Outstanding news arrived today from Ebrahim Boomgard, the Education Quality and Assurance (ETQA) Manager at the Tourism, Hospitality & Sport Education Training Authority (THETA) has notified Charne Webb the Training & Development Managers at First Resorts Management.
This recent communication is the culminating point of over a year of focused projects and investment in the development of resort and head office staff to achieve higher and more stringent service outputs to meet the demands of an ever-discerning market. The need to create value for guests and simultaneously ensure staff development as a key route to empowerment and growth opportunities especialliy for rural balck staff resulted in first resorts taking the far-sighted decision to address both its skills needs, its equity challenges and the creation of opportunities for growing stagnant black staff into management over a sustainable vocational pathway.
First Resorts model combines a variety of short skills-based interventions, onsite coaching and accredited skills programmes shortly and with twelve months the first run of hospitality focused learnerships. I personally cannot wait for the accreditation site visit which will no doubts act as a confirmation of the existing great pratice that the team and company have, whilst also providing an opportunity to gain an external perspective with regards areas which need further development.
Well done team, as the external training and development company we take great pride and joy in seeing the opportunities for growth through focused accreditation and certification processes. Its not all just a paper trail. It can be a highly meaningful opportunity for company self-reflection, adoption of people-centred strategiges and ethos particularly in such pressing global times.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Adult literacy training a success at top resort management company
It has been fantastic to be associated with the development and drive to take First Resorts guest and member service to the next level. Through the sheer determination, talent and drive of Charne Webb the Training & Development Manager, the team and the resorts have benefited from the focused attention and direction provided. Charne has taken the time to evaluate the performance needs, investigate current service challenges and adddress staff development aspirations. Speaking to managers and staff members alike which has certainly brought a fresh approach to the First Resorts human management focus. All very admirable considering that her current team is very small and covers resorts across the depth and breadth of South Africa.
Over above this Charne is currently studying towards her higher certificate in occupationally-directed education training and development practice at the Business Studies Unit at the Durban University of Technology.Charne has brought a wealth of experience and academic grounding with her from her student days at the International Hotel School in Durban.
My direct involvment in facilitating and building a training and development system has been really easy working with such a strongly committed individual. As one of the first Resort Management companies to be on track to be accredited First Resorts has already been invited by the Tourism Sector Education Training Authority (THETA) to be able to implement publicly funded adult basic education training (ABET), targeting basic literacy and numeracy skills. Obviously a huge area of concern in South africa hwere the lack of basic reading and comprehension skills limits otherwise highly motivated individuals from advancing their careers, engaging in more demanding vocational training or developing their expertise further.
We look forward to the accreditation visit by the Tourism SETA Quality Assurance Department which will also give recognition to the high standards of training that First Resorts are delivering to their staff and even beyond to sub-contracting companies in the cleaning services environment. Charne well done to you and your team. Our next challenge is to offer fully-accredited learnerships in hospitality reception - the forefront of the guest and member experience. Hold thumbs for us.
Over above this Charne is currently studying towards her higher certificate in occupationally-directed education training and development practice at the Business Studies Unit at the Durban University of Technology.Charne has brought a wealth of experience and academic grounding with her from her student days at the International Hotel School in Durban.
My direct involvment in facilitating and building a training and development system has been really easy working with such a strongly committed individual. As one of the first Resort Management companies to be on track to be accredited First Resorts has already been invited by the Tourism Sector Education Training Authority (THETA) to be able to implement publicly funded adult basic education training (ABET), targeting basic literacy and numeracy skills. Obviously a huge area of concern in South africa hwere the lack of basic reading and comprehension skills limits otherwise highly motivated individuals from advancing their careers, engaging in more demanding vocational training or developing their expertise further.
We look forward to the accreditation visit by the Tourism SETA Quality Assurance Department which will also give recognition to the high standards of training that First Resorts are delivering to their staff and even beyond to sub-contracting companies in the cleaning services environment. Charne well done to you and your team. Our next challenge is to offer fully-accredited learnerships in hospitality reception - the forefront of the guest and member experience. Hold thumbs for us.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Workplace Skills Plans and the state of the industry
Recently the Services Seta CEO Ivor Blumenthal addressed stakeholders at a series of national roadshows. He stated that he is not so happy about the Workplace Skills Plans (WSPs) that his Seta receives from employers in their sector.
