27 Jun 2016

It is crucial for employers to have work skills plan that describes an organisation’s training and skills development strategy to help it meet its overall objectives and targets.

Speaking at a workshop recently, the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) workplace manager, Ms Doreen Kokorwe said the work plan skills could be a useful strategy for achieving professional growth in an organization.

“It also gives employees opportunities to up their skills or even re-skill, hence achieving career aspirations,” she added.

She said it was important for employers to support training opportunities in the workplace for employees to acquire essential skills to do their jobs competently, safely and productively.

Ms Kokorwe said developing a plan would entail stakeholders’ consultation, securing the necessary resources (financial and human) to facilitate timeous development and submission of workplace plans and identifying training priorities and needs.

“The work skills plan are developed annually and submitted to the HRDC on the 31^st March and covers skills development for the period of 01 April to 31^st March of the subsequent year,” said Ms Kokorwe.

Ms Kokorwe said they should do thorough research on training providers to avoid being ripped off.

She discouraged organisations from relying on one service provider as it could affect the quality of the learning they received and continuously training on one topic and same people, adding that topics should rotate and close gaps by training all staff according to their professions or even prioritising the departments.

HRDC director for funding, Ms Victoria Damane said organisations should be aware of fraud when embarking on training their employees as fraudsters were always up for opportunities.

She said some of the fraud may be implemented by the employees, training providers and others and they should always be careful and examine such cases. Ends