Case Study: Triple E serves a solution to food and beverage producer - Triple e Training

Case Study: Triple E serves a solution to food and beverage producer

Food and beverage producer served a solution to address digital illiteracy

Triple E Training is helping many manufacturers and producers to seamlessly transition into a new digital era in which all their employees can use digital technologies to perform their jobs even more efficiently.

Digital literacy is no longer a negotiable in the modern workplace and only applicable to knowledge work. Even blue-collar employees are now expected to work simple electronic devices or significantly more complex systems that require advanced digital literacy skills. The challenge, however, is that many South African factory workers are functionally illiterate or have limited literacy and numeracy skills, the basis of digital literacy. However, high illiteracy and innumeracy are not the only contributor to a widening digital literacy divide in the country. The problem is being compounded by the absence of written content in home languages of the majority of South African blue-collar workers, such as Zulu and Xhosa.

This has resulted in poor datasets for machine learning and translation making it more difficult to provide local-language versions of popular and useful apps. Therefore, non-native English language speakers struggle to upskill themselves or participate in technological innovation in the country. These are major stumbling blocks for companies in terms of introducing new technologies that will improve their competitive edge. This while competing industries in other countries in the world are already undergoing the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Faced with this very problem, a 100-year-old packaged goods producer approached Triple E Training to equip its large blue-collar workforce employed at its many sites across the country with basic literacy and numeracy skills at a National Qualifications Framework Level 1. This is deemed sufficient to harness the full potential of the electronic devices that have been introduced at all of these operations to streamline production. Employees who have completed our quality adult education and training (AET) will also be fluent in English which is the main language used to communicate in the company’s factories and warehouses, as well as across its vast supply chain.

The best performers in the AET programme will go on to complete adult matric to attain a Senior Certificate as part of the company’s upskilling programme. This will enable it to develop a vast talent pool for now and in future.

Local producers are boxed in

Every time technology is developed, which is almost daily, it drives up the skills requirements of the workforce. The faster it advances and disrupts, the quicker schools, further learning institutes and industry have to update their curricula and skills, respectively. Worryingly, South Africa is losing this race. This is evidenced by skills mismatches and shortages in industry.

There has been a notable decrease in the highest level of educational attainment of employed South Africans. Only 12,2% and 10,8% of working citizens hold a degree and diploma, respectively. Over 41,8% of South Africans who work have not completed secondary schooling. To put this into perspective, 6,2-million employees do not have a National Senior Certificate or equivalent qualification. A matric certificate is more than just proof of reaching a fundamental education level, providing skills such as literacy and numeracy. It also indicates an ability to manage duties in a professional setting, as well as important qualities such as discipline, dedication and conscientiousness. Importantly, employees with these skills will also be able to learn to use digital technologies in the workplace quickly and efficiently. Therefore, we always advise our clients to continue developing the most enterprising employees in our programmes.

Quality AET is a recipe for success

With a large national footprint, Triple E Training is able to reach all of our clients’ operations easily. Adapting our AET around its strict production schedules, we will facilitate training at the various workplaces. This saves time and money for the client and is more convenient for employees to attend classes. Importantly, it also ensures that employees make the connection between the skills that they are learning and their work. When employees see the relevance of the training, they are more likely to remain motivated to complete the programme.

The first step is to assess the existing skills level of employees to determine the extent of the skills gaps in these workplaces. Thereafter, we can suggest the most practical and efficient way to address them. This while ensuring that employees are placed at the correct AET level, seamlessly transitioning from previous educational attainment into the training programme. Each AET level imparts English literacy and numeracy skills incrementally leading to an Umalusi Council-accredited General Education and Training Certificate in AET. By identifying the strengths and weaknesses of employees before training, we can better prepare classes.

Learn more about Triple E Training, industry preferred provider of adult education and training. 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.