Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” The quote accurately describes the goal of the Skills Development pillar within B-BBEE legislation. What may seem like unnecessary expenditure is a doorway for recipients of Skills Development interventions gaining knowledge. The objective is to arm a recipient with the knowledge and skills to increase their individual capacity to provide opportunities, so they can meet their full potential, which will provide access to the economy. Let’s take a closer look at the categorisation of expenditure; this is in terms of the Skills Matrix under the Generic Codes of Good Practice (Codes).
Mandatory Training
Any training necessary for an organisation to operate is referred to as Mandatory Training. An organisation can cross-check these requirements against the sector-specific Skills Statements for each sector. These expenses may not form part of an organisation’s Skills Development claim.
However, if a Sector is silent on a matter, it reverts to the Generic Codes. Those measured on the Transport Sector Code are exempt from Mandatory Training and Absorption requirements as this sector code has not aligned with any of the amendments to the Generic Codes since 2013.
To conclude, Skills Development holds multiple benefits for both organisations and ‘Black’ People alike whilst strengthening the principles of B-BBEE. Skills Development is the crux of empowering and developing ‘Black’ People to gain access to and strengthen the national workforce, which filters through to the economy.