BEYOND EDUCATION

1
BEYOND EDUCATION TRAINING IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE
19 October 2000

• Skills Development for Transformation, Service
  Delivery Career development
• April 2002

Slide 1
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Where we come fromPolicy Problems 96-98

• The fragmented and uncoordinated approach to
  training
• Training not linked to service delivery
  transformation
• The lack of strategic needs-based,outcome based
  and competency based to PSTE
• Training Providers do not meet the demands of a
  service oriented public service.

3
continued

• Qualifications are not portable
• The absence of training strategy for the Public
  Service
• The impact of HIV/AIDS pandemic on service
  delivery

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Policy Development to Implementation

• 1998-White Paper on Public Service Education
  Training -
• 1998 Skills Development Act -provides an
  integrated institutional framework for ETD
• 1995 South African Qualifications Authority
  (SAQA) -National Qualifications Framework
• 1998 WPS Delivery sets minimum standards for
  service delivery

5
Continued

• the Departments of Labour Education Launched
  the
• National Skills Development Strategy NHRD
  Strategy

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TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION

• We undertook
• a study to establish baseline information on
  training in the public service
• a study to identify opportunities for career
  paths for LGW in the public service
• profiling of SMS competency requirements
• converting competencies to unit standards
• Established the PSETA
• A consultative planning process to develop an HRD
  Strategy for the PS

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HRD Strategy for the Public Service

• Informed by -the NSDSNHRD Strategy which set out
  the National priorities
• - the priorities of the DGS GA cluster- which
  focus on Scarce skills IT Financial Management

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HRD strategy for Public Service

• The purpose of HRD strategy is to ensure that
  education,training and skills development happens
  in a coherent and strategic manner
• Ensuring a competent Public service that is
  geared towards transformation, service delivery
  and career development

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Vision and mission

• Vision A dedicated responsive and productive
  public service achieved
• Mission To maximise people development,managemen
  t and empowerment through quality skills
  development for accelerated service delivery and
  transformation in the public service that will
  translate into benefits of the people of South
  Africa

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Strategic Objective

• By the end of 2006 the public service delivers
• Competently,equitable services to the people of
  South Africa
• indicators
• general backlog of service reduced
• number of complaints reduced
• Departments generally provide training that
  supports service delivery

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Desired outcome of the strategy

• Desired outcome 1
• To ensure commitment in promoting and
  implementing the HRD strategy in all Public
  Service Institutions
• Activities
• Carry out awareness campaigns
• Introduce investors in people in PS

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continued

• Create award system for PS that achieves IIP
  accreditation
• Implement an effective communication system

13
Continued

• Desired outcome 2
• To promote effective strategic and operational
  planning framework in the public service
• Activities
• Develop accelerated strategy for promotion of
  scarce skills in PSDevelop an internship
  guideline for the Public service

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continued

• Prepare guidelines on career pathing for LGW
• Formulate effective HIV/AIDS strategies for the
  PS

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continued

• To establish relevant competencies within public
  service sector
• Activities
• Development of framework guidelines
  Internship in the PS
• Facilitate the development and implementation of
  ABET programs
• Accelerate IT Skills Development programs

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continue

• Desired outcome 3
• To promote effective management and co-ordination
  of the implementation of the HRD strategy for the
  Public service
• Activities
• HRD/Training Units and personnel are aligned to
  new demands
• Ensure that departments improve quality of WSP

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continued

• Set up adequate reporting mechanism
• Develop guidelines on utilisation of 1 skills
  levy
• Ensure equitable spread of managers in rural
  areas
• Promote equitable distribution of funds

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PSETA is the strategic institution for
implementing the strategy

• The PSETA was established in 2000
• -PSETAs progress
• -Learnerships 3x have been submitted for
  registration( FinMgt IT ABET)
• -Learnership Workshops have been undertaken for
  all departments to prepare for implementation.

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continued

• PSETA accredited as an ETQA which means that the
  PSETA will be able to accredit providers.

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continued

• The PSETA Sector Skills Plan has been approved
• 72 Workplace Skills Plans have been submitted

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Challenges Aligning the HRD to the current
demands

• The implementation of the PSETA is a challenge to
  all those committed to Human Resource Development
  in the PS
• The 72 WPSP have been analysed in order to learn
• Analysis showed a number of challenges
• - for alignment with the HR function
  establishment

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continued
- for capacity building programme for SDF -
for advocacy and support at the highest
level in the departments - for sponsors
drivers
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Challenges -Quality of WSP

• Feedback from SDF Information Sessions
• A lack of support from managers and HoDs
• Need for ongoing support to SDFs
• Organisational culture must change and embrace
  transformation

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SDF Responsibilities

• Identifying skills needs/ skills audit
• Organise and develop WPSP
• Co-ordinate the development and implementation of
  Leanerships
• and manage Learnerships
• Contact person with the SETA and department
• Advise departments on Skills development.

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SDF Competency Profile

• Basic research skills
• Analysis and problem solving skills
• Reporting skills- to compile the annual report on
  WSP
• Knowledge of the policy framework
• Quality Assurance systems
• Monitoring the implementation of WSP.

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Challenges -level of SDFs

• Effective co-ordination of WSP requires a person
  at a higher level BUT the majority in the Public
  Service are junior managers.
• -75 are DD and do not enjoy the support of
  decision makers which could explain the low
  returns of WSP.

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Challenges Inculcating a culture of life-long
learning

• How can we best build a culture of learning
• Is the process of the WSP an opportunity to
  introduce a new culture of organising training
  on the basis of a WPSP?
• How can we nurture and achieve this?

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Challenges Restructuringre-deployment
retraining

• The work environment in the public service is
  changing very fast
• Employees must be skilled to work in a changing
  environment
• The HRD can play a key role in developing
  employees
• The Challenge is HOW do we work together to
  achieve this?

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continued

• HOW do we work together to transform our
  workplaces into learning organisations??
• - improving career opportunities for lower graded
  workers
• - retaining the skills in our departments?
• - identifying champions that will ensure the
  integration of HRD policies and strategies in the
  Public Service

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continued

• These are some of the challenges, which have also
  been articulated during feedback sessions
• This task needs all of us to work together
• Identify tangible ways- currently there are the
  National and Provincial Sessions for consultation
  and to provide a feedback loop.