APTUS ESDA (Applicable to South Africa only)

As an Employment and Skills Development Agency (ESDA) Aptus is a company that, through written agreement with an employer, employs learners and manages the placement of the learners with host employers for on the job training and assessment at approved training institutions for off the job training to complete a regulated training program, a learnership or apprenticeship.

This initiative is supported by the Department of Labour.

The Aptus ESDA embraces the following duties and responsibilities:

• Assists South Africa to meet the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS)
• Assists learners
• Assists government institutions and companies
• Assists SETAs
• Assists in creating jobs

The Aptus ESDA provides a means for the employment and training of special groups within the labour market and provides a service for employers that do not have the capacity to manage their own learnership, but who are nonetheless committed to recognised, high-quality training.

Background to the ESDA Initiative

• In February 2001 Minister Mdladlana launched the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS).
• The Skills Development Act and the NSDS represent a major step forward in the development and implementation of labour market reforms in South Africa.
• A key component of the reform process (Skills Revolution) has been the introduction of learnerships.
• Progress has been made in the registration and implementation of learnerships.
• However two critical challenges still remain: (1) how to increase the number of employers/entrepreneurs participating in leanerships and (2) to increase the number of people entering into learnership agreements.
• Extensive stakeholder consultation guides the Deparment of Labour to introduce a programme to meet the two challenges above.

The scheme is known as the Employment and Skills Development Agency Programme.

What are the Objectives of the ESDA Programme?

• Increase the number of employers/enterprises participating in the (regulated) training system, particularly SMMEs.
• Increase the number of young unemployed people entering into training agreements. Achieve the equity targets established in the NSDS.
• Create additional learnership opportunities that otherwise might not have existed.

What is special about the role of an ESDA?

• An ESDA provides a means for the employment and training of special groups within the labour market
• Provides services for employers that does not have the capacity to manage their own training or actively engage with the SETA network or Skills Development Framework but are nonetheless committed to recognized, high quality training.

To date, many SMMEs do not participate in the regulated training system for a variety of reasons including:

1. Too busy
2. Unwilling to deal with Government Agencies
3. Not prepared to enter into a contract of training
4. Business not strong enough

The work done by the ESDA will make such concerns a thing of the past.

• An ESDA will organise and manage both the off job and the on the job training, as required by the training programme (this could include learner recruitment, learner support and assessment).
• By undertaking this task, a number of associated functions, usually the responsibility of an employer, are assumed by the ESDA.

A major attraction from the host employer perspective is the flexibility to be able to participate in the training system without the long-term administrative and management commitments normally associated with a learnership.

Other special ESDA functions will include:

• Handling all Government legislative requirements, such as taxation and payroll.
• The selection of high-quality learners.
• Arranging and monitoring the on and off the job training.
• Ensuring suitable on the job training by rotation through various employers, and counselling and problem solving for both employers and learners.

Unique role of ESDA

• The ESDA will organise the placement of learners with a number of employers (hosts) to support the development of skills most likely to improve employment and further training opportunities. Thus entry to the labour market for people that have experienced difficulty in gaining employment will be enhanced. Learners employed by the ESDA will :
  • Attain a national qualification
  • Be supported through the training period
  • Be protected from premature termination of learnership contract because of seasonal and business cycles

Download our Aptus ESDA Certificate by clicking here

Learning and Development

The Aptus Training Academy is an education and training institution established to meet the ever increasing need for computer literacy and business skills necessary in all spheres of business throughout the world today.

• Aptus is an accredited training provider, complying with government standards set by the NQF and SAQA for Education and Training.
• Courses through Aptus Learning & Development are aligned with the various Unit Standards as laid out by SAQA.
• Aptus Learning & development offers customised training solutions, generic end-user PC software training as well as Soft Skills.
• We offer extensive needs analysis and competency assessments as well as customised training schedules to suit your organisational requirements.
• Consulting and advice on the claiming of skills levies.

Aptus Training & Development offers up-to-date innovative training in a personalised, relaxed environment that is conducive to learning. Our learners benefit from small classes with practical, outcomes-based instructor led tuition. This ensures maximised learning as well as sufficient experiential training. All training officers are highly qualified and continuously study to grow their skills.

Training Facilities
Aptus Learning & Development boasts state-of-the-art training facilities, with a break-away area and private balconies. Each training room is fully equipped with top of the range PCs equipped with relevant software, individual workstations and visual aids such as whiteboards, flip charts and data-projectors.