How an Annual Training Report (ATR) Can Help Your Organisation Stay Ahead

How an Annual Training Report (ATR) Can Help Your Organisation Stay Ahead

by | Mar 24, 2023 | Annual Training Report (ATR), Articles, B-BBEE, Featured, Human Resources, News, Siyakha, Workplace Skills Plan

An Annual Training Report (ATR) can be a powerful tool for organisations looking to stay ahead in today’s competitive business landscape. By reflecting on the actual training data for the past year, starting from the 1st of April of the past year to the 31st of March of the current year, the ATR provides valuable insights into the education, training interventions, and learning and development activities that were delivered. The ATR can assist businesses to commit to the development of their employees as well as individuals in the communities they operate in.

 

“The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” – B.B. King.

 

Completion and submission of a Workplace Skills Plan and Actual Training Report (WSP/ATR) is an essential tool for creating a better, more efficient, productive, and safer working environment.

 

The ATR is also an opportunity for organisations to build a pool of talent made up of professional employees and assists in developing enhanced succession planning structures. This is essential for ensuring business continuity and creating a well-rounded working environment. Effective training should include not only mandatory safety and compliance training but also technical and career path development, as well as softer human skills like critical thinking, conflict resolution, and communication.

 

Submitting a WSP/ATR to the relevant SETA by the 30th of April each year may initially seem cumbersome, but the tangible benefits for your business are significant. By meeting the requirements of these submissions, your business can claim back up to 20% of your Skills Development Levy (SDL) from the specific industry’s SETA. The WSP/ATR submission provides a financial incentive and ensures compliance with the Skills Development priority element on your B-BBEE Scorecard.

 

Moreover, by conducting a skills audit, developing a training plan, and evaluating the effectiveness of training programs, organisations can ensure that their employees have the skills required to meet future challenges and be ready when opportunities arise. Developing a learning and development plan benefits the individual employee and ensures that the organisation is well-prepared to adapt to changing business needs.

 

In conclusion, the Annual Training Report is an essential tool for any organisation looking to stay ahead in today’s competitive business landscape. The benefits of submitting a WSP/ATR goes beyond compliance and enable return on investment through financial incentives, compliance with the Skills Development priority element, and the development of people.

 

“The only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave is not training them and having them stay.” – Henry Ford.

 

Contact Siyakha for assistance in developing learning and development strategies that can form the basis of your ATR submission.

 

Sune Marais

E: sune.marais@siyakha.co.za | T: 011 706 9006

The Importance of Continuous Learning: Why Your Organisation Can’t Afford to Stand Still

The Importance of Continuous Learning: Why Your Organisation Can’t Afford to Stand Still

by | Mar 3, 2023 | Articles, Digital, Digital Technologies, Future World of Works, News, Siyakha, SMME, Workplace Skills Plan

“A happy life is one spent in learning, earning and yearning” – Lillian Gish.


Continuous learning is described by Wesley Chai as the ongoing expansion of knowledge and skill sets and is often used in the context of professional development.

Continuous learning in the workplace can be described as developing new skills and knowledge while reinforcing what has been previously learned. Learning is a never-ending process and is crucial for growth. As a working professional, partaking in continuous learning paves the way toward success, not only for yourself but also for the development and growth of the organisation.

The world is forever changing and evolving; therefore, organisations must stay up to date with skills and knowledge trends to remain competitive and continue to thrive. Individual learning plans should be seen as a tool to assist organisations in adapting to new trends and changes in the world of work.  Learning in any organisation should never stop. It should be a continuous process, one that organisations are heavily invested in.

The need for continuous learning and development is a global phenomenon. The 2022 Workplace Learning and Development Trends Research Report indicated that “74% of employees say they are more likely to stay with a company that offers continuous training”. Identifying the right training programs and developing structured learning pathways will assist individuals fulfill their potential. This should result in loyalty from employees and reduce employee attrition.

The importance of learning and development has also been recognised by the South African Government. Several legislative measures are in place to support and ensure that learning takes place in the South African working environment. They include the Skills Development Act and the requirement to submit annual training reports (ATRs) and workplace skills plans (WSPs) to the relevant SETAs.

