Swiss-South African Cooperation Initiative

Swiss-South African Cooperation Initiative

Interview with CEO, Shanita Roopnarain

For the Swiss-South African Cooperation Initiative (SSACI), private-public partnerships are an integral part of closing the skills gap and reducing youth unemployment. The past two decades have seen the organisation bring in over R100- million in skills development and training. SSACI partners with various stakeholders, including government departments, higher education institutions, the private sector and NGOs to implement its programmes. Here Chief Executive Officer Shanita Roopnarain tells us about SSACI’s work, the importance of public-private partnerships and what the Initiative's plans are for the future.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS TO PARTNER TOGETHER FOR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT?

Research has shown the supply of and demand for skills must be aligned if we are to solve our economy's skills gap and growing youth unemployment. This is difficult to achieve in reality since the world of work changes as quickly as technology advances, as do the necessary skill requirements. Curricula therefore by default become outdated and difficult to respond to in an ever-changing work environment. SSACI believes that a good partnership with industry and business allows for such curricula gaps to be bridged. SSACI’s work on Work Integrated Learning (WIL) has shown that in this context, when the commercial and public sectors interact, the quality of skills improve, and firms may have access to rich talent. The private-public partnership can be well positioned to define training standards, give context for the development of technical and soft skills, and expose and train learners on new technologies. This results in an overall increase in skill quality and youth employability.

HOW HAVE YOU BROUGHT IN OVER R100-MILLION FOR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING?

Over a fifteen-year period, the Swiss Government and Swiss firms, with interests in South Africa, agreed to finance SSACI's skill development initiatives.

Over 6 million Swiss Francs were spent on unemployed youth in different development programmes. SSACI began as a donor organisation, sponsoring several development programs around the country in agriculture, tourism, engineering, medical health, entrepreneurship, and technical vocational education and training. In its second phase, it continued to fund a variety of programmes while becoming more involved in their implementation. Its third phase was characterised by a more active role in developing models based on Swiss best practices that would result in higher quality engineering proficiency.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT SSACI IS INVOLVED IN?

• SSACI's strategic emphasis has been on improving Technical and Vocational Education, and Training (TVET) colleges through Work Integrated Learning (WIL).

• It has supported artisan development by working with several public and private partners in creating the public sector's first dual system apprenticeship model, which led to the development of a draft national WIL policy. This influenced the establishment of The Centres of Specialisation (CoS) programme in thirteen trades across 19 TVET Colleges.

• It has been the lead employer, managing the various stakeholders (corporates and SETAs) involved in the training of over 600 apprentices. The function of lead employer has taken away the administrative burden from employers, especially small employers that have limited capacity. This can be an effective role in the future that allows for of the expansion of CoS to smaller companies.

• SSACI has embarked on a national initiative to better understand the impact of the National Curriculum (Vocational) on the labour market by tracking and tracing graduates across the country. Similarly, a study was undertaken to track and trace newly certified artisans on behalf of NAMB.

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND SSACI?

For Switzerland, South Africa has long been one of the continent's most important economic partners. It is considered that the country's economic development may be reached via education and development, and it is this element that is a key criterion for cooperation between Switzerland and South Africa. Over time, the Swiss have exhibited a highly effective model of training, which is supported by strong institutional and business relationships. The responsibility for the apprentices' development rests on three important stakeholders: the apprentice, the employer, and training institution. This crucial collaboration lies at the heart of Switzerland's talent development culture and economic success. This drives SSACI's purpose in South Africa which is to improve quality by developing and implementing programmes that embody elements of Swiss best practice.

WHAT ARE THE INITIATIVE’S PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?

What we do know is that in the labour market, a combination of credentials, practical abilities, relevant practical job experience, and a wide range of soft skills is most important. What is essential to our people is an equally crucial question. The ability to make a living, whether via job or self employment is what weighs heavily on their minds. SSACI will continue to explore new opportunities and bring innovation to teaching and learning in TVET Colleges and in particular find ways to build an appetite for entrepreneurship. •

Tel: 011 642 2110

E-mail: shanita@ssaci.org.za info@ssaci.org.za

Website: www.ssaci.org.za