happening in the live working environment,” Pretorius says it is “virtually impossible” for she says. students to secure worthwhile work experience George Asamani, business development lead: Jessica Hawkey while in high school. So often, the first time they Africa, for the Project Management Institute gain any work experience is at university when (PMI), says the IT industry can help address this they are already locked into a degree. shortage by embracing citizen developers. “PMI believes that structured citizen development programmes open the IT development field to everyone including women.” It allows people without formal IT qualifications LEARNING PRACTICAL SKILLS to build applications through cloud-based, low-code/no-code “We built Crimson Careers to create a platforms. PMI’s partner universities get free access to Citizen foundation for students to learn practical skills Developer courseware. At present, there are no South African in a safe, virtual environment.” As part of their partner universities. course, students have first-hand experience Hawkey says the redAcademy was designed to fast-track of different career paths while working at a young people’s software development careers. Incubated out of company, they may see their recommendations enterprise retail software development company redPanda implemented by the company, and they Software, redAcademy offers matriculants experiential are able to work with people from different learning and exposure to live client projects. This includes countries. At the end of the course, they receive ongoing support and mentorship from those in software a reference letter for future university and developer roles so that these students enter the workplace job applications. able to perform effectively immediately.

There has been a “high level of interest” in the programme, says Pretorius. “Internships,

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“STUDENTS ARE JOINING THESE INTERNSHIPS TO EXPLORE THEIR INTERESTS, GAIN PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE AND BUILD EXTRACURRICULARS RELATED TO THEIR FIELD OF INTEREST.”

George Asamani

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JAGUA R L A ND ROV ER S OU T H A F RICA A DV ER T ORI A L

FUTURE-PROOFING THE WORKFORCE Jaguar Land Rover readies apprentice techs for the future of South African motoring. By JAGUAR LAND ROVER SOUTH AFRICA

Jaguar Land Rover technicians receive specialised EV training in addition to mandatory merSETA apprentice programmes.

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s the South African automotive industry scrambles to keep up with global mobility trends, namely the inevitable shift from pure petrol and diesel engines to electrified propulsion systems, Jaguar Land Rover is keeping its local technicians one step ahead of the game. With the development of advanced training programmes that far exceed the standardised curriculums of the past, the company is future-proofing the next generation of workshop staff.

The all-electric Jaguar I-PACE and a range of electric hybrid vehicles across the Jaguar and Land Rover brands came to market in 2019. This created the need to ensure technicians are properly qualified to work on sophisticated new drivetrains and highvoltage electrical systems. Where technical apprenticeships in the motoring industry are typically formalised through government-led merSETA accreditations, current programmes do not support the necessary development of skills required for modern vehicle technologies.

Once candidates for Jaguar Land Rover’s training academy have been identified and enrolled, Jaguar Land Rover South Africa follows the mandatory merSETA processes, which include four years of workplace exposure.

However, it further bolsters the curriculum

with highly specialised modules based on the brand’s UK-sourced syllabuses to achieve a level of electric vehicle (EV) competence.

TRAINING ON NEW TECHNOLOGIES Richard Gouverneur, managing director, Jaguar Land Rover South Africa, says: “It’s a fact that many countries around the world, especially in Europe from where a large portion of South Africa’s premium models are sourced, have announced intentions to ban or prohibit sales of new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles – some as early as 2025.

“We know battery electric technologies and advanced propulsion systems are the future of the South African motor industry. It is imperative that our workforce, in particular those inside our dealer workshop facilities, obtain the relevant skills needed to correctly and safely maintain Jaguar Land Rover’s world-class line-up of vehicles. In the process, we’re also helping to make South African youth more employable.”

The average age of Jaguar Land Rover’s apprentice programme is 23 years. Candidates, who must have a minimum of matric with maths and science as required by merSETA, are identified through the Jaguar Land Rover dealer network and accepted based on the

results of brand-specific assessments and aptitude tests.

While the mandatory merSETA programme covers the fundamental basics of becoming a qualified technician, it’s the Jaguar Land Rover-specific modules where recruits are exposed to the new technologies within electric vehicles – an EV session is held in the first week of training. The Jaguar Land Rover apprentice programme typically takes four years to complete, and in each year, there are modules focused on electrification.

The maintenance and repair of electrified vehicles are, for the most part, not dissimilar to what trainees have learned for many decades, but EV-specific procedures are offered on various safety-critical aspects of high-voltage systems. Aside from large battery packs and electric motors, fully electric and electric hybrid vehicles employ the same suspension, steering and low-voltage 12-volt electrical systems for features such as infotainment, windows and lighting, common to all petrol and diesel vehicles today.

NEW PORTFOLIO OF DESIGNS Jaguar Land Rover is reimagining the future of modern luxury by design through its two distinct British brands. Its current model range embraces fully electric, plug-in hybrid and mild-hybrid vehicles, as well as the latest diesel and petrol engines.