Continuous learning is not instilled in the short term. It is a medium- to long-term goal that requires buy-in, commitment and planning from various organisational stakeholders. Successful implementation can create infinite exploration possibilities for individuals and return on investment for organisations. It results in the ability to connect with others in a team, to learn from each other and, in so doing, build a platform for collaboration and discussion. These touch points create opportunities to change and adapt, and increase resilience in ourselves and our organisations to meet whatever challenges and opportunities may come.

“We can’t predict how our careers will develop or what the world of work will look like in the future. Investing in our ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn helps us increase our readiness for the opportunities that change presents and our resilience to the inevitable challenges we’ll experience along the way.”

Harvard Business Review, 2021

Revitalise your workforce and improve your organisational effectiveness with Siyakha’s expert assistance in reviewing and enhancing your ‘people’ strategy through our specialised WSP and ATR process.

Sune Marais

E:sune.marais@siyakha.co.za | T: 011 706 9006

The Importance of A Strong Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) For Driving Organisational Performance

The Importance of A Strong Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) For Driving Organisational Performance

by | Feb 16, 2023 | Annual Training Report, Annual Training Report (ATR), ATR, B-BBEE, Featured, Siyakha, Workplace Skills Plan, Workplace Skills Plan (WSP), WSP

Learning and development programmes are vital in enhancing an organisation’s human capital. The focus on people and supporting them in achieving developmental goals is a human-centered approach that strategically aligns to increasing productivity and assists an organisation in realising the golden thread to align business strategy with that of people development.

The annual submission of the WSP/ATR is a reporting mechanism that supports organisations in recognising the implementation of various skills development programs to minimise internal skill gaps and to expand learning and development programs for unemployed learners. The report consists of the Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) that indicates planned training for the year ahead, while an Annual Training Report (ATR) reports the actual training activity completed in the previous year.

The WSP is developed annually, for the period 01 April to 31 March, by a registered skills development facilitator (SDF) and is submitted to the relevant SETA with which the organisation is registered. The submission and approval of the WSP/ATR facilitate access to the SETAs mandatory grant for skills training.

An equally important purpose is to provide important sector information to the SETA on employee profiles, skill needs, and skills development interventions. This information, in turn, informs the development of the SETAs sector skills plan (SSP). Therefore, companies with a salary bill of more than R500,000 per year should be registered to pay Skills Development Levies (SDL). Companies can then submit the WSP/ATR. On approval of the submitted WSP/ATR, up to 20% of the SDL paid will be obtained through a grant from the relevant Seta.

Organisations are continuously evolving, and in order to stay relevant with a strong competitive advantage, identifying the required skills needed to support forward-thinking becomes essential. Addressing any training shortfalls and areas of excellence, organisations can contribute to the professional development of their employees while investing in the company’s future skill requirements. Furthermore, the development of youth through participation in learning and development programs can support individual growth for future absorption into the current working force and is, so doing, support the National Development Plan for minimising unemployment.

It is essential to secure support and commitment from management and the employees within the organisation to ensure successful implementation.

Reflection also plays an integral part in the development of learning programs, and the progress made by an organisation is indicated in the ATR. The success or failure of the company, in terms of its skills priorities and growth objectives, is measured by comparing the ATR and the previous WSP.

In addition, hereto, Skills Development plays a pivotal role in transformation. It is a priority element in the revised B-BBEE Codes of Good Practice, and non-compliance with sub-minimum targets will result in a measured entity dropping one level on the scorecard. For example, suppose a measured entity fails to submit the Workplace Skills Plan and Annual Training Report. In that case, their B-BBEE status will be negatively affected. No submission, no points. The grant linked to the WSP of the company will also be suspended for the following year.

The overarching emphasis of the WSP/ATR is to drive impact in transformation, individual learning, and development and for an organisation to gain a competitive edge by being recognised as an employer of choice.

Revitalise your workforce and improve your organisational effectiveness with Siyakha’s expert assistance in reviewing and enhancing your ‘people’ strategy through our specialised WSP and ATR process

Sune Marais

E: sune.marais@siyakha.co.za

T: 011 706 9006