Skills Development

"How much SDL do I pay?"

You pay a monthly SDL that equates to 1% of your payroll.

"Do I have to pay it?"

Yes, unless:

• You are a non-profit organisation - you can apply for an exemption from SDL payments;
• You are a government department - you only pay 0,1% of your payroll, as a contribution to the Seta running costs. You can still participate in all Seta processes, you simply don't claim money like other organisations;
• Your payroll is less than R500 000 a year
  
  

"Why another tax? Don't we pay enough?"

Historically in South Africa we don't spend very much investing in our employees (about 0,8% of payroll, compared with 5% in the USA and 6-8% in Europe). So the Skills development Act was brought about to assist in a culture change in our private and public institutions. At Thrive we are of the opinion that the SDL payments assist in creating conversations and consideration to how much we pay investing in our staff and whether this is making a difference to productivity, transformation and retention, amongst other things...

"I thought small businesses are now exempt from paying SDL?"

Companies that have a payroll of less than R500 000/year are exempt from paying SDL. This leaves a lot of small businesses still paying SDL on a monthly basis.

"Where does the rest of my SDL go?"

50% is claimable in a mandatory grant claim

20% is claimable through the discretionary grant applications

10% goes to Seta running cost

20% goes to the Department of Labour's National Skills Fund for large public skills development projects

"Do I only get my money back if we use expensive formal training?"

All Seta's advocate the use of good quality, transfereable training. You won't be refused your mandatory grants regardless of the training you embark on (the only exception is the Service Seta, which dictates that any training more than 5 days must be Seta accredited).

"The forms and Seta process are too confusing for me to understand. Could this possibly be worth it?"

Help is at hand to help you...:

• Seta's often run national road shows to help you. Contact them - you may find that they also offer one on one assistance in the form of skills advisors
• Lots of training is available to help you understand the system better - see training for more information
• You could enlist the service of a professional external SDF to help you - see skills development .

"Where do I find the right training for us?"

Word of mouth is undoubtedly the best way to make sure the course is right for you. You can also try:

• The National Training Directory (www.entd.co.za)
• Check the provider's accreditation details
• www.skillsportal.co.za
• The internet
• Contact us and we'll see if we can help....

The training environment is VERY competitive - you will find the right course for you.....

"What can I expect from a Skills Development Facilitator (SDF)?"

This depends largely on your needs, the size of your company, the processes already in place etc. For a full list of optional SDF services please see our Skills Development section .

There are currently no regulations around what qualifications or experience an SDF needs to have I order to call themselves an SDF. The Association for Skills Development Facilitation in SA (www.asdfsa.co.za ) strongly advocates for the qualification and certification of SDF's to ensure the standard and quality of their work is acceptable. Members of this association are also asked to sign a code of conduct.

Accreditation

"Is it the law - do I have to apply for accreditation?"

No - it is not a legislated issue. It is a market driven effort - most corporates insist on it.

"How will I know which ETQA to apply to?"

You need to look at the content of the material and training you are delivering - the core of your training outcomes. Remember to not focus on the audience/Learners you offer the training to or any of the products specific issues you cover. The generic, underlying principles are the most important.

"Do all ETQA's fall within Seta's?"

No, there are a number of ETQA's that fall within professional bodies - e.g. the SABPP or the Nursing Council. For a full list of these ETQA's feel free to contact us and we will send it to you.

"Can I apply to a different Seta than I pay my SDL to?"

Yes, you certainly can. Often a provider's core business varies from the training that they deliver. Remember though, that you can only apply to 1 ETQA.

"What if I offer a range of different courses that fall within different ETQA's?"

You will have to look at where the most of training lies and go to that ETQA. Through the ETQA's memorandum of understanding with other ETQA's they will evaluate the programmes that do not fall within their scope.

"What if there are no unit standards for my course?"

Unit standards are written and registered all the time - so make extra sure that there are genuinely no standards for your course. In some very specialised or high level areas this in indeed the case - you will have to decide whether you will leave it unaligned or whether you will accept a standard that is currently registered.

"I'm a training provider - I don't do assessment"

How do you know if your Learners have learnt anything? How do you know whether your training is successful? As a Seta accredited provider you are obliged to offer assessment - whether through your own processes or with an agreement with an assessment centre. You will be expected to have these arrangements in place in order to obtain and maintain your accreditation status.

"How do I get my assessors get registered?"

Assessors will need to complete an assessor course and the subsequent assessment - often a portfolio of evidence. Once competence as an assessor has been established, they are then invited to register with the ETQA that has jurisdiction over the unit standards or qualifications that your assessors would like to asses.