Step 6: Trade Testing and Recognition of Prior Learning
Once the artisan learner has successfully completed the occupational knowledge, practical and workplace learning, the Skills Development Act requires a learner to undergo an external final summative assessment also known as a Trade Test before he or she can be certified as a qualified artisan, irrespective of the route or pathway of learning the learner utilized.
All Trade Testing in South Africa will in the near future be regulated by national Trade Test Regulations issued under Section 26D(5) of the Skills Development Act that are applicable to all Trade Test Centres whether they are operated by private, government or state owned companies. These national, decentralized trade test centres must be accredited by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations before they will be allowed to conduct national trade tests. The national trade test includes practical tasks that a learner must complete within a specified periods of time as determined by the National Artisan Moderation Body or NAMB.
In addition all trade testing processes will be monitored and moderated by the National Artisan Moderation Body (NAMB) as required by Section 26A(2) of the Skills Development Act. The national trade testing system is also being built to include a customized artisan development aligned Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) system that will offer persons who have assimilated knowledge and skills related to an artisan trade through workplace activities to also enter a well-supported process that will result in access to a national trade test.
To ensure that trade testing is always relevant to the needs of the industry and to ensure that learners achieve competent artisan status, all artisan trade testing or assessment practitioners including assessors, assessment tool designers and moderators will be registered by the NAMB and be subject to continuous and regular capacity building through re-skilling processes.
All accredited trade test centres will report to the NAMB as per pre-determined requirements to enable the NAMB to monitor their performance. In this sense the NAMB will act as an “ombudsman” for artisan development and any concern with regards to the quality of artisan development may be reported to the NAMB.
NEXT: Step 7: Assurance and Certification