ETDP SETA CAREER GUIDE - The Institute of People Development

6. Critical skills in the ETD sector
6.1. What are critical skills?
Critical skill is a skill required within an occupation to ‘top-up’ performance. These
can be generic or specific. Key or generic skills, in SAQA-NQF terminology, would
include critical cross-field outcomes such as cognitive skills like problem solving,
learning to learn, language and literacy, mathematics, ICT and working in teams. And
particular occupationally specific “top-up” skills required for performance within an
occupation might include, for example, use of a smart board to teach graphs in
science within science educator occupation (DoL, 2005).
Examples of critical skills required for different occupations:
The main critical skills in the ETD Sector were identified through an extensive
ETDPSETA research project which included extensive feedback from 1105 ETD
organisations. The Comprehensive Report on Scarce and Critical Skills found
the following main critical skills shortages across the sector:
One surprising result, given the widespread concern about the mathematics and
science deficit in the country, is the fact that mathematical skills are not listed as
requiring generic ‘top-up’ skills. However, numbers are too small to place any
weight on this result.
In order of priority, Office Administrators require further training in computer skills
(70.7%), followed by problem solving skills (61.5%), then communication (28.8%),
interpersonal communication skills (22.9%) and time-management skills (21.5%).
ECD (pre-primary school) teachers require training on communication skills
(48.6%), computer skills (42%), problem solving skills (40.6%), language skills
(37.7%) and time-management skills (23.2%).
In the case of the occupation of secretary (general), the following training
requirements are listed: computer skills (61.5%), problem-solving (51.9%),
communication (31.9%), interpersonal communication skills (31.1%), timemanagement
skills (23.7%) and language skills (20%).
The skill type listed as top for Chief Executives and Managing directors is ‘problem
solving’ (71.1%), followed by critical thinking (42.2%), interpersonal communication
skills (39.8%), time management (33.7%), communication skills (27.7%), computer
skills (22.9%) and language skills (20.5%).
Primary School teachers require the greatest development in computer skills
(81.3%), followed by problem solving (46.3%), communication (45%), time
management (40%), language (37.5%), interpersonal communication (27.5%)
and critical thinking (20%).
Occupation
Problem
solving
skills
Critical
thinking
skills
Time
management
skills
Inter
personal
communication
skills
Language
skills
Communication
skills
Computer
skills
Office Administrators 61.5% 21.5% 22.9% 28.8% 70.7%
Early Childhood 40.6% 23.2% 37.7% 48.6% 42.0%
(Pre-primary School)
Teachers
Secretary (General) 51.9% 23.7% 31.1% 20.0% 31.9% 61.5%
Chief Executives and 71.1% 42.2% 33.7% 39.8% 20.5% 27.7% 22.9%
Managing Directors
Primary School 46.3% 20.0% 40.0% 27.5% 37.5% 45.0% 81.3%
Teachers
Note that the percentages refer to the percentage of organisations who listed these skills
as critical skills shortages. Also note that this is not a comprehensive list of all the critical
skills; only those which a large number of organisations said were critical skills.
A Guide to Career Opportunities in the Education, Training and Development Sector 24