Life-Long learning for Northlink College Staff

The new kid on Northlink College’s block, Juanita Burjins

Through conducting research into the needs analysis amongst staff, Northlink’s Management decided that there is a need for a Training facilitator who is able to address the shortages or gaps that limits staff from excelling in their respective positions. This was done due to the fact that many years of working in any industry certain practices and procedures become obsolete and as the world changes particularly with evolving technology everyone needs to keep on learning to stay in touch with reality.
Early this year Northlink appointed Juanita Burjins a Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) who is responsible for Staff/ Lecturer training. Burjins is also recognised as a resource for skills and development, and specialises in training of scarce and critical skills for all staff. Having worked with over 10 Seta’s she has gained a lot of knowledge, expertise and can very certainly point out the critical areas of training needed within an organisation.
The mandate from the Seta’s and DHET is that it’s compulsory for all lecturing staff to be registered as Accessors and Moderators, but also to promote and facilitate the delivery of quality education, training and development in order to enhance the skills profile of the Further Education and Training (FET) sector. This has become one of the main focuses on her portfolio, it is also training that is accredited by the Education Training and Development Practioner and Skills Education Training Authorities (ETDP Seta). Amongst other things Juanita focuses on planning, implementing, reporting, conducting and reviewing training in the organisation and communicates Seta initiatives, grants and benefits to the employer for consideration and approval as well as conduct minute taking, report writing, educator companion orientation for both old and new lecturers and in future refresher training for frontline staff will be introduced.
Every year Juanita will develop an organisational training and development plan in order to anticipate the need and to ensure that no training is neglected where required. All SDF are responsible to prepare, capture and submit the annual workplace skills plan and Training report of the organisation to the Seta within the predetermined time and they have to attend Seta road shows in order to keep abreast of what is happening in the sector with regards to training initiatives.
“A learning organisation is an organisation that facilitates the learning of its staff and continuously transforms itself”, said Juanita Burjins.