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November 2011 -How Relevant is Your Training and Development?
“Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Albert Einstein
It is a vital time to reflect on our Training and Development as we complete the latest discretionary grant applications, analyse training done this year and what is still left to do. Following the Media currently on changes in education, results of skills conferences, dodgy matric papers and “QCTO” Conferences run by providers who really do not know what they are talking about, may sometimes lead us to believe that we are indeed literally barking up the wrong tree, let alone trying to swim up it!
Joe Clack, Financial Director of Triple E Training Holdings (Pty) Ltd, believes that if we remain positively focused on what is pertinent for our employees, we cannot go wrong. “Surely we should train exactly what is needed in South Africa in order for it to be a successful country? The people who know best are those in the actual workplaces, who see the “gaps”. We have the power in our hands to make our training significant and therefore create the genius in all individuals,” says Clack. But if we ignore the needs of the adult learner we will land in further trouble. “It is indeed unbelievable that there is a SETA who no longer treats Adult Education and Training as essential. And in this particular sector the rate of illiteracy and innumeracy is higher than most others. It is hard to understand why organisations would ignore the need and plan instead training that is in fact 100% inappropriate! You would never send a First Year Medical Student into Theatre to perform a heart transplant? Or send your child from Grade 8 to write his matric exams? We are setting learners up to fail.
Clack states, “We need to collectively put pressure on South African Training Providers to offer training that is needed, related and of quality. This can be achieved by continuously developing facilitators in new methodologies, keeping on top of legislation and keenly listening to the needs of industry. It will also take a team effort by Providers, both Private and Public, to offer the best complete qualifications for learners in some instances. In other words, providers need to offer the training they do well and not try and do it all. There is indeed no time to waste.”
