The EWSETA Skills Summit, taking place 17-18 March 2015 at the Protea Hotel in Saldanha Bay, this is a pioneering initiative of the EWSETA to bring discussions around governments broad economic policies including Ocean Economy into a regional forum. The stakeholders will come together to mobilise collaborative skills development programmes that will see gainful employment in the Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone (SBIDZ), on South Africa’s West Coast. 

The 330 ha SBIDZ was designated in 2013 as a zone dedicated to serving the oil and gas industry. It has attracted strong interest, mainly from fabricators. On 9 March 2015, the Transnet National Ports Authority announced a R9.65 billion investment in infrastructure projects at the SBIDZ. The project falls under the government's ‘blue economy’ plans of its Operation Phakisa and Oceans Economy initiative, announced by President Jacob Zuma in 2014. 

EWSETA SKILLS Summit makes it possible for stakeholders to express what they are doing in their own capacity to feed into Operation Phakisa and how it can collectively support and unblock the challenges that are faced by stakeholders. 

Theme

Themed ‘A Journey towards Skills Development for gainful employment in the West Coast’, the Summit will address the skills shortages surrounding the SBIDZ development as highlighted through various research reports commissioned in respect to the region.

With a long term goal to shape the landscape of skills development and training in the West Coast the Skills Summit is the starting point of a journey into new and ground breaking efforts by multiple stakeholders to contribute to the decade of the artisan national programme. 

On the second day, delegates broke into commissions to discuss critical issues that contribute to an effective and inclusive pipeline touching on amongst others:

1.       Unlocking the potential of the Western Cape community to meet proposed demands

2.       How can exit strategies for learners from TVET colleges and other technical qualifications be increased?

3.       How can workplace learning be meaningfully addressed? Accreditation, process etc

4.       How can data be shared more effectively in the sector and region? 

Through the summit, delegates will be given the opportunity to hear first-hand from government, industry, EWSETA and other key partners, including CHIETA and other relevant SETA’s on what skills development challenges, benefits and opportunities exist within the West Coast generally and the SBIDZ specifically. They will engage around possible skills interventions that they believe would eradicate poverty and unemployment in the region.  

Speakers

Following the welcome from the Saldanha Bay Municipality, the Summit will be officially opened by the Deputy Minister of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), Mduduzi Manana, followed by an address by the EWSETA CEO, Errol Gradwell. Laura Peinke the executive for business development at  the SBIDZ Executive Stakeholder Management, will make a presentation on Realizing the untapped potential of the oil and gas and marine fabrication sectors whilst the SBIDZ associate for skills development Mr. Patrick Lakabane will provide an overview of the SBIDZ strategic skills development objectives. The day concludes with West Coast TVET College deputy CEO reflecting on the ‘Current Provision of a Skilled Workforce in the West Coast’.

The Deputy Minister of the Department of Trade & Industry (dti), Mzwandile Masina, will open the second day. This is followed by a panel discussion, ‘What are the challenges being faced in achieving our skills targets in the region’, facilitated by Lakabane. On the panel will be representatives of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDT), Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET), Department of Trade & Industry (DTI), EWSETA, SBIDZ, Northlink TVET College, Saldanha Bay Municipality and South African Oil & Gas Alliance (SAOGA).  

Following the commissions delegates will reconvene to report back and pledge their support. 

Proud support from key stakeholders

 “The South African Oil and Gas Alliance (SAOGA) supports the EWSETA Skills Summit in Saldanha Bay, which will serve to bolster the region’s capacity to provide skilled people for the anticipated oil and gas investments.  Skills development is one of the priorities of SAOGA and the industry it serves.  We look forward to the collaborative initiatives that will emanate from the Summit, knowing it will benefit all the roleplayers,” says Ebrahim Takolia, CEO of SAOGA.

“The Skills Summit will give us the opportunity to acquaint ourselves with the needs of industry to ensure that our training is relevant and contributes to local economic development. With the national unemployment rate hovering at 26%, it is of paramount importance that private and public sector join hands and share best practices in order to overcome the challenges hampering skills development. 

