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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
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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