- No, a matric certificate is not required. However, the beneficiary must successfully complete a knowledge assessment aligned with SFIA Level 2, covering at least six relevant skills for the job role they are training for. This assessment must be completed before enrolling in the work-integrated learning programme.
- The programme is open to all demographics. Beneficiaries must meet the following criteria:
- South African citizens.
- Unemployed youth (currently unemployed or not been in ongoing employment for more than 6 months).
- Between ages 18 and 34 at date of enrolment.
- The employer and training provider should decide which type of programme (learnership, apprenticeship, internship, other) works best for their needs and those of the beneficiaries.
- Whichever programme is chosen should incorporate six months of work-integrated learning.
- The Collective X has adopted the following definition of work-integrated learning from The Routledge International Handbook of Work-Integrated Learning (2023):
An educational approach involving three parties – the learner, educational institution, and an external stakeholder – consisting of authentic work-focused experiences as an intentional component of the curriculum. Learners learn through active engagement in purposeful work tasks, which enables the integration of theory with meaningful practice that is relevant to the learners’ discipline of study and/or professional development.
- The programme is demand-led and Collective X will only co-fund beneficiaries who have committed employment opportunities before the commencement of training. For this reason, a training provider must partner with an employer to participate.
- Yes, the training intervention must align with SFIA Level 3 standards. This ensures that the participants develop the appropriate level of responsibility, autonomy, and technical skills necessary for the job role they are being trained for.
Please refer to the answer below on detailed SFIA support offered by Collective X.
- Collective X training providers must undergo a two-part due diligence process:
- Due Diligence Part 1: This section covers:
- The job roles and role families your training programmes support.
- Training modalities, location of facilities, and training capacity.
- Accreditation details (if applicable), work-integrated learning models, and alignment with SFIA.
- The types of learning agreements you use, such as internships or learnerships. Note: This section must be completed for each role you support.
- Due Diligence Part 2: This section captures additional company details, including:
- Inclusivity in your training programmes.
- M&E and reporting capabilities.
- Track record and key achievements.
- Due Diligence Part 1: This section covers:
The portal has all this detail, guidelines and processes to follow to submit all the information for parts 1 and 2.
- Collective X offers comprehensive support to assist training providers with SFIA alignment:
- Collective X has published an overview of the SFIA framework on our website for your reference.
- We will host a briefing session with your team to explain the SFIA framework and how it should be applied in this programme.
- After the briefing, you will submit your programme to Skills TX (our SFIA assessment partner) for review and feedback, ensuring your instructional design aligns with the target SFIA outcomes.
- Collective X will facilitate an onboarding session for your team to the Skills TX platform and provide training materials and user guides.
- You will be equipped to conduct baseline skills assessments and assess beneficiaries’ knowledge, while Skills TX will conduct the final SFIA Level 3 assessment at the end of the work-integrated learning (WIL) programme.
- This ensures that training providers are well-supported in aligning with SFIA and can effectively measure competencies throughout the programme.
- While we strongly encourage inclusion and support initiatives that foster entrepreneurship, there are no specific incentives for employers promoting self-employment or supporting learners who establish their own SMME entities in this current round of co-funding. However, employers can still play a pivotal role by providing coaching, mentorship, and other non-financial support to learners, which contributes significantly to their entrepreneurial success. The only direct incentives at this stage are for employers who contract female learners and people with disabilities.
- We encourage employers to actively participate in the development of entrepreneurial skills and self-employment pathways, as this has a meaningful impact on both the learners and broader economic growth.
- Yes, if intermediaries apply, employer partners must be onboarded directly with Collective X. Here’s how the process works:
- The intermediary will go through the onboarding process and complete the co-funding application on behalf of the employer partners, covering the aggregate demand.
- Once the allocation to the intermediary is approved, each employer partner will need to onboard with Collective X. They will also undergo an institutional due diligence check conducted by Experian, with the employer’s consent.
- After onboarding, Collective X and Bonds4Jobs will contract directly with each employer partner. The employer will be responsible for submitting evidence at each milestone and will receive the corresponding disbursements.
- This ensures clear accountability, with employers directly managing their deliverables and receiving funding based on their performance.
- Yes, a single entity can assume both roles of training provider and employer. Both the employer and training provider will need to onboard with Collective X and undergo an institutional due diligence check conducted by Experian, with the employer’s consent.
- Additionally, the training provider will undergo a technical assessment to ensure they can effectively implement the work-integrated learning programme and align it with SFIA standards.
- After onboarding, Collective X and Bonds4Jobs will contract directly with the employer. The employer will then establish a separate agreement with its sister company to deliver the training.
- To effectively share insights from the ground level, it’s important to establish a collaborative approach that supports both your and our initiatives. Here are some approaches to consider:
- Conduct regular feedback sessions or surveys with learners and community leaders to understand their challenges and needs. Share these with us. We will use these insights to provide tailored advice on how best to engage with our initiatives.
- Collect qualitative and quantitative data on participation rates, learner progression, and barriers such as access to technology. We will analyse this data to identify gaps and share actionable recommendations with service providers, ensuring they are not solely responsible for addressing these challenges.
- When sharing insights, we will frame them within the broader ecosystem context, highlighting specific realities in marginalised communities. This approach should help us, and other stakeholders understand the unique challenges and opportunities for collaboration.
- Yes, we recommend that the employer partner applies while both parties onboard with Collective X. The academy should also undergo a technical assessment during this process.
- This approach will help us identify the gaps the academy needs to address in order to achieve compliance and provide guidance to support them in this process.
- Meanwhile, the employer partner will be eligible to receive an allocation. However, contracting with the employer partner will only take place once the academy has achieved compliance.
