Book demystifies skills development
2005-12-01
WE have a very good policy when it comes to skills development - the problem is that people don’t know it.
This is the opinion of Harlan Cloete, the author of the newly published ‘South Africa Works: Everyone’s guide to understanding skills development in South Africa’.
Cloete, a born and bred Paarlite, is himself a skills development practitioner.
He completed his master’s degree at the University of Stellenbosch in 2002 with a thesis on skills development and organisational development.
“It is often said that South Africa has Rolls Royce policies and ‘perdekar’ implementation.
“I have found that it is not a case of people not knowing, but rather of their not understanding their role in making skills development work,” he says.
“The purpose of this book is to demystify skills development in order for all to understand and appreciate the national effort and the macro human development policies shaping South Africa today.
“It is also meant to be an easy-to-understand reference to be used by those involved with micro-level implementation or just wishing to find out what is going on in skills development.”
The book consists of five sections: Skills Context & Reality; Macro Environment; Key Human Resource Strategies; Micro Imperatives and Reasons to Rejoice.
This pragmatic book aims to introduce the reader to the skills development game, the players, the rules and the referees.
It aims to be an easy-to-use beginner's guide that endeavours to reach executives, line managers, workers and shop stewards.
Cloete explains: “In order to understand the micro implementation one needs to have a thorough understanding of the macro policies and how they impact on the micro level.”
The reader is introduced to the macro environment of workplace transformation - the realities, the laws, the policies and the different bodies set up, such as Seta, SAQA and the NQF.
Key strategies such as the National Skills Development Strategy and the Human Resource Development Stratey are also introduced.
The role of skills development facilitators, skills/equity committees, workplace skills planning and reporting are all covered in the section on the macro imperatives.
Cloete holds an MA in Public Administration (Stellenbosch University), Honours in Public Management and Planning (Stellenbosch), Honours in African History, Higher Diploma in Education (UWC) and Human Resource Management (Unisa).
He has started reading for a PhD in Organisational Leadership, Performance and Change at the University of Johannesburg.
Cloete is the founder and executive officer of Siyakhana, an accredited skills development company that assists businesses to deal with the thorny isses of workplace transformation through employment equity, skills development and black economic empowerment.
His book, which was formally launched on Tuesday, is available from Rapid Access Publishers at www.sun-e-shop.co.za or the author at siyakhana @telkomsa.net or 872-9799.
More
News
|
