Employer needs to draw up a marketplace skills plan
ANY AFFIRMATIVE action must be closely coupled to skills development, according to Sean McSweeney, human resources director of Safcor Panalpina and chairman of the Forwarding & Clearing Chamber of the Transport SETA (Sector Education and Training Authority).
There's no employment equity quota, he said. It's a numeric target and a moving target at that. One which is under constant review.
And, to achieve this target, companies have to ascertain that the necessary training is done before putting affirmative action into place.
In practical terms, McSweeney told FTW, companies have to link together the demands of the Employment Equity Act with those of the Skills Development Act.
This, he said, should be done in consultation with the employees.
You must have an employment equity forum representing all strata of business regardless of colour, creed, sex or level of employment.
At the same time, the success of a company's skills development programme will dictate how much it pays towards overall training within the industry.
The idea is that the training is funded by a levy imposed on every company in the industry, and deducted on a monthly basis. From this, the receiver of revenue issues the appropriate amounts to each of the SETAs.
An employer, said McSweeney, needs to draw up a marketplace skills plan. One which clearly defines what and who you will be training.
And, with your own skills development facilitation and requisite structures in place, you get a refund on the levy.
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