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A significant benefit for every young person today is the acquisition of work-related skills through vocational training. The acquisition of skills broadens their possibilities and empowers them as individuals. It encourages individuals to develop their networking, time management, and communication skills, in addition to the primary skills that students learn. Skills in training also lead to economic growth and development.
Throughout South Africa, millions of young people are trying to learn new skills and develop existing ones. SETAs allow young people who need more training or additional skills to improve their skills by providing them with a forum. In each industrial sector, trade unions, government agencies, employers, and bargaining councils (where applicable) constitute SETAs. There are currently 21 SETAs covering each economic sector, and the private and public sectors are responsible for these SETAs.
The mission of the Banking Sector Education and Training Authority (BANKSETA) is to help, through partnerships, the transformation and growth of people and to encourage stakeholders to advance the national and global role of the wider banking and microfinance industry.
The guiding concepts of BANKSETA are:
Its mandate is the following:
When some other SETAs underwent radical changes in March 2011, the South African BANKSETA did not change its position. Instead, BANKSETA has continued to operate just as it was founded in 1998 and launched in March 2000.
The scope of education and training coverage in the banking sector was approved by the Government in 2000 and still includes:
Thousands of high school and college graduates set out to look for work every year, but many soon find that their quest is fruitless and does not deliver anything important. The available ratio of jobs to job seekers is significantly poor, demonstrating the SETA program’s significant importance. Some of the major beneficiaries of SETAs are individuals who want to run thriving small-scale enterprises, people with disabilities, and those who need to improve their current skills.
BANKSETA was expected to establish a sectoral skills plan within its clear terms of reference, which would operate within the context of the national skills development policy laid down at that time for this particular SETA.
Within the criteria set by the Government, which were to enforce the skills sector plans and encourage learning, BANKSETA succeeded in implementing the skills sector plan by:
Several other very relevant roles in the banking sector related to the disbursal of skills development levies and the SAQA Act have been difficult to enforce for many other sectors technically. This industry was also responsible for liaising with both the national skills growth strategy and policy and its business skills plan with the National Skills Authority and other SETA bodies, which it has done very effectively.
BANKSETA also had to report to the Director-General on the execution of its sectoral skills plan and its revenue and expenditure and to liaise with the Department of Labour’s employment services to enhance the standard of knowledge available under South African education legislation. For new learners, this is extremely necessary. This lets learners understand where to find the right providers of education and training, some of whom provide a brief course and others who provide online courses and even college courses and find practical and sustainable job opportunities.
BANKSETA has also had to designate, as a responsible and well-established sector, the appropriate office bearers and staff expected to fulfill all these duties and functions. Plus, to help SETA achieve its objectives, they had to encourage the involvement of the right government departments.
The banking sector is carefully supervised by legislation. To achieve their goals in the long term, BANKSETA must train all learners not only in terms of legislation but also on the necessary knowledge.
However, while the Government considered BANKSETA to be more concerned with the relevant law, this SETA was more concerned with the “purposes of the Act. In effect, this is what will ensure that it is easier for learners and newly eligible students to enter the job market to get work. To this end, the Government categorically notes that the goal of BANKSETA must be:
The accreditation of providers is the responsibility of BANKSETA. They do this by employing:
Accreditation providers are of two categories, namely Constituent Providers and Non-constituent Providers. Constituent providers are providers of single-purpose training who tend to work within the main objective of BANKSETA.
Non-constituent providers, on the other hand, are training providers who are certified with a separate ETQA and would like to integrate training into the BANKSETA-scope learning programs.
For three years, applicants who follow all the requirements laid down will receive complete accreditation. Accreditation will be related to the services that the provider will provide (qualifications and unit standards). Applicants meeting the minimum requirements set will, on the other hand, receive complete accreditation for one year. Accreditation will be related to the services that the provider will provide (qualifications and unit standards). Monitoring and evaluation will occur during this time, and the accreditation will be extended for three years if it is compliant. Should additional qualifications and unit requirements need to be made by a constituent of a non-constituent provider, a request for an expansion of their reach should be completed.
