A Technical Guide for Wine Producers

RECENT ARTICLES   |   WYNBOER HOME FoodBev SETA News by Charl Theron, guest lecturer in Oenology, Stellenbosch University Two concepts commonly used by all SETAs are that of the "National Qualifications Framework" or NQF and "unit standards". The NQF concept is also encountered in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand and is based on the outcome of study and the standards that are registered, as determined by the industries themselves. It must, however, comply with international standards. Learners may acquire credits once their abilities have been evaluated. The emphasis falls not on how or where the skills or knowledge were obtained, therefore, but rather on enrichment through study. Learners may enter the framework at any stage and earn credits against the standards that are set at each NQF level. What is an NQF? It provides a framework for the registration of national standards and qualifications existing of 8 levels, level 1 being approximately the equivalent of grade 9 and level 8 involving postgraduate study. The NQF is roughly divided into three groups that may be summarised as follows: Level 1 and below involve general education and training. Levels 2 tot 4 involve further education and training. Levels 5 tot 8 involve higher education and training. The goals of the NQF are to: Provide a framework for learning experience at a national level. Facilitate access to mobility and progress within the education and training environment. Promote the quality of education and training. Eliminate the discrimination in education, training and job opportunities of the past. Contribute to the personal development of each learner and the development of the nation on the whole. The NQF also has advantages for both the learner and employer. The learner has access to a national qualification, a choice of what and where to study, recognition of previous studies and forming part of a national record of studies; moreover the employer has the options of in service training and evaluation, training based on measurable outcomes and a more accurate skills profile of employees. There are many misconceptions about what exactly is meant by unit standards. Unit standards consist of outcomes to be reached by a learner to be evaluated as being skilled in terms of these specific standards. Such unit standards are developed by experts in the specific industry to ensure that they contain the best theory, practice and production techniques. The unit standards are consequently a document in which the progress and goals of training are formulated and thereby acknowledged by the industry in question. It should be clear, however, that unit standards do not contain the content or methodology of training and only indicate what should be evaluated at the end of or during training, but not how the evaluation should occur. In its final form a unit standard is a formal document consisting of single pages entitled "title", "specific outcomes", "assessment criteria" and the "range" to be addressed. As soon as unit standards have been registered, they become public property and may be used by any trainers or companies. In South Africa there are currently only two qualifications unique to the wine industry that comply with the above requirements. It is the "National Certificate: Food and Beverage Processing: NQF 3 Wine Processing" and the "National Certificate: Food and Beverage Processing: NQF 3 Spirits Processing". From the course descriptions one gathers that both are at NQF level 3. Training for these qualifications are currently undertaken by training bodies that are accredited with the FoodBev SETA. For more information about the FoodBev SETA visit the website www.foodbev.co.za or contact Lieszl Gerryts at lieszlg@foodbev.co.za.

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