“We are proud to be associated with the EWSETA Skills Summit and we are certain that the summit will give as a platform to collaborate and merge training initiatives. Together we can move the West Coast forward and provide a skilled workforce to unlock the region’s economic potential,” says Jooste-Mokgethi

With more than R16 billion being spent annually on Corporate Social Investment (CSI) projects in SA and about half that spent on technology-based projects in education, at least half of these projects fail, amounting to about R4 billion wasted annually mainly by JSE-listed companies.

Poorly managed projects, funds going missing, technology not being properly used and a lack of enthusiasm on the part of project recipients are some of the factors resulting in technology-based CSI educational projects failing. Sangari South Africa, a locally-based supplier of training solutions, says it has a history of success in CSI projects within the education sector. The company says there are key issues that need to be addressed as a prerequisite to a successful project. 

“Engaging with all the stakeholders involved is crucial. This includes headmasters, teachers, parents, regional educational directors, as well as community bodies. Without regional, political and community buy-in, the project could be doomed for failure,” says Bez Sangari, MD of Sangari SA.

“Organisations too often put funding into a project that seems, on paper, to have no downside but is destined for failure because buy-in from all the participants has not been obtained,” he says.

“It is crucial to get community involvement in a schooling project. Communicating with parents about the benefits is important. In addition, if parents are offered educational classes at the same facility in the afternoons or evenings this add to the potential success of the project and enhances the utilisation of resources.”

The aim of any successful CSI project is to provide technology that enhances the learning experience, not simplifies it. Teaching systems should aim to convey knowledge and enable teachers to become more than just content experts, but experts in teaching that specific subject matter.

“In addition, regularly testing students’ progress is crucial, but often not done. This is because it draws too much on teachers’ time – composing and marking of tests is time consuming and arduous. Technology should be available to test students at any point during a lesson to provide feedback on their assimilation and retention, enabling the teacher to quickly take corrective action,” he says.

“Another goal is to elevate teacher skills and provide more knowledge to both teachers and students. The technology should challenge the student,” says Mr Sangari. 

“There is a plethora of technology solutions available, but many are ineffective because of an often piece-meal approach to CSI projects. It is important to understand the specific issues and implications being experienced by the recipient institution. Only then should a solution that incorporates benchmarking of current performance, project management, appropriate technology, training, monitoring and evaluation, and regular reporting on the project progress. The technology should become an integral part of the subject being taught and not an add on.” 

South Africa and the African continent as a whole is home to some of the world’s most valuable natural resources. From gold, to diamonds, chromium, cobalt, and hydroelectric power potential, manganese and millions of acres of untilled farmland Africa is in reality the world’s richest continent.

Despite the potential of the continent’s natural resources and the incredibly skilled and talented people calling this continent home, leaders across the continent have failed to stimulate and retain the most powerful resource – the people.

It is with this view in mind that the SA Teen Entrepreneur Foundation continue to promote the course of creating a culture of entrepreneurship amongst teens and leaders that influence the lives of the country’s youth.

Since its inception, the Teen Entrepreneur Foundation has created a number of workshops, seminars and competitions in partnership with schools, to nurture and encourage entrepreneurial thinking.

“We know that innovative thinking and business acumen can be developed through connection and learning from leaders that have gone before us and paved a way in business,” says Lydia Zingoni Founder and Director of Teen Entrepreneur Foundation.

“For this reason, we have created the Awaken the Giant in You breakfast series, which aims to create a platform for leaders and mentors in business to practically share their journeys with South African youth to not only inspire them, but teach them that hard work, commitment and determination will reap a future reward.” She continued.

The success of the breakfast series to date is the calibre of speakers that the foundation has managed to attract, to share their skills and expertise. The next speaker in the series is global business icon Gareth Penny. 

Gareth Penny is non-Executive Chairman of MMC Norilsk Nickel, the world’s biggest producer of nickel and palladium and a leading producer of platinum and copper.  He has worked in various forms of mining over the past three decades and holds positions on several boards across Europe, Africa and the United States.

His passion to inspire and stimulate the interest of young people in business is evident in his role as regular visiting lecturer at the London Business School’s MBA and Sloane programmes.

