SATN Conference 2010 - Mrs Adrienne Bird

New opportunities for old strategies : role for UoTs? Presentation by Adrienne Bird, Acting EO, QCTO to Presentation to SATN 1 October 2010 3 RD ANNUAL SATN CONFERENCE 2010 29 SEPTEMBER – 1 OCTOBER 2010 VAAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, VANDERBIJLPARK, GAUTENG

Minister Nzimande’s call:
Agreement with President to deliver more intermediate & high level skills in needed areas
UoT focus: training technicians and technologists
Progression pathways for artisans / improve the progression pathways for all learners
Partnerships work best when there are clear incentives for each of the parties to participate
Key challenges are adequate funding, skilled human resources and improved R&D
Improved industry links for lecturers and for WIL for learners
Presentation to SATN 1 October 2010

He also asked: What do we need to do differently?
“ We need to identify and remove blockages to the scarce skills supply and find creative solutions to expand access and to develop institutional forms that can raise the base … and meet the demand for access … for economic inclusion.”
“ We need to improve industry linkages to maximize work integrated learning and work placements …”
“ Understanding that institutions have limited capacity to absorb more student, I urge UoTs to … strengthen relationship between FET college sector in order to facilitate articulation and progression in certificate and diploma programmes”

Currently our systems largely premised on ‘Parallel pathways’
Schools work - they develop the ability of learners
The learners’ ability is evidenced by school-leaving scores
The scores correctly group learners into ability groups
The ability groups are then steered into ability-linked learning pathways
Top ability – university – degree
Next rung down – university of technology – diploma
Next down – college – certificate
Below that – learn on the job (in formal or informal economy)
And there are few bridges across thereafter ( not needed as correctly sorted first time around!)
Presentation to SATN 1 October 2010 COSE The ‘Parallel pathway’ logic

Once on a path, difficult to change: Why? Theory thresholds Presentation to SATN 1 October 2010 COSE Theory begins at more fundamental level, practice postponed – permits more ‘abstract’, fundamental solutions Learn basic theory that supports basic techniques and procedures to solve familiar problems. Learn different (shallower) theory that leads to techniques and procedures to solve known problems

HEQF is largely a parallel pathway framework: Presentation to SATN 1 October 2010 HEQF Delivery Model Menu Master ‘ Prof’ Bach 480 @L8 Bach Hons Bach 360 @L7 Adv Dip Adv Cert [email_address] Higher Cert [email_address] Doctor L5 L4 L6 L7 L8 L9 L10 PG Dipl Dip 360 Exit L6: 60c @ L7

Do we need more of the same only ?
Currently the HEQF offers qualifications on a full-time basis, generally with no required work experience.
In a context of widespread need and inadequate preparedness, is this the only option ?
In the past there was another route:
The route from entrant to artisan to technician via the N1 to N6 plus workplace learning route – with the option of taking a government ‘ticket’ exam to certificated engineer
Thousands of young white men were lifted out of poverty into ‘decent jobs’ through this route.
Might it not be useful again?

How did it work? Presentation to SATN 1 October 2010 Artisan Certificated engineer after government examination Technician N6 N5 N4 N3 N2 N1 ETC

The routes are not the same
The ‘stacked’ or ‘progression’ route:
Shorter part-time theory programmes
Begin with narrower and shallower base and then build incrementally – broader and deeper step by step ‘just in time’ determined by nature of (more routine) work to be performed (cf broad and deep base at the beginning ‘just in case’ for parallel pathway route)
Aligned to workplace learning at each level (‘see the point’)
Meaningful exit points en route – e.g. trade
Learners can work a while and then return (part-time) to upgrade as they mature and learn of the frustrations lower down and benefits of further learning
Learners earn as they climb – NB for those from poor households
Less likely to migrate, more rooted in practice

Not the same … where would they work? In the past infrastructure built by these men
Allyson Lawless (SAICE) notes from her experience with Local Government:
There is little systematic asset maintenance of infrastructure (e.g. fix pot holes reactively). There are those who can do the work, but the people to plan priorities, work out the costings , set rotations and then manage the teams are scarce
With the decline of the artisan system there are few experienced people to do supervision, detailing and draughting and other specialized work
She calls this gap as ‘the missing middle’ – of technical people trained to do the more routine technical work at a higher level. NOT ‘PR TECH ENG’ folk who quickly want more. She sees it as a widespread problem.

