THE PURPOSE
"Education is the most powerful weapon one can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela
THE REASON
The purpose of an Accredited Learnership is to develop the appropriate skills and knowledge required by a person for the field that they are working in at a particular standard determined by the South African Qualifications Authority. Learners enrolled in accredited qualifications will be equipped with a variety of technical, business managerial and personal skills to help them succeed in the business world.
An accredited learnership is a work-based route to a qualification. It is a workplace education and training programme comprising of both structured practical workplace (on-the-job) experience and structured theoretical training. The duration of a learnership is approximately twelve months, and results in a full national qualification.
Learnerships are available to unemployed and employed people with a Matriculation Certificate who are interested in gaining a National Qualification. The successful learner will develop a sound foundation for the application of these skills and knowledge to
explore a diverse range of opportunities within their organisations.
1. Broaden your knowledge and marketability
On successful completion of the course you receive a National Qualification that not only increases your value to your company, but also increases your knowledge base and skill -set.
2. Transferability
The qualification is transferable, which means it is applicable to your current company, but also to other sectors, as it teaches management principles.
An Accredited Learnership consists of a specific amount of credits. It includes 20 days of class room activities and additional self-study and workplace experience. Specific hours of study are expected within a period of 12 months determined by the amount of unit standards in the qualification. Of course the actual amount of hours needed differs per individual basis dependent on the speed of the learner and past work experience.
Competence is the ability to perform whole work roles, to the standards expected in employment, in a real working environment.
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Foundational competence: an understanding of what you do and why.
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Practical competence: the ability to perform a set of tasks in an authentic context.
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Reflexive competence: the ability to adapt to changed circumstances appropriately and responsibly, and to explain the reason behind the action.
Generally speaking, in the past, education and training institutions became accustomed to awarding certificates based on the amount of time spent in a classroom or training room. In addition, learners were assessed by means of an examination that tested memory as opposed to actual competence. This meant that many learners were awarded certificates and even whole qualifications without ever having to demonstrate that they were able to practically apply their knowledge and skills.
Now, based on the principles of the National Qualifications Framework, in order for the learners to receive a certificate of competence and be awarded credits, they are required to provide evidence of their competence by compiling a portfolio of evidence, which will be assessed by a Training Provider assessor.
A portfolio of evidence is a structured collection of evidence that proves the learner’s efforts, progress and achievement in a specific learning area, and demonstrates competence.
Assessment of competence is a process of making judgments about an individual's competence through matching evidence collected to the appropriate national standards. That is why the evidence in the learner’s portfolio should be closely linked to the outcomes and assessment criteria of the unit standards against which the learners are being assessed.
The Concept ‘Portfolio of Evidence
The Assessment Process
There are three levels of competence:
The Concept of ‘Competence’
Duration of a Learnership
Benefits for the company
There are three levels of competence:
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Foundational competence: an understanding of what you do and why.
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Practical competence: the ability to perform a set of tasks in an authentic context.
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Reflexive competence: the ability to adapt to changed circumstances appropriately and responsibly, and to explain the reason behind the action.
Training and Assessment Plan agreed by Candidate, Facilitator & Assessor before the actual Training and Assessment
Attendance of Training by
Leaner and Facilitator.
Assessment Activities conducted by Learner as per the Assessment Plan
Completed Assessor and Moderator report. Record of Learning forwarded to T&D Department
Assessment Guide checked by Facilitator and submitted to
Assessor as per Assessment Plan
Completed Assessor and Moderator report. Record of Learning forwarded to T&D Department
Feedback Report Completed by Assessor & individual feedback given to candidate.
Appeal form completed by the candidate in event of dispute
Completed Assessor and Moderator report. Record of Learning forwarded to T&D Department
Certificate of Competency
issued to successful candidates.
Record of Learning Updated. All records & evidence filed and Certificates printed
BENEFITS FOR THE COMPANY
1. Tax Incentives
With the existing education crisis in South Africa, our government is encouraging companies to up-skill their employees by granting tax incentives for each employee that is registered for a learnership.
Section 12H of the Income Tax Act (the Act) provides for an allowance to employers in respect of qualifying ‘registered learnership agreement’(s) entered into between the employer and employee. The allowance is intended as an incentive for employers to train employees in a regulated environment in order to encourage skills development and job creation. A ‘registered learnership agreement’ is defined as one which is:
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Registered in accordance with the Skills Development Act, 1998; and
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Entered into between a learner and an employer before a date specified in the Income Tax Act
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An annual allowance – i.e. available in respect of each year of assessment in respect of which the learner is party to a registered learnership agreement; and
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A completion allowance – a once off allowance available in the year of assessment in respect of which the learner successfully completes the registered learnership agreement and in addition to the annual allowance.
It is important to note the following with respect of the annual and completion allowances:
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The annual allowance will be apportioned if the registered learnership agreement does not cover the full 12 months during any year of assessment;
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Different rules apply in determining the completion allowance for registered learnership agreements spanning periods of less than 24 months, and those which cover a longer period. That is, the completion allowance for learnership agreements with a duration of :
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Less than 24 months = applicable allowance x 1 full 12 month period
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More than 24 months = applicable allowance x the number of 12 month periods during which the learnership agreement was in place
By way of example:
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The annual allowance will be apportioned if the registered learnership agreement does not cover the full 12 months during any year of assessment;
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Different rules apply in determining the completion allowance for registered learnership agreements spanning periods of less than 24 months, and those which cover a longer period. That is, the completion allowance for learnership agreements with a duration of :
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Less than 24 months = applicable allowance x 1 full 12 month period
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More than 24 months = applicable allowance x the number of 12 month periods during which the learnership agreement was in place
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Learnership agreement spanning 18 months, with a completion allowance of R40 000 for each completed 12 month period:
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Completion allowance = R40 000 (R40 000 x 1)
2. Learnership agreement spanning 36 months, with a completion allowance of R40 000 for each completed 12 month period
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Completion allowance = R120 000 (R40 000 x 3)
Learners with no disabilities:
Annual allowance:
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NQF level 1 - 6 – R40 000
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NQF level 7 - 10 – R20 000
Annual allowance:
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NQF level 1 - 6 – R40 000
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NQF level 7 - 10 – R20 000
Learners with disabilities:
Annual allowance:
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NQF level 1 - 6 – R60 000
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NQF level 7 - 10 – R50 000
Completion allowance:
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NQF level 1 - 6 – R60 000
NQF level 7 - 10 – R50 000
2. BBBEE Rating
Not only does a company earn points on the BBBEE scale for each delegate that completes a learnership, the focus of BBBEE is changing to middle management rather than junior management - the natural progression of employees in the workplace.
3. Skilled Staff
Above all, the company gains staff with more skills and a better understanding of the business. Not only will learners become more productive, effective and efficient, they will also be able to lead and manage their co-workers.
Cost of Qualification
The cost of each Learnership varies, dependent on the NQF Level and relevant Unit Standard credits.
In order to see the savings the company makes on tax, the detail is above.