Born in Cape Town, Gareth is a prime example of the richness of the people resources that this country has to offer the world. His experience of building a career in the mining industry will also teach one valuable insights about the resource rich continent we live in and how to find opportunity in some unlikely places.

“I have always regarded myself as an entrepreneur from a very early age.  At school I spent time organising fetes and other business ventures.  My National Service was done at the Small Business Corporation, focusing on start-ups, and my first job at Anglo American was to launch an Anglo American/De Beers small business initiative, which today has assisted or built 25,000 jobs.  My next role in De Beers was to start from scratch a diamond cutting factory in a small village in Botswana called Serowe,” says Gareth Penny.

“I have always tried to be an ‘intrapreneur’ (an entrepreneur inside a big corporation),” he continued.

Gareth will speak on the topic of “Preparing for Business Leadership” and will share his life and business lessons. The event is open to youth, their parents, teachers, community leaders, government departments, the broader business community and particularly those who are tasked with teen and youth development.

The event is taking place on Saturday 7 March 2015 at 08h30 at the Vineyard Hotel in Newlands. Tickets cost R150 for adults and R75 for students. Bookings for the breakfast can be made on-line at www.teenentrepreneur.co.za or by contacting Nadia Snyders on 021 447 6183 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

That special day of love is just around the corner…and that means the pressure is on, right? Don’t worry, we’ve got great ideas for you, with everything planned from accommodation to activities – all you need is a valentine now!  

Port Elizabeth:

Our Special:

Stay at our Courtyard Hotel Port Elizabeth for only R900 a night on 13, 14 and 15 February 2015. 

Your Valentine’s Date Options: Since this hotel is opposite the famed Humewood beach, we suggest you and your valentine start your day off with an early walk along the beach, muttering sweet nothings to each other while enjoying the fresh air and beautiful scenery – as well as getting some endorphin-inducing exercise to start your Valentine’s Day off just right! After your walk, it’s probably time for a delicious brunch (or lunch, depending on how early you managed to wake up), and so it’s off to P.E.’s Boardwalk Casino and Resort complex, right next to our Courtyard Hotel. While you’re there, you can also pick up any last minute Valentine’s presents…just in case you forgot about that part of Valentine’s Day. Depending on how adventurous you are feeling for the rest of the day, you could either take in the cultural experience that is Route 67, or enjoy an amazing game drive at the Shamwari Game Reserve.   Valentine’s Day sorted, P.E. style – you’re welcome!  

Rosebank:

Our Special:

Stay at our Courtyard Hotel Rosebank for only R900 a night on 13, 14 and 15 February 2015.

Your Valentine’s Date Options: Our Rosebank Hotel Courtyard is opposite a Gautrain station, meaning that you are free to go where your heart desires this Valentine’s Day. We recommend a stop at the Rosebank African Craft Market, to find your sweetheart a real treasure to remember this Valentine’s Day by, as well as to take in the great culture of the market. After that, you will find yourself conveniently in the Rosebank Mall, so why not have a romantic meal at one of the great restaurants and then catch a cosy movie? You have a choice of all the current favourites on the circuit, as well as the Cinema Nouveau option. And there’s your romantic Rosebank Rendezvous, all sorted – enjoy!    

Waterfall City:

Our Special: Stay at our brand new City Lodge Hotel Waterfall City for only R800 a night on 13, 14, and 15 February 2015.

Your Valentine’s Date Options: We’re so proud of our newest family member, City Lodge Hotel Waterfall City, that we could leave it as the only stop on your romantic Valentine’s Day date, but we’ll step back a minute and try and be objective. So after having a delicious breakfast at this hotel, you and your valentine can venture forth to Lory Park for a great morning interacting with the wildlife. A great opportunity for some cute “usies” (selfies with more than one person) of you and your valentine with the animals around. Next, keep the adventure up and spirits high (literally) by going on a helicopter ride over the city of Johannesburg with FlyJozi! It doesn’t get much more thrilling than that – and the adrenaline rush from being up that high will definitely make this a Valentine’s Day to remember. Of course, if you’d like a relaxing end to your Valentine’s Day, why not have a romantic dinner at one of Midrand’s great restaurants? All in all, a great Valentine’s Day in the bag!  

