Career development within the context of the South African National Qualifications Framework

Samuel IsaacsChief Executive Officer

Realities in South Africa• 17 years into democracy (population 52m)• Middle-income country (USD 3,600 per capita income)• Large proportion of young people (51% below 25 and largely black)• Life expectancy about 50 years• 45% live below national poverty line (ZAR 354 per month)• Unemployment rate between 25% and 40%• Over 13.5m enrolment in the education and training system, 87% enrolment rate (7-18 years)

1. Create an integrated national framework for learning achievements2. Facilitate access to and mobility and progression within education, training and career paths3. Enhance the quality of education and training4. Accelerate the redress of past unfair discrimination in education, training and employment opportunities5. Contribute to the full personal development of each learner and the social and economic development of the nation at large

Objectives of the South African NQF

The NQF and career guidance

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The principles underpinning the NQF have important implications for the career development of individuals, particularly the principles of recognition of prior learning and portability. Guidance Counsellors need to have a good understanding of these principles, and be able to advise learners on the opportunities that these provide World Bank Report by Kay and Fretwell 2003

Career Advice Services• Flagship project of the Ministry of Higher Education and Training • DHET and SAQA Partnership Initiative• National project

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What is this project?• Establishment of a national, comprehensive, independent Career Advice Service • To achieve a credible institutional planning mechanism for skills planning • With a specific focus on coordination and establishment of career guidance services for the country 6

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• Festivals and exhibitions• Conferences, summits and workshops• Radio campaign• Print media campaign• Guides, packs and booklets• Walk-in centres• Telephone Helpline• Telephone, Internet and computer technologies• Knowledge base• Database of cases• Website• Mobisite• Social networking 8

Multiple channels

Estimated beneficiaries

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Channel 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13

By telephone 12,000 18,000 24,000

By Internet 72,000 120,000 150,000

By radio 2,300,000 2,700,000 3,200,000

By exhibition 15,000 20,000 25,000

Est. Total 2,399,000 2,858,000 3,399,000

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Under consideration• Roadshows: bus, train, truck, local venue• Provincial summits, indabas, festivals, • TV campaign• FET SLOs (training and national database)• School guidance teachers (training and national database)• SETA guidance staff (training and national database)• Peer Career Advisors in High Schools• National career advice system

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1 monthStarting February 20121 week 16-23 March 2011

1 week August 20114 monthsApril – July 2012

Block 1

• e-learning platform

• e-event• webinar• agree on

assessment criteria

Block 2

• lectures/plenaries

• 5 themes• group and

individual work

Block 3

• webinar• literature

review• study groups

Block 4

• leadership and strategy

• present assignment 3

• organisational change

• self evaluation

Lifelong Learning and National Qualifications Frameworks: Leaders for LearningA University of Western Cape (UWC) Continuing Education course, in partnership with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)

For more information contact: toppel@uwc.ac.za

Career development within the context of the South African National Qualifications Framework

Samuel Isaacs