Entrepreneurs who are passionate about education and training might want to turn this passion into a lucrative business. So, if you want to learn how to start a training business, read on!
It’s no secret that South Africa has a giant skills gap. Advocates for adult training and skills development champion training and education that operates in the NQF and addresses this gap.
Adult training is known by many names and focuses on improving the integration of knowledge and skills development of school leavers. It is sometimes also referred to as adult learning, but in policies, you will see adult basic education and training (ABET). The journey to become what it is today was complicated and steered by the labour and industry sectors. Eventually, the outcomes or competency-based education and the integration of education and training were established. It took shape when the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) Act (No. 58 of 1995) was passed. This meant that education and training began to be integrated into one national qualifications framework (NQF).
The government and all stakeholders implemented this competency- or standards-based system to work toward global competitiveness and an effective workforce. In theory, this means that South Africa’s adult training is aligned with international standards, encouraging our workforce to compete on a global scale.
For more information about ABET in South Africa, you can study the Policy on Adult Basic Education and Training.
What is a Training Business?
A training business, -company or a training provider are used interchangeably to mean the same thing. These organisations focus on delivering adult basic education and training that range from technical skills to soft skills.
Training providers deliver a service to learners that includes instruction, providing course/training materials, and guidance on becoming competent (ABET speak for “passing” the course. Learners are marked Competent or Not Yet Competent during assessment). Other additional services such as moderation, administrating the process of receiving your certificate, or registering clients with their respective regulating bodies (SETAs) can also be provided.
Companies such as these often consist of staff members who help with administrative tasks such as bookkeeping and finances, scheduling training, marketing and secretarial work. However, industry-specific jobs include staff that are facilitators, assessors, moderators and in some cases even training material developers (learning designers).
How to Become an Accredited Training Provider
If you want to become an accredited training provider, there are two aspects to it.
First, you need to establish your training business, and second, you need accreditation.
Legal Requirements
All legal and regulatory requirements to starting a business applies to establishing your company. Therefore, you should go through the steps of registration, opening bank accounts, finding a business property to rent, creating a business plan and developing your pricing.
It’s important to note that your business needs to focus on how to develop its niche. You need to understand the sphere of your business you will be operating in. Is it to train artisans? Provide first aid training? General office work accreditation? Or are you bringing your own expertise from an industry like aviation, agriculture or tourism?
From here, you can refine your niche. What are you offering besides facilitation and course materials? What is your unique approach that other training providers don’t have?
Accreditation Requirements
Once you have the above completed, you need to ensure your training facility is accredited. This includes:
- ETDP SETA accreditation for facilitators, assessors, and moderators.
- Accreditation for every programme intended to be offered. This can be obtained from the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) and the SETAs as delegated by the QCTO.
- Ensure that you are registered with the applicable SETA.
- Develop your training programme and ensure that it is accredited. You can rely on a freelance learning designer for this, or you can purchase training materials from other training providers.
- Ensure that you have a proven track record for all the accreditations mentioned above. (A proven track record is trainer lingo for a paper trail).
- You should also be registered with the Department of Education.
- The learning materials offered under the qualification for a specific unit standard programme must fall within the scope of the SETA where you are registering.
- The programme or unit standard must be registered within the NQF.
- You must provide learning support.
- The assessment method used to measure competence must be fair, valid and reliable to enhance learning. Learning designers who are qualified to develop assessment tools ensure these criteria are met.
How to Apply to Become a Training Provider
According to the government’s website, applicants need to follow the following steps:
- Send a letter of your intention to be accredited as a provider of education and training to the relevant ETQA.
- Submit a self-evaluation and application form to ETQA.
- If you are not granted accreditation and you feel the process was unfair, you have a right to appeal.
- This process takes up to six months, but it is free to apply (and appeal). Once you apply with the ETQA, they will supply you with all the relevant documentation.
Steps in Becoming Accredited
Here is an outline of the steps you will need to follow during the accreditation process:
- The provider must compile the QCTO Quality Assurance Management Division requirements.
- Next, the training provider must submit the completed accreditation application form.
- The QCTO will conduct a compliance check whereafter the training business will be notified about compliance or non-compliance.
- You will need to respond where necessary.
- Once the business is compliant, a QCTO evaluator.
- A report of the evaluation will be sent through. It will show the status of the accreditation. Should accreditation not yet be awarded, areas of remediation will be outlined.
- After accreditation is awarded, the company can confirm registration with the DHET
Armed with the knowledge of how to start a training business and become an accredited training provider, you can now become a business that grows skills among South Africans. This might take a while to get up and running, but Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is any business. Be patient and follow the legal steps.
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