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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION: 
SD.Pr - Skills Development Practitioner 
DESIGNATION ID DESIGNATION TITLE
494  SD.Pr - Skills Development Practitioner 
PROFESSIONAL BODY DESIGNATION STATUS
ASDSA - Association for Skills Development in South Africa  Reregistered 
SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
SAQA 06147/25  2025-03-20  2030-03-19 


DESCRIPTION:
The role of a Skills Development Practitioner (SDP) is strategic in nature. Not only does the incumbent need to develop and coordinate the implementation of an organisational training and development plan for an organisation, but he/she also needs to use various interventions to promote a learning culture within an organisation. The SDP needs to advise and consult with the employer or client on appropriate skills development strategies aligned with the strategic business objectives of the organisation. These also need to align with the performance outcomes of the individual employees relating to these strategic business objectives. Quality assurance of the activities related to the implementation of the organisational training and development plan raises the level of delivery required from the administrators, event organisers, facilitators or lecturers, assessors and moderators within the system.

The standard set out in the professional designation standard is not aimed at evaluating the SDP's knowledge and skills. Rather it is aimed at assessing the SDP's ability to apply their knowledge and skills at the workplace, taking into consideration the integrated nature of activities as well as the real time pressures and constraints that a workplace presents.

Often the SDP depends on the abilities of individuals to perform against the objectives set out in the organisational training and development plan. This further complicates the conditions required to gain ultimate success in this environment and underlines the skills and attributes required to achieve this designation.

This professional designation standard is aimed at setting the criterion against which the applied ability of the SDP will be assessed.

Some of the professional services, among others, that the SDP renders are to:
  • Develop an organisational training and development plan.
  • Conduct an analysis to determine outcomes of learning for skills development and other purposes.
  • Provide information and advice regarding skills development and related issues.
  • Promote a learning culture in the organisation.
  • Conduct skills development administration in an organisation.
  • Advise on the establishment and implementation of a quality management system for skills development practices in an organisation.
  • Coordinate planned skills development interventions in an organisation, including systems to measure Return on Investment. 
    		•
    AWARDING CRITERIA
    For the Professional Designation to be awarded, professionals must comply with the following minimum requirements: 
    Underlying Registered Qualification or Part Qualification:
    Professionals must comply with the following minimum requirements:

    Underlying Registered Qualification or Part Qualification:
  • 50334 National Certificate: Occupationally Directed Education Training and Development Practices level 5 (120 credits), or
  • 59201 National Certificate: Generic Management Level 5 (162 credits), or
  • 57805 National Certificate: Public Sector Employment and Skills Development Practices (160 credits).

    Designation RPL Statement:
  • An application for RPL would only be considered if the designee has relevant appropriate qualifications and/or experience. In this kind of delivery, the designees are evaluated for suitability for RPL based on their previous experience.
  • As there would not be any formative assessment, applicants complete a summative assessment instrument which has been designed using exit level outcome design methodology.
  • This comes in different formats according to the relevant designation.
  • Practitioner: Self-assessment, manager/client recommendation and a Portfolio of Evidence. 
    		•
    Experiential Learning or Experience
  • Must have completed at least 5 years in the fields of business consulting or skills development.
  • Submission of 2 signed off Workplace Skills Plans or evidence of similar planning and development strategies linking business objectives with performance and skills development within the workplace.
  • Recommendation by supervisor/manager to participate in the evaluation programme where applicable. 
    		•
    Competency Assessment
    Competency against the appropriate 7 unit standards (15217, 15218, 15221, 15222, 15227, 15228, 15232) or evidence that they can perform the tasks identified in these unit standards. While it appears that due to some overlaps (e.g. 15227 with 15217) these may in future be reduced to 5 unit standards (15217, 15218, 15228, 15221, 15232), at which stage this component is adjusted accordingly.

    Designation Competencies:
  • Develop and maintain organisational skills development and training strategy.
  • Facilitate implementation of skills development and training strategy.
  • Develop and maintain organisational quality management system.
  • Facilitate career development.
  • Provide business performance consulting and advising for appropriate skills development strategies. 
    		•
    Designation RPL Statement
    This Designation may be awarded through Recognition of Prior Learning. 
    RETAINING CRITERIA
    In order to ensure the currency of professional knowledge and to retain the Professional Designation, the professional must comply with the following minimum requirements: 
    Code of Conduct
    Members must adhere to the Professional Body Codes of Conduct and Ethics. 
    Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
    Members are required to provide proof to ASDSA of their CPD activities.

    Members are required to accumulate 30 CPD points annually period by completing a range of accredited activities from categories such as:
  • Attendance at workshops, seminars and conferences.
  • Critique/publish articles that contribute to the practice of the occupation.
  • Community projects.
  • Mentoring.
  • Professional development.
  • Personal development.

    The ASDSA decides on the points each activity is worth. 30 points need to be gained in any of the above categories, or similar.

    The SDP must submit a record card in Word-type format annually, together with supporting evidence. This is undertaken when the SDP first achieves the designation. 
    		•
    Fees
    Ensure that the annual membership fee is paid. 


    PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION PROGRESSION PATHWAY
    (The Designation being reported on here is shown in italics.)

    Sequence Designation ID Designation Title
    1493SD.Tech - Skills Development Technician
    2494SD.Pr - Skills Development Practitioner
    3770SD.Mas - Skills Development Master


    PROFESSIONAL BODY WEB ADDRESS:
    For more information on this Professional Designation, please visit http://www.asdsa.org.za