What is FP&M SETA?

The Fibre Processing and Manufacturing SETA is part of the 21 Sector Education and Training Authorities established in South Africa. This SETA was established in April 2011 by the Minister of Higher Education and Training shortly after the South African government decided to group sectors to enhance value-chain relationships between allied industries. The FP&M SETA is made up of 13 sub-sectors: packaging, footwear, clothing, furniture, forestry, general goods, printing, leather, publishing, print media, wood products, textiles, and pulp and paper sectors. Although set up independently, the sub-sectors are closely integrated. Collectively, they provide great value to South Africans by converting pulp, animal skins/hides, lumber, and natural or synthetic fibers into finished products. These finished products include clothing, protective equipment, shoes, furniture, industrial fabrics, paper, and paper boards. Its scope also extends into high-tech applications in several industries such as health, automotive, building construction, and other related industries. People can hardly go through a day without using one or more fiber processing and manufacturing sectors’ products. 

The FP&M SETA’s vision statement has been the motivation behind the activities of the sector. The SETA vision is to be a trustworthy and competent skills development associate guaranteeing excellent service delivery to build a highly-skilled world-class workforce through many skills development interventions. 

In the same vein, the mission statement of the FP&M SETA is “to establish a reliable institutional mechanism that aids an efficient and effective skills development process, using a continuum of quality services and partnerships, to add to the success of sector competitiveness, transformation, and economic growth.”

The FP&M SETA is committed to its values, which are:

• Integrity – valuing its mandate and doing what is right and appropriate;

• Accountability – Interpreting and taking responsibility and honoring their commitments.

• Respect – Pushing for good performance regarding all our stakeholders, embracing openness, trust, teamwork, diversity, and mutually beneficial relationships.

• Service Excellence – Aiming for the most excellent service and delivering it with pride.

• Inclusive, Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformational Interventions – Devising meaningful and positive interventions that impact the South African communities.

These interventions are specifically designed to collectively deliver inclusive economic growth and the attainment of economically independent individuals and communities, with a joint effort placed on people with disabilities, youth, women, and rural development. 

The Supply Chain Management (SCM) division of the FP&M SETA operates effectively to ensure the smooth running of FP&M activities. Activities of the division are governed by the FP&M SETA SCM policy as approved by the Board. The SCM policy and procedures are aligned to current legislation and regulations applicable to the procurement of goods and services. The policy makes provision for the application of good corporate governance principles, the inclusion of BEE compliant and SMME suppliers, and the pursuit of good value for money when procuring goods and services.

Functions of FP&M SETA

The SETAs were established for many purposes, but one of the most important ones is developing and facilitating skills acquisition in various sectors, which applies to the FP&M SETA in the fiber, processing, and manufacturing sectors. The SETAs also identify various skills development needs in different industries and are involved in maintaining national standards according to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). The SETAs are authorized to organize and implement sector skills plans and supervise the formal education and vocational training initiatives within the relevant sectors and sub-sectors. These sector skills plans help determine important and valuable skills in employers’ demand to empower the students and learners with such skills. The SETAs also supervise the implementation of these plans.

The SETAs also organize learnership programs for members of the workforce and those who are unemployed. These are learning opportunities that are important for learners and employers because they gain relevant skills through this training. To enhance the country’s tertiary education system, the SETAs promote the NQF interventions alongside the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). The contributions of the NQF towards the quality and standards of training have been very significant over the years. Another independent body, the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), is involved in quality assurance, and the SETAs work hand-in-hand with this organization. FP&M SETA, like the other SETAs, oversees the funding process in the fiber, processing and manufacturing industries by effectively disbursing the skills development levies generated from employers in the sector. These funds are used for managerial costs, grants, and bursaries in the sub-sectors. As statutory bodies established by the Act of Parliament, the SETAs are mandated to communicate with the Director of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) concerning public funds’ judicious use.

As an independent authority, the FP&M SETA works to ensure the availability of high standards and vital learning programs. They also oversee the maintenance of such set standards and make relevant skills and training easily accessible by all fiber, processing and manufacturing sectors.