By the middle of the decade, Jaguar will have undergone a renaissance to emerge as a pure electric luxury brand with a dramatically beautiful new portfolio of emotionally engaging designs and pioneering next-generation technologies. Land Rover will welcome six pure electric variants as it continues to be a world leader of luxury SUVs through its three families of Range Rover, Discovery and Defender. The first all-electric variant will arrive in 2024.

Scan this QR code to go directly to the Jaguar and Land Rover website.

Jaguar

“IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT OUR WORKFORCE, IN PARTICULAR THOSE INSIDE OUR DEALER WORKSHOP FACILITIES, OBTAIN THE RELEVANT SKILLS NEEDED TO CORRECTLY AND SAFELY MAINTAIN JAGUAR LAND ROVER’S WORLD-CLASS LINE-UP OF VEHICLES.” – RICHARD GOUVERNEUR

Land Rover

For more information: www.landrover.co.za www.jaguar.co.za

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FILLING IN THE GAPS In a country where unemployment is unacceptably high, it boggles the mind that the Department of Home Affairs must release an extensive list of scarce skills to source foreign professionals to do the jobs that South Africans cannot, writes ANÉL LEWIS

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f you’re an engineer, a geologist, a trainer of nurses or a senior phase teacher, you have critical skills that are in short supply in South Africa. The short skills list released earlier this year is extensive and varied – incorporating a range of professions from engineers and economists to educators.

BRAIN DRAIN What is particularly worrying, says Dalya Ketz, managing director at recruitment company Gcubed, is that the scarce skills list applies to mid- to senior-level professionals.

She attributes much of the shortage to the brain drain. “We need to fi nd ways to retain good talent, offering them the right opportunities to stay in the country.” Teachers – who appear twice on the scarce skills list – are not paid close to their earning

“WE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO RETAIN GOOD TALENT, OFFERING THEM THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITIES TO STAY IN THE COUNTRY.” – DALYA KETZ

FAST FACT

• Less than a quarter of the school leavers in 2021 who applied to university were accepted.

• Only about 36 per cent of students complete their degrees in the allotted time.

Source: Genevieve Koolen, human resource director at SAP Africa

potential, says Ketz. With the shift to a world that is reliant on technology, South Africa is unable to meet the demand for qualifi ed, tech-savvy professionals, she says. Engineers are also highly sought-after, not only in traditional roles, but also in corporate environments and as consultants. “South Africa can’t compete with the packages being offered overseas,” says Ketz. So, the skilled professionals we do have either leave the country or work from South Africa for international companies. Furthermore, as Genevieve Koolen, human resource director at SAP Africa, notes, much of the skills list is weighted toward maths and science.

“Sadly, this is not an area in which we excel as a country.”

fi x the system’s problems that started in primary school. “They cannot, in their current form and with their current funding modem, be the answer to the problems of skills in the country.” She says the shortage is compounded by the low completion rate of these degrees within the allotted time, which creates a scarce skills pool across sectors.

“So, it’s clear: too few candidates come in – and even fewer make it out.”

Ketz agrees that tertiary institutions are “far from where we need them to be”.

However, she says there is a will at tertiary level to reassess and redesign courses to accommodate the skills shortage. Many of these institutions also grapple with legacy

SOLVING THE PROBLEM So where do we start to consolidate the skills needed for sustainable economic growth in a rapidly evolving global environment? Koolen cautions that neither universities nor training institutions can

Genevieve Koolen

Dalya Ketz

“THE PROBLEMS LIE MUCH DEEPER THAN ADDRESSING SCARCE SKILLS. WE NEED TO OVERHAUL THE ENTIRE EDUCATION SYSTEM AND MAKE IT MORE FIT FOR PURPOSE.” – GENEVIEVE KOOLEN

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Davi Moodley

S CA RCE SK IL L S

challenges, and they often simply lack qualified educators who can train students adequately. While mentorship programmes tend to focus on graduates entering the workplace, more needs to be done to provide ongoing training and opportunities for middle- to upper-level management as well. Davi Moodley, head of human capital and transformation at Alexforbes, says in addition to the hard skills required, companies need “agile and nimble” thinkers adept at problem-solving and self-motivation.

Tertiary institutions need to train graduates to be employable beyond the qualification they’re studying, she says.

Davi Moodley

“COMPANIES NEED AGILE AND NIMBLE THINKERS ADEPT AT PROBLEM-SOLVING AND SELF-MOTIVATION. TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS NEED TO TRAIN GRADUATES TO BE EMPLOYABLE BEYOND THE QUALIFICATION THEY’RE STUDYING.” – DAVI MOODLEY Koolen says career planning and guidance needs to start sooner so young people understand the demands of careers that require maths and science.

