Alignment of Sector Skills Planning to the NGP

This paper was developed under the auspices of the Human Resource Development Council as part of the work of the Task Team reviewing ways in which skills development (including all occupational training at the different levels of the post-schooling system) could better align with the needs of the economy. The imperative for this review was driven by the reality that, despite high levels of investment in skills development over the last decade, there continues to be a strong argument that South Africa suffers certain challenges with respect to the supply of skills as well as an absence of an alignment between national growth imperatives and skills development activities. The risks associated with a poor supply of skills are a common theme in the range of planning frameworks that govern strategies for economic growth including ‘The New Growth Path’ and IPAP2. The weakness of the schooling system, combined with limited opportunities for quality post-school education and training, places increasing risk on the country’s ability to generate a sustainable skills base and threatens to contribute to low levels of job creation and high unemployment. As a result, the economic growth strategies indicated above are, by implication, under threat.

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