Mr. Sibusiso Shange spoke at the SETA SUMMIT and Launch of the SETA Integrated High Impact Programmes. Mr Shange is the Deputy General Secretary of the SASCE and a Resolution Circle Executive in Workshop Training and Internships.
The purpose of the Summit is to provide an opportunity for the sector to reflect on its execution of the mandate of skills development based on the findings of the Department of Higher Education (DHET) mid-term review, and the need to set a strategic trajectory for the next five years (2025-2030).
His topic focused on: Collaboration between SETAs and industry in strengthening the provisioning of WBL programmes, and responding to the occupational shortages and skills gaps identified in the province’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery strategy.
Some highlights in his address include:
Ingredients for creating employable graduate
• Enabling Government Policies and incentives (HRD Strategy and National framework on WBL)
• Level of collaboration between Industry, Society, and Educational Institution (To create alignment between demand side future expectations and supply side strategies)
• Extend to which industry is open to creating experiential learning opportunities (Leveraging WIL to fuel Industry talent pipeline strategies)
• Level to which Educational Institution is committed to WIL (Policy, Strategy, Implementation and quality assurance)
Benefits for industry
• Shape the profile of future labour market profile and relevant costs (irrelevant and incompetent workforce is very costly)
• Relevant available Graduates = Relevant Talent Pool to recruit from
• Infusion of new ideas to the workplace during experiential learning and in subsequent employment
• Implemented WBL Placements counts in the priority Skills Development component of BBBEE score
Conclusion
• To build a relevant pipeline there must be alignment between supply-side strategies and future economy demand expectations from the labour market (labour market profile and preferable relevant quantities meet or exceed market demand) – Institution & Industry Collaboration is key
• The higher the match between Demand Side expectations and the Supply Side profile the higher the employable population
• The higher the level of employability of our graduates the greater the chances of absorption in available job opportunities and the lesser the contribution of labour market profile to structural unemployment.
• The global labour market is the playground for the excess of employable workforce therefore our preoccupation ought to be supplying more than local demand with employable graduates.
Collaboration between Educational Institutions and Demand Side stakeholders is key for employability. If you need a strategic consultation around key programmes for your institution please contact Mr. Sibusiso Shange: at Shange.sibusiso@resolutioncircle.co.za
In the photo: Mr. Sibusiso Shange with the main sponsor and ETDPSETA CEO. Mrs. Sesi Nxesi
