South Africa's Shift towards QCTO Qualifications: Rediscovering the Future of Skills Development
What is QCTO?
QCTO (Quality Council for Trades and Occupations) is a statutory body established under the Skills Development Act of 1998, with the mandate to develop and manage occupational qualifications, assessments and quality assurance of education and training. QCTO is responsible for the Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework (OQSF) which is one of the three integrated sub-frameworks of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
The QCTO works closely with industry and professional bodies to develop and maintain occupational qualifications that are based on the needs of the labour market. It is also responsible for the development and implementation of the National Artisan Moderation Body, which ensures that artisans are trained to the highest standards and that their qualifications are nationally recognised.
In addition to its work on occupational qualifications, the QCTO is also responsible for managing the National Learners’ Records Database, which contains information on all learners who have participated in learnerships, skills programmes, and other forms of occupational training. The database helps to ensure that learner achievements are accurately recorded and can be verified by employers and other stakeholders.
Another body to consider is OQSF, which aims to provide a comprehensive system for the development, accreditation, assessment and certification of occupational qualifications, which are based on the skills and knowledge required for specific occupations. These qualifications are intended to address the skills needs of the South African economy and promote access to education and training opportunities for all.
What is the main objective of QCTO?
With QCTO taking over the management of quality assurance for accredited qualifications and skill programmes from the SETAs by June 2024, the organization will play a vital role in the development and implementation of occupational qualifications in South Africa. This transition is part of the broader reforms in the post-school education and training system, aimed at improving the quality and relevance of education and training in the country.
Overall, the QCTO plays a critical role in ensuring that South Africa’s skills development system is aligned with the needs of the economy, and the learners will not only gain a QCTO certificate but have access to high-quality occupational training that prepares them for the world of work.
What is the difference between QCTO and SETA?
How will the Role of the SETA’s change?
Because QCTO will be taking over the management of quality assurance for accredited qualifications and skill programmes, the role of SETAs will change. They will continue to perform a number of their current functions, such as the allocation of grant funding and the registration of learnerships. They will also be responsible for the phasing out of legacy qualifications.
Under the QCTO, SETAs will have additional responsibilities as Degree Qualification Profile (DQP) and Assessment Quality Partners (AQP) for occupational qualifications. This means that they will be responsible for the development of occupational qualifications at degree level, while the AQP role will involve quality assurance for assessments and examinations for these qualifications.
The role of SETAs will continue to be important in the skills development landscape, particularly in the sectors where they have expertise and experience. SETAs will still be responsible for identifying the skills needs of their respective sectors and promoting the development of relevant qualifications and programmes.
How do Occupational qualifications differ from Historical qualifications?
Firstly, historical qualifications were typically based on the achievement of a set of competencies, while occupational qualifications are competency-based and include a broader range of knowledge and skills required for specific occupations. Occupational qualifications are designed to equip learners with the necessary knowledge, skills, and work experience to perform effectively in their chosen occupation.
Secondly, occupational qualifications are driven by the needs of specific industries and are developed with input from industry stakeholders, ensuring that they are relevant and responsive to the needs of the economy. In contrast, historical qualifications may have been developed without significant input from industry stakeholders.
Thirdly, learners completing occupational qualifications are required to demonstrate their competence through a variety of assessment methods, including written exams, practical skills assessments, and work experience components. This differs from historical qualifications, where the emphasis was on demonstrating competence in a particular set of tasks.
Occupational qualifications are designed to be more comprehensive and relevant to the needs of specific industries than historical qualifications. They are competency-based and include a range of knowledge, skills, and work experience components, and are developed with input from industry stakeholders to ensure their relevance. Learners completing occupational qualifications are required to demonstrate their competence through a variety of assessment methods, including written exams, practical skills assessments, and work experience components.
What is a QCTO qualification?
1. Occupational qualifications:
A QCTO qualification or occupational qualification should have a minimum of 120 credits, but registered qualifications with less than 120 credits may be accepted if they cannot be classified as part of a full qualification. The qualification descriptor will explain why the qualification has less than 120 credits.
