Sector Skills Programmes & Qualifications
A Skills Programme is:
- An occupationally-directed programme comprising an agreed cluster of unit standards and, will have practical (work-place) experience;
- Constructed to constitute credits towards NQF registered qualifications;
- Delivered by an accredited provider, and
- So designed to achieve one or a combination of the following:
- Post qualification specialization;
- Competence in compliance with legislation;
- Employable skills; and
- Addresses the identified skills needs of the Industry.
A skills programme can be considered a mini-qualification in that it comprises an agreed cluster of unit standards (credits towards a registered qualification.) It goes further than a qualification in that the design of the programme may specify the sequence in which the unit standards must be achieved and the practical (workplace) experience that forms part of the programme. A skills programme, when completed, will constitute credit towards a NQF registered qualification. This means that some, or all of the unit standards in the skills programme form part of the list of unit standards comprising a qualification. Credits obtained during the course of a skills programme will thus constitute credits towards the qualification. The Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) registers a skills programme.