This is a developing situation, this article aims to answer some common questions that are coming to my desk, mostly from existing clients. Please note time of writing for relevance. Article written May 2023. Also, most of my clients do short courses and not qualifications, so the article is focussed mainly on that type of training provider; the bulk of my clients.
Q: Are unit standards being de-registered and discontinued?
A: Yes, they are. Some SETA’s are already closed for new provider applications, others are closing soon. The unit standards themselves generally have registration end dates of July 2023
Q: Does this mean I can only train unit standards until July 2023?
A: No, if you are SETA accredited you can still enrol new learners until July 2024 (not 2023) and then train them to completion of the course (with some, but very little limitation on time to do that).
Q: Can I apply for new SETA accreditation as a training provider?
A: Not really, SETA’s are closing or have already closed that facility. The process of accreditation takes about 6 months, so even if you get your foot in the door, you’ll only be training for about 6 months before you can’t enrol new learners for your unit standard training.
Q: If I am already SETA accredited, should I renew / keep it active?
A: Yes, absolutely do that because, depending on what you train, there will be a gap where new providers cannot get started on SETA training and accreditation. They will have to wait for the QCTO system to be in place. But you, as an already-accredited provider can keep training until last date of enrolment (July 2024). You could enjoy up to a full year with more market share.
Q: So does this mean SETA’s fall away and are replaced with QCTO?
A: No, but sort of… SETA’s have a greater function, but for the purpose of training and accreditation, you will now be dealing with the QCTO and no longer the SETA. You will see that the same people that came from a SETA to audit or verify your accreditation will still come, but now as representatives of the QCTO. The organisation you will deal with as far as accreditation is concerned is the QCTO, and is no longer the SETA.
Q: So can I apply for QCTO accreditation?
A: When you apply for accreditation, you apply for it against a course you want to train. Applications are pegged to a course, so you can’t just apply to be accredited without a course being part of your application. So the answer is YES if the QCTO has a course that you want to actually apply to train. The answer is NO if there are no courses you want to train that are on offer (or you can apply, but it will be pointless because at best you’ll just be accredited to train something you don’t want to train).
Q: Why are they changing the SETA system for the QCTO system
A: For years the SETA’s have quality assured (accredited) providers for unit standard training, and also qualifications made up of unit standards. The QCTO has for years quality assured (accredited) providers for qualification and part qualifications. More recently they started adding skills programs. There is an entire list of them on their website. The essence of it as that the QCTO is attempting to make training more career / occupation / trade / job seeker orientated.
Q: I used to train [first aid, fire, OHS, unit standard #12345] through the SETA system, can I train them through QCTO now?
A: You will need to check of the QCTO has a skills program for that course, and then apply for accreditation with the QCTO to train that course. The QCTO courses (skills programs) are generally bigger than the unit standards were, but not always. Get in touch with my office for assistance.
Q: There is no QCTO skills program for the unit standards I used to train. What now?
A: Lime Green’s core focus is assisting training businesses in first aid, fire, OHS and others. I have been assisting the drive to get the QCTO to have these curriculums written and published so that my clients can apply for accreditation against them. QCTO is still slow, but are picking up speed in getting these programs live. I have info on various courses on their stages of development but will take a while to write that here, and the details change almost daily anyway.
Q: What is happening with first aid?
A: The QCTO appointed HWSETA to facilitate the writing of these curriculums. HWSETA hired a consultant who organised review sessions with subject matter experts in first aid. I sent an invite out to get proper experts invited to this meeting, and many attended. Thanks for that! There are now draft curriculums for the three first aid skills programs that will be quality assured by the QCTO. The department of labour will endorse these as they have endorsed the SETA courses. These are supposed to be ready by July 2023. Remains to see if it will, but that is QCTO’s current aim.
Q: I train first aid, can I apply for QCTO first aid?
A: Almost. Lime Green has been very active in this. I have driven the QCTO to write these curriculums as they were originally dragging their feet (well, mostly HWSETA was, but that’s too much info for this Q&A). I am already in the process of converting my much loved first aid manuals to the QCTO system. Its being done based on draft curriculums because that is all there is at the moment. I aim to have them ready for clients by the time the QCTO is ready to accept applications for them. Developing good material is massively time consuming, so to say my office has been busy is an understatement.