“A lot more thought needs to go into how the Departments of Education, the SETAs and business think about the way they address this shortage.” She also calls for a comprehensive plan that starts in primary school to identify talent. Ketz adds that employers that partner with recruitment agencies have a better chance of headhunting the skilled professionals they need.

But the tide needs to turn long before graduation from university or college, argues Koolen. Change needs to start at the Foundation Phase and earlier. “I fear we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg. The problems lie much deeper than addressing scarce skills. We need to overhaul the entire education system and make it more fit for purpose.” She calls for a robust, national skills strategy that will address the gaps in every sector. “We can’t fix the systemic

SPOTLIGHT ON NURSE EDUCATORS

more to increase the

issues without a national plan.” Of the 897 000 learners who wrote matric in 2021, only 256 000 were eligible for university, and only 200 000 were accepted, she says. “Our institutions appear to be out of step with the new world, and we seem unable to inspire a generation of youth to build a viable future for themselves or the planet.”

WHAT’S ON THE SCARCE SKILLS LIST? Below is a selection of the professions on the Department of Home Affairs’ scarce skills list: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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Dr Sharon Vasuthevan

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

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OCTOBER 2022 AfricanLeader will be available at the Black Management Forum’s annual conference and achievement awards dinner on 6 and 7 October 2022.

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A DV ER T ORI A L IMM GR A DUAT E SCHOOL

LIFE SKILLS ARE AS IMPORTANT AS ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

ABOUT THE IMM GRADUATE SCHOOL

The IMM Graduate School’s Professional Development initiative is preparing students and equipping them with the tools to succeed in the world of work and build a career

Students attending a tutorial class at the Parktown campus.

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ne of the greatest challenges for graduates is to acquire the interpersonal skills demanded in the workplace, over and above the academic and technical skills obtained. To assist with this, the IMM Graduate School designed and launched the Professional Development initiative to give its graduates the theoretical and practical framework needed to develop professional behavioural competencies.

This initiative offers students the nonacademic skills, behaviours and tools necessary for succeeding in their careers. Students will learn how to interact with co-workers and clients and how to navigate the world with confidence.

Exclusive to the IMM Graduate School, the Professional Development initiative is an added value, expanded curriculum offering to students.

The initiative will provide students with hundreds of resources and microlearning courses to enable them to “Be Recognised, Be Relevant, Be Ready” and succeed in the workplace.

New students and current students starting a new programme at the IMM Graduate School are automatically included as participants in the Professional Development initiative.

SMOOTHING THE TRANSITION FROM COLLEGE TO CAREER A survey by McGraw-Hill Education reveals that only 40 per cent of college seniors in the United States felt prepared to pursue a career after receiving their degree. In fact, 59 per cent of the students surveyed felt that their colleges and universities could have done more to prepare

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them for their careers. The IMM Graduate School is committed to ensuring its graduates are equipped for the job marketplace.

Colleges and universities can best help students transition into the workplace by offering support through courses that translate academic skills into the workplace context and prepare them for lifelong learning.

Topics covered by the IMM Professional Development initiative include: • Personal management; • Group effectiveness; • personal influence; • Wellness and mindfulness; and • Financial literacy.

Modules will cover the likes of: • Self-esteem; • Body language • Burnout; • Personal branding; • Social media presence; • Cultural diversity; • Gender mainstreaming; • Disability awareness; • POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act); • Budgeting; and • Estate planning.

Resources include: • Access to all networking events hosted by The Institute of Marketing South Africa; • IMM Fridays featuring talks by marketing experts; • Access to the Strategic Marketing for Africa Journal; • Engagement with marketing professionals; and

The IMM Graduate School is the only CIM-accredited institution in South Africa. After graduating from an IMM marketing programme, students can gain an international qualification by completing a module through the Oxford Professional Education Group.

The IMM Graduate School is accredited by the internationally recognised Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) for any SCM qualification in South Africa.

• Induction into workplace experiences at the various stages of work.

IMM Graduate School students participate in the initiative each semester for the duration of their studies. Students must complete a minimum of five activities in each level of participation (bronze, silver and gold certificates are awarded when the degree is conferred).

For each level, students will receive a separate certificate of completion and a badge.

Once they have completed level three of the Professional Development initiative, they will receive lifelong associateship to the Institute of Marketing Management.

According to the University of Massachusetts Global, if the students of today want to build a career, they need to become “proficient communicators, innovative creators, sharp critical thinkers, and multifaceted collaborators”.

To enable students to succeed in the workplace in their chosen careers, life skills, innovation and creativity, economic and digital literacy, and active citizenry are as important as their academic qualifications, says Angela Bruwer, executive academic head of the IMM Graduate School.

