So far I have received documents from two SETA’s that show extensions are being given as a concession. It is not as simple as carrying on as before, but there are at least concessions.
CONTEXT: Lime Green serves a niche client base who train first aid, OHS, fire, and related short courses. Please understand this article in that context.
I have been well aware (as have others) that QCTO and the SETA’s have not yet understood the gravity of the situation. Monday 1st July 2024 arrived, and the gravity began to hit.
Too much of the conversation about this (since 2023) was about qualifications, and too little about unit standards / short courses / skills programs. In this radio interview where Amy McIver interviews QCTO CEO Vijayen Naidoo, the qualifications are discussed, but again, short courses are not the focus, its still all about qualifications. Vijayen is correct that many programs are higher (DHET) and lower (Umalusi) than what QCTO deals with, and that many programs may be too old and defunct and should fall away. However, I feel that the interview and the preponderance of evidence we have built up indicates that the magnitude of this has not been fully understood.
Now, as people arrived for work on Monday 1st July 2024 there are thousands of workers who need to be booked on training courses to ensure legal compliance requirements can be met; and they there is no course to book them on.
There are signs that there will be concession as the gravity hits. What I have heard is by definition rumour of course, but there are trends emerging. So far only one document has come to me that is in writing and comes from the correct channels (therefore above rumour). I hope to see more of this document evidence of concession, however small the concession may be. If you have document evidence please email me about it. NB: Must be document evidence from your SETA, preferably originating from the ETQA manager.
This document is a memo from Baakedi at HWSETA. It makes a concession to allow SDP’s to essentially continue as they were before..BUT, There are many criteria that have to be met (e.g. must be existing SDP, must have valid accreditation, cannot extend scope etc). But, if I ask the question “will anyone at all be training unit-standard based short courses in fire and OHS?” The answer, based on this memo, is “Yes” (well, it’s “Yes, BUT….).
To add to the memo above I have heard (“heard”, therefore NB this is rumour and cannot be used as direct information) that LGSETA have told a SDP that the qualification they needed, which was not on the list of those being extended, would be extended. I heard (NB therefore this is a rumour) the same about a SDP with TETA who is extending time with TETA and CETA for unit standard based training in forklift and heights. NB: Warning, what is heard is rumour and nothing more, I am waiting for document evidence from those SDP’s.
The only reason I have even mentioned these rumours is because they are in line with a trend, and correspond to the one singular piece of document evidence I have that there are any concessions being made by SETA’s.
*3 July update: There has been another extension by CETA, please download the CETA extension list here.
These are the steps to take to see if the program you want to train has been extended:
STEP 1: START AT QCTO
Check the QCTO website and see if your program has been published under QCTO qualifications, or skills programs.
Is the program you need there? Is it the correct size (in NQF credits) and on the correct level (in NQF level)?
If the answer is “yes” then great!. Investigate ways to apply for it.
STEP 2: IF NOT AT QCTO, CHECK IF ITS ON THE EXTENSION LIST
Ok, so you checked the QCTO website and your program is not there. That sucks, but maybe it was approved for extension. If so, you will find it on the list of qualifications that were extended. Download the list here and look through it. Search the document for the SAQA ID if needed.
Is the program you need on the list of qualifications that will be extended?
If the answer is “yes” then
Check on the SAQA website by searching the web for your SAQA ID. Check if the last date for enrolment is later than 30 June 2024. If so, you’re good to go, contact your SETA and get accredited / re-accredited / extended for it. QCTO has instructed them to continue with it, they (the SETA) must comply.
Here is an example of a qualification that has been extended:
If the answer is no, then the SETA and QCTO have not agreed to extend your program.
STEP 3: EMAIL THE ETQA MANAGER AT YOUR SETA
If the answer at STEP 1 and 2 was “No”, then I can only recommend you get in touch with your SETA. If too few people get in touch with their SETA, the program will just be seen as one that is not important. Concessions were made for regulated training, but those are on the list of programs that were extended.
Of the qualifications that have been extended many are unit standards based. So technically speaking the unit standards within those qualifications have been extended. The practical application, however, is still a thing because you now have to try convince your SETA to accept your application / extension etc and hope they do. Each SETA is applying a different set of rules. For example, as above, HWSETA is making it available to only those whose accreditation is valid. CETA is not putting that condition on their extension.
This has become incredibly messy.
My take on what to do is described here: Being productive in the unit standard to QCTO chaos
