The Skills Development Act (97 of 1988) introduced a new approach to the development of workrelated
skills in South Africa. This Act provided the legal underpinnings for learnerships, which
include both structured work experience (Le. a practical component) and instructional learning (i.e.
a theory learning component). Learnerships are offered in an accredited workplace environment
and culminate in a qualification that is registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
Research studies support the view that informal learning accounts for over 75%-90% of the
learning that takes place in organizations today. Although the majority of learning that occurs in the
workplace is informal, little is, however, known about how such learning is best supported,
encouraged and developed in a learnership programme. The impact of informal learning on
learnerships must be seen as an essential ingredient for effective workplace skills programmes and
the advancement of skills acquisition leading to qualifications and career planning resulting in a
highly skilled workforce. This research study was prompted by the perception that the majority of
workers in the footwear industry have a low formal educational level and are either non-skilled or
semi-skilled, financial sustainability of the footwear industry and global competition. Learnerships
are perceived to be a creative vehicle whereby workers are able to acquire basic production and
manufacturing skills in the workplace through a Clothing, Textiles, Footwear and Leather (CTFL)
learnership programme. This research study explores the factors in an education and training
environment that enhance or inhibit informal learning opportunities and how these factors shape or
impede informal learning, thus impacting on the performance of learners in a footwear learnership
programme.
Although no single theoretical framework of informal learning exists, this research study was
informed and underpinned by the theoretical models of various experts in the field of informal
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learning. Using an interpretivist paradigm the researcher opted to study the implementation of
learnerships at one accredited training provider in the footwear industry. Data collection
instruments provided rich, detailed qualitative data using semi-structured interviews, observations
and document analysis within a case study approach. The findings of this study identified a number
of overarching factors that enhanced or impeded informal learning in a footwear learnership
programme that also impacted on the performance of learners. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ukzn/oai:http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za:10413/1329 |
| Date | January 2006 |
| Creators | Naicker, Poovendren K. |
| Contributors | Kaye, Sylvia. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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