The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers South Africa (ICS) is introducing two new programmes to address the acute skills shortages in the shipping industry. The first is a full Transport Education and Training Authority (Teta) accredited certificate qualification and the second is an ‘Adopt a Learner’ programme. “Previously there was no training in the industry addressing the needs of SA ships' agents and brokers. The full qualification, Further Education and Training (FET) Certificate: Shipping, is now being offered together with strategic partners in the industry and training field,” says Carol Knox, skills programme manager of ICS South Africa. “The full course will take one year to complete. During this outcomesbased experience, learners assemble portfolios of evidence on which they are assessed. Our current stakeholder has a schedule of offering training every Wednesday throughout the year. However, we can tailor-make training packages to the needs of our interested workplaces.” The Institute has been accredited by the Transport Education and Training Authority (Teta) to provide eight unit standards or skills programmes in faceto- face training with learners. There is a small training facility on-site at the new ICS premises to facilitate this new venture. “Our two new and very exciting upcoming projects are the provision of the full qualification to ten learners for an Institute stakeholder and the newly-envisaged ‘Adopt a Learner’ programme. Together with key partners, 20 individuals will be recruited from smaller agencies and from a pool of people who would like to gain entry into the industry and be provided with training on the full shipping qualification” Knox said.