As part of the obligations and responsibilities of FP&M SETA, it encourages skills development through some incentives and facilitates the acquisition of training by implementing several benefits strategies for learners. The twenty-one SETAs were established and implemented to achieve the aims and objectives of the Skills Development Act. These objectives include:

• Improving the levels of productivity in various sectors and industries;
• Developing and enhancing the skills of the South African youth that will culminate in economic development;
• Empowering the workforce with the much-needed training and education to be successfully self-employed;
• Increasing the standards of living of workers in different industries while improving their work prospects.

The thirteen chambers of the FP&M SETA also have roles to play within their different sub-sectors to achieve the goals of the FP&M SETA collectively. These roles include:

• To guide the South African Youth on the skills development path and to enable them to maximize their potential.
• To recognize the education and training needs within the sub-sectors and to assist in meeting these needs via numerous training programs and learning opportunities
• To provide leadership and counsel on issues that concern the growth of the sub-sectors
• To identify and execute strategic projects that will ensure development within the FP&M SETA as a whole.

Member organizations of the FP&M SETA and other key players are devoted to improving the quality of learning opportunities for the workforce and maintaining the standards that have been set while making available relevant and high-standard training and qualifications for those concerned. They are also committed to ensuring easy access to such quality learning and training opportunities to actualize the FP&M SETA vision, making available the relevant skills and adequate knowledge for all those in the fiber, processing and manufacturing sector.

FP&M SETA Accreditation

In line with the FP&M SETA values and the SETA at large, which are; accountability, integrity, respect, and service excellence, training providers must follow protocol and show that they operate according to the vision, mission, and values of the FP&M SETA. To this end, the providers of education and vocational training in the fiber, processing and manufacturing sector must be accredited by the FP&M SETA if they want to function accordingly. The FP&M SETA is accredited as an Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) body by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). It is, therefore, authorized to verify and accredit training providers in the sector.

The FP&M SETA prioritizes the delivery of its commitments and responsibilities in a transparent and accountable manner to meet key players’ needs and other stakeholders in the body and satisfy them. On this note, training providers in this sector will be accredited if they satisfy the standards and requirements according to the FP&M SETA goals. The training provider must provide evidence of the appropriate full and part qualification the training center provides according to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). There should also be systems and equipment that facilitate learning at these centers and verified assessors and moderators who handle the learners’ assessment. The designed training syllabus must satisfy the standards and qualifications, and the mode of evaluating learners must be valid and well-grounded.

All prospective training providers must contact the FP&M SETA because of the specific and detailed list of these training providers’ accreditation requirements. Accredited training providers deliver relevant training programs. The providers and institutions are easier to locate based on the program’s details and the province where interested candidates are located. To apply for accreditation, the prospective training providers must fill in the necessary application form and provide supporting documents, which include: a verified tax clearance certificate received from the South African Revenue Services (SARS) or proof of exemption; evidence of financial capability to provide training services during the time which the training provider is accredited; certificated showing registration status of the institution or company; proof of qualified and certified facilitators to provide relevant qualifications; credible occupational health and safety certificate for the particular occupation; evidence of learner appeal policy and specified code of conduct.

After providing and submitting necessary documents, The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), which is responsible for qualifications and standards for various occupations and trades across the country, will assess the submitted application and confirm the information’s credibility in the filled form and the supporting documents. Afterwards, the authenticity is verified; the QCTO informs the prospective SDP about the evaluation results. Suppose the application from a prospective training provider meets the requirements. In that case, the QCTO will suggest a date for a visit to the intended training site to assess commencement readiness. If the training provider does not meet the required standards, a letter will be sent stating this. After the site visit and positive accreditation outcome, a letter will be sent to the applicant, and the training provider will be accredited for five years.

