This is the March 2024 update about progress being made by the QCTO in their journey to replace SETA unit standards with QCTO skills programs. Lime Green focuses on short courses, training companies who want to be independent, and training in first aid, fire, and OHS. The article focuses on that but also provides information outside of that focus area.
As you may be aware, the three first aid programs SP230801, 230802, 230803 / basic, intermediate, advanced first aid are already established as QCTO quality assured programs. Soon after they went live, scores of applicants applied for accreditation to QCTO. I assisted with many of them and provide learning material for all three programs. Applications submitted in October and November are in final committee approval stage. These SDP’s will be amongst the first officially QCTO accredited to train them.
If you want to be an independent training provider accredited to train QCTO first aid please get in touch asap for help with the process and the learning material.
NB: Lime Green does not train. I am not in competition with my own clients. Get in touch if you want to be an independent accredited training provider and need help. For existing providers, if you have not started your application for this you will probably not be training QCTO first aid by the time the first aid unit standards expire. Get in touch. I’m here to help.
Myself (Reuben Jensen) and OHS subject matter experts and stakeholders are participating in weekly sessions where we are actively developing the much needed QCTO OHS skills programs. The sessions are run by the QCTO’s QAP on this, HWSETA. The consultant is Ben Van As. As per previous articles, these will definitely be late when we consider accreditation application lead-time, and the looming unit standard effective expiry dates of June 2024 (last date for enrolment).
The process is, however, moving forward. The sessions are productive and while they were originally attended by 20-25 people, the 4th March 2024 session was more like 10-15 attendees. It was nonetheless lively and productive. Please download the working spreadsheet showing rough progress made so far. You can see exactly which programs are being prioritised, what their intended function and outcomes will be, and more.
If you wish to get involved, please pop me an email I’ll put you in touch with Dawn at HWSETA who coordinates these lively QCTO/HWSETA OHS skills program sessions.
The following programs outcomes were recently discussed in further detail
I am still trying to find a heart beat at *LGSETA. I’ve tried a few addresses and contacts but there’s no indication anyone there is doing anything about a fire skills program yet. So far no response from anyone there. There was supposed to be activity in Feb, but Feb has come and gone. I ping this every now and then…will keep trying to find a pulse at Local Government SETA. As things stand, anyone wanting to train fire will need to do an entire qualification.
*Same day update: Theresa Geldenhuys, president of SAESI, has reached out to me shortly after this article was posted and has let me know where they are with this. I will be offering assistance where I can. Contact has been made with LGSETA on this. Status is that LGSETA has not submitted an application to QCTO to develop a skills program in fire. I will assist and see if I can encourage LGSETA to begin.
The SETA application to the QCTO to develop the QCTO program is part of the process that comes before the curriculum development process (see the 10 point list at the bottom of the page). So that means it is not even in the application phase yet, let alone the curriculum development phase.
I have invested a lot of time into the first aid program development which is thankfully live. I am now also investing time into the OHS programs to assist my clients to be ready to get accredited when these programs become live too. Things are happening. NB: Lime Green is not paid to attend those sessions; myself and other stakeholders are there to help at our own funding.
I would be spreading my resources too thinly to actively engage with QCTO and the SETA’s for the development of all other QCTP programs to replace unit standards, but I can give you some info on the others.
I contacted Dr Alti Kriel, CEO at IFWP at end Feb (2024) and she reported that they, IFWH (probably via QAP CETA or with them in cc), have sent the list to QCTO as part of the application process. This is where they were in October (2023) as well but it seems the list was put into a newer template. The SETA application to the QCTO to develop the QCTO program is part of the process that comes before the curriculum development process (see the 10 point list at the bottom of the page). So that means the programs are in the application phase, and not the development phase.
Download the construction list here. This is the same list as in October 2023, it has not changed or changed much as far as I can tell.
Nigel Shipston is active in this area. I got in touch with him. He says that he submitted (probably via or with QAP TETA in cc) to QCTO applications for 32 LMO programs that will fall under regulatory skills programs (that are licensed). They have not been approved yet. The SETA application to the QCTO to develop the QCTO program is part of the process that comes before the curriculum development process (see the 10 point list at the bottom of the page). So that means they are in the application phase, and not yet in the curriculum development phase.
I was also included in emails to the Chief Inspector and others from Mr Lata at QCTO who is trying to confirm the list of regulatory unit standard based skills programs for which there is not yet a QCTO skills program replacement yet. The letter does not address anyone, but the emails do. The letter opens the door to a possible unit standard last date for enrolment extension, but does not directly say it. That list / letter can be downloaded from here.
What is a regulatory skills program? See here.
If the unit standard programs you are training are not yet established as QCTO skills programs please get involved in their development. Please do not wait until they are established and then try have your say. Passive planning and adopting a wait and see approach is risky business.
The time does not often come around when you can influence the contents, length, and NQF level of the QCTO skills programs in your industry. Or even help decide which curriculums are necessary to develop at all. The process involves the public. Have your say now while the conversation is open. If you need me to connect you to those concerned with curriculum development in your industry, get in touch, I’ll happily do so where I can.
If you are pushing to try get unit standards extended, I personally recommend you only put 10% of your effort into that, and the other 90% into helping QCTO establish the new curriculums. As per article above there was the slightest hint at unit standard extension for machinery, BUT these are for only a small set of regulatory programs. There is no indication this is the norm. Agreements exist between government departments, and the result of those agreements is the route they are currently taking, which is to replace unit standards with QCTO skills programs.
