“What we lack in the water sector is a credible skills planning programme,” said Professor Alvin Lagardien, at the 4th Municipal Water Quality Conference taking place at Sun City from 7 to 11 July 2013. Lagardien was representing both the Department of Water Affairs and the Water Institute of South Africa (WISA) as he reported back on the developments in the professionalisation of Process Controllers.
According to Lagardien, the promoting [professional excellence requires new designations and more specifically occupational designations in accordance with sector needs, such as Process Controller, Water Services Artisan, Water Pollution Control Officer, Superintendent and Water Utility Manager. The challenges for water sector professionalisation however remain. According to Lagardien these include that the current Organising Framework for Occupation (OFO) for skills planning does not cater for water sector careers and the uncertainty over the link between qualification and available career paths in the sector which limits the uptake and thus the sustainability of CB&T initiatives. According to Lagardien, currently there is a plethora of education and training programmes which lack currency and portability. Qualifications and certificates obtained often receive no recognition with regard to career progression skills enhancement. “How do we link strategic/professional/occupational needs and career paths in the water sector to appropriate qualifications and training programmes?”
He reiterated that WISA has set up a capacity building and training division and has developed with the Department of Water Affairs a concept note to professionalise water sector careers. “Given the need to improve the status of Process Controllers, as well as the related process of capacity building and classification, this was earmarked as the first designation to be professionalised by WISA,” said Lagardien.
As such he reported that a national database of approximately 5600 Process Controllers was being set up with 4 provincial Process Controller branches already having been established, most recently in Limpopo. In addition a technical task team has also been established to provide input into the alignment of the classification and registration process. Finally WISA’s application as a professional body and their application for Process Control as the first professional designation has been lodged with THE South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). “WISA cannot become a training body and compete with its members, but it will be engaging on this level with the related role-players,” said Lagardien. “The process of professionalization will promote the image and recognition of the process controllers, improve accountability and establish a coherent training accreditation and certification system,” concluded Lagardien.
