Skills programme vs learnership
Understanding how qualifications, learning programmes and skills programmes fit together — so you can choose the right path for your people and your levy claims.
How the pieces fit
i. A qualification can cater for numerous learning programmes.
For example: the qualification is Generic Management.
ii. The learning programme could be, for example:
- Generic Management; General Management
- Generic Management; Golfing Environment
- Generic Management; Administration
iii. Each learning programme can be comprised of skills programmes. A skills programme is made up of selected unit standards from registered qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), allowing learners to earn credits that can contribute to a full qualification if they continue their studies later. Technically one unit standard can constitute a skills programme.
Each qualification has a set of rules for how unit standards fit together to create a skills programme or a learning programme that leads to the qualification.
At Staff Training, as a SETA-accredited service provider (Services SETA number 4018), it is our job to guide you through these rules and help you choose the correct unit standards — simplifying the process for you.
How companies benefit from learnerships
Financial benefits
- Productivity improves over traditional learning because of the high portion of on-the-job training
- Tax incentives from SARS
- Grants from SETA
- Extra B-BBEE points
Learnerships create people who
- Need less supervision
- Tend to work more independently
- Are more likely to stay when the company invests in their development
- Are more motivated and strive to add value
- Possess enhanced problem-solving capabilities
Learnerships and employers
Contracts
A learnership agreement must be signed by the employer, learner and a training provider. It specifies:
- What the programme is designed to achieve (qualification and skills the learner should be able to perform)
- The responsibilities and rights of the employer, the learner and the training provider
You will also have to sign an employment contract only if you are taking on a previously unemployed learner.
Learner support
Proper learner support structures should be in place in the workplace — mentors and coaches who assist with practical application of theory.
Administration
Although administration can feel like a drawback, the financial benefits far outweigh the paperwork for most employers.
Ready to map unit standards to a programme?
Browse the workshops catalogue or talk to us — we’ll walk the qualification rules with you.