FP&M SETA Funding

Funding is necessary to fulfill the mission statement of the FP&M SETA, which includes:

• Expanding the opportunities to acquire relevant skills and have easy access to training programs even in rural areas
• Providing high-quality training standards and qualifications that will culminate in the growth of the sector
• Creating an effective and standard system that facilitates skills development 

According to the Skills Development Levy Act (SDLA), all employers within the food and beverage manufacturing sector with an annual salary payroll of R500,000 or more must pay 1% of this salary as skills development levy towards the National Skills Fund (NSF), the administrative costs of running the FP&M SETA and grants.

Funding for FP&M SETA is generated from the skills development levy collected from employers in the fiber, processing and manufacturing sector. Administrative costs involve those incurred from managing and running the body. Ten percent of the levy used for FP&M SETA is allocated to these expenses. The remaining part of the levy is utilized for discretionary and mandatory grants.

The mandatory grants are designed to cover education and training programs and enable employers to organize and implement training programs for their employees.

Employers must satisfy specific guidelines before they can obtain mandatory grants, and these include:

• Employers must register with the commissioner of SARS.
• Employers must have paid all past levies at the time of approval.
• Employers must provide signed off evidence of consultation with organized labor where applicable
• Employers must have submitted the WSP and ATR to contribute to the FoodBev SETA Sector Skills Plan (SSP)
• Employers must be paid levies to the commissioner within the stipulated time
• Employers should make their first submission within six months of registering with SARS
• Employers must guarantee that they have been paying their levies to their concerned SETA
• Employers must submit all important documents before the deadline.

Mandatory grants that are not claimed before August every year are transferred to discretionary grant funding.

The FP&M SETA approves a discretionary grant policy every year, according to the SETA grant regulations. This policy will guide the disbursement of funds, bearing in mind the various programs and plans that the funds could support. These programs and plans include:

• Professional, Vocational, Technical, and Academic Learning (PIVOTAL)
• Scarce skills outlined in the SSP
• Bursaries for employees and those who are unemployed
• National Skills Development Strategies (NSDS) III initiatives
• The annual performance plan
• Trade Unions and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)
• National Skills Priorities

To receive discretionary grants, employers also need to satisfy the following guidelines;

• Employers must have sent in their ATR and WSP forms.
• Private training providers need to be accredited.
• Employers must be within the FP&M SETA jurisdiction, i.e., employers must work in the fiber, processing and manufacturing sector.
• Employers must have paid all due levies to date, except those who are exempted formally.
• Unemployed learners are eligible to apply for bursaries and specified programs.
• Only businesses with less than fifty employees can fill the PIVOTAL plan template as seen on the FP&M SETA website.
• Trade Unions and NGOs must be registered.

The application process is:

• Applicants should fill the application forms while adhering to the discretionary grants policy. There are separate forms for training providers, private and public employers, and unemployed learners.
• Documents detailing the company’s registration must be submitted.
• Proof of registration under professional bodies must be submitted.
• Evidence of payment of skills development levy or proof of exemption or proof of registration with SARS
• Personal details of the assessor and moderator for the qualification must also be submitted. 

How do you get a SETA Learnership?

A learnership is one of the non PIVOTAL programs and it refers to the structured learning process that helps learners gain educational knowledge and practical skills in the workplace. This is one of the opportunities which the SETAs including FP&M SETA offer students. These structured learning processes operate on an outcome-based system and acknowledge the need for prior learning. The time frame of learnerships differ but usually lasts for 18 months. Learners must complete four different learnerships in order to attain an artisan equivalent qualification (NQF level 4).

Learners must meet the following conditions before commencing a SETA Learnership:

• Existing employees or new entrants;
• Satisfy the selection guidelines set by the organisation taking on the learner;
• Satisfy the entry requirements for the learnership program they wish to enroll in as determined by the qualification requirements.

