FET & SKILLS EDUCATION

[BBBEE_CompSpec]

Dave, you have a follow up to complete.

[Marq]

If you get to 45 years of age, have no matric, but working experience. Fear not. Matric is no longer required.

So by age 65 you should have an equivalent of a degree and be able to do your mba

I dont know what your stats are but I cannot see many 45 year olds with only work experience doing a theoretical course that will actually help them get ahead in their field.

There may be 28m online free courses - but how many of those are actually recognised within industry or the corporate world within SA, say. Its all very well doing a course to learn something and know how something works but will that course help put food on the table or get that person some recognition for promotion. Usually the answer is negative. In-house courses will usually only work within the company that organised them but as soon as the person moves to another company they are back to square one. It may give them some warm feeling about the persons abilities but it will not usually be recognised.

It seems there are two different scanarios and definitions here - skills, which teach one stuff without really adding cv value and Formal education, recognised accredited degrees and diplomas and pieces of paper that will add value. The first is easy to get if you look in the right places -can be cheap or even for free, but you get what you pay for. The second is extremely difficult if you have not progressed up a standard ladder of educating yourself. Thats just the entry requirements, before one looks at whether one can afford the level of education and certification that you may require.

There also seems to be much muttering on the level of proficiency and skills from people with pieces of paper, like a matric, in hand. This I would imagine lends a further problem to recognising matrics, degrees and diplomas. So basic skill sets without the relevant named organisation behind them will be pretty useless. I dont know that I would take on an employee who can only show me a free online course as their source of education or skill level?

Level of education and access to serious qualified educators is a huge problem that the world is going though, never mind just in SA.

[Dave A]

Dave, you have a follow up to complete.

Noted. A question though - will it make a difference?
This submission I made in 2005 went down like a lead balloon.

[Marq]

No