Pivotal Programmes linked to the National Qualifications Framework A number of our programmes are considered to be pivotal, viz.

x skills programmes for workers 2014;

x skills programmes for small businesses and cooperatives (burial societies) nationally; x actuaries development project; learnerships 2014;

x internships 2014; bursaries for workers 2014; x bursaries for youth not in employment; and

x the Pivotal programmes are generally linked to scarce & critical skills in the insurance industry and range from management and leadership to advice and sales.

Pivotal programmes are used to support employees to comply with FAIS requirements. Skills programmes meet the requirements for pivotal programmes because they are registered on the National Qualifications Framework. All the pivotal programmes support the applicable NSDSIII indicators, e.g.skills programmes for workers 2014, supports the NSDSIII indicator 4.5- better use of workplace based skills development. INSETA applies pivotal funding to address key skills needs in our sector.

6.14 Concluding Remarks

INSETA has a variety of projects some of which commenced in 2012 and extend until 2015, others, which started in 2013, and run into 2014, and finally those which commenced in 2014. There are currently 3 ongoing skills programmes: skills programmes for workers; skills programmes for small businesses and cooperatives (burial societies), and skills programmes for unemployed youth. The greater portion of these programmes is linked to a predefined scarce and critical skills list. All these programmes can be considered pivotal grant programmes. A definition of what constitutes a skills programme applies to all these programmes. The range of scarce & critical skills extends from management and leadership to compliance officers. Even though each of these skills programmes has a common focus, each of them has their own applicable NSDSIII indicator. With respect to skills programmes for workers employers can be retrospectively reimbursed for training undertaken and paid for by the employers. In contrast to skills programmes for workers, skills programmes for small businesses and cooperatives, and skills programmes for unemployed, youth have a different focus in the sense that the former is geared towards skills programmes already undertaken. The latter two programmes are geared towards skills programmes still to take place and therefore the initial step for these two programmes is on registration for the learners. In all cases the skills programme will only be paid for, if the employer can produce a certificate of competence or statement of results for the learner. It can be seen that different numeric targets have been set for each of these skills programmes. Targets for funding small businesses and cooperatives have also been set. This skills programme is intended to assist t unemployed youth to gain access to the insurance sector. A key focus of this programme is that the aim is to draw learners from the further education and training colleges. Learners who complete two or more credits on this programme can be loaded onto the employment portal of the national skills broker network.

The Human Capital Research Project for the short-term insurance industry has a number of different vantage points ranging from compiling a profile of this industry to the filling of the skills gaps. Various types of research methodologies will be applied. Various segments of this sector will make up the role players for this

study. All nine provinces will be represented in this study. Organizational demographics refer to what percentage of large, medium, and small companies will be included in the sample.

The actuaries development project for 2014, This is a funding project aimed at developing black learners who are studying towards a qualification in actuarial science. This project is a joint venture between INSETA and the South African Actuarial Development Program and includes the involvement of three South African universities. The employment rate of graduates from this program is especially commendable.

In relation to learnerships for 2014, this project is made up of unemployed learners from whom the disabled group is drawn, as well as employed learners. Learnerships serve as mechanisms of career progression as well as providing access opportunities for access into the insurance sector. Another objective of this project is to refine the organizing framework for occupational codes and make it more specific to the insurance industry. Learnerships are a requirement of the national skills development strategy and the national skills accord. Another mechanism that learnerships are used for, is to provide a solution for scarce and critical skills. Bursaries are sometimes used as an accessory component of learnerships in order to address scarce and critical skills.

Internships for 2014 are geared towards unemployed learners of which a specified number of them are drawn from further education and training colleges. These learnerships are considered pivotal programmes. The eligibility criteria for learners from further education and training colleges are defined in terms of subject choices. Efforts are made to place a good percentage of learners on completion of their internships. Bursaries for workers in 2014 – this is a pivotal project used to address scarce skills shortages. A numeric target has been set for this project. The eligibility criteria of employers in order to secure bursaries for their employees are very explicit. Those employers who receive bursaries on behalf of their employees must ensure that public educational institutions rather than private ones, preferably carry out the training given. The greater portion of bursaries allocated goes to learners within companies who are pursuing full qualifications that will alleviate scarce and critical skills shortages.

Broker development program is intended to support small, medium, micro-enterprise development and especially the promotion of Black broker development and their sustainability into the future. The project consists of 2 subprojects business development support and broker development research. Business development support focuses on developing entrepreneurship and business acumen while broker development research will weigh up the pros and cons of a shared service model versus a Business Development research model. The end project is a best practice model for sustainable approaches to broker development. A number of high-level activities have been identified for this project extending from identification and selection of brokers to programme measurement and evaluation.

Bursaries for youth not in employment - the point of departure is that it is imperative for INSETA to fundi youth who are unemployed in order to assist them to gain qualifications in scarce and critical skills. This strategy is inherent in INSETA strategic plan and annual performance plan. Numeric targets for this project

SECTOR SKILLS PLAN 2014 Page 188 paying stakeholders are excluded from participation in projects and this project presents them with an opportunity to participate in these projects.

6.15 Conclusions

This chapter illustrates how the implementation plan is created and acted upon with the assistance of various mechanisms, viz. MoU reflecting partnerships with particular reference to FET colleges and NSDS III strategic-oriented goals

The above plan takes its tangible form through forthcoming and current INSETA projects.

It confirms that the SSP propels the five NSDS III strategic-oriented goals that form a primary part of the INSETA’s strategic plan.

All strategic-oriented goals are defined and given practical import by their outcomes, multiple strategic objectives (in some instances), baseline, indicators, and interventions.