Occupational qualifications consist of three components: a theory or knowledge component, a practical component, and a workplace component, each of which must have a minimum of 20% of the total credits.
Occupational qualifications must include 5% to 10% of soft skills, such as personal development, self-learning, workplace preparation, personal finance management, basic entrepreneurship, or emotional intelligence.
2. Part-Qualifications
Part-qualifications can be part of more than one occupational qualification and should have no more than 120 credits. A learner who completes a part-qualification will receive an occupational certificate. Part-qualifications are designed to provide learners with a specific set of skills and knowledge related to a particular aspect of an occupation.
3. Skills Programmes
Skills programmes are credit-bearing occupational learning programmes that are not registered on the NQF but are recognized by the QCTO. Skills programmes can be recognized towards the achievement of an occupational qualification or part-qualification. A skills programme can be developed from a number of qualifications or part-qualifications, and learners completing a skills programme will be issued a certificate.
Examples of Industry Specific Qualifications
Transport:
SAQA 96368 Clearing and Forwarding Agent NQF 5 (120 Credits)
SAQA 96396 Freight Handler NQF 3 (122 Credits)
SAQA 99111 Supply Chain Practitioner NQF 5 (145 Credits)
Information Technology:
SAQA 119438 Software Tester NQF 5 (100 Credits)
SAQA 118649 Cloud Administrator NQF 4 (149 Credits)
SAQA 101408 Computer Technician NQF 5 (282 Credits)
SAQA 118788 Design Thinking Innovation Lead (100 Credits)
Services:
SAQA 118709 Commercial Cleaner NQF 1 (120 Credits)
SAQA 118740 Office Supervisor NQF 5 (240 Credits)
SAQA 101869 Project Manager NQF 5 (240 Credits)
SAQA 118769 Quality Assurer NQF 5 (106 Credits)
SAQA 117309 Quality Controller NQF 4 (173 Credits)
Wholesale and Retail:
SAQA 101863 Check Out Operator NQF2 (35 Credits)
SAQA 118726 Perishable Goods Replenisher NQF 2 (25 Credits)
SAQA 99576 Retail Supervisor NQF 4 (100 Credits)
SAQA 99669 Sales Assistant NQF 3 (54 Credits)
SAQA 99575 Dispatching and Receiving Clerk (34 Credits)
National Qualification Framework, Sub-Framework and Qualification Types
What is the advantage that a learner will have with the QCTO occupational qualifications?
Accelerating the processes for building occupational competence: The new model aims to provide clear learning pathways towards practice in an occupation in the actual workplace setting. It is designed to accelerate the processes for building occupational competence, so that learners can develop the necessary knowledge, skills, and work experience more efficiently.
Improving the quality and credibility of learner achievements: The new model aims to improve the quality and credibility of learner achievements, by ensuring that learners are assessed against clear standards of competence, and that their achievements are recognized and valued by employers.
Addressing the skills crisis: The new model aims to address the skills crisis in South Africa, by making the system more effective and efficient in responding to the skills needs of the labour market. It is designed to be more responsive to labour-market skills needs, including those of the informal sector and the public sector.
What does the National Qualification Framework hope to achieve with the changeover to Occupational Qualifications?
The changeover to an Occupational Qualification aims to improve the quality, relevance, and responsiveness of the skills development system in South Africa. It aims to provide clear learning pathways towards practice in an occupation in the actual workplace setting and accelerate the processes for building occupational competence, so that learners can develop the necessary knowledge, skills, and work experience more efficiently. It also aims to address the skills crisis in South Africa and provide an alternative pathway for young people and workers to access learning, work experience, and employment.
Strengthening the occupational arm of the NQF: The new model aims to strengthen the ‘occupational arm’ of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) in order to accommodate the unique learning requirements for building occupational competence. By strengthening this ‘arm’ of the NQF, the QCTO will provide an alternative pathway for young people and workers to access learning, work experience, and employment.