Historically, the majority of South African people, particularly Blacks, were denied access to free, compulsory basic education. This means that many citizens did not have access to education that would provide them with the skills necessary for quality work performance. Various arguments in this study imply that work performance is linked to the skills employees have in the work they do. The previous Bantu education system failed to produce people with the necessary skills for the economy of the country. To compensate for this situation the present South African government introduced the Skills Development Act and Skills Levies Act which intended to provide the unskilled workforce with an opportunity to be trained and acquire skills. This is an investment in people through skills development, which is aimed at the improved work performance of the country's workforce. The study aims to: • Determine the impact of skills development programmes on employees' work performance; • Determine whether the skills learned are actually applied in practice; • Assess the general performance of a company through skills development of its workforce; and ••• Determine how accessible skills development programmes are to employees in this company. The research sample comprised ten facilitators, 15 employees and one employer. The data collected from the sample attempted to answer the following research questions: => What impact will skills development programmes have on employees' work performance? => What evidence there is that skills learned are actually applied in practice? => How the company performs in general when the workforce has undergone skills development programmes? => Whether the skills development programmes are accessible to the employees of the company? The findings revealed that skills development programmes in the company under investigation were valuable and useful to employees. This is evident from the improved work performance of employees as observed by the employer, who confirmed that the employees do job more quickly with less wastage and less supervision. The employer further confirmed that his company has attracted new clients who come for the sake of the service the company renders. The researcher concludes with the following recommendations: • The company should draw up a skills development programme schedule that will fit in well with its objectives. It is emphasised that these two aspects must not clash with each other, but instead complement each other so as to meet the set goal, that is, reselling of the workforce. This should be integrated to the organisational goal. • The company should spell out the aims of the skills development programmes and must make sure that these are well understood and adhered to by everyone in the company. This will aid in designing the programme according to the company's needs. • The fact that very little evaluation of training is done indicates the probability that although expenditure on training is great very little is done to ensure to improved competence and performance. The vast majority of employers still see training and development as purely cost, not investment. In this instance, the employers should be educated on the importance of investing in people through skills development programmes in order to gain improved work performance. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.

This study focuses on the strategic employee training and development initiatives of private sector employment as a means to develop employees in gaining a competitive advantage in the market. This study takes a theoretical and descriptive stance as it draws from the work of authors in the field of human resources and strategic training and development. There is a strong focus on human relations and the transformation of human resources in South Africa that brings to light practices of human resource management. Furthermore, the concepts training, education and development are defined and discussed as cornerstones to the employee growth process. Theories, techniques and models are used as a tool in highlighting the needs analysis and designing of training programmes in the South African private sector. Business strategy and its connection to training and development are expanded upon as this topic entails a strong future-oriented approach. Pick In Pay was chosen as a case study as it is a South African company. The company's training and development policies and procedures are discussed, unstructured interviews were conducted with Jackie Suhr who is the Senior Human Resource manager, Ravi Naidoo who is the Area manager at Durban North as well as staff members from Pick In Pay. The information gathered will be discussed to evaluate the effectiveness of the company's training and development initiatives as a means to empowering, developing and positively reenforcing their employees. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu Natal, 2005.

This study examines the participation of clerical staff in training and development. It also considers the potential benefits of participation and the influence of forces in the work environment on participation. A survey of the population of 937 clerical staff at McGill University yielded a response of 460. Three-quarters of staff indicated awareness of training and development opportunities, with approximately half of these having participated in 1993/1994. Staff consider performance enhancement as by far the most likely benefit of participation. They are also inclined to agree that their supervisors are supportive of training and development, while they tend to be unsure whether they have their co-workers' support. Further, staff tend to be unsure or to disagree that situational constraints influence participation. Significant interactions between several of the variables were found. This study discusses the implications of these findings for McGill and makes recommendations for further research.

Learning organization and organizational learning are concepts that have been explored extensively in the literature. Interestingly, there seems to be a lot that organizations can still learn from the concept of organizational learning. Using the practitioner research methodology, this research project attempted to explore how applicable the theory of learning organization is at Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT). Practitioner research allows the practitioner to reflect on his or her practice with the intention of improving the practice. As the Skills Development practitioner, I am motivated to improve workplace learning at MUT. The literature review conducted for this study has revealed that workplace learning has an enormous impact on both the performance and the image of organizations. As the environment in which organizations operate in the 21st century is very turbulent and demands dynamic people to function within the structure, employees need to share knowledge, and learn and re-learn new skills. To explore the intensity of workplace learning at MUT a survey and focus group was used. The findings revealed that MUT is on a journey of becoming a learning organisation; given all the efforts it has put in place to strengthen workplace learning. Workplace learning is encouraged at MUT. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