To obtain learnerships, there are specific outlined step-by-step processes that employers take;

1. Employers are workplace approved and are required to meet the pre-registration criteria.
2. Qualified assessors are available. They may be either in-house assessors or contracted assessors.
3. Training providers are accredited to provide the particular learnership by the ETQA.
4. Companies advertise learnership opportunities through the media.
5. A tripartite learnership agreement is signed among the employer, provider and learner.
6. Learners apply and are selected by the company recruitment process.
7. A Short-term employment contract is signed between the employer and the learner, assuming the learner is unemployed.
8. The learning programme and process are discussed and agreed to with the training provider.
9. Employers fund the learnership through grants obtained from SETA.
10. Employers and training providers deliver relevant learning and experience, working closely together to manage the training process.
11. Learners are provided with support through mentoring and feedback.
12. Learners are assessed by qualified assessors (formative and summative assessments)
13.  The FP&M SETA quality assuror is called to moderate the assessment. Internal moderation must be undertaken by the provider.
14.  A national qualification is awarded to the learner after successful completion of the learnership.
15.  Learners get a statement of results for unit standards obtained if learnership is not successfully completed.
16. On completion of learnership is completed, the employer may sign the learner on for a new learnership or employ the learner. The employer can also choose to release the learner for future employment by another organization if the learner was originally unemployed.

FP&M SETA Qualifications

The FP&M SETA qualifications are managed by the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), the Skills Development Act, and the Quality Council for Trade and Occupations (QCTO). The QCTO governs occupational qualifications and oversees the development of new ones. The QCTO also substituted legacy qualifications awarded to training providers by SETAs with occupational qualifications. The Council is also responsible for de-registering qualifications with no learner intake over some time.

The is a revised quality assurance framework for the FP&M SETA where the QCTO oversees all quality assurance functions while the Development Quality Partner (DQP) and Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) oversee the development and restructuring of professional qualifications and register moderators and assessors, respectively. FP&M SETA qualifications are developed and restructured from time to time following step by step processes. Member organizations of FP&M SETA and other stakeholders tender a request to develop a new qualification or restructuring of existing qualifications to the FP&M SETA. The FP&M SETA submits this to the QCTO. After these steps, the bodies sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and FP&M SETA appoints the QDP. The FP&M SETA manages the restructuring of qualifications sends to the QCTO for approval.      

The qualifications, NQF level, and minimum credits of the ETDP SETA are listed below.

FP&M SETA Bursary

FP&M SETA provides bursary students who are eligible and interested in working in the Fiber, Processing, and Manufacturing sectors. Bursaries cover tuition, textbooks, accommodation, feeding, and other related costs. FP&M SETA funds successful candidates with bursaries worth over R500,000, and candidates with debt from the previous academic year are considered when they are awarded the bursary. FP&M SETA evaluates students at different levels of studies to award eligible students with bursaries generated from discretionary grants.

For students to benefit from this bursary opportunity, they do not require to be academically sound but need to pass a “means test.” This test involves the level of family income and a bit of academic knowledge. Students may be given a bursary and supplemented by a scholarship if they can tender proof of financial need. It is conventional for the school bursar to ask that learners fill an application form, giving details of their financial situation, supported by proof in documents, including assets to obtain such a bursary. The school will evaluate the application according to its bursary policy. Often, the award will remain valid until the student writes the next public examination. Several schools re-evaluate bursaries every year to guarantee that the grounds and qualities upon which the student obtained the bursary remain.

Application Criteria for interested candidates:

• Must be accepted and enrolled to study in a particular academic year.
• Must be a South African citizen.
• Must be unemployed.
• Must be studying at a federal tertiary institution or university of technology in South Africa.
• Must have finished qualifications for the preceding year and awaiting results to graduate.
• Must be between 18 and 35 years.

Approved Fields of Study for the FP&M SETA bursary reflect the integrated nature of the body includes:

• Factory & Production Managers
• Printers
• Dyers
• Operators
• Technologists 
• Engineers
• Technical / Machine operators
• Support Staff
• IT Specialists

Interested candidates should send the following documents to be considered for the bursary:

• A filled application form.
• Evidence of Registration as a final year student.
• Student account from the university.
• Record of the previous academic year.
• Certified copy of ID document.
• Tax Clearance Certificate.
• Tax Compliance Status Verification PIN.

These documents are to be sent to [email protected].