NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
QUESTION 1443
Mr I M Ollis (DA) to ask the Minister of Labour:
1) Whether he will take any steps to ensure that land is available
for training by the Forestry Industry Education and Training
Authority (FIETA) programme; if not, why not; if so, what steps;
2) whether he will take any action to ensure that students who
qualify through the FIETA do not re-enroll continuously as a
result of not enough job opportunities; if not, what is the
position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details;
3) whether his department assists students who completed their
training to find relevant work opportunities; if not, why not;
if so, what are the relevant details? NW1801E
Minister of Labour Replied:
1) It is important to note that there is a process pertaining to
land restitution under the Department of Rural Development and
Land Reform. However, the Department of Labour remains committed
to ensure that learners are trained in line with the
requirements of the relevant legislation and the Service Level
Agreement between the SETA and my Department.
(2) In terms of the said Service Level Agreement between my
Department and SETAs it is a requirement that SETAs must have
appropriate systems in place to ensure compliance with relevant
legislation which includes the management of learnerships as well
as the submission of reports to my Department. Based on the
aforesaid SETAâs have reporting systems in place to ensure that
learners do ânot re-enroll continuouslyâ,however care is taken by
them to move learners to a higher level within the sector as they
gather more credits.
3) In terms of the NSDS II SETAs must identify the skill needs
within their sector ánd to ensure that students are trained to
promote and accelerate quality training for all in the
workplace, as well as to enter the labour market and self
employment. SETAâs are therefore also required to ensure that
learners are placed in employment or self employment and not to
âtrain learners for the sake of trainingâ but to train against
demand as a means of ensuring training lead to placement. The
placement rate of most SETAs is quite high for learners that
have been trained as reflected in the SETAsâ Annual Reports, and
the HSRC impact study reports on skills released during 2008.
In addition to the above my Department is also assisting
workseekers at the various Provincial offices and Labour centres
to find suitable employment and to be placed accordingly.
END.