Sandton:

Our Specials: Stay at our Courtyard Hotel Sandton for only R900 a night, and only R800 a night at our City Lodge Hotel Sandton, Katherine Street on 13, 14 and 15 February 2015.

Your Valentine’s Date Options: Staying at Courtyard Hotel Sandton – Start your Valentine’s Day off with one of Macit Tours’ half day tours. Choose from any of the amazing cultural experiences on offer, from a half day Soweto tour, to one of Johannesburg that includes a drive past Nelson Mandela’s Houghton house. This is a great option for a different kind of Valentine’s Day experience, and a brilliant one for you and your valentine if you are both fans of culture and history. After taking in all that information, you will probably be looking for a little relaxation, so book yourself and your valentine into a treatment or two at Orient Spa. Then for a romantic dinner it’s off to Nelson Mandela Square – a perfect Valentine’s Day! Staying at City Lodge Hotel Sandton, Katherine Street – The above all still applies, or you could change things up a bit and organise a Khakiweed Safari Tour for you and your sweetheart.        

Lynnwood:

Our Special: Stay at our City Lodge Hotel Lynnwood for only R800 a night on 13, 14 and 15 February 2015.

Your Valentine’s Date Options: When staying at our Lynnwood City Lodge Hotel, you open yourself up to an awesomely chilled and relaxing Valentine’s Day. We suggest first moseying over to the famed Hazel Food Market for a leisurely breakfast. While there, get your sweetheart some sweet delicacies – they will go down a treat! Spend the rest of the day exploring the area, just taking it easy, and then head off to Cafe Barcelona, a dynamic live music and entertainment venue for a great evening. The venue offers both restaurant and pub facilities, so whatever you feel like to end off your Valentine’s Day, you’ll find it here!  

Pinelands:

Our Special: Stay at our City Lodge Hotel Pinelands for only R800 a night on 13, 14 and 15 February 2015.

Your Valentine’s Date Options: Your Valentine’s Day at Pinelands will be one of the most picturesque you and your valentine have experienced! Start off the day with a delicious breakfast at our City Lodge Hotel Pinelands, and then head off to the beautiful Table Mountain National Park. After a morning of relaxation and possibly a picnic lunch (add a rose to the mix there), we suggest switching things up by heading off to Ratanga Junction for the afternoon! Get those endorphins going with a few thrilling rides and your Valentine’s Day will be brilliant.        

Britewrx Inc is pleased to announce the launch of its South African subsidiary, Britewrx (Pty) Ltd. With this launch, Britewrx is bringing its visual business modelling workshops and consulting services to Southern Africa, building on its success in North America.

“I am very pleased to be back in South Africa and even more to be able to offer our visual business modelling services to the sub-continent”, said Neville Chamberlain, an ex-South African who has lived and worked overseas for over 20 years.

“We have had tremendous response from both public workshops and custom client engagements in North America, and the shared language created by visual business modelling will be a powerful tool in our multi-cultural environment”, he continued.

Visual business modelling is based on *Business Model Generation* and *Value Proposition Design* by Alex Osterwalder. The books define a *business model canvas* which is used to describe business models, innovate new ideas and develop strategy.

“Businesses have to continuously innovate and re-invent themselves,” said Chamberlain. “Especially in the fast-moving business world in Southern Africa, keeping one step ahead of the competition is vital.”

Britewrx is launching its services in Southern Africa with a breakfast briefing on 19 February in Centurion, to be followed by similar events in other major centres.

For more information, visit their web site at http://britewrx.com.

Contact: Britewrx (Pty) Ltd
Neville Chamberlain +27 (76) 939-4927
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
http://www.britewrx.com

Warm-ware: Schools Readiness for ET (Education Technology)

By Bez Sangari, CEO Sangari SA the wholly-owned South African training company

As with any technology, there are always early adopters, followed by users who implement the technology when it is already accepted, and finally late adopters, those who implement the technology after it is being widely used.  

