Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services SETA (merSETA)
Sustainable Green Skills Development in Business, Institutions & Community
Dr Raymond Patel
CEO merSETA
KEY DISCUSSION POINTS
The merSETA is leading the “green” SETA initiatives and skills development actions through 1.
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A “GREEN” dialogue platform was created (September 2012);
A position paper ( January 2013) to frame the merSETA’s developmental approach to green skills
with a focus on sustainability;
A survey of green activities, innovations and technology in merSETA companies (July to
November 2013), commissioned in collaboration with the GIZ;
Occupational qualification development processes for renewal energy, inclusive of wind turbine
and solar PV technicians (2013/14);
Participation in a range of local, national and international forums to promote and synergize green
initiatives (ongoing since 2012), and
Collaboration agreements for green skills development , focused on artisans and artisanal skills in
the green economy (ongoing since 2013).
SETTING THE SCENE: STARTING THE “GREEN” DIALOGUE AND
POSITIONING merSETA’S APPROACH
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The “green dialogue” started at a
merSETA/GIZ sustainable green skills
forum in 2012
The keynote address focused on
“Unleashing the future: developing
sustainable skills to enhance innovation
and productivity”
The above concept started to set the
scene for merSETA companies, organised
labour and communities to engage in the
green economy
The initial dialogues informed merSETA’s
position, specifically aligned to:
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The National Development Plan (NDP)
2030
The Green Economy Accord
The White Paper on Post-school Education
& training
NDSD lll
King lll on Corporate Governance, in
particular the emphasis on integrated
sustainability reporting
The Human Resource Development
Strategy
SURVEY OF THE merSETA’S COMPANIES: GREEN ACTIVITIES,
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIONS (2013/14)
a)
Why a “green”
survey?
b)
What was the survey
approach?
c)
What specifically was
surveyed?
d)
What could the
survey outcomes
inform?
e)
What was the survey
response rate of
merSETA companies?
a) Prior to embarking on occupational qualification development
and advocacy, it is important to understand what the “GREEN”
status is in industry.
b) The Green Maturity Model formed the basis of the survey. This
model looks at three key inputs and two key outputs in
manufacturing & engineering, namely materials, water and
energy input, and waste and emission outputs.
c) These factors impact on how people across the job levels are
trained in terms of processes and technologies and how
training curricula can be designed to improve sustainable
practices.
d) The survey produced a 10.8% return rate, which is within the
norm in quantitative research
e) (664 companies responded to the survey questionnaires).
The merSETA’s “green” survey outcomes & actions
• Actions
• Outcomes
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As expected, large companies
functioning on an international
platform,
already
started
to
implement
significant
green
technologies, inclusive of water and
waste management strategies.
However, medium and smaller
companies had difficulty to outlay
the financial resources to “go green”
and although green values were
desirable, the know-how lacked.
Small companies were mostly in
“survival mode”.
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The first step was to ensure occupational
qualification development, advocacy and
research & development (R&D) support, which
already manifested ((by November 2014) Two QCTO renewable energy occupational
qualifications for Wind Turbine Service
Technicians & Solar PV Technicians are near
completion (November 2014). The merSETA acted
as the Development Quality Partner.
The merSETA’s contribution of R20 million to a
partnership with Nelson Mandela Metropolitan
University to support R&D in renewable energy
and new technologies, the development of an
electrical car, as well as a solar-powered golf cart
THE merSETA’S “GREEN” ACTIONS CONTINUE
SUPPORTING LEARNERS
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A merSETA agreement worth R2,565,000 with the East London IDZ, aligned to the Eastern Cape’s
Sustainable Energy Strategy. The agreement includes training of the first 20 electrical apprentices
with additional specialisations in renewable energy (green artisans).
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A merSETA/EWSETA/False Bay TVET agreement worth R20 million. The inter-SETA/TVET
agreement also contributes to community development in Khayelitsha in the Western Cape. A
total of 500 learners are trained on solar geyser installations.
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A partnership between merSETA and the British Council for the development of a curriculum for
solar heating and green awareness. The implementation was the Northlink TVET College in
collaboration with Gwent College in the UK. The contract value is R200,000.
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A merSETA agreement worth R20 million with the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University .
The agreement includes supporting research and development for renewable energy and new
technology, development of an electrical car as well as a solar power golf cart.
ADVOCACY AND merSETA’S PARTICIPATION IN VARIOUS FORUMS
Advocacy
The GIZ in partnership with the DHET and Department of Environmental Affairs embarked on
“Greening TVET Colleges” campaign. The merSETA and EWSETA were co-opted to participate.
Selected TVET Colleges across the country were involved and the process culminated in an
electronic “Greening the TVETs Guide”, which has been made available to the merSETA’s career
unit and regional offices.
Participation
The merSETA has been an active participant in various forums, inclusive of :• The National Green Jobs Dialogue, organised by the Department of Environmental Affairs
• “Green skills in developing countries” during the WorldSkills Conference in Leipzig in 2013
• The Eastern Cape’s Green Forum as part of rolling out the province’s Sustainable Green Strategy
• A “Green” workshop arranged by SEIFSA
• CHIETA’s “Green Colloquium”
REPRESENTATION AND THE WAY FORWARD
Representation & Collaboration
The merSETA is represented on the
Advisory Board of the SA Renewable
Energy Technology Centre (SARETEC).
SARETEC is based at the Bellville campus of
the Cape Peninsula University of
Technology (CPUT).
The merSETA and CPUT is exploring a pilot
for Wind Turbine Service Technician
occupational qualification where
SARETEC will act as the project coordinator.
In the pipeline…the way forward
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Advocacy to include green skills and
values in all the new occupational
qualifications
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Including green sustainability in a
collaboration agreement with NUMSA
in supporting co-operatives
THANK YOU
Dr Raymond Patel: CEO
Tel: 010 219 3338
Email: [email protected]
www.merseta.org.za