The IMM Graduate School aims to provide a 360-degree solution for all students and industry professionals, from their first qualification to continuous professional development as they build their careers in the industry.

➔ Scan this QR code to go directly to the IMM Graduate School website.

For more information: +27 (0)11 628 2000 info@immgsm.ac.za www.imm.ac.za

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T HOUGH T L E A DERSHIP – SK IL L S DE V EL OPMEN T

Skills development should be a benefit, not a burden JACQUES FARMER, MD at Prisma Training Solutions, weighs in on why skills development helps mining houses to become safer, more productive, more efficient, and ultimately more profitable in the long term

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ining houses are required by the Skills Development Act to provide a Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) every year, as well as an Annual Training Report (ATR). The purpose of these documents is to outline and budget for various skills development initiatives and then report back on what was achieved. This includes mandatory compliance and technical training, as well as apprenticeships, career path development, and more. While both the WSP and the ATR are legally required, they are often seen as burdensome. However, with the right partner and the right planning, skills development can become a self-funding initiative that benefits mines with effective skills, succession planning and business continuity.

Jacques Farmer

THE SUM OF MANY PARTS

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The WSP and the ATR form critical parts of mining compliance and are a mandatory requirement for obtaining and maintaining a mining licence. They can also be quite complex undertakings as they need to be carefully thought out and compiled according to the mine’s skills requirements, accurately budgeted, and signed off by the various parties involved. This includes the relevant organised labour unions, senior mine management and finally, the skills development facilitator at the mine, who must then submit the documentation to the Mining Qualifications Authority for approval.

The WSP must be submitted in advance of the coming year. At the end of the year, the ATR must be compiled to demonstrate

The WSP and the ATR form critical parts of mining compliance and are a mandatory requirement for obtaining and maintaining a mining licence.

compliant and safe above all. If it is done correctly, it will benefit mining houses significantly in the long run.

These plans allow for management to commit to the development of their people to create a better, more efficient, more productive and, above all, safer working environment. The process also allows mining houses to build a pool of talent made up of professional mining employees and develop enhanced succession planning, which is critical for business continuity.

Training should include not only mandatory safety and compliance, but also technical and career path development, and softer human skills like assertiveness, conflict resolution and communications. By looking at all of these areas, a more holistic and well-rounded working environment can be created.

SELF-SUSTAINING PROCESS what training initiatives and spend were completed and if it was according to the plan. If there is a deviation from the WSP, the relevant parties must provide an explanation, and all parties must sign off that the deviation from the plan was acceptable. While some leniency is permitted, a deviation of more than 20 per cent from the original plan could have dire consequences, including revoking of the mining licence for repeat offences.

KEEPING ACCOUNTABLE Sufficient time and funds need to be dedicated to completing the WSP and ATR documents accurately. The WSP is not just a paper exercise, but a plan that needs to be executed over 12 months, and it needs commitment from both organised labour and management to make it a success.

The plan should always be focused on developing and upskilling employees to ensure the environment they work in is

While both the WSP and the ATR can be done in-house, calling in the help of a specialist can be hugely beneficial.

An expert in the industry with first-hand experience on how to effectively design a WSP, will help ensure the plan is realistic, accurate, effective, and forward-thinking on both skills and human capital development.

A specialist partner can also help to ensure that the plan is compiled and executed correctly to ensure that budget is not overspent or underspent.

The right partner can also assist mining houses to make the most of the discretionary grants available as part of the skills development levy, which can help make skills development both self-funding and self-sustainable. Effective skills development is not just about throwing money at a problem or ticking boxes on a paper-based exercise; it should be a benefit, not a burden, and help mining houses ultimately become more profitable.

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MULT ISK IL L ING

MULTIDISCIPLINED LEARNING As business operations and needs change, more and more people are studying multiple disciplines at tertiary level to better equip themselves for a modern economy. TREVOR CRIGHTON asks if an additional qualification is an essential, or a nice-to-have?

THE CASE FOR MULTISKILLING “The more multidisciplined you are, the better off you will be,” says Daniel Levy, co-founder and co-CEO of South African proptech company Flow. “However, I don’t believe you need a degree to have the aptitude. I did a BA (law, industrial psychology), and then I did an LLB. I served my legal articles and was a practising lawyer for a year afterwards, before I came to my senses and left!”

Dr. Shirley Zinn

Levy says he learned about business from his father, a renowned commercial attorney with a boutique law firm servicing only blue-chip clients.

“There was no room to hide in his firm. There I picked up my skill in all facets of running a business. While I did not excel in certain subjects at school or varsity, I became highly proficient in them years later out of necessity when running my own companies The net result is that I have a far more blended skill set, which is highly desirable in the market.”