Six months before the expiry of accreditation, the provider is obligated to apply for re-accreditation. Re-accreditation will rely on the outcomes of monitoring reports from the provider. Accreditation will not be received by applicants who do not adhere to the defined minimum requirements. Within the agreed period, the provider and the ETQA will agree on the outstanding conditions to be achieved. The provider will be re-assessed at the end of the time frame. The ETQA would provide development support to a fully qualified constituent provider, where such support could include selected interviews, minimal monitoring, and workshops. Although retaining the provider’s obligation to coordinate its processes and policies, the ETQA will provide guidance and advice. The ETQA will conduct a maximum of two verifications and two desktop assessment visits to assist the provider after the provider has completed the self-evaluation. The provider may opt to call a professional for assistance at his own expense if the application fails to succeed.
One of the Skills Development Act aims to stimulate the development of previously disadvantaged people’s skills to encourage South Africa’s economy’s growth and development. This mandate is accomplished by efficiently disbursing skills development funds in compliance with the SETA Grant regulations. BANKSETA raises funds within its sub-sectors from levy-paying employers. It disburses these funds as follows:
Discretionary grants are necessary to contribute to skill development and training programs. The provision of professional, vocational, technical, and academic learning programs or other learning programs including the following shall constitute the major part of discretionary funding:
According to the National Qualifications System, these training initiatives are required to result in qualifications or part-time qualifications, as provided for in the Grant Regulations. During a period during which it accepts applications from employees, BANKSETA makes these funds available. The opening of this time will be made public on the BANKSETA website and national radio and newspaper stations.
BANKSETA also disburses grants to non-PIVOTAL initiatives for discretionary funding. Such initiatives do not relate to any accepted standardized requirements but are also intended to establish sub-sectors. This involves research projects that BANKSETA and related organizations will undertake.
Ten percent of discretionary funding is used for particular programs that address college capacity training and public service training for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
Based on BANKSETA’s discretion, discretionary grants can also be distributed. This depends on the accessibility and availability of allocated funds, the BANKSETA Accounting Authority (Board of Directors) ‘approval, and the fulfillment of specified criteria: the BANKSETA Discretionary Grants Policy and Guidelines.
If the organization meets the conditions for obtaining the grants and employees have paid their levies, the SETA pays mandatory grants every fourth quarter. The levy-paying employer has to satisfy the following conditions to be eligible to receive the mandatory grant:
One of the SETA opportunities is an orderly learning process to gain academic knowledge and practical workplace skills. These well-organized processes of learning are time-based, not outcome-based, and understand the need for structured learning. The learning period varies, but it lasts an average of 18 months. The trainee has to complete at least four separate learning courses to get an artisan equivalent certification. This implies that the first four NQF level qualifications have to be completed.
There are also unique protocols that require other students, employers, and training providers to follow, including the following:
As soon as the learnership process is finished, whether he/she was unemployed, the employer can either sign the learner for a new learning process, engage the learner, or let go of the learner for potential hiring by another company.
A learnership should include the following components under the Skills Development Act:
The qualifications for BANKSETA are managed by the Skills Development Act, the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), and Quality Council for Trade and Occupations (QCTO). The QCTO controls professional qualifications and supervises the development of new ones. The QCTO also replaces professional qualifications that were awarded by SETAs with occupational qualifications to training providers. It is also the Council’s responsibility to de-register certificates with no intake of learners for some time.
There is a revised quality assurance framework for the BANKSETA where the QCTO oversees all quality assurance functions while the Development Quality Partner (DQP) and Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) keep an eye on the development and restructuring of professional qualifications and also register assessors and moderators, respectively. From time to time, BANKSETA qualifications are established and restructured following step by step procedures. BANKSETA member organizations and other stakeholders send an application to BANKSETA to establish a new qualification or consolidation of existing qualifications. The BANKSETA submits this to the QCTO. After these steps, the bodies sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and BANKSETA appoints the QDP. The BANKSETA manages the restructuring of qualifications sends to the QCTO for approval.