There was a term introduced some years ago in the IT industry for suppliers who drop their equipment off at the customer and leave it to them to make it work called “box droppers”. This remains the case today. Suppliers drop the equipment at a school and leave it to the teachers to make it work, a recipe for failure.

Decisions on the type of ET equipment to be installed at a school are often made by a working group of stakeholders including the governing body, heads of departments, parents or teachers themselves.  

But unless there is a clear strategy involving training, monitoring and ongoing support, with responsibility vested with specific teachers to ensure the success of the project, the risk of failure is high.  

When implementing an educational system it is important to identify the stage that teachers are in the adoption cycle. Students are generally early adopters of technology, usually earlier than their teachers. The process of identifying where each teacher is in the adoption cycle can be termed their level of “Warm-ware”.  

The main determining factor in having a successful technology-based teaching system is the ability to identify teachers who are ready and enthusiastic to be involved in the implementation of new technology.  

We believe it is the supplier’s responsibility to evaluate, monitor and train teachers to ensure success. If early-adopter teachers are properly trained, the chance of success is significantly improved. The mistake that many schools make is to follow other schools by cloning their ET programmes, such as implementing tablets, and replicate it in their school.  

Experience shows that this does not always work. When an evaluation is done to determine the school’s needs, part of this is to identify the best solution for the school. Teachers who are suitable as early adopters should be involved in the selection process.   The question is: Students are generally ready for new technology, but are teachers, departments and headmasters?  

Issued by:  Sha-Izwe/CharlesSmithAssoc
ON BEHALF OF: Sangari SA 

Contact:
Charles Smith
TEL: (011) 781-6190
CELL: 083 469-7586
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

With the holidays just around the corner, Karl Smith, founder of Business Networking South Africa, reveals successful networking tips to enhance your business relationships, boost your personal brand and strengthen your bottom line. As people tend to be more relaxed during this time of the year, take advantage of these circumstances by reaching out and interacting with various individuals.

As a small business or a job hunter, you have the ability to establish strong face-to-face relationships, and the holidays are the perfect time to leverage that advantage. Most local industry organisations and business associations host holiday networking events. This is the perfect opportunity to go out, have fun, meet people and identify business opportunities.

Here are a few networking tips to help make the holidays even better for business:

Tip One: Attend Holiday Parties - While your tendency may be to take a break from networking events during the holidays, it's important for you to continue attending events. Many organisations and individuals will be having holiday parties rather than typical business events. Holiday parties are a great way to get to know people in a more relaxed environment.

Like any time of the year, accept people's hospitality. If someone offers you something, don't turn it down. By accepting people's generosity, you are showing them respect and will make them feel like they are doing something kind. The same business etiquette should apply. Have fun and consider these parties as your reward for working so hard during the year to build relationships.

Tip Two: Hold Your Own Party - It is essential to be generous, have a true spirit of giving, and make all honest efforts to liven up the holiday spirit of the people. If there is no party, be the party. If networking events are limited this year, consider throwing your own. You can have your own holiday party either at your house, a restaurant or a bar.

Having your own party is a great way to reconnect and keep yourself in front of people. A big part of networking effectively is keeping yourself visible. People will see you as a connector. Your party can enhance your personal brand and widen your business circle. It's also a great excuse to reach out to potential clients and high- level decision makers.Tip

Three: Send Holiday Greetings - In business networking, it is essential to find methods to stay connected continually with important associates. Thus, holiday greeting cards are a great way to register on your client's or contact’s radar. Whether by e-mail or post, it doesn't matter how you send your greeting.

As long as you send a greeting, you are showing individuals in your network that you are thinking about them. Try to send holiday cards out a bit early as many people take time off work around the holidays. In most cases a religion-neutral holiday card is appropriate.

Tip Four: Personal Networking - Reach out to various people during the holidays. For some people, business tends to slow down during the holidays and they will have the time to meet with you. Be proactive and reach out to people you haven't connected with in a while.  These individuals will appreciate being thought about and you will have the chance to build these relationships even more. Use the holiday time to have one-on-one meetings with your networking partners “to catch up", "swap some ideas", "pick their brains”, or "share an interesting lead".

