Sparks Electrical News April 2015

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sparks
ELECTRICAL NEWS april 2015
contractors’ corner 7
Training and development by Nick du Plessis
New policy document outlines workplace or worksite approval
BY now, many companies would have had a visit
from their relevant Sector EducationTraining
Authority (SETA) that is conducting workplace
approvals, which will allow the companies to
provide recognised practical training to learners.
NAMB
The National Artisan Moderation Body (NAMB)
within the Department of Higher Education
andTraining has issued a policy document that
outlines workplace or worksite approval. The
purpose of the policy is to establish a set of na-
tional standardised criteria and guidelines across
all sectors and for all listed trades to allow
for the approval of workplaces and sites to
deliver a structured work experience compo-
nent of the relevant artisan trades.
It’s quite a comprehensive document so
in this month’s column, I will provide some
insights into what is required for this worksite
approval according to the policy. Any readers
who would like a copy of the policy can con-
tact their SETA or dropme a mail and I will
forward a copy of NAMB’s‘National Stand-
ardised Artisan LearnerWorkplace and/or Site
Approval Criteria andGuidelines’.
General criteria
The general criteria requires that the work-
place or site has
• The ability and the resources to report to
the relevant SETA and NAMB as required
on the learner artisans’ progress, adminis-
tration and attendance.
• A juristic person who is registered and es-
tablished in terms of SouthAfrican lawand
has a letter of good standing or a tax clear-
ance certificate; or be a national, provincial
or local government department; or be a
state-owned company.
• Has proof of financial sustainability to de-
liver on the contractual arrangement with
the learner in terms of the required work-
place component.
• Be compliant with the relevant legislation
applicable to the specific trade including
but not limited to the Occupational Health
and Safety Act and/or Mine Health and
Safety Act.
Occupational specific criteria
The occupational specific criteria require that
the workplace or site must
• Indicate that the programme for the struc-
tured work experience component of the
artisan trade curriculum will be facilitated
and mentored. The evidence required
would include a structured programme
with clearly identified timeframes aligned
to the relevant work experience compo-
nents of the trade curriculum; and proof of
formally appointed workplace mentors.
• Have access to all physical resources to
deliver on the tasks and activities as re-
quired by the relevant work experience
components of the curriculum, taking into
account varying contexts within different
workplace environments.
• Have suitably qualified mentors for the
trade/s in which workplace/site approval
is sought.
• Be able to sustain the mentoring for the
duration and scope of the trade qualifi-
cation for which workplace approval is
sought.
• The number of learner artisans mentored
by a single mentor shall, unless otherwise
permitted by NAMB or defined in the cur-
riculum document, not exceed the num-
ber stated in the table below.
Trade category Mentor/learner ratio
Civil 1:4
Mechanical 1:3
Manufacturing 1:3
Electrical 1:2
Services and support 1:4
• Theremust also be a letter of commitment
from each mentor endorsed by the em-
ployer indicating the number of learners
allocated to the mentor and the duration
of the mentoring process.
The procedure for approval of workplaces and
or sites is that the applicant workplace/site will
be visited and evaluated by the SETA supported,
where relevant, by subject matter experts to
determine whether they comply with the require-
ments of the structured work experience com-
ponent of the occupational curriculum for which
they are seeking workplace/site approval.
The workplace/site must ensure they have
the facilities, equipment, tools, structures and
resources in accordance withminimum standards
determined by the occupational qualification
structured work experience component.
The transitional arrangements state that all
current approved workplaces or sites will remain
approved under this policy and will be monitored
in accordance with this policy.
Competent artisans
I have found that when candidates apply for
a trade test, many applicants have only had
exposure to limited areas of the curriculum in the
workplace and this obviously places them at a
disadvantage and they struggle at work.
This is why I believe that this policy will ensure
that all learners are exposed to the entire curricu-
lum and that when they do qualify, that they will
be competent artisans.
I encourage companies to apply for workplace
or site approval because this will give a good
indication of whether or not their learners have
been exposed to the full workplace curriculum –
and it will ensure that training is structured for the
benefit of all.
Anyone needing guidance regarding this policy
can email me on
Enquiries: +27 11 827 4113.