ISETT SETA, the IT industry`s Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA), is not meeting government equity targets because of local ICT companies` approach to training.
This is according to ISETT SETA CEO Oupa Mopaki, who says it is difficult for the sector to reach the 85% equity target set by government, because local ICT companies are not complying with the guidelines.
The government`s Employment Skills Development Strategy sets out for all SETAs an equity target of 85% of learners to be black, 54% women and 4% people with disabilities.
"The ISETT SETA has reached all these targets in terms of new learners, although the number of disabled trainees is at 2% as opposed to the proposed 4%. To date, 6 000 students have completed their learnership programme through ISETT SETA channels - 95% of these were black," says Mopaki.
"The ISETT SETA is not implementing apprenticeships, instead we are implementing internships. About 400 unemployed BSc graduates have completed their internships and are guaranteed fulltime employment," says Mopaki.
However, the equity targets have not been met in terms of overall training given in the sector, because many ICT companies are training staff on the basis of their current employment equity profile, he says.
Mopaki did not state how far off the mark the industry is, but says it is difficult to reach the 85% target.
There are 212 000 employees in the ICT sector and their training is reported through the workplace training report, he says.
"To date, 90 000 workers in the ICT sector got training; however, the quality of the workplace training is still questionable in view of the fact that fewer previously disadvantaged individuals have progressed through promotion to higher occupational levels in ICT companies."
Mopaki says he is not saying white staff should not be trained, but unnecessary and repetitious training should not be done where the resources could be put to better use in training previously disadvantaged candidates.
"Currently it`s going to be very difficult to reach skills development equity targets in companies whose staff complement does not reflect the equity targets as proposed by the national government. However, the skills development equity target can be implemented when it comes to learnerships.
"If over the last five years quality training has taken place, then how many employees were promoted through the ranks within their companies and what is the difference in productivity levels in those companies from 2000 to this year?
"There has to be a correlation between the improvement of skills and improvement of productivity. We are not getting that from ICT companies."
Equity in training is the industry`s biggest problem at this stage, Mopaki says. With this in mind, the ISETT SETA has taken the issue to the Department of Labour. "We are currently waiting for their response."
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