Recommendations related to the most appropriate techniques for training and education of workers in the Gold and Platinum industries.

Abstract

The training landscape in South Africa is undergoing veritable metamorphoses as this report is compiled. The Skills Development Bill and its subsequent influence on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and the founding of the Mine Qualifications Authority (MQA) has brought a completely new perspective to most training management efforts undertaken by the mining industry. This outcome based focus has the effect that all of the existing training material has to be reviewed, and repurposed into modules that focus on definable outcomes. Most of the respondents to our questionnaire commented that this is a time consuming and enormous undertaking. There is a wide spectrum of discovery represented in this report. It ranges from a traditional training approach, with a strong programmed instruction and evaluation structure, to a very dynamic process driven, systems view, employed by training process designers. Some training efforts are clearly not about training people, but rather finding ways to help them learn effectively and perform competently. In the area of safety, the competent performance of individuals, which is the desired outcome of all these efforts,will save lives.