ISETT SETA has refuted claims it 'offers' substandard training for candidates entering the ICT industry.
This comes after Greg Vercellotti, executive director of Dariel Solutions, criticised the organisation by saying its programmes are geared towards a high volume and wide range of skills, instead of specialisation.
"Candidates leave with a wider general knowledge about technology, but are less prepared for an area of specialisation," Vercellotti says.
He claims skills shortages are driven by an increased demand for skilled and experienced software development staff and a lack of new skills entering the market. He states the programmes offered by the sector education and training authority lack depth and are inadequate to prepare new entrants to the industry.
However, ISETT SETA's acting CEO, Wynand van der Merwe, says the organisation does not "offer" programmes.
"Learning programmes are developed by members of the industry, through the South African qualifications authority process, and are driven by standards-generating bodies," he states.
He says ISETT SETA is responsible for quality-assuring the delivery of the industry-driven programmes, through training providers using the mapped out accreditation process.
"ISETT SETA offers financial support for the implementation of programmes offered by accredited training providers and implemented by employers through discretionary grant funding."
However, Vercellotti maintains it is difficult to find candidates with specific and specialist skills and experience.
Government intervention
Van der Merwe concedes that more funding and action are needed to curtail skills shortages in SA.
"The general expenditure on scarce and critical skills in this sector, for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, is approximately 5% of their GDP," he says.
"It remains a challenge if it is expected that the need for scarce and critical skills in this sector would be effectively addressed by relying only on the 1% skills development levy paid by companies," he adds.
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