Transformational coach, workshop presenter and facilitator Ofri Kan-Dror feels that the variety of disciplines she studied have all tied into what she now does. “I studied BA Live Performance (AFDA); post-graduate certificate in Education (WsoE); Psychology (2nd and 3rd year majors in one year); BA Honours Psychology (Wits) and Coaching Practitioner Programme (CPP)(SACAP),” she says.

Kan-Dror says that multiskilling is essential because millennials don’t stay in the same job for 50 years as previous generations did. “We want purpose and meaning, and when it is no longer there, we tend to move on – which is a good thing spiritually as we’re always learning, growing, evolving and transferring skills to different industries,” she says. “I could change the corporate space because I came in with a noncorporate mindset, but adapted and thrived because I understood what was needed as well. I understand people, but that doesn’t mean I need to stop learning about social media to advertise myself. I need to know maths skills to work out my pricing and mark-ups, and I need to have empathy, boundaries and mentoring skills to work with people. All these things we learn in our studies come in useful, practically, in ways we don’t expect.”

“I am a great believer in carving one’s destiny and not having degrees define a person. There are enough lawyers and accountants in this world,” says Levy.

THE RISE OF THE SPECIALIST-GENERALIST Zinn says that job specifications are going beyond qualifications and experience to also require more multifaceted, robust, adaptable competence, personal mastery, and focus on more holistic capability that is cross-disciplinary, even when recruiting for specialists. “This is also crucial for career development and important for those involved in entrepreneurial ventures. In the new world of work, where connectedness, cohesion, innovation, impact and the human factor matter more than ever before, we require a paradigm shift in the way we shape the learning experience that is responsive to current and future needs of our society and economies. Diversity of thinking, perspectives and ideas are critical for innovation and creativity for businesses to be sustainable and remain competitive,” Zinn says.

“How well does this Ofri Kan-Dror play out in the future of work and pay?”, she asks. “Sure, technical specialism is in demand: tax specialists, neurosurgeons, mining engineers and maths teachers will all still be required, but the emergence of the ‘specialist-generalist’ is on the rise. These are the people with core skills who can diversify and readily embrace change.”

Daniel Levy

“THE EMERGENCE OF THE ‘SPECIALIST-GENERALIST’ IS ON THE RISE. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WITH CORE SKILLS WHO CAN DIVERSIFY AND READILY EMBRACE CHANGE.” – DR SHIRLEY ZINN

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uman Resources expert Dr Shirley Zinn says the rapidly evolving economy, digitisation, social impact imperatives and the complexities of the new world of work not only require fresh and swift adaptation skills, but also a completely new philosophy of education and approach to skills development.

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WORK PL ACE T R A INING

CHANGING DEMANDS OF BUSINESS

Workplace training is critical to ensure a steady flow of updated skills development, writes TREVOR CRIGHTON

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n-the-job skills development is an shelf-life, where lifelong learning has become an increasingly valuable aspect of the economic imperative. The biggest competitive working world. According to a Lorman differentiator in the future will be an agile, skilled Training Solutions study, 70 per cent workforce of continuous learners.” of employees would be somewhat likely to leave their current job to work for an WHY FOCUS ON WORKPLACE TRAINING? organisation known for investing in employee Bandyopadhyay says that Sanlam believes development and learning; 34 per cent an agile and skilled workforce that can adapt of employees who left their previous job and innovate will be its biggest competitive were motivated to do so by differentiator for the future. more career development “Training opportunities focus opportunities, and on developing individuals for 86 per cent of millennials performance and success in would be kept from leaving their current and future roles. their current position if training We offer holistic workplace and development were offered training opportunities ranging by their employer. from functional, soft skills “As a learning organisation and technical, which includes we appreciate the importance product, process and systems,” of upskilling our people to she says. “Employees further Nokuthula Chonco build new competencies,” says have access to management Nokuthula Chonco, senior and leadership programmes specialist: learning at MultiChoice Group. that build their capability to successfully “Parallel to upskilling is reskilling of our people lead the business and people at their to enable them to transition with our business, respective levels of leadership. Leadership and technology is at the core allowing customer development focuses on both transitional insights to be effectively systematised across and transformational programmes. Training is all verticals.” delivered internally and sourced externally.”

MultiChoice Group offers IT and tech training across the broad themes of cloud technology; WORKPLACE TRAINING IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS security and governance; AI, big data and Speaking specifically about the IT and analytics; digital marketing and analytics; technology-related training courses offered by and content and media, with around 20 the MultiChoice Group to its employees across different courses covering specific aspects.

