Report on the IVETA (International Vocational Education and Training Association) Conference on “EMPLOYABILITY – NEW CHALLENGES FOR TVET

The conference was aimed at the following audiences:

  • Industrial Training Organisations/SETA’S/Government organisations/Parastatals
  • Policy Makers
  • Training & Vocational Experts
  • Educational & Training Organisations (Universities, Polytechnics, Vocational Institutions, etc.)
  • Management Cadres
  • Training Consultants
  • Research Scholars
  • HR & Training Professionals
  • Academics & Trainers, etc.

The following were sub-themes at this conference:

  • Globalisation, Employment, and Training
  • Changing patterns of employment in the wake of globalisation
  • Importance of multi-skilling and re-skilling
  • Globalisation of the labour market and its implications on training policy
  • Lifetime job versus lifelong employability - Employability skills
  • Training Policy
  • Equity and accessibility
  • Policy responses to the effects of HIV/AIDS on human resource development
  • The role of key stakeholders
  • Rendering the labour market information system more effective
  • Financing of Training
  • Modes of financing initial training - Current and Future
  • Role of donor agencies
  • Mobilising resources for lifelong learning
  • Standards for Employability Skills
  • Qualification framework: need, scope and challenges
  • Recognition of prior learning and its effectiveness
  • Developing standards: role and responsibilities of stakeholders
  • Articulation between education, training and the world of work
  • Quality Assurance and Accreditation
  • Management of Training Systems
  • Provision of Training Services
  • The future of apprenticeship training
  • Need for decentralisation of training management
  • Empowering trainers to cope with changes
  • Development of competency-based curriculum and learning materials
  • Evaluation of approaches to the teaching, learning and assessment of skills for employability
  • ICT and its influence on mode of training
  • Integrating employability and entrepreneurial skills in TVET
  • International Networking
  • Harmonising qualification frameworks
  • Databases on curriculum
  • Benchmarking
  • Developing resources through international exchanges (e.g trainers, trainees, etc.)

Background:

The rapid pace of globalisation and technological advancement is having profound influences on Technical and Vocational Education and Training systems in all countries, developed as well as developing.

The importance of skill development in improving the quality of a workforce and the competitiveness of an economy is widely acknowledged.

The design, delivery, assessment and evaluation of training are having to be re-visited to cope with new requirements of the Labour Market(s), characterised by the need for flexibility and adaptability. Continuous updating, upgrading and development of new skills will become imperative in enhancing the employability of the workforce.

The Rt. Hon. Prime Minister of Republic of Mauritius conducted the official opening.

Value Added:

  • The opportunity to learn from the experiences of other countries proved invaluable. Not only was it clear that there is an International Agreement on the recommended approach to Vocational Training, but it was heart-warming to observe that South Africa’s approach was considered to be better and more advanced than some others.
  • The networking opportunities led to several new relationships with organisations from other countries that declared themselves eager to lend support and provide advice and lessons learnt from their own experiences.
  • Many similarities in the policies, procedures, and even challenges of different countries were discovered and all were happy to share information.
  • ISETT SETA’s Quality Assurance Toolkit was promoted during the conference as well as afterwards to delegates from Mauritian Industry.
  • The advanced legislation and structures of the South African Government through its SAQA and Skills Development Acts received much attention and praise.
  • Discussions with some delegates from different African Countries may lead to invitations for ISETT SETA to get involved in setting up and developing ICT enhancement projects that could benefit the entire continent.
  • Delegates from Countries like Australia and New Zealand were eager to share their experiences setting up structures to accommodate RPL requirements.