Leadership Initiative
Research Findings
Welcome!
A number of organisations in the environmental sector are working on national strategies to develop greater human capital. These include SANBI (the South African National Biodiversity Institute), the Lewis Foundation, the Department of Environmental Affairs, the Department of Science and Technology, and WWF. This website aims to promote and connect these initiatives. Perhaps you have a related project, proposal or concern? Submit your contribution through Have Your Say.
Strategic Inputs into National Skills Planning System
We continue to engage with the Department of Higher Education and Training's national skills planning initiatives. The environmental sector's submission has been very favourably received by the DHET and the National Skills Authority. These authorities have acknowledged the importance of the environmental driver for skills planning across all sectors, and have asked the Department of Environmental Affairs to draw on the National Environmental Skills Planning Forum and other experts to review all SETA's Sector Skills Plans during August, to ensure that environmental skills needs are adequately reflected. In addition the DEA has been invited to submit a proposal for a catalytic grant to address environmental skills needs for which the SETA system may not be suitable.
Related Initiatives WWF South Africa appointed a convenor to ensure human capital development for natural resource management. For more information on this process, contact Dr Glenda Raven.
| The Department of Environmental Affairs has formed a partnership with Rhodes University to develop an Environmental Sector Skills Plan and Skills Planning Guidelines for all organisations, as well as a Human Capital Development Strategy for the Environment, that will specifically inform the Department's role. The completed Environmental Sector Skills Plan for South Africa: Summary Document, is now available. |
The Department of Science and Technology's Global Change Grand Challenge initiative also includes a Human Capital Development Strategy. For more information, contact Kogilam Iyer.
Research
To inform these HCD Strategies, research has been conducted on the supply side of the sector (schools, higher education in universities, and further and vocational training), as well as the current situation, trends, vacancies, retention, career paths and other human resource and workplace skills planning aspects on the demand side. This site shares the latest Research Findings, and invites you to Have Your Say or submit your own Think Piece .
Stakeholder Engagements
In the course of 2009 a number of stakeholder workshops have been held. At the annual Biodiversity Information Management Forum meeting, participants discussed the reasons for the scarce skills in this specialised set of occupations. [Read More Here] The 2009 National Wetlands Indaba yielded valuable insights into where the vacancies are, and why. Graduate students reported that they could not find employment with an Honours Degree, and thus returned to university to study further. Some warned however that this move could see them become overqualified, as agencies lack budgets for more senior appointments. What is the situation in your organisation? Send us you comments through Have Your Say).
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Research Findings
Research reports on the issues and challenges related to skills shortages, human resources, education, training, capacity development and transformation in the environmental sector.
Strategies
Details about sector-wide plans and strategies to address skills planning and human capacity needs. Find out about the development processes, and how your organisation can contribute and benefit.
