Basic education for employees is supplied by an expert ABET provider. This is considering the specialist nature and importance of education development for employees. Upskill training for unskilled employees, AET training contributes significantly to Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Scorecards [https://www.bbbeecommission.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Consolidated-B-BBEE-Act-2013.pdf]. However, there is further incentive for companies to invest in education development for employees. This is considering the measurable improvement in business performance due to an adequately skilled workforce. Adult basic education and training equips your employees with the bare minimum in terms of skills required to perform optimally. There is also a particular focus on developing your employees’ “soft” skills. These include communication, teamwork and problem-solving capabilities. However, these benefits only accrue when adult education programmes are undertaken correctly. Experience has shown that adult basic training is never as effective as it should be if only done to enhance B-BBEE scores. There is so much more to merely appointing mathematical and literacy training provider to facilitate English and maths training for your staff. Enterprising companies approach adult educational programmes methodically.
Starting basic education skills development
Starting your basic education skills development programme, ensure that you partner a suitable AET provider.
Such an ABET provider is accredited by Umalusi Council. Refer to Full Umalasi Council accreditation reaffirms Triple E Training’s commitment to quality AET provision (engineeringnews.co.za). This article provides insight into the extensive processes involved in obtaining accreditation from Umalusi [Home – Umalusi]. Without this accreditation, an adult education training provider may not offer adult basic training that leads to a recognised qualification. This is a General Education and Training-ABET training Level 4 certificate. Refer to Adult Basic Education and Training Act: General Education and Training Certificate (GETC) – Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) Level 4, qualification at Level 1 on National Qualifications Framework: Amendment | South African Government (www.gov.za). Holders of this qualification posses basic education skills and “soft’ skills at a National Qualifications Framework Level 1 [IEB – Independent Examinations Board].
Literacy and numeracy skills at this level is sufficient to continue learning. Employees with literacy and numeracy skills at this level are also considered functionally literate. Human resource professionals also simply refer to these competencies as being workplace literate. With these basic education skills and “soft” skills, employees can perform entry-level or general work.
Basic education skills specialist
However, there are other aspects to consider when appointing a basic education skills specialist to assist you with AET training.
Importantly, the company is also a work-based training provider. This means that it facilitates adult education programmes at your business premises. It is a more affordable and convenient option for clients to provide education development for employees. However, there is a more important reason for offering reading and writing programmes and numeracy training in this way. The adult literacy training and numeracy training is primarily geared towards teaching employees workplace literacy skills. This is even though the straightforward literacy and basic numbers skills learnt are used in all other aspects of life. Therefore, it is only appropriate that training for staff development be undertaken at the place of work. This sets the tone of adult basic training right from the outset when employees are selected to participate. It also ensures that reading and writing programmes and adult numeracy training are always relevant. Veer away from generic adult education and training which has very little bearing on your workplace. Generic adult basic training is better suited to community upliftment programmes that mainly cater to unemployed adults. These learners require basic education skills and “soft” skills that will enable them to first secure employment.
Just as importantly, a reputable work-based learning provider has experience teaching basic education skills and “soft” skills to adults. Be sure to confirm with you educational accredited training provider that this is, indeed, the case. Teaching adults is extremely complex and is, thus, best left to an expert. You do not want to demotivate valuable members of your team because they do not enjoy attending ABET classes.
Top-notch basic education skills
A reputable ABET provider imparts top-notch basic education skills to your employees.
Before commencing with adult education programmes, your AET provider will first want to assess your employees’ existing basic education skills. This includes their reading and writing proficiencies and basic numbers skills. It does this by undertaking a placement assessment at your premises. Planned around your production schedules, these sessions [https://www.ieb.co.za/upload/file/Placement%20Assessments%20Order%20form.docx#:~:text=The%20placement%20assessment%20aims%20to,learnerships%20from%20NQF%201%2D4] are about two hours in duration.
They enable your mathematical and literacy training provider to place your employees at the correct adult basic training level. This is so that they transition seamlessly from previous educational level attainment into upskill training for unskilled employees. Therefore, they will cope with adult basic education and training course content. You are also ensured that employees are constantly acquiring new knowledge when they attend adult education and training classes. They are not regressing because they find adult literacy training and numeracy training too easy. This is a waste of company time, money and resources and is, therefore, inexcusable. For this reason, it is also important that facilitators of adult education programmes are always punctual. Make sure that your educational-accredited training provider also has ABET facilitators on standby to avoid interrupting the learning experience.
