The Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA), in support of its Beneficiation Strategy, wishes to invite all Jewellery and Diamond Processing companies in the Mining and Minerals Sector to apply for additional Learnership grants for the current 2007 – 2008 financial year.

The MQA Board approved additional funding on 30 October 2007 in order to register more Beneficiation Learners in Learnerships. The Skills Development Grant Regulations requires SETAs to prepare and distribute a schedule setting out the criteria in term of regulation 8 and the dates by which applications for the discretionary grants contemplated in regulation 7 must be submitted.

Against this background, the MQA Learnership Unit has developed a schedule setting out the criteria for the envisaged Learnership grants for Beneficiation. The said criteria together with the applicable application form are available on the MQA website.

Companies who want to apply for additional allocations should note that the grant amount will be R21 000 for Learnerships with a duration of 18 months. The grants will be paid as follows:

R7000.00 with the registration of the Learnership;

R7000.00 one year from the date of registration of the Learnership; and

R7000.00 on successful completion of the Learnership.

Companies who apply for additional allocations must please take note that the learners must be registered by not later than 29 February 2008. This invitation should not be confused with the annual grant application process that will start in the first quarter of 2008.

Application forms must be submitted to the MQA by 16h00 on 16 November 2007 where after companies will be informed of the outcomes of their applications by 23 November 2007.

Note: Where companies have different sites with different Levy numbers, the sites must apply individually.

Enquiries can be directed to Petro Smit on tel: 011 630 3514, fax: 011 832 1027 or e-mail: petros@mqa.org.za