Skills Development and Workplace Skills Plan /Skills Audit
HR Planning
Its Objectives:To identify critical/scarce skills and talent to better meet the departments objectives. It engenders proactive and timeous recruitment and forecasts the human resources needs of the departments against the availability in the labour market
Addressing the HR needs of Dwaf: The plan is predicated on the departments strategic plan and the current skills , competencies and capacities of the current staff. It is also an attempt to flush out risk areas and is driven by Affirmative Action , Skills Development and the impact of HIV/AIDS on sustainable human resources
The HR Plan is underpinned by: MTEF Budgetary provision / Planning of Recruitment / Planning for Retention and Planning development and deployment
Consolidated HR Plan and Review: The Departments consolidated HR Plan is under review in terms of a Manco decision of June 2005 and is due at the end of September. The methodology and project plan approved by Manco
Recruitment and Selection
Principles: Recruitment is the prime instrument for obtaining skills necessary to meet the Departments strategic and operational Needs and for achieving employment equity goals - As compared with Skills Development. The stability of the Department largely depends on its human resources.
Advertising Recruitment and Selection (including recruitment outside of RSA e.g Cuban Contract)
Headhunting
Secondments
Internship/Learnership / Bursaries
Recruitment (reporting period 2004/05)
Retention Management
The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry is constantly looking to recruit and cultivate talent, not merely when a vacancy exists. This is the most effective strategy to attract the best available talent
At strategic management level the Department actively supports the policy to attract and keep talent.
Remuneration is not necessarily the only way in which Dwaf can retain staff, as a short term retention strategy it may work – until a ‘competitor’ outbid on salary alone.
The Department seeks to ensure the existence of adequate motivators like – career fulfilment and development, personal recognition, growth opportunities, flexibility, incentives, selective secondment, foreign travel
Statistics of Retention in DWAF
Scarce Skills Allowance - as a Retention Intervention
DWAF has identified a composite of scarce skills for submission to DPSA for purpose of scarce skills allowance
A process to determine whether demand of these skills outweigh supply
Determining the required advance knowledge , studies And specialisation and years of service
A comparative analysis of remuneration packages with Private Sector undertaken
Note: Once approval by DPSA a non pensionable SOC allowance will be paid
Turnover Rate by Salary Band (reporting period 2004/05)
Reasons why staff leave (reporting period 2004/05)
Imperatives of Skills Development:By developing the skills of staff the Department places itself in a position to improve its efficacy relative to its business objectives
Workplace Skills Plan:Compiled and submit on an annual basis in terms of the Skills Development Act and provides a barometer of the composite skills in the Department - also a basis of overall HR interventions like PMDS / Retention Management/Succession Planning etc
Skills Audit: A dedicated process within the Department to obtain credible baseline information of the skills profile of employees of the department. In comparing the skills profile with the basket of skills and competencies required by the Department the gap for intervention is ascertained. This provides for targeted intervention and cost analysis.
DWAF Initiatives: Sector Collaboration (Setas and DOE) / Bursaries /Internship/Learnership/ABET/ Awareness making through exhibitions (Nasrec) /Collaboration with SABC
Workplace Skills Plan /Skills Audit
Workplace Skills Plan for 1 July 2004 - 30 June 2005 duly submitted to LGWSETA
Note: Skills and qualification profile of DWAF Staff outlined
Skills Audit for SMS due for completion end of September
Training Needs Identified
DWAF Bursary System
Its Objectives: DWAF Bursaries are aimed at addressing the skills backlog and as a vehicle for addressing representivity in the Department and encourage entry to scarce occupational classes.
Feeder of Talent: External and Internal bursaries is a means to acquire relevant scarce occupational skills in anticipation of future departmental needs and to develop current staff in line with their core functions in the department
Statistical Information: At the end of 2004 the Department took over 7 study loans (5 males and 2 Females 1x white 6 x black)/ During 2004 21 students qualified and were placed in the Department 15 Males and 6 Females 16 Blacks and 5 Whites), 163 internal and 18 external bursaries where awarded for the 2005 academic year
Adult Basic Education and Training
Its Objectives: Abet is a transversal intervention in government to address levels of illiteracy and semi illiteracy. The thrust of the Departments intervention is based on accelerated development. To develop the potential of employees and for optimal utilisation of these employees. Also for employees to become part of the mainstream socially , economically etc.
