Register as a Skills Development Facilitator (SDF)?
Introduction
Before you can Register as a Skills Development Facilitator (SDF)? you need to first qualify as an SDF. This means that you have to successfully complete the training and obtain the necessary credits for the required unit standards.
How can I become a Skills Development Facilitator?
You have to attend Skills Development Training with an accredited training provider
Some accredited training providers provide training in the minimum number of unit standards required by a learner to qualify as an SDF. In cases like these the successful candidate has the necessary knowledge and skills to perform the basic functions of an SDF,
In other cases the training provider may offer the core SDF unit standards and add additional unit standards that will extend the scope of the SDF’s functions and roles within a company either in the Training or the HR Department or both.
All credits awarded after assessment get registered on the National Learner Record Database (NLRD) and can be accumulated as building blocks towards further learning and training within the Human Resources and ODETD fields.
Once the credits are registered and awarded, the successful candidate will receive a Statement of Results (SOR) from the ETDP SETA that reflects all the credits awarded. The candidate is then a certified Skills Development Facilitator (SDF).
Prior to being appointed as an SDF or perform the duties of an SDF you need to register as an SDF with the relevant SETA.
How do I register as an SDF?
Before that question can be answered, you need to understand that the different types of SDFs, their role and responsibilities.
Types of Skills Development Facilitators
There are two main types of SDFs:
- The SDF that is an employee of a company
- The SDF that is contracted by one or more companies to perform the Skills Development duties for the specific company or group of companies.
The SDF that is an employee of the company
This type of SDF is
- a new employee who was especially appointed in this position, or
- an existing employee who has been given the SDF responsibilities in addition to his/her normal duties.
The independent/external SDF
In this case the SDF is:
- A person who has been formally contracted to take on the position or
- A person that has been appointed by a number of emplyees to assess the group’s skills development needs.
What is the role of the SDF?
In both scenarios, the SDF will act as a liaison between the company and the SETA on skills development matters.
What are the responsibilities of an SDF?
The SDF must:
- Liaise with the relevant Seta;
- Develop quality assurance systems for the company
- Develop, submit and implement the company workplace skills plan
- Draft an implementation report against the WSP
- Inform the company what the SETA’s quality assurance requirements are.
The list of responsibilities can be expanded in relation to the demands of the company and the specific requirements stated in the appointment agreement.
So, now that I understand the role and responsibilities of the SDF, how do I register as an SDF?
The complete process from training to registration can be depicted as follows:
Each SETA has their own process for registerin Skills Development Facilitators, e.g. filling in forms and submitting these to the relevant SETA, completing online applications for registration, etc.
How do I know which SETA I should register with?
You need to identify the which SETA the relevant company/ companies have been registered with. This can be determined by finding out which SETA their Skills Development Levies are paid to and also to whom they have to submit their WSP and ATR.
Once you know who the SETA is, then you can consult their website to obtain the necessary forms and procedures for registration as an SDF.
In the case of independent contractors, this might mean that you have to register with more than one SETA.
What basic requirements are there for registration?
There are a number of basic requirements for registration as an SDF that are common to all the SETAs:
- You need to be a qualified SDF. In other words you need to have a Statement of Results indicating that you have completed the required training.
- You need to submit a certified copy of your ID
- Even if you are acting as an indeppendent/contracted SDF, you need to be attached to the company where you will be acting as SDF.
- You need to complete and submit the registration forms of the relevant SETA.
I am not attached to a company but I want to do freelance SDF work, what now?
You need to:
- identify possible companies that would be interested in appointing you as an SDF.
- Liaise with them to identify their skills development needs
- Submit your CV, ID and SOR to them for perusal and possible discussion for approval by their training committee.
- Should they be interested you need to obtain relevant information and signatures from them for the submission of your registration form.
- The information could include:
- the name,
- physical address
- contact details of the company
- the tax reference number
- their Skills Development Levy (SDL) number
- signatures of relevant role players, including those of the training committee representatives.
- The registration form with supporting documents can be submitted by your or some SETAs may require the company to submit the registration forms. Requirements for registration will be SETA specific.
The bottom line is to consullt the websites of the different SETAs or to contact the different SETAs to determine their requirements for registration and then to follow the process.
Where can I find a list of the different SETAs?
The SAQA website contains a comprehensive list of all the SETAs and their contact details. You can click on the link below in order to access the list of SETAs and other quality councils.
http://www.saqa.org.za/show.php?id=5742
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