By Anton Visser, Chief Operations Officer of SA Business School & Alefbet Learning
The financial year-end is looming, and with just days to go, businesses must ensure that all Skills Development measures are in place to maximise their B-BBEE scorecard points.
Skills Development is one of the most critical and rewarding scorecard elements, contributing at least 25 points – but achieving these targets isn’t always easy. Lack of time, resources, or knowledge can be a major hurdle, and missing key incentives can cost your business more than you realise.
To help you boost your Skills Development score and get the best ROI from your L&D investment, SA Business School shares three powerful strategies to implement before year-end.
- Tap Into Employed Learnerships
You can earn points from learnerships for your existing staff – the very people already on your payroll? Upskilling your employees allows you to claim back a portion of your Skills Development Levy (SDL) while benefiting from tax incentives.
These work-based learning programmes lead to nationally recognised qualifications, helping you address skills gaps, enhance performance, and retain top talent.
How to Implement:
- Register a Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) and submit a Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) to your Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA).
- Choose a reputable training provider offering the right learning programmes.
- Ensure the learnership is registered with your SETA, aligns with the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), and is supervised by a mentor or coach.
- Learners must have an employment contract and receive a stipend or allowance in addition to their salary.
- Align Training with the Organising Framework for Occupations (OFO)
The OFO is a classification tool that helps identify scarce and critical skills in your sector, ensuring your training investments are relevant and impactful.
How to Use the OFO:
- Match job titles with the listed occupations and codes.
- Select corresponding learning programmes that meet industry needs.
- Plan training strategically to maximise scorecard benefits and business growth.
- Partner with the Right Training Provider
Choosing a training partner that aligns with your business and human capital needs is crucial. The right provider ensures your training is:
- Academically rigorous
- Practically relevant
- Quality assured
Your Training Provider Should Assist With:
- Conducting skills audits and gap analyses.
- Developing a skills strategy and plan.
- Offering short courses, skills programmes, and learnerships.
- Providing online, face-to-face, or blended learning options.
- Assessing and certifying learning outcomes.
- Reporting and evaluating training impacts.
The Benefits of Getting Your Skills Development Strategy in Order
Getting your house in order on skills development in the run-up to year-end, means you can tick all-important boxes that include:
- Identified skills gaps and training needs.
- Planned and budgeted for training interventions.
- Claimed 100% of the training cost as Skills Development expenditure, provided that the training aligns with the NQF and Skills Development Act.
- Claimed bonus points for training previously disadvantaged individuals, women, and people with disabilities, as well as scarce or critical skills development.
- Claimed additional points for training that resulted in a qualification or unit standard, or formed part of a learnership or internship.
- Claimed 20% of your Skills Development Levy back from your SETA – provided that you submitted your workplace skills plan (WSP) and annual training report (ATR) in time.
- Claimed bonus points for employing unemployed learners who’ve completed a learnership.
The Bottom Line: Skills Development is a Game-Changer
Skills Development is more than just a compliance requirement—it’s a strategic investment that boosts your B-BBEE rating, maximises ROI, and builds a skilled, competitive workforce.
Important Dates:
- Online WSP Submission Window: Opens 15 February 2025, Closes 30 April 2025.