Tip Five: Don't Always Talk About Business - During any conversation, you shouldn't always talk about business because you want to get to know people on a personal level as well. In order to build relationships, you need to know various aspects about their lives.The holidays are a great time of year to get to know people on a more personal level.

When meeting people at holiday events or getting together with existing contacts, spend more time socialising and getting to know them outside of business. Remember networking is not socializing…it is relationship building. Small talk and social interaction is the glue in the relationship.

Tip Six: Show Generosity - During the holidays, people are generally in a good mood because they enjoy the spirit of the season. Spend more time with family and friends and look forward to starting a new year. You will find that many of these people are in the giving mood.  Make sure you are also in the giving mood. Take people out to lunch or buy co-workers, friends and colleagues holiday gifts. However you decide to be generous, make sure you are genuine and truly have the giving spirit. If you don't, people will notice. Remember it’s not the size or price that counts…it’s the thought that counts!

Tip Seven: Don't Drink Too Much - With festivities comes drinking and good times. While it's OK to enjoy yourself, do so only in moderation. Treat the holidays like any other time of the year by showing good behaviour. Don't go overboard with drinks because you still need to maintain your professionalism and composure. You don't want people to see a different side of you if you can't handle your libations.

Tip Eight: Don't Invite Your Entire Network to Parties - You should be honoured if someone invites you to a holiday party. For most parties, the host will allow you to bring a guest or two. A holiday party is a chance for the host to invite his or her network. It's not the time for you to invite yours. Don't take advantage of the host's generosity. Show respect to the host and don't invite your entire network or more than two people. After clearing with your host it is fine to do so.  

Tip Nine: Be Genuine - Personal networking has a bad reputation. The word "networking" conjures up images of someone wanting to "use" you, to take your time and connections without offering anything of redeeming value in return. If your motive to attend or host holiday networking functions or send greeting cards is self-serving, then you will harm your relationships rather than strengthen it. 

The motive that inspires the greatest trust in your relationships is genuine caring –caring about people, caring about purposes, caring about the quality of what you do, caring about society as a whole. Think about it: Are you going to build relationships or trust someone who couldn’t really care less about you? Interaction that is honest and reciprocal is what makes networking a level playing field. It is about giving rather than receiving, which is in keeping with the spirit of the season, right? 

Tip Ten: Have Fun - The most important aspect of the holidays is to remember to have fun. While networking is a serious activity, relax and enjoy yourself during this time of the year. Since networking is generally more social during the holidays, you will have the chance to interact with people in fun settings. As long as you still act professionally, you can let loose a little bit and have fun! 

Final Thought 

The holidays offer an excellent opportunity to build and maintain relationships. Networking is simple - but it's not easy. If it were easy, everyone would do it, and do it well. But they don't. That's because it's a skill that can be mastered with the right knowledge, practice, commitment and consistent application.  

Happy Holidays!  

This article may be copied or republished with the following credit: "By Karl Smith: author, speaker and founder of Business Networking South Africa.

Website: www.karlsmith.co.za

The festive season is the season for giving, while spending time with family, enjoying ample entertainment and receiving gifts galore. The sad thing is that there are so many children who will not be receiving gifts or love this festive season. In the spirit of generosity and the fact that children are such a huge focus of the Spur Group, Spur Foundation is coordinating a national toy collection drive to put a smile on some underprivileged children’s faces.

