Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority
Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority
The Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority (SASSETA) is a SETA that has been set up to facilitate education and training specifically to the wide range of safety and security providers and services in South Africa. These range from the military and police to the diplomatic arena.
While it has been in existence in several forms since SETAs were first introduced in 2000, when the new South African SETA landscape makes its appearance in March 2011, there will be several changes to the SASSETA. Even though it was formed in July 2005, it has changed yet again, and has several new responsibilities.
SETA for safety and security activities in 2005
The original SASSETA was established on July 1, 2005 a little more than five years after South Africa’s first SETAs were launched. This “new” SETA amalgamated two of the initial SETAs:
- the Police, Private Security, Legal, Correctional Services and Justice Sector Educational and Training Authority, the POSLEC SETA, and
- the Diplomacy, Intelligence, Defence and Trade Education and Training Authority, the DIDTETA.
Both the POSLEC SETA and DIDTETA had been established on March 20, 2000 in terms of the Skills Development Act that was promulgated by the South African Parliament in 1998. This means that the functions of both these SETAs was broadly to develop and improve the skills of the South African workforce as a whole in ways defined in the new (1998) legislation.
SETAs were given basic guidance of how to do this and they were required to work out and implement achievable sector skills plans, promote effective learnerships and provide employers, trainers and workers with the necessary funds – in terms of the legislation.
SASSETA’s commitment from 2005
When SASSETA was formed in 2005, its new board defined a strategy for the new organisation. This was done at a strategic planning workshop in August 2005 that aimed to create and launch a definitive corporate strategy for the new SASSETA.
From this day forward, SASSETA committed itself to five primary objectives that relate to the South African Government’s National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS):
- to develop a culture of top quality learning that would last a lifetime for any learner
- to foster skills development in the formal sector of SASSETA for both productivity and the growth of employment potential and possibilities
- to stimulate and support the development of skills in small business in South Africa
- to promote skills development that would make more people employable and enable them to have sustainable livelihoods via a variety of social development initiatives
- to assist new entrants to the industry (or sector) find employment
Input from the Local Government SETA in 2011
When the Local Government SETA (LGSETA) was first established in 2000, it focused on a number of different areas including infrastructure and service delivery, financial viability, community-based participation and planning, management and leadership and adult based education and training (ABET). Within this realm of operation, traffic law enforcement and metro policing were also the responsibility of the LGSETA. This has now been transferred to the SASSETA, which does seem more logical.
When the LGSETA was first formed it stated that an amount of R150-million would be spent within the strategic areas that had been adopted by the SETA. It is not know what percentage of this represents the sub-sectors that are to be transferred to the SASSETA that will come into operation in March 2011.
Needs of those entering the SASSETA
It stands to reason then that the needs of those entering the SASSETA sector – or furthering their experience within the sector – are hugely varied and all of these factors should be taken into account. For example some of the employment opportunities within this sector require learners to take college courses, while other possibilities allow them to get away with a short course of some sort simply to make an entrance into the industry.
Somebody wanting to rise in the ranks of management might want to take a management course, but they will usually require advice and assistance to choose a good accredited course that will help them to achieve their goals. Other learners may want a workplace experience before they decide whether this particular sector is even the right one for them.
There are professionals in the SASSETA who can offer excellent advice. They will also be able to tell you whether there are bursaries, internships, apprenticeships or discretionary grants available in various sub-sectors that you or family members might apply for.
Where to find the SAS SETA
The Safety and Security SETA is located in Midrand, north of Johannesburg in Gauteng.
Telephone: 086 110 2477 / (011) 347 0200
Fax: (011) 805 6630
Email: aadriaanse@sasseta.org.za
Website: Information