Melanie Bernard-Fryer, Chief Executive Officer of the MAPPP-SETA has affirmed the commitment of the SETA to supporting skills development in advertising saying "we recognize that the MAPPP-SETA has a critical role to play in assisting the advertising sector to meet its transformation charter objectives, and also to ensure that our world class industry goes from strength to strength."
The SETA's efforts to support the industry are guided and informed by the Advertising Chamber. The Chamber, constituted in 2004 comprises a range of representative organisations that have assisted the SETA in conducting a national audit of skills in the sector and to guide the development of a range of new qualifications for the sector. The chamber has identified communication with the sector as a critical priority, hence the initiation of the road show programme.
Recent research showed that while constituents emphasized the importance of the SETA, the general awareness levels of SETA activities and the benefits of training interventions such as learnerships were low. "The SETA offers mandatory grants to levy-paying companies that submit Workplace Skills Plans, but also offers assistance via discretionary grants for bursaries, internships, mentorships, skills programmes and learnerships. Our aim is to promote these services to the sector and encourage the sector to further their role in the National Skills Development Strategy," said Ms Bernard-Fryer. "Our commitment to the industry," she continued, "is to support the current and future skills needs in collaboration with consultative bodies such as the Chamber and by ensuring that we keep our finger on the pulse of this dynamic, complex and diverse industry."
The date and venues of the roadshows are; the Suncoast Casino in Durban on 14 February 2006, the Pavilion in Cape Town on 21 February 2006 and the Melrose Arch Hotel in Johannesburg on 28 February 2006.
For further information, contact Dikeledi Mosalo, Advertising Chamber Manager on +27 83 228-3505.
