Introduction to BANKSETA flagship learnerships
The Banking Sector Education and Training Authority (BANKSETA) is an enabler of skills development and transformation in the broader banking & microfinance sector and supports people development through partnerships, skills development, alleviating unemployment, creating a brighter future, and enabling change. The BANKSETA has identified the need to provide funding for post-graduate learners through a youth development intervention aimed at recruiting unemployed graduates in order for them to further their studies and to expose them to the world of work. Over the past thirteen years, BANKSETA has implemented the Letsema & Kuyasa flagship project as a means of alleviating youth unemployment. The duration of the learnership is 1 year. Registered employers will host the learner(s) and make provision for training, workplace coaching and learner support. Training is linked to a registered qualification. Successful completion of the Learnership programme results in a registered qualification.
FRTC as an accredited training provider with Bankseta for 11 years received its first tender by Bankseta for delivery of the Kuyasa. This was a monumental achievement for FRTC as a small black company who effortlessly implemented this project with ease and precision regardless of the challenges that were faced during implementation.
Although a learnership does not equate to guaranteed employment, the Kuyasa programme has allowed 75 to 85% of learners career opportunities within their sector.
FRTC Implementation of BANKSETA Kuyasa flagship learnership 2020
Our proudest accomplishments as an institution in 2020 is the successful completion of Kuyasa Learnership with our learners (304 number of learners). This is our most proud moment, primarily because we managed to bring back hope to hundreds of unemployed graduates who at the beginning of their learnership, had given up on learning, believing that they would not have been able to pursue their traineeship or even obtain work experience because of the Corona Virus(COVID-19) Pandemic. When the national lockdown was announced, FRTC deviated from contact learning to online learning for all our students. When some host employers no longer wanted to provide hosting for the learners, FRTC developed a simulation tool which was approved by Bankseta and allowed for learners without workplace experience to fulfil the requirements of the qualification from a vocational perspective which was achieved through simulation. FRTC went above and beyond to assist learners in providing access to workplace experience by networking a youth unemployment agency to assist within this regard and networked them with Bankseta in order for it to be taken forward.
The support to our students was extensive during the transition from contact to online learning and learners easily adapted to the change. With our online learning system, FRTC managed to reach learners in remote locations ensuring that even with the lockdown they continued with training. At the beginning, when we transitioned from contact learning to online learning it all seemed impossible that our learners would be able to adapt, particularly because most of our learners are in the rural areas with little to no resources, unreliable internet and there was so much anxiety as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. No one knew whether online learning would work, our main goal was to make sure that we prevent our community from getting the virus while they continued with the training. FRTC student administrative support services provided extensive support to help learners with the transition and helping them get into the routine of what would become the norm for the duration of the current years roll out.
FRTC staff worked tirelessly to meet the needs of the learners ensuring that they feel supported throughout the period. There have been many challenges during the period, however, what kept the FRTC going is our value for education and our desire to ensure that our unemployed graduates thrive. Fortunately, with all the project changes FRTC, still successfully implemented this project with ease and all our learners were achieving. There never was a concern of this project being at risk.
As we wrap up for the training year 2020 and prepare for 2021, we are proud of the fact that we have managed to achieve an overall pass rate of more than 96% regardless of the challengers FRTC faced and how we overcame all of them.
If anything, the pandemic has clearly demonstrated the urgent need for online learning for learners in all regional areas, including rural communities. The institution is currently in the process of expanding online learning even further to provide even better learning for our learners in 2021.
We look forward to celebrating with all our graduates and welcoming friends and families as we all come together to rejoice in the success of their loved one’s graduation in February 2021.
