Question NW341 to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
19 March 2020 - NW341
Hicklin, Ms MB to ask the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
(1)In view of the statement in the progress report for the Council for the Built Environment (CBE) dated 26 February 2020 that registration with the SA Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP) is not mandatory, which resulted in many graduates seeing no value in registration, what measures is she and/or her department taking to elevate the image of SACAP and make registration compulsory; (2) what (a) measures is she and/or her department taking to encourage government departments and institutions responsible for infrastructure to assist graduates with vocational training to enable them to progress to professional registration and (b) is being done to increase access to vocational training opportunities within her department; (3) whether graduates are able to attain professional registration without having attained mentorship and vocational training; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (4) whether she has found that it is permissible that government departments responsible for infrastructure are employing architectural graduates who are not SACAP registered; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (5) what incentives exist for graduates to comply with the request to register with the CBE if her department flouts its own recommendations and hires unregistered graduates?
Reply:
The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure:
(1) The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) informed me the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP) wrote to all government departments responsible for infrastructure in South Africa in order to promote the benefits of using registered professionals in all their projects. SACAP is undertaking public awareness campaigns to all local Municipalities to ensure that only registered persons submit building plan applications for approval. SACAP also has planned workshops to promote the architectural profession to the public.
SACAP intends to access funding, mainly from the Construction Sector Education and Training Authority (CETA) to run a mentorship programme. A meeting has been arranged with CETA and the Council for the Built Environment (CBE) to deal with funding for the mentorship programme. This will assist graduates that do not have mentors to access mentors and progress to professional registration.
(2) In ensuring that all Provincial Public Works departments are implementing the Skills Pipeline Strategy; DPWI has established the Public Works Sector Capacity Building Forum. This forum was established based on a research study that was undertaken by the National Department of Public Works to examine the causes underlying technical capacity constraints within the Public Works Family. The establishment of the forum was primarily to have a structured approach to accelerate the production of professionals by Public Works through the Built Environment Skills Pipeline Strategy. It is further aimed at fostering cooperation with other institutions in order to strengthen the efforts of building technical capacity for the state and impact on job creation. The forum meets on a quarterly basis.
Through this structure the department not only monitors and reports on the implementation of the Skills Pipeline Strategy; but also provides strategic support and guidance to the Provincial Public Works and other partners on implementing, evaluating and mobilising funding from Sector Education Training Authorities (SETAs), Department of Higher Education, National Skills Fund (NSF) and other funders to help execute the Skills Pipeline strategy.
To ensure that there is massive vocational training, the DPWI is partnering with Technical Vocational Training Colleges to implement the Centre of Specialisation (Dual Apprenticeship program), and Work Integrated Learning (WIL). The aim is to ensure that trainees are able to complete their full qualification and obtain “trade test” (in the artisanal and or apprenticeship program) in different trades. The piloting of the Centre of Specialisation (Dual Apprenticeship program), will be extended to the Provincial Public Works in the incoming 2020/2021 financial year. Further to this, the department will be embarking on an exercise to adopt the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Standard for Developing Skills through Infrastructure Contracts as a policy. This standard puts a percentage (between 0.25 to 0.5%) of the contract value being set aside for developmental goals.
(3) Without Mentorship and Vocational Training trainees are unable to register as professionals. Mentorship is a critical component in the professionalisation process. The department executes different types of mentorship strategies i.e.
i) Internal mentorship:-mentors appointed solely for mentoring and existing employees who are qualified as professionals are experienced and passionate about the development of young people in this country;
ii) By forging collaborations with the Industry, through among others, entering into a memoranda of understanding with the private sector. The parties commit to training, development and mentorship by accommodating trainees for practical work exposure in their respective fields of study. These companies further expose departmental trainees in their private sector work, which also includes International assignments where applicable.
(4) Yes, it is permissible for Infrastructure Departments to appoint graduates for developmental purposes, namely, as former bursary holders who are appointed to serve back the bursary scheme obligation. Secondly, graduates are appointed as part of the Graduate Recruitment programme and offered Internship or Candidacy opportunities in the departments. Once in the Internship Programme, graduates are assisted to register as Candidates with SACAP to prepare them for the structured Candidacy Programme. In DPWI’s Architectural Services Unit all employees and trainees are registered with SACAP as Candidates or Professionals.
(5) The department employs unregistered graduates as per point 4 above for training purposes and seeing out the obligations as per the bursary contract. Posts that require professional registration have stringent requirements as per Occupational Specific Dispensation. The incentive to register for graduates is that Infrastructure implementing departments have high vacancy rates on professional posts. Professionalised graduates improve their chances of employability as professional skills remain scarce in the country.