The SAQA ID, Qualification title, NQF level and Training providers of the BANKSETA are listed below.
SAQA ID | Qualification Title | NQF Level | Training Providers |
20183 | National Banking Certificate Level 2 | 02 | FirstRand Bank The Institute of Bankers |
20184 | National Banking Certificate Level 3 | 03 | FirstRand Bank Compuscan Academy OnTrack Learning Solutions CC The Institute of Bankers The Banking and Financial Services Campus |
20185 | National Banking Certificate Level 4: Retail Foreign Exchange | 04 | Chartall Business College Absa Learning & Development Felix Risk Training Consultants The Banking and Finacial Services Campus OnTrack Learning Cornerstone Performance Solutions (Pty) Ltd Solutions CC FirstRand Bank Test Company The Institute of Bankers |
20185 | National Banking Certificate Level 4: Asset Based Finance | 04 | Chartall Business College Absa Learning & Development Felix Risk Training Consultants FirstRand Bank The Institute of Bankers Cornerstone Performance Solutions (Pty) Ltd OnTrack Learning Solutions CC The Banking and Finacial Services Campus Test Company |
20186 | National Certificate: Banking | 05 | African Bank LtdCornerstone Performance Solutions (Pty) LtdAbsa Learning & DevelopmentTest CompanyChartall Business CollegeFull Value Financial Services (Pty) LtdFelix Risk Training ConsultantsPlumb Line Risk AlignmentFirstRand BankCulhane ConsultingFNB Branch Banking Knowledge AcademyIntellivest Holdings (Pty) LtdOnTrack Learning Solutions CCSugarbush Training and DevelopmentThe Banking and Financial Services Campus |
23433 | National Certificate: Micro Finance | 04 | RUDO CONSULTING Compuscan Academy |
23433 | Further Education and Training Certificate: Micro Finance | ||
23453 | National Certificate: Micro Finance | 03 | Compuscan Academy Cornerstone Performance Solutions (Pty) Ltd RUDO CONSULTING cc Felix Risk Training Consultants First Rand Bank Test Company |
50481 | National Certificate: Financial Markets and Instruments | 06 | FNB Branch Banking Knowledge AcademyFelix Risk Training ConsultantsFirst Rand BankFull Value Financial Services (Pty) LtdIntellivest Holdings (Pty) Ltd |
The BANKSETA Bursary assists candidates in getting a good education and work opportunities. A candidate who wants to change their future and have a passion for learning should apply for an BANKSETA bursary.
BANKSETA covers the financing of bursaries by university collaboration arrangements. The service is comprehensive and holistic (covering tuition, textbooks, and accommodation, on or off-campus, depending on what has been arranged by the University).
Every year, BANKSETA announces a funding window for all public universities to apply for funding for unemployed students that study courses that are scarce and vital banking industry skills, such as:
Please note that BANKSETA does not directly recruit students to be part of the scholarship holders receiving a BANKSETA scholarship. According to the minimum criteria also laid down by BANKSETA, each University has its criteria for selecting learners to be part of the bursary.
The BANKSETA scholarship covers the full cost of the scholarship, including tuition fees, meal allowances, book fees, accommodation costs, and other costs, such as tutorial costs.
Before applying, applicants must meet the following minimum entry criteria (please note that failure to fulfill all the requirements would result in your application not being considered):
Download and complete the Application Form for the BANKSETA Bursary (.pdf)
Send valid copies of the following supporting documentation along with your completed application form (submission of these documents is mandatory; your request will be disregarded if any things are missing):
Completed application forms, along with supporting documents, can be submitting by sending an email to [email protected]. Enter the words “BANKSETA Bursary Application – Your Full Name” in the email subject.
Copyright text 2024 by Business Optimization Training Institute.