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The research project focuses on aspects of multi-skilling as utilized in academic libraries internationally which contributes to providing a quality service delivery. The researcher&rsquo / s extensive literature search, focuses on aspect of multi-skilling programs such as: job rotation, cross-training, job enrichment, on-the-job training, and succession planning conducted at academic libraries in America, Australia, Canada, Birmingham, Nigeria, Kenya, Botswana and South Africa. Multi-skilling can be seen as the umbrella term for the above concepts.<br /> <br /> It was found in the literature that aspects of multi-skilling as applied in American academic libraries was a voluntary process and often occurred between the Public service and the Technical service within academic libraries. At Wollongong, Queensland and Birmingham academic libraries the program was formal, and staff had to apply to enrol for the program. This does not mean that staff qualified automatically. This was a formalized policy within the university. In Nigeria, Kenya and Botswana the program, at academic libraries was formal but literature does not indicate if it is a university policy or just the academic library&rsquo / s policy.<br /> The immense benefits derived from all the aspects of multi-skilling are: contributes towards employee training and development / employee satisfaction / reduction in boredom / increased productivity / enhances job skills / increased versatility / career mobility and advancement / increased intellectual stimulation and confidence / enhances workers&rsquo / flexibility and broadens their knowledge / achieves efficiency in the workplace / helps break down barriers in efficiency which exists on many levels / better communication between the various units in the library / and better understanding of responsibility involved in other units.<br /> <br /> For academic libraries to become effective, the management of service organizations needs to create a climate in which staff will function effectively, be happy and derive maximum satisfaction from their work. Academic libraries exist for the benefit of their users, supporting the teaching and research programs of their parent institutions. To achieve this objective, the academic library manager needs to have effective staff organization strategies devised to ensure best quality service delivery to its users.<br /> These strategies employed are job rotation, cross training, job enrichment, succession planning and on-the-job training that will ultimately contribute towards provision of a quality service delivery.

This research set out to explore cognitive processes involved in learning among help desk consultants, both apprentices and experts.

University of Technology, Sydney. / The study critically examines definitions of "informal learning", focussing on the term's application in workplace training contexts. Drawing on Foucault, Heidegger and Habermas, it is argued that we cannot understand ourselves (and thus our informal learning) without challenging the assumptions of modernity and coming to terms with what Lyotard has termed "the postmodern condition". Industry trainers are at the forefront of implementing "designer" corporate cultures which, in the rhetoric of "work-based learning", make enterprises more innovative and competitive. This study challenges that rhetoric, showing that the implicit philosophy of contemporary workplace learning and training is framed by an economistic "human capital theory". The "stories" of industry trainers from several multinational corporations challenge assumptions about what is learnt through competency-based training and about corporate uses of informal learning. It is argued that being at work entails far more than simply performing the tasks one is required to do, which, in turn, effects the links between informal learning and formal education. The final chapters are directed towards expanding and realigning interpretations of "informal learning" away from the narrow and instrumental purposes for which the term has been appropriated. Equity, respect for the dignity of others, and a philosophy of ethics have a place in "workplace learning". Informal learning is shaped by our deepest ethical and moral responses. It does not follow that measurable tasks, what one can be observed doing at work, represent one's learning.

Thesis (Ph.D)--Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009. / Committee Co-Chair: Hayriye Ayhan; Committee Co-Chair: Sigrun Andradottir; Committee Member: David M. Goldsman; Committee Member: Douglas G. Down; Committee Member: Robert D. Foley. Part of the SMARTech Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Collection.

This study reviews a training programme on Marine Protected Area (MPA) management. It notes that although MPAs are well promulgated under legislation, reports have found that there are still key challenges facing the management of these areas. The research examines how the course was developed following the Lemm and Attwood (2003) report and designed to develop competences for effective MPA management. The aim is to identify how a MPA management training course produced competences apposite to the workplace settings of the participants. An interpretive case study method was used, in two phases. The first phase explored salient issues in MPA management in South Africa through analysis of the two key ‘state of MPA management’ reports and interviews with MPA professionals. The second was an analysis of the South African Marine Protected Area Management Training Course. This involved interviews with course designers, a review of the course materials, interviews with past course participants, and an analysis of course evaluations. Evidence emerged that supported the following findings: Challenges and problems facing MPA management still exist. Competence in key areas of MPA management was addressed in an effective work-integrated approach. Social learning was a key process in the development of these competences. The competences articulate well with the workplace of participants. Gaps exist between some of the management issues and the competences developed by the course, and some aspects of the course design are ineffective. From these findings it is concluded that: The course took up the majority of issues in MPA management through the development of key competences. The course design facilitated the development of these competences. The competences developed through the course are relevant to the workplace of MPA professionals. The research found that the course adequately addresses issues in MPA management through the development of competences. Some recommendations for improvements are made.