Low literacy in the workforce poses challenges
In an attempt to empower its employees my client approached Triple E Training with a request to conduct basic adult literacy and numeracy training to a selected group of workers at its manufacturing plant in Johannesburg.
Long-term skills development through ABET
After conducting our standard placement assessment, which determines the current literacy and numeracy levels of the selected learners, it was decided to embark on a long-term skills development project that will provide participants with nationally recognised skills.
Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET/AET) is available at four levels and are equivalent to Grades R to 9. At the end of an estimated four-year project my client’s selected workforce will have reached ABET level 4 (Grade 9) in two modules: Communications in English as well as Numeracy, also known as Mathematical Literacy.
The importance of literacy in the manufacturing sector
A recent report by Statistics South Africa reveals that the manufacturing sector continues to occupy a significant share of the South African economy.1 Low workforce literacy however limits the ability of companies to increase productivity, innovate, and to meet changing customer and market demands.2
A question that I often come across when I eaves drop at networking events is: “But why interrupt the production line at a manufacturing plant to train illiterate workers?” The answer is simple: literacy will enable your workforce to follow production schedules; to understand health and safety regulations; to read and record product codes; to estimate quantity and weight; and last but not least to find a solution if a problem occurs. All-in-all it will increase your manufacturing plant’s productivity.
For my client, this project is the part of their commitment to their employees. As a director at my client’s office says: “It is our main focus to ensure that our employees have the underlying skills to enable them to progress successfully, grow within our organisation: personally and professionally. We are aware of the problems with literacy across South Arica and also within our organisation, and crippling affect this has. We intend to pursue a holistic approach to development, focusing not only on literacy and numeracy but also on the development of life skills.”
Triple E Training – Your partner in Employee Empowerment
With Triple E Training as its partner my client can rest assured that it will not only reach its goal to empower its employees but also comply with the skills development element of the Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE/BEE) verification process. At a cost of R115k for the first component of the project my client will improve its overall BEE rating and benefit from the added value of increased production. Now that is a return on investment.
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