“95% of WSPs we receive are fraudulent, and the majority are prepared by external SDFs,” says Blumenthal.
Well I think that the obvious key issue here is the prevailing perspective on the development of the WSP's. Many levy payers ultimately treat this as a compliance led exercise rather than a critical reason to conduct a thorough annual training and performance needs analysis for the organisation. According to Marius Meyer and others South African lacks key expertise in evaluating training and performance needs at organisational and local level, relegating it to a reactive role striving to get the levies back in the form of their grant.
The structure, composition and nature of the WSP and the needs analysis process leading to its development must be organisataionally focused, yet take cognisance of staff development and broader sectoral skills needs. To do a little extra benefits the sector and its skills pool, which is always a good thing.
South African corporate structure by and large still does not acknowledge the role of training and performance as a key strategic lever for business performance. We lag behind leading OECED states.
The USA by contrast has long recognised the need for director or executive level training and performance representation, with directors of learning and performance commonly held positions throughout corporate organisations. Interestingly these executives spend a significant amount of time focusing on the start and end of the training and development process. The needs analysis and return-on-investment (ROI) components whilst project managing the design, procurement and delivery of learning and performance interventions.
The legalistic approach by the SETA's as well as the corporatist lack of vision certainly complicates the issue behind the validity and the actual development of the content. As Ivor points out either low-skill level employees or external consultants fulfil this role. The consultants generally lack insight into the business performance needs and although can provide positive insights into the opportunities presented by levy compliance they often mislead or understate the commitment to monitoring and managing training performance for their clients.
A corporate has to have a clearly defined skills development policy, highlighting the key needs analysis procedures and associated templates and tools. In addition HR or Training Managers should include skills planning expertise as key performance indicators for remuneration, recognition and reward purposes.
Lastly the SETA WSP templates and reporting forms need detailed revision and should not just cover key labour market reporting statistical fields but be more formative and be a resource for conducting needs analyses.
That would benefit the levy payers and their employees to a far greater degree.
“95% of WSPs we receive are fraudulent, and the majority are prepared by external SDFs,” says Blumenthal.
Well I think that the obvious key issue here is the prevailing perspective on the development of the WSP's. Many levy payers ultimately treat this as a compliance led exercise rather than a critical reason to conduct a thorough annual training and performance needs analysis for the organisation. According to Marius Meyer and others South African lacks key expertise in evaluating training and performance needs at organisational and local level, relegating it to a reactive role striving to get the levies back in the form of their grant.
The structure, composition and nature of the WSP and the needs analysis process leading to its development must be organisataionally focused, yet take cognisance of staff development and broader sectoral skills needs. To do a little extra benefits the sector and its skills pool, which is always a good thing.
South African corporate structure by and large still does not acknowledge the role of training and performance as a key strategic lever for business performance. We lag behind leading OECED states.
The USA by contrast has long recognised the need for director or executive level training and performance representation, with directors of learning and performance commonly held positions throughout corporate organisations. Interestingly these executives spend a significant amount of time focusing on the start and end of the training and development process. The needs analysis and return-on-investment (ROI) components whilst project managing the design, procurement and delivery of learning and performance interventions.
The legalistic approach by the SETA's as well as the corporatist lack of vision certainly complicates the issue behind the validity and the actual development of the content. As Ivor points out either low-skill level employees or external consultants fulfil this role. The consultants generally lack insight into the business performance needs and although can provide positive insights into the opportunities presented by levy compliance they often mislead or understate the commitment to monitoring and managing training performance for their clients.
A corporate has to have a clearly defined skills development policy, highlighting the key needs analysis procedures and associated templates and tools. In addition HR or Training Managers should include skills planning expertise as key performance indicators for remuneration, recognition and reward purposes.
Lastly the SETA WSP templates and reporting forms need detailed revision and should not just cover key labour market reporting statistical fields but be more formative and be a resource for conducting needs analyses.
That would benefit the levy payers and their employees to a far greater degree.
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