Africa, Chonco says: “The upskilling and “All employees can and are encouraged to reskilling of our people directly supports our study and choose from a catalogue of tech business objectives as we increase our online programmes. Our employee bursary offer penetration in over-the-top (OTT) products and and personal development engagements platforms to enable growth and meet demand. elevate the benefit and impact of science, Development of tech skills also supports technology, engineering and maths disciplines the group in being a global leader in content and the application thereof in their day-to-day protection and cybersecurity.” roles,” says Chonco. The group is also looking Ravika Bandyopadhyay, to launch an AI Academy and is part of an head of people Enterprise Skills Initiative where any development at Sanlam, MultiChoice employee can register for a says that the modern Microsoft certification. world is characterised by accelerated change, technological advancement and evolving customer expectations. “We operate in a knowledge economy where skills have an Ravika Bandyopadhyay exponentially shrinking – Nokuthula Chonco

Bandyopadhyay says the group’s financial planning-related workplace training was put in place because, in South Africa, qualified financial planners must complete a qualification exam from the Financial Planning Institute of South Africa (FPI). “This is aligned with Sanlam’s strategy of providing a professional financial advice service to our clients. It further ensures that advisers maintain their knowledge and skills annually to keep up to date with the latest developments in the financial sector, thereby making sure that they can guide their clients in the best possible manner,” she says.

MULTICHOICE TRAINING

BY THE NUMBERS One of MultiChoice Group’s strategic pillars focuses on employee development. In the 2022 financial year: • in skills development • formal training •

of learning •

Duke International • managers participated in a leadership development Henley Business School • the Management Essentials Programme.

“PARALLEL TO UPSKILLING IS RESKILLING OF OUR PEOPLE TO ENABLE THEM TO TRANSITION WITH OUR BUSINESS, AND TECHNOLOGY IS AT THE CORE ALLOWING CUSTOMER INSIGHTS TO BE EFFECTIVELY SYSTEMATISED ACROSS ALL VERTICALS.”

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UNEMPL OY MEN T SUPPORTING ENTREPRENEURS Identifying and supporting young people who have started their own businesses is another key priority for the NYDA, which has provided over 8 500 youth-owned enterprises with fi nancial interventions, including grant and relief funds.

“The grant programme provides young entrepreneurs with an opportunity to access both fi nancial and nonfi nancial business development support to enable them to establish or grow their businesses,” says Carrim.

He says the grants, from as little as R1 000 to R300 000, “provided access for young entrepreneurs to much-needed funding to establish and grow their businesses, and to support them through periods of crises”.

CAN WE TURN THE TIDE?

YES GIVES WORK EXPERIENCE

Ravi Naidoo, CEO of the business-led Youth Employment Service (YES) collaboration, says investment in the country’s youth should begin at ground level, where the preparation In a world where two-thirds of South Africa’s youth are either for the workforce starts. unemployed or unemployable, how to earn an income forms part Through innovation and technological of the daily fight for survival, writes JERMAINE CRAIG best practice, YES is looking to give youth a dignifi ed chance at employment by offering them a 12-month quality work experience with South African corporates. tatistics South Africa’s Skills Programmes are designed to prepare Even during the pandemic, YES has fourth-quarter 2021 figures put young people for the new world order to face worked with nearly 2 000 private companies the country’s unemployment rate not only the challenges of life, but also the new and numerous implementation partners to get at a record-high 35.3 per cent, world of work,” says the NYDA’s chief executive over 75 000 young people into fi rst-time jobs. with youth unemployment at a officer, Waseem Carrim.

“This has seen collective salaries of staggering 65.5 per cent.

R4.2-billion paid to young workers, The pressure to turn these shocking figures GETTING THE YOUTH WORK-READY 58 per cent of whom are women. These around is considerable. One of the ways the “Before young South Africans can young South Africans have also acquired country’s National Youth Development even think of the ‘new world of work’, invaluable formal work Agency (NYDA) is trying to respond is with the NYDA acknowledges that experience, which will its flagship Job Preparedness and Life Skills they need even the most basic stand them in good stead Training Programmes. skills and confidence as they search for future Of those young South Africans fortunate to prepare to enter the opportunities. By sponsoring enough to be employed, nearly half were in job market. jobs for youths, companies elementary, sales and service and domestic “The Life Skills Training boost their B-BBEE scores work occupations – barely earning the intervention offers nine and their environmental, minimum wage. core modules covering social and governance (ESG) If finding even basic work is a struggle, topics on orientation and credentials,” says Naidoo. there is the added challenge of how quickly self-awareness, personal “But while jobs and the modern world of work has evolved in the growth and interpersonal skills, Ravi Naidoo incomes are important, we digital age, making unskilled youth even more leadership development, financial must also give our youth the vulnerable and ill-equipped. literacy and management, health tools and skills they need to connect to and The accelerated pace of modern life and and wellness, career awareness and digital thrive in the modern digital world. Thousands increased connectedness citizenship,” says Carrim. of YES youth are being placed in positions means young people can “The Job Preparedness Training intervention such as data capturers, business process live and work globally. assists young people to improve employability, outsourcing roles, cyber security agents, Today’s youth will have through the sharing of information, hints and digital artisans, drone pilots, content creators the opportunity to access tips regarding the labour market trends and and software developers. These future-facing many new jobs over the drafting a CV, job search, preparation for sectors can help South Africa emerge as course of their lives with an interview and more importantly, skills to a leading nation in an age of technology,” associated pressures retain employment once recommended for a Naidoo adds. and the need for position,” adds Carrim. flexibility. “The NYDA Job Preparedness and Life Waseem Carrim

