Skills training reduction hurts smaller businesses, Seifsa says
According to the Citizen website, the reduction - as of April 2013 - of the skills training grant levies from 40% to 20% - will have a huge impact on smaller businesses and manufacturers. Nazrene Mannie, skills development executive at the Steel and Engineering Federation of South Africa (Seifsa), says these changes will prohibit smaller businesses from training employees as the grant they receive has now been halved.
Mannie says that with the lower grant, smaller businesses and manufacturers will be reluctant to engage in training initiatives due to high training costs. The remaining 20% will be redirected to the Sector Education and Training Authorities (Setas), who are focused on professional qualifications as opposed to on-the-job training.
Seifsa is represented by the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Seta (Merseta) which trained more artisans than any other Seta. A sector hit by the recession cannot afford to be losing out on more training, Mannie tells the Citizen website.
Read the full article on www.citizen.co.za.