Between 1 December 2014 and 16 January 2015 collection boxes for new and pre-loved toys will be available at all Spur, John Dory’s and Panarottis restaurants countrywide. These boxes will be allocated to a Spur Foundation beneficiary per province. The beneficiaries are:         

• Gauteng: ASHA Trust: A South African NGO that establishes and supports formal and home-based early childhood centres in economically challenged communities by providing daily pre-school care, meals and educational stimulation for less-fortunate children aged 2–6.        
• Western Cape:    
  • Durbanville Children’s Home: A home providing a safe haven for children who have suffered from physical and emotional abuse.    
  • Umnqophiso Pre-primary: A nursery school and aftercare centre in the disadvantaged community of Lwandle in the Strand.   
  • House of Grace: Place of safety for abandoned and abused children who have been through tremendous hardship and previous neglect.        
• KwaZulu-Natal: Durban Children’s Home: A home providing love, care and shelter to abandoned, neglected and orphaned children throughout KwaZulu-Natal since 1905.         
• Free State: Botshelo Centre: A centre aimed to prevent HIV infection and distribute information relating to HIV/Aids.        
• Eastern Cape: Inn Safe Hands: A safe-house and foster home that cares for vulnerable children brought to us from abused, abandoned or molestation backgrounds.

Spur Foundation runs this campaign on an annual basis, due to their commitment to the welfare of children in South Africa. The Toy Drive, supported by CourierIT, Longstreet Media and Nampak, collected 77 boxes filled with toys in the 2013 period.

“According to a 2014 National Adoption Coalition Report, there are 18.5 million children in South Africa. Orphans are estimated at about 5.2 million children. Over 13 000 live in residential care facilities and an estimated 10 000 live on the streets of South Africa. And that excludes the children that are with their families, but in such dire circumstances where they cannot afford basic necessities, never mind toys,” says Ronel van Dijk, Chairperson of the Spur Foundation.

The Spur Foundation was founded on Mandela Day in 2012, with an initial R670 000 donation from the Spur Group. Spur’s value of generosity and focus on family will be carried through to the Foundation’s various initiatives throughout the year, which are committed to Nourish, Nurture, Now!

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

NAME: Ronel van Dijk, Chairperson of the Spur Foundation and Chief Financial Officer of Spur Corporation Limited    
TEL: 021-5555100
E-MAIL: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
WEBSITE: http://www.spurfoundation.co.za
TWITTER: @SpurRestaurant #SpurToyDrive #PanasToyDrive #JDsToyDrive
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SpurSteakRanches

“Investment in training creates a more skilled and motivated workforce”

Spintelligent Pty, the leading Cape Town-based publisher, trade exhibition and conference organiser, has launched the Spintelligent Training Academy to address learning and development needs in the energy, utilities and mining industries on the African continent.
Spintelligent managing director David Ashdown says: “part of our experience in providing quality content B2B industry events in the energy and mining sectors, is that we are part of the industry and therefore perfectly placed to identify trends and gaps and challenges with regards to skills development.”

Widely reported skills gaps
The Spintelligent Training Academy has identified a need for training solutions that deliver both industry specific know-how and effective learning and development. David Ashdown explains: “there are widely reported skills gaps across energy and mining in Africa at both a technical and management level. The message is consistent from both government and industry that investment in training and education is core to ensure all progress is sustainable.”

He continues: “our solutions are designed to bring international best practice combined with a deep understanding that exists within Spintelligent of the challenges that are being faced by developed and developing nations across Africa. The academy’s core focus is to work in partnership with our clients to deliver training solutions that support their investment in Africa at both commercial and technical levels, across multiple job functions and management levels.”

Programmes by the industry, for the industry
“The Spintelligent Training Academy recognises that every sector has its own unique challenges,” says David Ashdown, “and whilst the skills are transferable, in order to achieve high performance you need to understand and apply them in the context of the sector. Furthermore, investment in training creates a more skilled and motivated workforce, and provides a tangible and sustained return for the individual, the business and the industry.”

The academy faculty will comprise expert practitioners from industry, government academia and consultancies, drawing on Spintelligent’s long standing relationships with both government and industry to ensure that the content of the training programmes is relevant and builds value.

