The Accreditation committees at the Maritime Industry Training Board (MITB): Forwarding & Clearing - the industry's training arm - are up-and-running, and are waiting for submission of courses for approval, according to chairman Hennie Richards, human resources executive for Grindrod International Freight.
To give each section a prime focus, the accreditation procedure has been split into two - generic courses (of a more advanced nature) falling under the guidance of Richards, with the ABET courses (basic literacy, education and training) being supervised by Ron Fabel, c.e.o of the MITB in Cape Town.
On the generic side, the MITB F&C have put together what Richards describes as a draft tender document.
Because of a poor response from providers contacting F&C, he said, we have compiled a document where education, training and development needs are fully-defined. We are sending this to all the known providers who might be interested in submitting courses.
Basically this asks three questions of them: a) Can they confirm their interest?, b) What courses do they have available?, and c) If they don't have courses do they think they could write? This procedure will allow for all types of course providers to make their contributions to the F&C, according to Richards.
We are looking for providers to work through a network, he said. If provider X has a full range of generic courses, training centres, and the like, then he will be assessed as a one-stop shop type of training provider. Alternatively a suitable supplier of a simple ABET course, for example, could also fit into the network. This tender document will appear before F&C's MANCO (management committee) later this month, for the final approval of the concept.
The lack of response up to now has been due to two main factors, according to Richards. One was an internal misalignment of priorities at F&C, with course accreditation being a victim - a problem now sorted out, he added.
The second is a misguided presumption amongst possible course providers that the MITB:F&C is only a passing fancy. I don't think that providers realise that industry training boards are here to stay, said Richards, and that we are the future outlet for all the training courses acceptable to the industry.
Only courses approved by our accreditation committees will entitle the employers to a percentage rebate on the cost of the course, after successful completion by the candidate(s).