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“BY SPONSORING JOBS FOR YOUTHS, COMPANIES BOOST THEIR B-BBEE SCORES AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE (ESG) CREDENTIALS.” – RAVI NAIDOO

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T ECHNOL OGICA L HIGHER EDUCAT ION NE T WORK S OU T H A F RICA A DV ER T ORI A L

TACKLING THE CRITICAL SKILLS SHORTAGE The Technological Higher Education Network South Africa is spearheading projects to develop the critical skills needed

by South African industry as well as providing skills training to support students in venture creation and start-ups, writes the organisation’s CEO, DR ANSHU PADAYACHEE

THENSA and THEA Research and Training Clusters • International Tourism, Research and Training • Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) and Curriculum Development for the 4IR • Agriculture and Food Security • COVID-19 Pandemic Management • Waste Management and the Circular Economy • Space Science, Innovation Hubs and ICT • Biomedical Engineering, Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing

Delegation of tourism lecturers, practitioners and government officials discussing the recovery of South Africa’s tourism sector at the Atlantic Technological University (ATU) in Galway, Ireland.

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or a number of decades, experts have urged universities, businesses and the government to develop critical skills to boost South Africa’s economy and eliminate poverty.

This has become crucial in light of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), which will not only change the nature of how we work, but also create a host of new jobs that demand new knowledge and dynamic skills.

As a consortium of technology-focused universities in the country, the Technological Higher Education Network South Africa (THENSA) is primed to address these challenges. Previously known as the South African Technology Network, THENSA rebranded in 2021 after reviewing our objectives in light of the growing number of member institutions joining our organisation.

THENSA’s primary aim is to support the work of our member institutions and advance knowledge-sharing and good practice.

Our network consists of full and associate members across South Africa, Africa, Europe, the United States of America and Australasia.

We strive to promote relevant, impactful and globally competitive qualifications, skills, research and innovation in partnership with business, industry and research institutes.

ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTRY THENSA has established a track record for developing programmes geared at tackling the absence of critical skills in South Africa, developing projects that not only respond to the needs of the country, but also offer solution-driven ideas and opportunities in respect of the 4IR. THENSA’s bespoke PhD, Masters and Supervisory Enhancement Programme have significantly contributed to providing lecturers at its member institutions and previously disadvantaged universities the opportunity to acquire their PhDs and grow as academics.

This programme, in partnership with the Tshwane University of Technology and with funding from the Department of Higher Education and Training, responded to the transformation agenda and the National Development Plan 2030, resulting in black women academics forming 70 per cent of its cohort.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, THENSA began developing an Online Entrepreneurship Programme to support students to become job creators rather than job seekers. The programme was developed in partnership with the Munster Technology University in Ireland and is a SAQA-aligned programme, providing students with the skills to support start-ups and venture creation.

THENSA HAS ESTABLISHED A TRACK RECORD FOR DEVELOPING PROGRAMMES GEARED AT TACKLING THE ABSENCE OF CRITICAL SKILLS IN SOUTH AFRICA, developing PROJECTS THAT NOT ONLY RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTRY, BUT ALSO OFFER SOLUTION-DRIVEN IDEAS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN RESPECT OF THE 4IR.

THENSA also developed a graduate employability app, which is a portal to track graduates and provide them with employment opportunities.

It also affords businesses the opportunity to select suitable and appropriate graduates for internships and employment and provides graduates with online assistance in preparing for interviews and developing CVs. More importantly, it provides universities with information about curriculum relevance and the challenges students face in industry. This assists universities to review their curricula accordingly.

In 2019, THENSA, in partnership with MILZET, began running an upskilling and reskilling programme for the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) in the areas of hairdressing, beauty and nail treatments, real estate and environmental practice. THENSA, in partnership with OBREAL-Global Observatory, was awarded the Erasmus Plus grant in 2020 to establish the Higher Education Reform Experts South Africa (HERESA) group in South Africa.

HERESA seeks to build a network of higher education reform experts within our member institutions to improve teaching and learning strategies, work-integrated learning (WIL) strategies, competency-based learning curricula for the 4IR, and entrepreneurship education.