Learn basic education skills quickly
ABET training offers a way for adults to learn basic education skills quickly.
There are four levels of literacy proficiency, the first being below basic. Employees with this level of basic education skills can easily identify information in short, common prose texts. They, therefore, score between 0 and 209 in literacy tests. To cope with adult literacy training, employees with these skills levels should be placed at ABET Level 2. Employees who do not yet possess these literacy skills will have to complete adult education and training level 1. However, your training provider that specialises in reading and writing skills may want your employees to first complete pre-AET. This is to better prepare your staff for upskill training for unskilled workers.
After completing adult literacy training level 1, your employees will further develop these basic education skills during ABET Level 2. Attending adult education and training level 2 classes, employees learn how to understand information in short, commonplace texts. With basic education skills and “soft” skills at this level, employees should score between 210 and 264 in literacy assessments.
Suitable basic education skills
These employees have suitable basic education skills to progress to the ABET training intermediary phase. Adult basic education and training level 3 teaches how to read and understand moderately dense, less commonplace prose text. Employees also learn how to summarise; make simple inferences; and determine cause and effect. Moreover, they are taught how to recognise authors’ purpose. Therefore, employees who have completed adult basic training level 3 should score between 265 and 339 in a literacy assessment.
After completing ABET training level 4, employees will be proficient in English. They will be able to read lengthy, complex, abstract prose texts. Moreover, they will possess an ability to synthesize information and make complex inferences. In possession of an ABET level 4 certificate, employees should score between 340 and 500 in a literacy assessment.
Quantitative basic education skills
In the same way, a competent AET provider will assess your employees’ quantitative basic education skills.
Employees who have completed adult basic training level 1 will have below basic numeracy skills. They will, therefore, only be able to locate numbers and use them to perform simple quantitative operations. To do so, the mathematics information must be very concrete and familiar. Employees with basic numbers skills at this level should score between 0 to 234 in a numeracy skills assessment.
They are, thus, ready for level 2 numeracy training. This adult education and training level teaches employees how to locate easily identifiable quantitative information. They will also learn how to use this information to solve simple, one-step problems. However, employees will only be able to do so if the arithmetic operation is specified and inferred. Employees with basic numbers skills at this level will score between 235 and 289 in a numeracy skills assessment.
This means that they are ready for intermediate basic education for employees. At this level, employees will learn how to locate unfamiliar quantitative information. They will also gain the knowledge that they need to use it to solve problems. Notably, they will also be able to do so even if the arithmetic operation is not specified or easily inferred. Employees who have completed this level of adult basic training should score 290 to 349 in a numeracy skills assessment.
Having completed the last level of numeracy training of ABET, employees’ basic numbers skills will be sufficient for general work. They will be able to locate more abstract quantitative information and use it to solve multistep problems. This is even the case if the arithmetic operations are not easily inferred, and the problems are more complex. Employees will, therefore, score 350 to 500 in a numeracy skills assessment.
Teaching employees basic education skills
Teaching employees basic education skills also requires knowing what they want to achieve after adult basic training. Your reading and writing training provider will also want to know more about their backgrounds, interests and motivations. This will help your ABET provider to design training for staff development that is relevant, engaging and suitable.
Importantly, adult education and training facilitators are registered with the South African Council for Educators. Refer to SACE | South African Council for Educators.
As experienced facilitators of education development for employees, they are patient. Bear in mind that adult learners may take longer than children to learn basic education skills. This is especially if there is a learning difficulty involved.
Facilitators of adult education programmes are also positive. They do not let learners get discouraged by the challenges they are facing in upskill training for unskilled employees. Moreover, they create a welcoming adult basic training class environment in which learners can be themselves. Their positive attitude rubs off on learners and helps them to feel less anxious. This makes it easier to concentrate during adult education and training.
Moreover, AET training facilitators are respectful. The student-teacher dynamic implies a particular power structure with learners. Teachers are responsible for explaining lessons and disciplining the class. However, teaching adults is more complex. This is especially the case when adult basic education and training facilitators are younger than their learners. It is, therefore, critical that they respect AET learners in the same way they would outside the classroom. Importantly, they are always aware that they facilitate basic education skills learning and provide support as opposed to direction.
