Seeking urgent expert advice on how to best upskill its blue-collar workforce, an international healthcare group that makes lifesaving medicines and technologies partnered Triple E Training.
This company felt that it was not receiving the best possible advice on how to upskill its low- and unskilled employees in the most practical manner from its previous AET provider. Companies invest time and money into education because they want to maximise the effectiveness of their workforce. Best practices change constantly in any industry, with the adult education and training (AET) sector certainly no different. Therefore, training providers need to ensure that they are constantly at the cutting-edge of all matters relating to AET, as well as workplace literacy and numeracy skills.
Transparency was also a big concern for our client. The company’s previous AET provider did not believe that it was necessary to disclose that it had failed to renew its accreditation with Umalusi Council. This would have a large impact on the company’s existing workplace skills plans for its low and unskilled employees. Without Umalusi Council accreditation, a private college cannot legally supply AET that leads to a recognised qualification at a National Qualifications Framework Level 1. The company’s employees need this certificate to pursue occupational and vocational learning so that they can operate the latest technologies. These have become increasingly advanced requiring at least basic education skills to operate effectively. Moreover, by choosing not to disclose this important information, the client had broken important trust with its client.
Challenges place a hold on blue-collar employee development
Training blue-collar workers comes with unique challenges which require an expert, such as Triple E Training, to help seamlessly navigate.
For example, employees in remote or different locations may have trouble accessing training programmes. This has long been a challenge for many farms, mines and construction companies, who employ large teams of blue-collar workers, in outlying areas. Meanwhile, many manufacturers operate factories, assembly plants, warehouses and depots nationwide. All employees working in these facilities need to be trained and preferably at the workplace.
Dedicating time for training can also be difficult for operations with tight production schedules. In particular, training large groups of workers at once without disrupting production requires careful planning and logistics.
Moreover, teaching adults basic education skills is a very specialised field. AET needs to be relevant to employees’ jobs. If the content does not apply to their daily tasks, workers will very quickly lose interest. They need to realise the value of completing the programme. Keeping employees interested in the training is just as difficult. If the training is not engaging, employees are less likely to remember what they have learned. In local workplaces where employees speak many different languages and are mainly non-native English speakers, communication during training can be problematic. This is especially the case when teaching technical subjects, such as basic numeracy.
Expert advice improves workplace skills plans
Our client is already benefiting from our expertise. As one example of how we are improving its workplace skills plans, we proposed that the competence of employees be assessed based on the strength of their portfolio of evidence as opposed to them writing exams.
Triple E Training seamlessly took over the training programme from the previous service provider to avoid disrupting the learning experience. This after identifying shortcomings in the existing curricula and addressing them immediately.
The group of 10 employees have also adjusted quickly to the vastly improved AET programme. Four employees are currently working towards finishing AET Level 3 and six are completing AET Level 4.
Learn more about Triple E Training, an AET expert. www.eee.co.za