Intended deregistration of SETA unit standards

Regarding changes to the landscape of training for first aid, fire, OHS and others

Learning from history:

QCTO and the SETA’s are in the process of making major changes to the landscape of training. If you train unit standards this will affect you. History has shown that they are probably not going to be ready with a viable alternative solution when the changes come into effect. There should still be preparation though:

The problem

I’m talking about the intended June 2023 de-registration of commonly used standards in OHS, Fire, First aid etc. E.g. 119567, 120496, 376480, 252250, 8016, 9964, 13915, 242974 and many more that all have registration end dates for June 2023.

SAQA and QCTO intend to not re-register them and have communicated this in verbal and written correspondence as well as in published circulars.

If there are not enough curriculums to replace these unit standards they might be re-registered. They might also not though…I suggest not following the route followed by many in March 2021 with the DEL to SETA first aid change; which was to fight or ignore the upcoming change. It was a time suck for those who fought it and loss of business for those who ignored it.

A possible solution

I suggest QCTO curriculums are written to prepare for these changes. At the same time these courses can be improved. Some of them sorely need it anyway. I’d love to hear from training providers how they feel about that.

I have a track record. I have completed the process start to finish. That includes:

• Applying to the QCTO to write the curriculum for them (getting them to do it is harder than just doing it yourself).
• Writing the curriculum together with an esteemed subject matter expert.
• Submitting it to the QCTO for final approval.
• Seeing it through to the point where it is live on their website and fully quality assured so that training providers can apply for accreditation against it as a curriculum and a standard.

This needs to be done for the unit standards that are going to be deregistered. First aid is a good place to start. Then fire, OHS and others…

What can you do?

For now I’d like to just get some feedback from training providers who are currently training first aid, fire, and OHS unit standards. Let me know what you think about it. If I submit applications to start getting curriculums together for the unit standards that are under threat I would need to include in that written proof that there is interest from stakeholders.

Assuming anything goes ahead here, the feedback from you could be compiled into a pack as proof of stakeholder interest.

Already doing something about it?

NB: If your organisation has already made moves towards creating such a curriculum, please get in touch. I’m sure there is much we can do to help one another or avoid duplication of efforts.

---