Opportunity Issue 107

SKILLS TRAINING team of

SKILLS TRAINING team of people at CHIETA. We are a people-centric organisation that focuses on high-impact, qualitative results. We adopted a zero-tolerance approach to non-compliance and a “people first, everything else second” philosophy. We actively seek to empower, recognise and reward our people. In return, our people delivered the results, in this case, a first clean audit outcome after five years. This clean audit outcome signifies a SETA that works! CHIETA’s digital transformation strategy aims to be offering digitised skills development and training services by 2025. I have had the privilege of acquiring a vast range of experience and innovation skills such as observational, discovery and networking skills. I now have an innovator’s DNA! Importantly, I have developed a relational intelligence (RQ) that has assisted me greatly in my current position as CEO of CHIETA. How did CHIETA achieve a clean audit? CHIETA received a clean audit outcome for the first time in five years. The key factor of success was our people. We have a great What are your broader goals for CHIETA? To be a fully digitised, innovation-driven SETA that is not just about skills development, but about sustainable livelihoods and improving the quality of life. We want to support the end-to-end value chain of sustainable livelihoods. This means supporting more startups and SMMEs, so we must achieve our target of 2 000 SMMEs supported by the chemical SETA, and more than 200 co-operatives. We have a goal of establishing nine SMART Skills Centres in every province by 2025. We are measuring grand goals such as livelihoods and the impact created through supporting more chemical startups, SMMEs, retrenched workers, gender-based violence and other social programmes, new hydrogen skills projects, VR-based training and the use of AI in education and training. We want to impact 100 000 livelihoods by 2025. As an innovation leader in education, skills development and training we don’t want to train for the sake of training and contribute to employment. Our broader goal is to improve the quality of life by focusing on sustainable livelihoods. Pan African Hydrogen Skills Conference The Chemical Industry Education and Training Authority (CHIETA), together with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), have hosted a number of events connected to the Green Hydrogen Economy. One such event was the Pan African Hydrogen Skills Conference held in Cape Town in December 2022. Other conference partners were Impact Hydrogen (Netherlands), the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI), the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies at Stellenbosch University, Durban University of Technology and the National Business Institute (NBI). The conference was officially opened by the Minister of Higher Education, Science And Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, pictured, who noted how CHIETA has repositioned itself to innovate for impact. The conference is an example of CHIETA providing leadership on skills development for the hydrogen economy. Under the title "Industry Perspectives, Experiences and Skills required for the Hydrogen Economy", the conference unpacked the skills required to bring about sustainable green economic growth and development. In the pursuit of a Just Energy Transition, Minister Nzimande stressed the need for even closer collaboration between industry (small and large), educational and financial institutions, investment partners and governments. 24 | www.opportunityonline.co.za

Innovating for impact CHIETA aims to provide skills for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and beyond. The Chemical Industries Education & Training Authority (CHIETA) is a statutory body that was established by The Skills Development Act 97 of 1998. Our purpose as a SETA is to facilitate skills development in the chemical and manufacturing industries and to ensure that skills needs are identified and addressed through a number of initiatives by the SETA and the sector. A Trusted Partner in Skills Development and Training for the Chemical Sector. Approximately 70 % of the Skills Development Levies that are obtained from the chemical industry are distributed back to member companies through grants. CHIETA also works in close collaboration with the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations to design and develop occupational qualifications and trades, quality assurance, accreditation, monitoring as well as certification of competent learners. Fourth Industrial Revolution In terms of CHIETA’s digitisation strategy, the fully automated, end to-end digitised SMART Skills Centre will be rolled out in every province of the country by 2025. WHAT WE OFFER: Learners The CHIETA offers learnerships and other youth programmes to unemployed youth with the aim of promoting employability in line with government policy as per National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS III) objectives Skills development training providers Accreditation processes for training providers and for assessors and moderators. Training providers of education and training must be accredited with an Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) body under the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) Employers The CHIETA makes grant funding available during a window period in which it accepts applications from the employers. The opening of this window is advertised on the CHIETA website, national and community media CHIETA ACHIEVEMENTS Highlights from the CHIETA 2022/23 Integrated Annual Report • Unqualified clean audit opinion from the Auditor-General of South Africa • 100% performance against planned targets approved by DHET • 30 032 Learners supported through career exhibitions • 108 Co-operatives supported • 576 SMMEs supported • 6 036 Certificates issued by CHIETA ETQA CONTACT DETAILS 72 New Road, Glen Austin AH (Grand Central), Midrand 1685 Email: info@chieta.org.za | Tel: +27 87 357 6608 | Tel: +27 11 628 7000 | Website: www.chieta.org.za