OVERVIEW OF THE WORKSHOP
The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO)
One of the most significant developments in the decade since the National Skills Development
Strategy was launched has been the announcement of the establishment of a new and separate
structure for quality assuring occupationally-focused training – the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). The QCTO comes into being through an amendment to the SA Qualifications Authority Act.
The programme will be based on the sharing of information as outlined below, but will also involve a great deal of group work to encourage the participants to apply themselves to the new environment and to plan for implementation in their own organisations.
We will examine:
Organising occupations in a Framework that Aligns with occupational learning
- What is the Organising Framework for Occupations(OFO)?
- How is the OFO used by Training Departments, Human Resource Departments, Skills Development Facilitators and Training Providers?
- Applying the OFO to audit and improve skills and occupational learning in the workplace
Organising Occupations to Align with Skills Planning in the Workplace
- Using the National Career Pathways Framework to plan for and implement skills and training
- Aligning levels and occupational tasks with the OFO
- Using the OFO to complete skills audits in organisations
- Using the OFO to identify learning needs for training providers
How the QCTO will enable:
- The recognition of experience and learning already acquired
- The development of relevant occupational qualifications jointly with communities of expert practice
Training Providers and the QCTO
- Working with skills levels
- Determining the curricula for occupational training programme development
- The components of programmes including -
- Knowledge and theory
- Practice
- Workplace learning
- Quality Assurance of Learning Provision through QCTO structures
- Manage the relationship between the NQF qualifications and the new occupational learning qualifications
We will have an Interactive Discussion on the Future Role of Professional Bodies and Professional Designations:
- Professional Bodies acting as quality partners with the SETAs and the QCTO will implement, monitor and manage learning and skills development using:
- Fundamental Learning Certificates
- National Skills Certificates
- National Occupational Awards
- The role of the Professional Bodies in:
- Continuous Professional Development
- Assessing learning and recognising previous experience
- Conferring and removing of Professional Designations of members
- Maintaining the database for the community of expert practice that informs relevant occupational qualifications and continuous professional development
- Working with training providers offering the training and skills development for career development of members of the professional body
PROGRAMME
DAY ONE
Organising Framework for Occupations
- Why have an OFO?
- What is the OFO?
- The OFO – Outline
- How was this OFO designed?
- OFO Levels
- Skills Levels
- How is the OFO used?
- What are the applications of the OFO?
- OFO and National Career Pathway Framework
- Establishment and focus of the QCTO
Occupational Qualifications Framework
- Purpose of the OQF
- OQF against 10-level NQF
- What is the National Occupational Path Framework? – Tool for QCTO
- The structure of the NOPF
- Benefits of NOPF : Qualifications development
- Benefits of NOPF : Quality Assurance Processes
- Skills Development and Planning – what is the challenge?
- Skills Development System
DAY TWO
Quality Council for Trades & Occupations
- Communities of Expert Practice = Industry
- Output Focused Job Profiles
- Professional Body and Community of Expert Practice
- How do occupational qualifications fit in with occupational competence profiles?
- Main Components of Learning Process Design
- Fit for Purpose Qualifications
- Scope of occupational qualifications
- Why do we need Occupational Curricula?
- Why do we need External Assessment?
- QCTO Model for Quality Management
Professional Bodies: Quality Partners in the QCTO Framework
- The main Role Players
- Role of Professional Bodies in the new landscape
- SETA Support and Partnership
- Criteria for Membership
- Professional Designations
ABOUT YOUR EXPERT PRESENTER
Gill Connellan has enormous experience in both the corporate business environment and consultancy. She consults to organisations on business skills strategies and change management initiatives as well as competence assessment and recognition of prior learning (RPL). Almost without fail, her activities over the past decade comprise design and implementation components i.e. the application of practicable theory for improved business performance and practice.
Gill is the Chairperson of the National Association for Skills Development Facilitation in South Africa, an organisation which she co-founded to support the implementation of the transformation framework in South Africa. This body has now achieved national recognition from a wide base of members working across most of the 23 SETAs. SAQA as well as a number of SETAs have given their full support to the Association as an emerging professional body representing the full range of skills development facilitation roles.
Her primary focus is on identifying, establishing and initiating strategies to ensure the National Qualifications Framework and National Skills Development Strategy are given effect.