Spintelligent Training Academy’s upcoming courses include:
•  Understanding African Electricity Market Regulations and Economic Regulatory Analysis, Cape Town, 26-28 Jan 2015
•  Developing Business Strategies for Renewable Energies in Africa, Cape Town, 29-31 Jan 2015
•  Effective Asset Management, Accra, Ghana, 16-18 March 2015
•  Financing Power Projects in Nigeria, Lagos, Nigeria, 23-25 March 2015
•  Power Purchase Agreements, Cape Town, 25-27 March 2015
•  Smart Meter Economics, Accra, 9-11 April 2015
•  Electricity Market Pricing and Trading, Cape Town, 13-14 April 2015
•  Public Private Partnerships: Understanding the Regulatory Framework, Cape Town, 20-21 April 2015
•  Economics of Public Private Partnerships, Cape Town, 22-24 April 2015
•  Contracting for EPC Contracts and Services in the Energy Industry, Lagos, 27-29 April 2015
•  Grid Shock Preparedness and Blackout Management, Nairobi, Kenya, 18-19 May 2015

Spintelligent is the African office of Clarion Events Ltd which is based in the UK. It has become recognised as a highly successful African event organiser and publisher, with flagship projects in the power, mining, agriculture, defence and education sectors such as African Utility Week, West African Power Industry Convention, African EduWeek, Agritech-Expo, Land Forces Africa and the iPAD infrastructure and mining event franchise.

Contact:
Communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone:  +27 21 700 3558
Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web:  www.spintelligent.com

About Spintelligent
With over 17 years of working with Sub-Saharan African government ministers and the region’s leading businesses, producing hundreds of events and publications and helping thousands of companies secure multi-million dollar contracts, we’ve learned what it takes to be a competent and confident builder of a successful and prosperous company in Africa.

Spintelligent is your principal, local based, knowledge partner and events coordinator for Sub-Saharan Africa. We provide you the best in class Sub Saharan African multi-media resources to help you expand your operations and achieve your business ambitions across the Power, Mining, Education, Agriculture and Defence industry sectors.

Spintelligent is part of Clarion Events, a global business-to-business event organiser with offices in South Africa, UK, Netherlands, Germany, United States, Brazil, UAE and Singapore.

I spoke with Prof EN Barkhuizen from the Talent Management Blueprint Conference and asked her for some of the Key Takeout’s from the conference held on 16th and 17th of October which unpacked Talent Management and Organisational Energy and behaviour

‘Are we making a Difference? ’Was her biggest question for Industry Leaders.

‘There are Only about 100 scientific publications on talent management. ‘There are 32, 4 million people aged between 15 and 64 years (working age population) in South Africa.

Of these 13, 1 million (40%) were employed and 4, 5 million (3, 8%) were unemployed.

This report further pointed out that 41, 0% of the unemployed were students

15, 0% were discouraged work seekers.

38 236 doctors and 5 560 dentists.

The doctor-to-population ratio is estimated to be 0.77 per 1 000.

But because the vast majority of GPs – 73% – work in the private sector, there is just one practicing doctor for every 4 219 people.

(Source: RSA.info, 2014)

From the above stats, it is apparent that we clearly need to become more Talent Intelligent.

Other staggering Stats from hashtag Marius Meyer were the following:         

Human Capital is the biggest concern for CEOs (PwC).        

Only 18% of CEOs feel confident that they have the right people in place to execute strategy (CEB).        

Human Capital is the biggest risk in business (HCI Africa).        

Skills crisis is the top obstacle to economic growth.        

Strikes cost SA R 200 million+ per day.        

SA losing R12 billion a year due to absenteeism.        

Only 19% auditors feel they use HR optimally (CG Index – Institute of Internal Auditors)        

Only 5% employees understand business strategy.        

World-wide 13% of employees actively engaged.        

Companies with engaged employees outperform others by 202% (Dale Carnegie).

Companies with good HR Practices outperform others by treating HR as critical business function, these companies are 105% more profitable.

Average ROI on wellness programmes: 300%.

‘So what do we do about all this? ‘I asked like Dr Lynne Derman, who is a renowned expert in the field of organisational energy and whose Doctoral Study was the first to investigate organizational energy in the South African context.’

‘I am passionate about employee well being, in fact managing talent effectively gives business a competitive advantage.

Aligning Talent Management with Business Strategy is imperative. It is equally important to be equipped with the correct tools‘.

For more information on individual and organisational well-being visit goldfish-consulting

Link: http://goldfish-consulting.co.za/services/talent-management