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A workplace skills plan template is a structured form that helps your organisation set out the training your staff will receive over the coming year — by occupational level, race, gender and disability — so you can submit your Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) to your SETA, claim your mandatory grant and support your B-BBEE skills-development score. This page explains what a WSP template contains, walks through a worked example, and shows where BOTI’s Skills Development Facilitator training fits if you want to build the skill in-house.
Your SETA expects the workplace skills plan and annual training report together, by 30 April each year[1], so the template below covers both: the WSP sets out the training you plan, and the ATR records the training you actually delivered. You will also find a five-step workflow that takes your WSP template from payroll data to submission. For the people who plan, deliver and assess the training in your WSP, see BOTI’s skills development and train-the-trainer courses.
If your WSP deadline is approaching and you are staring at a blank submission, the template and example below give you a clear starting structure — and a route to training the person who owns it.
The business problem a WSP template solves
Every employer that pays the Skills Development Levy must submit a Workplace Skills Plan and Annual Training Report (ATR) to its SETA by 30 April each year[1] to recover the mandatory grant — worth up to 20% of the levy paid[1]. Miss the deadline or submit a weak plan and you forfeit money you have already paid, and weaken the skills-development element of your B-BBEE scorecard.
The trouble is that most managers only see a WSP once a year, under pressure, with no clear format to work from — so plans are rushed, under-claim grants and miss scorecard points. A reliable template fixes that: it gives your Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) a repeatable structure, captures the demographic and occupational detail your SETA expects, and turns an annual scramble into a planned process. A template alone, though, does not make a confident SDF — the person completing it still needs to understand the WSP/ATR cycle and SETA grant rules, which is where practical SDF training comes in.
Who this is for
This guide and template are for South African employers planning and reporting their own staff training — not for individual job-seekers. It is most useful for:
- HR and L&D managers who own the annual WSP and ATR submission.
- Skills Development Facilitators (SDFs), appointed internally or acting for the employer, who compile and submit the plan.
- Business owners and finance leads at levy-paying companies recovering the grant and protecting their scorecard.
- Operations and department managers feeding team training needs into the plan.
What a workplace skills plan template contains
A SETA-ready WSP template captures who you are, who you employ, and what training you plan. SETA online systems vary slightly, but a complete template includes these core sections:
| Section | What it captures |
|---|---|
| 1. Employer details | Legal name, trading name, SDL number, SIC code, SETA and contact details |
| 2. SDF details | Name and contact of the appointed Skills Development Facilitator |
| 3. Employment profile | Headcount by occupational level, race, gender and disability status |
| 4. Skills priorities | Identified skills gaps, scarce/critical skills and business drivers |
| 5. Planned training (WSP) | Each intervention: who, what, NQF level, provider and quarter |
| 6. Beneficiary breakdown | Planned beneficiaries by race, gender and disability per intervention |
| 7. Pivotal training | Professional, vocational, technical and academic programmes |
| 8. Sign-off | Employer and employee-representative (training committee) authorisation |
The matching Annual Training Report (ATR) mirrors section 5 but records what training actually took place in the past year. Submitting both together is what qualifies you for the mandatory grant.
A worked example: what a planned-training line looks like
A single line in the planned-training section (Section 5) of the template might read:
Intervention: First-Line Management Programme · Occupational level: Junior management · Beneficiaries: 6 (4 African, 1 Coloured, 1 White; 4 female, 2 male; 0 disability) · NQF level: 5 · Provider: Accredited (QCTO, or the relevant SETA for a legacy qualification) · Quarter: Q2 · Pivotal: Yes
You repeat this line for every planned intervention across the year. The demographic columns are not optional detail — they feed your B-BBEE skills-development beneficiary count, so accurate completion is what converts training into scorecard value.
Need help with your own plan? Ask BOTI for help with a training needs analysis for your WSP. Phone 011-882-8853 or use the BOTI contact form, and ask how our SDF training can help you complete it with confidence.
How to use the template: a simple WSP workflow
Use the template as part of a repeatable annual cycle:
- Update your employment profile — current headcount by occupational level, race, gender and disability from payroll or HR records.
- Run a training needs analysis — gather skills gaps from managers and link them to business priorities and scarce/critical skills.
- Plan the interventions — one planned-training line per course, recording NQF level, provider, quarter and beneficiary breakdown.
- Convene the training committee — employers above the threshold must consult employee representatives and obtain sign-off.
- Record actuals in the ATR and submit to your SETA by 30 April[1] to claim the mandatory grant.
Done well, this turns the template into a year-round planning tool rather than a one-off form.
Build the skill in-house: SDF training from BOTI
A template removes the formatting headache; training removes the uncertainty. BOTI’s Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) training equips the person who owns your WSP to do it confidently every year. Typical course coverage includes:
- The role and statutory duties of the SDF, plus the WSP and ATR cycle, SETA grant rules and submission deadlines.
- Conducting a training needs analysis and building skills priorities.
- Completing the employment profile and planned-training sections, and the training-committee consultation.
- Linking skills development to the B-BBEE scorecard and SDL grant recovery.
The outcome is a capable internal SDF who can complete the template, submit on time and prepare a complete grant claim and scorecard record — year after year, without an external consultant.
Delivery and reach
BOTI delivers SDF and skills-development training throughout South Africa in the format that suits your team:
- In-house / on-site training — facilitated at your premises around your own employment profile and SETA, usually the most cost-effective option for a group.
- Public scheduled courses — open programmes for individual SDFs and HR staff.
- Blended and virtual delivery — instructor-led online sessions for HR and L&D teams across multiple sites.