Moreover, adult basic training facilitators are creative. For example, they make reading something employees look forward to by selecting text that piques their interest.
Adults learn basic education skills
Adults learn basic education skills for various reasons. These are used by a mathematical and literacy training provider to keep employees inspired to succeed in ABET training. They will also be reaffirmed in awareness campaign sessions held before onsite-based training for employees. Most employees want to complete adult education and training so that they can secure better paying positions within their companies. They also believe that educating themselves will help them be better parents. For example, they may want to assist their children with schoolwork. This is an important motivation for wanting to participate in adult education programmes and should, therefore, be encouraged. Your investment in basic education for employees is also breaking the cycle of inter-generational illiteracy in poor areas.
Reminding learners why they are challenging themselves keeps them motivated when the going gets tough.
A respected work-based learning provider also knows how to deal with older learners who often lack confidence in the classroom. This may be due to past failures at school or feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed about learning how to read at an older age. Experienced adult literacy training and numeracy training facilitators know how to keep employees’ anxiety at bay by setting attainable goals. They also know how to build confidence among learners and improve their self-esteem by recognising them for their efforts. Just making the decision to participate in ABET training means that your employees are already on the path to success. Seasoned ABET training facilitators will also provide plenty of positive feedback. They will praise learners for their achievements, no matter how small.
Even for the most motivated learners, acquiring literacy and basic numeracy skills is not easy. Competent adult basic training facilitators, therefore, break tasks down into smaller, more manageable steps. This helps employees attain their goals through self-directed learning.
Imparting basic education skills efficiently
Imparting basic education skills to employees efficiently also entails using appropriate adult education and training materials.
The materials used for training for staff development should match the level, goals and needs of learners. There are many more factors that a seasoned mathematical and literacy training provider will have also considered when developing materials. This includes the context and culture of your employees. AET training materials are also never inappropriate, offensive or too difficult. They are also always interactive, personalised and fun.
An experienced mathematical and literacy training provider will also use a variety of proven teaching methods and techniques. This enables education development for employees to address different skills, topics and objectives of lessons. For example, a competent AET provider will use communicative language teaching and task-based learning. It will also incorporate project-based learning and content-based instruction into education development for employees. Moreover, a seasoned ABET provider will balance teacher- and learner-centred activities in English and maths training. This is in addition to providing ample opportunity for practice, feedback and reflection.
Basic education skills development
There are many incentives for companies to invest in basic education skills development. By equipping your employees with basic education skills, ABET training reduces errors. It also increases your business’s ability to meet statutory and industry requirements. This is in addition to enabling your company to introduce more efficient and new processes. AET training also arms your workforce with the skills that they need to help you produce better quality products.
Employees who possess basic education skills can follow and understand discussions in meetings. They can also make contributions relevant to the situation and the subject. Moreover, they can identify and understand the main points, ideas and details in workplace texts. They can also write simple emails and complete forms accurately after completing education development for employees.
Meanwhile, employees use basic numbers skills to count quantities for customers. They can also use percentages and subtraction when calculating discounts. Moreover, they can extract data from tables, diagrams, simple line graphs and bar charts.
Equipped with basic education skills, employees can also work with computers. This enables them to use a workplace email address book to send emails to colleagues. They can also use the “cc” option when asked to do so. Moreover, they can search for information using browsers, such as Chrome, Internet Explorer or Safari. Employees can also complete digital records for absence, holidays or expenses online.
In addition, employees can follow organisational guidelines and policies for choosing login information. This includes selecting secure passwords and changing them when prompted to do so.
Basic education skills teacher
Triple E Training is a leading basic education skills teacher. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of employees have progressed through our quality ABET programmes.
Our adult education programmes have kept pace with the literacy and basic numeracy skills demands of industry.
We understand that the workplace influences the type of basic education skills required by clients and how they are used. Therefore, in providing adult basic education and training, we consider the history of the task. This is in addition to the equipment used by employees and their roles that are embedded via practice.
We also appreciate that English and math training is not the same as those subjects that are taught at school. Upskill training for unskilled employees requires AET training that reflects workplace practices. Adult education and training must incorporate authentic problem-solving in real or simulated tasks in small groups with shared responsibilities. It also needs to incorporate the development of metacognitive skills. These include critical thinking; learning to learn; planning; and problem-solving.
Learn more about Triple E Training and our value proposition. www.eee.co.za
