The Skills Development Facilitator

Stephan du Toit

During the last couple of weeks I have been inundated by management appointed Skills development facilitators (SDF). These are the people responsible for training and development within the organisation. For various reasons, many skills development facilitators do not understand what is required or expected of them. The current philosophy in the private sector is that because you claim back your SDL Tax from the SETA it must be an accounting function.

This view is incorrect, although accounting does form a small part of the developmental process. But it does not justify appointing a “non-HR” person as SDF. An organisation may select any person in the company to act as SDF for the organisation. But in terms of the SETA rules and regulations the person appointed as SDF for the organisation must be qualified and accredited by the SETA as an SDF.

If the person is not qualified then the selected person may act as an assistant to a qualified External SDF. The selection of an SDF should be done with care and consideration; many organisations make the mistake of appointing the accountant or bookkeeper as company SDF. This is not correct; the person closest to an SDF job function is the Human Resource person. If the organisation does not have a HR person, then the financial person can be appointed only as a temporary measure.

Based on the following duties, the SDF should be selected carefully as the workload can become very heavy. The normal ratio in the private sector is 1:50. Anything beyond this ratio is a problem and should be addressed as soon as possible. In a sense the SDF is a part function of the Human Resources manager.

THE ROLE OF AN SDF

An SDF needs to;

1. Facilitate the development of employees in the organisation and the strategies of the organisation equally and fairly.
2. Acquire the resources to accredit and evaluate learnerships and skills programs in the organisation.
3. Evaluate the skills development needs of the employees and organisation and continually evaluate the implementation of identified needs.
4. Advise the employees and the employer on external and internal skills strategies as well as the progress of the skills development of the organisation.
5. Be a training committee leader and lead the process of organisational skills development and employee development.
6. Act as SDF administration and check all SETA documentation before submitting.
7. Set up a training committee.
8. Advise the organisation on the implementation of the WSP.
9. Advise the organisation on the quality assurance requirements of the relevant SETA.
10. Serve as contact person between the organisation and the external SDF and SETA.
11. Chair the skills development planning committee or training committee.
12. Bring the company policies in line with the regulations as laid down by the Skills Development Act.
13. Assist in the creation of a performance management system for the organisation where no performance management system exists.
14. Generate the key performance areas relevant to training and development for the performance management system.
15. Complete an individual development pathway for all employees, as well as the skills requirement and learning pathway.
16. Create a portfolio of evidence for all employees that will receive training in the company.
17. Complete the workplace skills plan, interim training reports and annual training reports and submit it to the correct SETA, before the deadline.
18. Formalise the qualifications of employees through recognition of prior learning.
19. Train employed staff in order to claim the skills development levies from the SETA
20. Register Learnership Programs by training and unemployed people.
21. Claim their skills development levies from their SETA and claim the Tax rebates as stipulated for Learnerships.

For more information please contact Stephan du Toit and Associates on (012) 547 6310 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.