By Jacques Farmer, MD at PRISMA

Mining houses are required by the Skills Development Act to provide a Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) every year, as well as an Annual Training Report (ATR). The purpose of these documents it to outline and budget for various skills development initiatives and then report back on what was achieved. This includes mandatory compliance and technical training, as well as apprenticeships, career path development and more. While both the WSP and the ATR are a legal requirement, they are often seen as a burdensome task. However, with the right partner and the right planning, skills development can become a self-funding initiative that benefits mines with effective skills, succession planning and business continuity. 

The sum of many parts

The WSP and the ATR form critical parts of mining compliance and they are a mandatory requirement for obtaining and maintaining a mining license. They can also be quite complex undertakings because they need to be carefully thought out and compiled according to the skills requirements of the mine, accurately budgeted, and then signed off by the various parties involved. This includes the relevant organised labour unions, senior management within the mine, and finally the skills development facilitator at the mine, who must then submit the documentation to the Mining Qualifications Authority for approval. 

The WSP must be submitted in advance of the coming year, by going through the relevant steps as outlined above. At the end of the year, the ATR must be compiled to demonstrate what training initiatives and spend were completed and if it was according to the plan. If there is a deviation from the WSP, relevant parties must provide an explanation as to why, and all parties must sign off that the deviation from plan was acceptable. While some leniency is permitted, a deviation of more than 20% from the original plan could have dire consequences, including the revoking of the mining license for repeat offenses. 

Keeping accountable

Both the WSP and the ATR are legally mandated, there is no way around them and sufficient time and funds need to be dedicated to completing these documents accurately. The WSP is not just a paper exercise, but a plan that needs to be executed over a 12-month period, and it needs commitment from both organised labour and management to make it a success. The plan should always be focused on developing and upskilling employees to ensure the environment they work in is compliant and safe above all. However, the process need not be a burden, as if it is done correctly, it will benefit mining houses significantly in the long run. 

These plans allow for management to commit to the development of their own people to create a better, more efficient, more productive and, above all, a safer working environment. The process also allows mining houses to build a pool of talent made up of professional mining employees, and develop enhanced succession planning, which is critical for business continuity. Training should include, not only mandatory safety and compliance, but also technical and career path development, and softer human skills like assertiveness, conflict resolution and communications. By looking at all of these areas, a more holistic and well-rounded working environment can be created. 

A self-sustaining process

While both the WSP and the ATR can be done in-house, calling in the help of a specialist can be hugely beneficial. An expert in the industry, with first-hand experience on how to effectively design a WSP, will help to ensure the plan is realistic, accurate, effective and also forward-thinking on both skills and human capital development. A specialist partner can also help to ensure that the plan is compiled and executed correctly to ensure that budget is not over- or under-spent.  

In addition, the right partner can help mining houses to make the most of the discretionary grants that are available as part of the skills development levy, which can help to make skills development both self-funding and self-sustainable. Effective skills development is not just about throwing money at a problem or ticking boxes on a paper-based exercise. It should be a benefit, not a burden, and should help mining houses to become safer, more productive, more efficient, and ultimately more profitable in the long term.