Sector Skills Audit Questionnaire

sector skills audit questionnaire

Compiled by PricewaterhouseCoopers

August/September2006

The W&RSETA has committed itself to addressing the skills shortages in the Wholesale and Retail sector by appointing PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as its partner to conduct a sector skills audit. The purpose of this survey is to determine what are the current skills in the Wholesale and Retail sector and to determine what the future skills needs are. This survey will also attempt to highlight those critical and scarce skills needed in the sector.

You are invited to participate in the above research project. The information you give in response to this survey will provide the W&RSETA with valuable information and insight to effectively plan for skills development. The ultimate beneficiary of this information is the W&R sector itself, as the findings from this questionnaire will be consolidated into a comprehensive report that will inform the sector skills plan of interventions and initiatives needed to improve skills development in the sector.

Thank you for sharing your time and effort in completing this questionnaire!

GUIDELINES ON HOW TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT THIS QUESTIONNAIRE

1.Read the following before filling in the details on the questionnaire.

2.Where applicable, the questions should be answered with a cross (X) in the required space (refer to Example 1 below).

3.Your own view/opinion (based on your practical experience) will also be asked. In such cases please make a cross in the relevant block or write the required information in the space provided (refer to Example 2 below).

After completing this questionnaire, you need to submit it to the following email address: Alternatively fax it to (011) 209 5595 / 5184

SECTION ONE:DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE

Please answer the following questions as honestly and accurately as possible. Please note that this information is important for demographic and statistical purposes.

1.PERSONAL INFORMATION REQUIRED

1.1Name of your organisation:

1.2Your position in the organisation:

Permanent position / 2
Part time position / 3
Contract position / 4

1.3Your role in the organisation:

Manager (i.e. Chief Executive, General Manager, Legislator; Farmer, Farm Manager; Specialist Manager; Hospitality, Retail, Service Manager;) / 5
Professionals (i.e. Arts and Media Prof.; Business, HR and Marketing Prof.; Design, Engineering, Science and transport Prof.; Education Prof.; Health Prof.; ICT Prof.; Legal, Social and Welfare Prof.) / 6
Technicians and Trades Workers(i.e. Engineering, ICT and Science Tech.; Automotive and Engineering Trade Workers; Construction Trade Workers; Electro technology and Telecommunications Trades Workers; Food Trades Workers; Skilled Animal and Horticultural Workers; Other tech. and Trades Workers) / 7
Clerical and Administrative Workers(i.e. Office and Program Administrators; Personal Assistants and Secretaries; General Clerical Workers; inquiry Clerks and Receptionists; Numerical Clerks; Clerical and Office Support Workers; Other Clerical and Administrative Workers) / 8
Community and Personal Service Workers (i.e. Health and Welfare Support Workers; Carers and Aides; Hospitality Workers; Protective Service Workers; Sports and Personal Service Workers) / 9
SalesWorkers (i.e. Sales Representatives and Agents; Sales Assistants and Salespersons; Sales Support Workers) / 10
Machinery Operators and Drivers(i.e. Machine and Stationary Plant Operators; Mobile Plant Operators; Road and Rail Drivers; Store persons.) / 11
Labourers (i.e. Cleaners and Laundry Workers; Construction and Mining Labourers; Factory Process Workers; Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers; Food Preparation Assistants; Other Labourers) / 12
Other (please specify) / 13

1.4Percentages of employees per organisation/company level:

PLEASE ENSURE THE TOTAL ADDS UP TO 100%

Senior management (i.e. the highest management level and includes senior officials and professionals) / 14
Middle management (i.e. that level of management that is not as high as senior management and includes technicians) / 15
Supervisory (i.e. that level that has employees working under them e.g. teamleaders and includes clerical/administrative workers, skilled workers) / 16
Operational (i.e. that level of employee that do not have staff reporting to them and includes service workers, agricultural and fishery workers, plant/machine operators and assemblers, labourers and apprentices/learners) / 17

1.5The number of years in your current position:

Less than one year / 18
Between 1- 5 years / 19
Between 6-10 years / 20
More than 10 years / 21

1.6Previous experience in the wholesale and retail sector:

Have only worked for the current organisation / 22
Has worked for another organisation in the W&R sector / 23
Has worked for more than two organisations in the W&R sector / 24
Has worked for other organisations outside of the W&R sector / 25

1.7Your age group:

Under 21 years / 26
21 – 29 years / 27
30 – 39 years / 28
40 – 49 years / 29
50 – 59 years / 30
60 years and older / 31

1.8Your gender:

Male / 32
Female / 33

1.9Your employment equity (EE) status:

African Black / 34
Coloured / 35
Indian / 36
White / 37
Other (please specify) / 38

1.10Your highest formal qualification:

Lower than Matric / 39
Matric / Grade 12 / 40
Certificate (i.e. awarded at a University, Technikon, TechnicalCollege) / 41
Diploma/Degree (i.e. an undergraduate degree awarded at a Higher Education institution) / 42
Postgraduate diploma/degree (i.e. a Honours, BTech, Masters or Doctoral degree awarded at a Higher Education institution) / 43
Other (please specify) / 44

2.ORGANISATION/COMPANY INFORMATION REQUIRED

2.1Size of your organisation/company:

Small enterprise (0 – 49 employees) / 45
Medium enterprise (50 – 149 employees) / 46
Large enterprise (150 and more employees) / 47
Micro enterprise (an informal sector business) / 48

2.2Province(s) where your organisation/company is located. Make a cross in all relevant boxes:

Gauteng / 49
Western Cape / 50
Kwazulu Natal / 51
Mpumalanga / 52
North WestProvince / 53
LimpopoProvince / 54
Eastern Cape / 55
Northern Cape / 56
Free State / 57
Other (please specify) / 58

2.3Organisation/company SIC code:

2.4Levy number:

2.5Gender composition of your organisation (please insert figures):

Male / 61
Female / 62

2.6Gender breakdown per level (please insert figures):MALE FEMALE

Senior management / 63
Middle management / 64
Supervisory / 65
Operational / 66

2.7Overall EE breakdown of staff (please insert figures):

African black / 67
Coloured / 68
Indian / 69
White / 70
Other (please specify) / 71

2.8Employees with disabilities in your organisation:

Yes / 72
No / 73

2.9Employees with disabilities per level (please insert figures):

Senior management / 74
Middle management / 75
Supervisory / 76
Operational / 77

2.10Years in existence of the organisation/company:

0 – 5 years / 78
6 – 10 years / 79
11 – 15 years / 80
16 – 20 years / 81
20 years and over / 82

SECTION TWO:CURRENT AND FUTURE TRAINING, SKILLS AND IN-HOUSE

SUpport/assistance

Please answer the following questions as honestly and accurately as possible.

3.TRAINING

3.1What training is currently offered by your organisation/company?

Leadership / 83
Management / 84
Technical / 85
Sales / 86
Computer/IT (please specify) / 87
Other (please specify) / 88

3.2 What are the most important training needs of your organisation?

Technical training (i.e. training related to the practical aspects of the job e.g. forklift driving, computer training, buyer skills, planners, quality inspectors etc.) / 89
Soft skills training (i.e. leadership, management, communication, time management, stress management, etc.) / 90
Coaching and Mentoring (i.e. a dedicated person who guides an employee in performing more effectively in his/her job) / 91
On the job training/In store training / 92
Other (please specify) / 93

3.3 Name the training providers who currently provide training in your organisation/company.This includes formal (through a higher education institution)and informal (short course) training.

3.4How satisfied are you with such training providers?

Completely satisfied / 95
Mostly satisfied / 96
Partially satisfied / 97
Mostly dissatisfied / 98
Completely dissatisfied / 99

3.5.1Can staff apply what they have learnt in the training programmes?

Yes / 100
No / 101

3.5.2If YES,how is staff able to apply what they have learnt in the training programmes?

102

4.SKILLS

4.1 List the 5 most important scarce skills in your organisation. These are occupations (jobs) in which there is a scarcity of qualified and experienced people, currently or anticipated in the future, either because such skilled people are not available or they are available but not meet employment criteria. For example: Engineers.

1. / 103
2.
3.
4.
5.

4.2List the 5 critical skills in your organisation in order of importance. This refers to specific key or generic and “top up” skills within an occupation. There are two groups in SA context:

a)Key or generic skills, including critical cross field outcomes. These would include cognitive skills (problem solving, learning to learn), language and literacy skills, mathematical skills, ICT skills and working in teams.

b)Particular occupationally specific “top-up skills” required for performance within that occupation to fill a “skills gap” that might have arisen as a result of changing technology or new forms of work in the organisation.

1. / 104
2.
3.
4.
5.

4.3Which stakeholders does your organisation/company interact with to improve the levels of skillsof staff?

W&RSETA / 105
Higher Education institutions / 106
Private training providers / 107
In house training department / 108
Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) / 109
Other (please specify) / 110

5.IN-HOUSE SUPPORT/ASSISTANCE FOR SKILLS IMPROVEMENT

5.1What types of assistance does your organisation offer the staff?

Financial assistance (e.g. bursaries, study loans) / 111
Study leave or time off / 112
On the job training / 113
Coaching/mentoring / 114
Other (please specify) / 115

5.2How satisfied have you been with such assistance?

Completely Satisfied / 116
Mostly satisfied / 117
Partially satisfied / 118
Mostly dissatisfied / 119
Completely Dissatisfied / 120

6.GENERAL

6.1How is information about training interventions being communicated in theorganisation/company?

Email / 121
Discussions / Meetings / 122
Posters / flyers / 123
Through the SDF / 124
Through the training department / 125
Other (please specify) / 126

6.2How satisfied are you with the communication about training programmes?

Completely Satisfied / 127
Mostly satisfied / 128
Partially satisfied / 129
Mostly dissatisfied / 130
Completely Dissatisfied / 131

6.3 Identify 3 challenges in terms of skills development in your organisation and industry

1. / 132
2.
3.

6.4Any other information or recommendations you would like to share with regard to skills development in your organisation/company.

133

OPTIONAL:

As part of the W&R Seta’s efforts to continually update their current database, please could you provide us with the following information for your organisation:

Contact name:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Contact number: (Work)……………………………………………………………………………………………

(Cell)……………………………………………………………………………………………..

(Fax)……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Email: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION!

Please return your questionnaire by Friday, 15 September 2006.