Feeder of Talent: The challenge now is for this initiative to go beyond numeracy and literacy and to accelerate development for career development as a incentive for passing ABET levels
Statistical Information:Currently there are 2359 learners (1274 males and 1085 females) across levels 1 - 4 in the Department.
Internships
Its Objectives: This is a direct response to address governments drive against unemployment and job creation. It addresses the need for graduates to obtain experience tial and work training to enhance their ability to enter the formal employment market.
Feeder of Talent: 66 Interns recruited for 2004 / Currently (2005) there are 16 Interns employed in the DWAF system with a target of 100 / 5 Interns have been able to secure permanent appointment ( 3 in DWAF and 2 in the Department of Minerals and Energy) Note: 2 of the appointees in DWAF are black males appointed in Engineering related field and one a black female as a Forestry Scientist
Statistical Information: At the end of 2004 DWAF had 66 Interns ( 33 Females and 33 Males) Functions: in Finance/Forestry/HR/Civil Design/Mechanical and Electrical Engineering/Resources Directed Measures/Resources Quality Services/Water Abstraction/Strategic Planning/Water Resource Information/Water Use/Administration
Learnership
Its objectives: Government initiative under DOL to address imbalances of the past in areas of skills/competencies/educational qualifications.DWAFs learnership programme addresses the skills gap of DWAF employees in the lower occupational levels in the organisation
Feeder of Talent: The Departments identified learnership programmes in Water Purification Process Operations NQF Level 2/Waste Water Process Operations NQF Level 2/Water Reticulation Services NQF Level 2 (Note: NQF Level 2 is equal to High School Grade 10)
Statistical Information: The NCWSTI is at present hosting 88 learners from Limpopo/Mpumalanga ( 76 Males and 12 Females)
Employment Equity
Steps to address Employment Equity
DWAF Employment Equity Plan:Undertakings duly made to address this situation in the next reporting cycle. Recruitment and selection targeted - also through headhunting provisions of the recruitment and selection process
Monitoring and Evaluation ( EECF):Departmental wide monitoring exist through the Directorate Transformation and the Employment Equity Consultative Forum. Unions also represented. Gender Focal Point establishment also imminent.
Note: Historically the jobs offered in the Department mostly attracted males e.g. Engineers , Geomatics etc.There is a move away from this stereotype. The Department encourages women to apply. Also its bursaries (internal and external) are focused on encouraging women.
Employment of Women
Steps Undertaken to accelerate Employment of Women
Given that only 26% women occupy decision making positions:
Business Unit employment equity plans adjusted to address levels women representation in the Department
Where formal recruitment and selection process do not succeed in appointing women , headhunting resorted to.
Employment of People with Disabilities
Steps taken to accelerate the Employment of People with Disabilities
It is evident that most employees with disabilities are employed at the lower level of the Department:
Prioritising and preference for disabled candidates
In-house development of disabled in the employ
More vigorous interaction with relevant disabled peoples organisations
Use of Consultants (1)
Appointment of consultants in line functions where post exist is not encouraged
However , where the labour market cannot supply such scarce skills consultant firms are appointed or alternatively arrangements are made for the secondment of identified staff with the intention of skills transfer
Where projects require highly specialised skills which do not exist in the Department it is then expedient to appoint consultants, eg Special forensic audits, transaction advisors, specialist aquatic scientists, independent opinions such as technical reviews and legal opinions.
Short term contractual appointment in terms of the Public Service Act are also possible. This with the proviso that the level approved are adequate to attract such short term talent. Provision for skills transfer also imperative in this instance
Use of Consultants (2)
The Department will not reach a stage where it no longer appoints consultants
It would not be cost effective for the Department to retain “all” the skills it may require to execute its mandate
Given the challenges facing the Department and other institutions in the sector in competing from the same pool of expertise the Department will have to ensure that it retains sufficient capacity remain an “informed client” in terms of the management of consultants
The Department has also taken steps to review the current guidelines/policies for the appointment of professional service providers to ensure that skills transfer is more effectively managed.
Use of Consultants (3)
How does the HR Strategy Address the Skills Shortage
Sector Involvement
WSP/Skills Audit
Specific and Targeted Interventions
Short Course/ Accelerated Development
Employment and Vacancies (reporting period 2004/05)