It’s a question … I’m asking your view
Should we explore the re-introduction (and revitalisation) of this route?
Would it be worth the effort? The benefits? Access, expand UoT student numbers, success
What might the unintended consequences be? The costs? Displace other students?
Would SATN be prepared to participate in its design, development and implementation?

The key question: Could we get enough workplaces … how?
“ Social compact” between labour, business, the social sectors and government
Financial incentives e.g.
NSDS III – PIVOTAL grant from SETAs and NSF
Tax incentives (cf for learnerships – extended)
Industry policy including investment incentives & compulsions
Public sector as largest employer - lead
‘ Virtual parastatal’ as employer, rotate through small firms for range of experience (ESDA) – role could be played by providers?

‘ PIVOTAL GRANTS’= Employer grant for taking student for structured learning - 10% of levy Presentation to SATN 1 October 2010 Professional Para-professional Trade / trade equiv. General to occupation Required qualification Required for practice PROFESSIONAL BODY CO-OPERATIVE LEARNING DIPLOMA MODEL Work Int. Learning APPRENTICESHIP Structured workplace-based learning Occupational theory INTERNSHIP General institution-based qualification Workplace learning – access with educ. Qual. level e.g. matric

How? We have the QCTO …
The SDA, 2008: ‘the QCTO is responsible for establishing and maintaining occupational standards and qualifications ’ (Section 26H, 3(a))
An ‘occupational qualification means
a qualification associated with a trade, occupation or profession
resulting from work-based learning and
consisting of
knowledge unit standards, (‘part qualifications’)
practical unit standards and
work experience unit standards’

QCTO Occupation qualification architecture is central Presentation to SATN 1 October 2010 Occupational Purpose defined by Experts Knowledge Practical Work Exp. External, summative assessment Occupational Qualification

Qualification, Curriculum & Assessment Presentation to SATN 1 October 2010 External Integrated Summative Assessment (items and modality)

Package knowledge as ‘N’? Presentation to SATN 1 October 2010 External Integrated Summative Assessment (items and modality) ‘ N’?

In practice – we’d review what we’ve got in the process: Per Occupation Presentation to SATN 1 October 2010 23 August 2010 COSE Required knowledge Required practical skills Required work experience Learnership 1 from Sector 1 Learnership 2 from Sector 2 Current N course Diploma / Certificate Learnership 3 from Sector 3 Updated ‘N’ Course? Learnership / internship agreement?

Who does the work?
Those who need the skills start the process
Development Quality Partners (DQPs) appointed by QCTO
Often SETAs are DQPs and fund the whole process:
They convene a Committee of Expert Practitioners drawn from all sectors where occupation is practiced (through SETA and other networks) to scope the occupation.
Curriculum is drawn by experts – so in relation to ‘knowledge’ by professional bodies or providers.
Checked through ‘convener’ model of provider networks.
Note National Curriculum!
External Assessment by Assessment Quality Partner (e.g. professional body) to conduct final ‘test’

Collaboration for Occupational Skills Excellence (COSE) Project Presentation to SATN 1 October 2010 Semi – skilled Skilled Highly skilled
Select progression ‘family’ (QCTO OFO)
Develop occupations (QCTO) – including ‘N’
Develop pathway between them (fill in the gaps …)
Implementation

Presentation to SATN 1 October 2010 So … what do you think? Let us know Poorly prepared learners Employment in the ‘missing middle’ … and beyond?

SATN Conference 2010 - Mrs Adrienne Bird

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