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A National Coordinated Response to the Water

Sector Skills Crisis

October 2009

Portia Makhanya

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New Landscape for National Wide Sector Skills Development

• Skills Development Act ( amended 2008)

• National Human Resources Development Strategy of South Africa - 2010- 2030 (2009).

• Green Paper :National Planning Commission 2009

• Green Paper : Monitoring and Evaluation 2009

• National Industrial Policy Framework

• Re- certification of SETAs

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Strategic Objectives1. To increase the number of engineers employed in the water

sector

2. To increase the number of Artisans/Technicians employed in the water sector.

3. To increase the number of Health and Hygiene (H&H) practitioners employed in the water sector

4. To improve Strategic Management and Leadership Skills in the water sector.

• Developmental Local Government skills • Shortage of Financial skills

5. To develop learning programmes and career path for water practitioners in the water sector.

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Is it a Crisis?

Severe shortage of:– Engineering and Scientists– Technicians /Artisans– Social, Economic & Environment

Practitioners (e.g. resource economists)– Management and financial management

skills

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Discuss the 5 SO’s• Engineers – yes, but are they quantifiable?

(how many hydrologists?, scientists?, etc.)• Artisans & Process Controllers – what is the

backlog? • H&H – how many per year is to be produced

in a normal system?• Management –• Career Planning – imp as it is the link

between all the bands and a major need

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Change• All agree the system must change but how ?

– Disruption a must, – complex, – territorial balance, – investments

• All are saying we must change BUT leave my programme

• Consensus to take us back where we were 10 yrs ago

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What is the Essence of a new

Approach to sector skills

development?

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Strategic Level One

Achieve water literacy in South Africa

to affect positive attitudinal and behavioral change to water value

and water use

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Water Literacy

FORMAL EDUCATION

(Water Education in all Education Bands)

INFORMAL EDUCATION

(Public Awareness Programme)

Summary: Strategic Level One

Two Pillars

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Strategic Level Two

Sufficient, appropriately skilled water sector professionals able to meet current and future needs of

the sector to achieve water for growth and development

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Summary - Strategic Level 2:Four Pillars

Sufficient and Appropriate Water Sector Skills

Water Focus FET Colleges

HET Institution and Learner Support

Effective WorkplaceSkills Programs

Sectoral Skills Intelligence, Tracking,

Research and Innovation

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General Comments• Water resources to be elevated in sector as a whole

and this skills plan/process must lead this • Department of Education most strategic partner for

skills but not strategic, systematic engagement• Information of performance across bands and SO’s is

not easily accessible – hence skills intelligence capacity critical

• Link current information systems and initiatives directly to the skills intelligence system

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The Draft Strategy needs to be Located within the WfGD framework

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Water for Growth and Development Framework

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Key Focus Areas + Products & Services

Basic & Higher EducationGET / FET / HET

Occupational & Workplace Development

Water Advocacy&

Literacy

Skillingthe Water

Sector

Meeting Sector & DWA Strategic Thrusts & W4GD

Underpinning the Economic, Social & Environmental Objectives of Govt

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THE FRAMEWORK FOR BASIC, HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING

S01Engineers(Water Services & Resources

SO2Technician/Artisan(Process Controllers)

S03Health & Hygiene Practitioners

S04Leadership &Management skills

Immediate Response(What must happen now to address shortage)

Systematic Response (Fix the system (pipeline)So that we do not need emergency response in the future)

GET

FET

HET

cross cutting issues:(- career path,- Integrating people in the workplace)

Governance, Funding, Sector Intelligence , Institutional

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S01Engineers(water services & resources)

SO2Technician/Artisan(Process Controllers)

S03Health & Hygiene Practitioners

S04Leadership & Management skills

Immediate Response

Systematic Response

NQF1

NQF2

NQF3

NQF4

NQF5

NQF6

NQF7

NQF8

NQF9

NF10

Governance, Funding, Sector Intelligence

NEW OCCUPATIONAL AND LEARNING SYSTEM FRAMEWORK

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National Functions to ensure Coordinated Responseto Meet the Sector Skills Development Challenge

PLANNING• Strategic Objectives

• National Target setting• Strategy Alignment

• KPIs

QUALITY ASSURANCE• Tracking progress

• Strategic level reporting• Performance Monitoring

• Evaluation

RESOURCES• Identifying funding sources

• Facilitating access to finance ADVOCACY• Political & leadership buy-in

• Inter-sector engagement• Mainstreaming Water into

Education & Training• Water Literacy

COORDINATION• Communication• Partnerships• Role Clarity

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP& ACCOUNTABILITY

INTELLIGENCE• Info & data

• Matching demand & supply• Critical Analysis

• Research

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Action Plan• Revision of Terms of Reference for the Task Team• Ensure appropriate participation of the following organizations

– ESETA– SALGA (on and off)

• DWA Role and Responsibility as Sector Leader: agreement and buy-in at DWA – Develop document on roles – Identify relevant names to represent fora ?– Internal DWA meeting to agree on roles and representation

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Action Plan• Development of a Coordinated Water Sector Skills Development

Framework – Complete data collection, interviews and analysis – Compilation of Framework document Present Framework to a core

group???– Circulate document to TT members– Present document to TT members

• Presentation to DWA Top Management Structures• Presentation of Skills Task Team Plan and approach to WSLG EXCO• Enhancing the composition of the Task Team - Invite the following

Organisations:– COSATU– Other Unions relevant to the Water Sector– Department of Basic Education– Department of Higher Education– Department of Science and Technology

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Progress • LGSETA proposals were approved for funding in seven provinces

(WC;.NC;NW;LIMP;KZN;MP;F.S.). • Engagement with DBSA to collaborate on the roll-out of the Artisan

programme to other provinces. • Project Steering Committees established in three Regions to drive

the whole process. This ensures the regulatory compliance (process controllers and artisans

• The interviews to develop WSLG Workplan ongoing with the Skills Champions, and various representatives from the water sector

• A draft framework for sector skills development started – to be presented at the WSLG Skills Workshop in October 2009

• A framework for the M&E for sector skills drafted(• Plans underway to host a sector skills workshop

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Thank you