Case Study: Triple E gives foundational skills training to steel apprenticeships - Triple e Training

Case Study: Triple E gives foundational skills training to steel apprenticeships

Steel apprenticeships tempered with the best foundational skills training

Triple E Training’s Rapid Effective Accelerated Life Long Learning (REALL) has been a feature of a large South African steel producer’s artisan development programme since the early 2000s.

Our client is accredited to provide training in the core Metal Production subjects at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Levels 2, 3 and 4. However, the company needed a reputable adult education and training (AET) provider to facilitate the fundamental component of this training. REALL also quickly and efficiently addresses English and numeracy skills deficits that prevent promising individuals from pursuing careers as professional artisans. These skills are the basis of further learning.

The company needed a training provider whose fundamental instruction matched or even exceeded the quality standards of its own apprenticeship programmes. These are facilitated at the company’s Quality Council for Trade and Occupations-accredited academy, where more than 350 individuals are currently studying to become apprentices. Notably, this academy is working with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, as well as the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority to develop an expanded skills programme in the form of apprenticeships and metal’s production learnerships.

Before appointing us, our client verified that we were accredited to provide adult literacy and numeracy training. We recently successfully renewed our accreditation with Umalusi Council, which has established high-quality standards for private providers of adult basic education. Therefore, Umalusi Council accreditation demonstrates an unwavering commitment to adult education excellence. Furthermore, our client needed a training partner that had experience teaching large groups of individuals simultaneously, while also being able to accommodate training around its rigorous production schedules and times allocated to learning by the academy.

The fact that we also have experience facilitating adult education and training (AET) for other heavy industries and mining also helped us to secure this appointment. The rest is history. Triple E Training continues to play a large part in developing a robust pipeline of talent needed to take the beleaguered South African steel industry and larger South African economy forward.

Gettin’ down to brass tacks

South Africa is nowhere near to producing the 30 000 qualified artisans that the country needs by 2030. This is a target established by the National Development Plan and White Paper for Post-School Education and Training to halt de-industrialisation.

One of the reasons for the dire shortage of artisans is that many qualified tradespeople aged between 30 and 40 are immigrating. They are coerced by foreign companies to join their teams with significantly larger wages, while economic malaise and political turmoil in South Africa for many years has also fuelled the exodus of skills. 90% of the country’s graduates are working towards eventually leaving the country, according to at least one survey.

This is happening while seasoned artisans are fast approaching retirement age. Meanwhile, there has also been a notable decline in the number of learners who enter artisanal learning programmes. In the past year, for example, apprentices accepted at mines has declined by 25% to 30%. This is largely due to the spate of job cuts in the industry, with about 30 000 people having been laid off by the mines since 2012. Although prevalent in the mining industry, a lack of apprenticeship opportunities is evident across all industries.

Further aggravating the situation is the lack of work experience of newly qualified artisans. Then there is the dismal state of the basic education system which does not produce nearly enough matriculants with maths and science to pursue technical fields. Many matriculants also have poor reading comprehension skills, stifling their ability to learn on the job.

These factors have left the country with a gap in the market of about 20 years and no pipeline of younger suitably qualified artisans who are ready to join the workforce.

Striking when the iron is hot

Our REALL significantly accelerates competence in English literacy and numeracy or mathematical literacy at a NQF Level 4, complementing our client’s learnerships. The four REALL levels are being completed in only 160 hours by learners who have reached AET Level 3.

Triple E Training facilitates four weeks of fulltime English literacy and maths training at NQF Levels 2 to 4 at the academy. Finance Unit standards at the same NQF Level are presented over a week.

Learn more about Triple E Training and how we are helping companies to develop a robust pipeline of skills needed to re-industrialise South Africa. www.eee.co.za

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Unlock the Full Potential of Your Employees. Leave your details & our team get back to you.

Note: Please be assured that all personal data submitted is handled with the utmost confidentiality & will only be used for the purpose of addressing your inquiries.