BOTI trains in-house at your premises anywhere in South Africa, at its venue in Sunningdale, Johannesburg, or live online, with per-delegate cost falling as group size grows. BOTI’s SDF training is a practical, facilitator-led skills programme; delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance (this is not an accredited qualification). Need accredited training to plan into your WSP? Ask about BOTI’s QCTO- and SETA-accredited programmes in areas such as Generic Management, Business Administration and Office Administration, and check each one’s last date for enrolment before you plan it in: new learners on the QCTO Office Administrator qualification must enrol by 30 December 2026[2]. Tell us your reporting objectives and we will recommend the right structure.
Funding: Skills Development budget and B-BBEE points
The WSP is the mechanism that makes your training spend work twice. As general guidance only:
- The Skills Development Levy (SDL) is 1% of payroll for employers above the threshold[3].
- Submitting your WSP and ATR on time recovers the mandatory grant — up to 20% of the levy paid[1].
- The B-BBEE skills-development target is measured against 6% of the leviable amount — not 6% of payroll[4].
Building training into the WSP and ATR supports both team capability and your transformation scorecard, and developing staff from designated groups can contribute toward those points. This is general information, not financial or legal advice — confirm specifics with your SETA, B-BBEE verification agency or Skills Development Facilitator.
Why BOTI
BOTI (Business Optimization Training Institute) is a South African corporate training provider with 450 courses and clients including Sasol, Glencore and the City of Johannesburg. Most clients pair the template with a programme from our range:
- Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) training — train the person who owns and submits your WSP.
- What is a Workplace Skills Plan? — background on the WSP, ATR and SETA cycle.
- Understanding B-BBEE skills development — how your WSP beneficiaries feed the scorecard.
- Human Resource Management course — broader HR capability for the team that owns compliance.
- The full BOTI course range — programmes you can plan into your WSP.
Frequently asked questions
What is a workplace skills plan template? A structured form for setting out the training your staff will receive over the coming year, broken down by occupational level, race, gender and disability. It captures your employer and SDF details, employment profile, skills priorities and planned interventions, so you can submit your WSP to your SETA, claim the mandatory grant and support your B-BBEE skills-development score.
When is the WSP submission deadline in South Africa? The Workplace Skills Plan and Annual Training Report are submitted to your SETA by 30 April each year. Submitting on time and correctly qualifies you for the mandatory grant — up to 20% of the Skills Development Levy you have paid. Missing the deadline means forfeiting that grant.
Who needs to submit a Workplace Skills Plan? Any employer that pays the Skills Development Levy (generally those above the SDL threshold) should submit a WSP and ATR to recover the mandatory grant and support its B-BBEE scorecard. The plan is usually compiled by an appointed Skills Development Facilitator.
Does completing a WSP help our B-BBEE and skills-development score? Yes. The beneficiary breakdown in your WSP feeds your B-BBEE skills-development element directly. As general guidance, the skills-development target is measured against 6% of the leviable amount, and the SDL is 1% of payroll. Confirm specifics with your B-BBEE verification agency — this is general information, not financial advice.
Can BOTI train our Skills Development Facilitator to complete the WSP? Yes. BOTI’s SDF training is a practical, facilitator-led skills programme that equips the person who owns your WSP to complete the template, meet the SETA cycle and deadline, and prepare a complete grant claim and scorecard record; delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance (this is not an accredited qualification). Delivery is in-house at your premises anywhere in South Africa, at BOTI’s venue in Sunningdale, Johannesburg, or online. Request a quote on 011-882-8853.
Plan your WSP and train your SDF
Turn your annual WSP into a planned, well-claimed process. Request a quote — phone 011-882-8853 or use the BOTI contact form. Tell us about your WSP, ask for help with a training needs analysis, and we will recommend the right SDF or skills-development training.
More questions
What is the difference between a workplace skills plan and an annual training report?
The Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) sets out the training you plan for your staff over the coming year, broken down by occupational level, race, gender and disability. The Annual Training Report (ATR) mirrors the WSP’s planned-training section but records the training that actually took place in the previous year. Employers submit the two together to their SETA by 30 April each year[1] to claim the mandatory grant.
Is there a workplace skills plan PDF we can fill in?
SETAs take the WSP and ATR through their own online systems, and those systems vary slightly, so check the format your SETA asks for. Use the eight sections on this page (employer details, SDF details, employment profile, skills priorities, planned training, beneficiary breakdown, PIVOTAL training and sign-off) to gather your information first, then capture it on your SETA’s system before 30 April.
What happens if we miss the 30 April WSP deadline?
You forfeit the mandatory grant for that year. The grant, 20% of the Skills Development Levy you paid[1], depends on submitting the WSP and ATR on time and being up to date with your levy payments. Mandatory grant money that is not claimed moves to the SETA’s discretionary funding by 15 August[1], and a missed or weak submission also weakens the skills-development element of your B-BBEE scorecard.
When can we start submitting the WSP and ATR?
Each SETA sets its own submission window, and the deadline is 30 April. merSETA, for example, opens its window on 1 February[5]. Do the groundwork before the window opens: update your employment profile from payroll, run your training needs analysis and convene the training committee, so that only the capture and sign-off remain.
A template only helps if the person completing it understands the WSP and ATR cycle and the SETA grant rules. BOTI’s Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) Training Course is a three-day course for that person. It runs in-house at your premises, at BOTI’s venue in Sunningdale, Johannesburg, or online, and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance.
Sources
- Mandatory Grants – Health and Welfare SETA (HWSETA), 2026.
- SAQA qualification record 102161: Occupational Certificate: Office Administrator – South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), 2026.
- Skills Development Levy – South African Revenue Service (SARS), 2026.
- Codes of Good Practice on B-BBEE: Code Series 300, Statement 300 – Skills Development (Government Gazette 42496) – Department of Trade and Industry, 31 May 2019.
- Grants Policy 2025/26 – merSETA, 2024.