There is a way to help those who fit between ABET and a Learnership.
One of the challenges L&D Professionals face is deciding what to do with the “In Betweeners”. In a nutshell, these are the employees who would be bored in an ABET programme but are not quite ready to participate in a Learnership. Because they fall somewhere in between these two programmes, they’re referred to as the “In Betweeners”.
Certain providers do a pre-assessment of employees to determine if their English and Mathematics skills are good enough for them to participate in a Learnership. This is a very good thing because it prevents a lot of frustration on the part of an employee who is placed in a Learnership when they shouldn’t have been, when they would have been best placed in an ABET programme.
It’s not the end of the world when an employee who would probably be bored in an ABET programme is not quite ready for a Learnership, as there is also the opportunity for them to participate in a bridging programme to give them the fundamentals they will need to participate in a Learnership.
Some providers only pitch for Learnerships and nothing else. And, if the candidates are not ready for a Learnership, they’re not interested in them. But such candidates can certainly be helped to bridge the gap.
In the case of a company having an employee who has done a Chemical Learnership or has written an assessment and failed, the employee can be assessed. The assessment will give a clear indication as to what they need. And, even if they didn’t make it, the assessment will give a clear idea of exactly where to pitch the training.
Foundational Learning Competence (FLC)
In 2010, the Independent Examinations Board of South Africa implemented Foundational Learning Competence or FLC for short. They believed it necessary because there was a clear need for a higher level of skill in fundamental proficiency among the South African workforce. And so FLC was designed and implemented to address this critical shortage.
For the employee, the skills gained in Communications in English and Mathematical Literacy have proven foundational for an employee wanting to improve and progress in their workplace. Their ability to communicate effectively is closely linked to their success in learning. They often find it near impossible to understand theoretical concepts and learning new skills and abilities for their working environment proves all but impossible to achieve.
Also in 2010, the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) was established. The QCTO is responsible for the development, maintenance and quality assurance of qualifications within its sub-framework.
The purpose of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations is to ensure quality in the development, provision and certification of occupational qualifications. The QCTO was established to perform certain functions which include, but are not limited to, the following: Design and develop occupational standards and qualifications and submit them to the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) for registration on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and ensure the quality of occupational standards and qualifications and learning in, and for, the workplace.
FLC is the big brother of ABET and is designed for adult learners in a work environment to reach a particular goal. It’s understandable that someone doesn’t want to go back to an ABET programme, as that’s like going back to the beginning, and they might not have the emotional energy for that. If however we can put these “In Betweeners” through an assessment process, and then identify their profile and their problem, we can tell them exactly where to start their learning journey!
Marinda Clack is an Expert Training and Development Advisor at Triple E Training.