At the THENSA international conference in March 2022, THENSA launched WILSA and was invited to become a member of the World Association for Co-operative Education, where it is also represented on the advisory board. THENSA, through funding from the Irish Embassy in South Africa, established seven research and training clusters that are composed of Irish and South African university scientists.

We believe our cross-collaborative and inter-organisational approach to building critical and scarce skills will not only address our country’s most pressing issues, but also set a standard of global excellence and competitiveness that will benefit the lives of all South Africans.

➔ Scan this QR code to go directly to the THENSA website.

For more information: www.thensa.co.za

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YOU T H DE V EL OPMEN T

CULTIVATING A NEW BREED OF WINEMAKER

A partnership between Delheim Estate and the Pinotage Youth Development Academy has led to the creation of a new wine brand, uLutsha, writes ANTHONY SHARPE

FAST FACT

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access jobs immediately. “They could hit the ground running, integrate and make things happen. The technical skills follow the personal development.” Munro adds that because the students live in poverty, they need a quick win.

“Our programme used to last a year, but we reduced it to six months and found that was enough.”

So how do they identify candidates with strong potential? “We look for the readiness and willingness to change your life. That’s our primary criteria, along with the need for students to be matriculants.”

STAND FOR YOURSELF

A WINE IS BORN

Munro and her colleagues’ initial research on the wine sector yielded some interesting insights. “Most people said they could teach technical skills. They needed young people who could own their lives, take responsibility and stand for themselves. We see this as emotional intelligence.”

They designed a programme that was 40 per cent industry-specific vocational training, 40 per cent personal development, and 20 per cent work experience. “Most of our students have never been exposed to the world of work and can’t access it because they are never the most skilled or experienced people in the room.”

The PYDA found that this model made graduates work-ready and enabled them to

One graduate who has gone on to great things is Ziyanda Njalo, who completed the programme when it was still one year in length, studying sommelier skills, viticulture, the winemaking process, labelling rules and more.

In February 2021, Njalo received a message about a

EMPLOYMENT UPTAKE More than 400 students have graduated from the academy in its decade of operation, with the vast majority going on to find gainful employment. “Until COVID-19, our uptake levels were 90 per cent, and they’ve remained close to that since the pandemic hit,” says Munro. “This is in wine and other sectors, including fast-moving consumer goods, fruit, digital marketing and tourism. Wine remains, however, our longest-running, flagship programme.”

collaboration between PYDA and Delheim to produce a new wine brand. “I was still looking for a good opportunity, so I applied and was selected to be part of the project.”

Delheim supplied the grapes, and together with eight other PYDA graduates, Njalo set about working with the estate’s winemaker Roelof Lotriet. “We harvested 30 crates of grapes, and Lotriet helped us follow the winemaking procedures,” she explains. “We learned about sales and marketing, label design, bottling and corking, and Delheim helped us create the brand name.”

The first batch of 230 limited-edition bottles of uLutsha Pinotage will be sold for R1 000 each.

“It’s effectively a donation to support youth in winemaking, in exchange for an excellent bottle of wine,” says Njalo, who is passing on her knowledge to the next group of five graduates who have come on board.

Her advice to prospective PYDA students is to “be your genuine self in interviews and grab every opportunity.

Even when you face challenges, don’t give up. And know why you want to be part of the wine industry and the PYDA. You need real reasons. We at uLutsha see ourselves becoming employers Ziyanda Njalo one day”.

“WE HARVESTED 30 CRATES OF GRAPES, AND LOTRIET HELPED US FOLLOW THE WINEMAKING PROCEDURES. WE LEARNED ABOUT SALES AND MARKETING, LABEL DESIGN, BOTTLING AND CORKING, AND DELHEIM HELPED US CREATE THE BRAND NAME.” – ZIYANDA NJALO

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he Pinotage Youth Development Academy (PYDA) was founded in 2012 to help talented, historically disadvantaged youth find employment in the wine sector and related industries.

Executive director Nikki Munro stresses that the PYDA is not actually a training academy.

“We’re a nonprofit organisation that grows talented young South Africans and launches them into employment. Our model works in demand-led sectors, but our programmes are deeper and longer. We believe the key to transforming the world is personal development and emotional intelligence.”

Munro says the seed for the academy was a meeting where she heard a story that’s still common today: young, high-potential people unable to access opportunities because of their historical – and current – circumstances.

The call was made to start the first academy programme in the wine sector not just because of its major economic status, but also because it historically has had the greatest barriers for the PYDA’s student contingent, and thus presented the best opportunity for change.

There are 50 black-owned wine brands and 29 black-owned wine farms in South Africa.

Source: SA Wine Industry Transformation Unit

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75% of HandPicked candidates were female

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www.imm.ac.za | 0861 466 476 The IMM Graduate School of Marketing is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training as a Private Higher Education Institution under the Higher Education Act, 1997. Registration Certificate number 2000/HE07/013.