If you are researching skills development programmes in South Africa, you will encounter the acronym SETA and specifically, for technology and communications training, MICT SETA.
Understanding what this means and why it matters for your career and your qualifications will help you make better decisions about where to invest your time and money.
What Is a SETA?
A SETA is a Sector Education and Training Authority a government body established under the Skills Development Act to oversee skills development in a specific industry sector. There are 21 SETAs in South Africa, each responsible for a different sector of the economy.
SETAs are funded through a Skills Development Levy a tax that all employers with an annual payroll above R500,000 must pay. This money is used to fund training, learnerships, bursaries and skills development initiatives in each sector.
What Is MICT SETA?
MICT SETA is the Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority. It oversees skills development in:
- Information technology and software development
- Electronics and hardware
- Broadcasting and multimedia
- Publishing
- Advertising and marketing
- Film, television and video production
If your career or business involves any of these fields, MICT SETA is the body that sets the standards for training and qualifications in your industry.
What Does Accreditation Mean?
When a training provider like Innovalanga undergoes MICT SETA accreditation, they are being assessed against a set of standards that cover:
- The quality of their training materials and curriculum
- The qualifications of their facilitators and assessors
- Their facilities, equipment and administrative systems
- Their assessment and moderation processes
- Their track record of delivery and learner outcomes
Accreditation means the provider has been independently verified as meeting these standards. Without accreditation, a training provider can still deliver training but the qualifications they issue are not nationally recognised.
“Accreditation means the provider has been independently verified as meeting national standards. It is the difference between a certificate and a recognised qualification.”
Why It Matters for You
If you complete a training programme that is MICT SETA accredited, your qualification:
- Is recognised on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) the same framework used by universities
- Can be included in your official SAQA (South African Qualifications Authority) transcript
- Is recognised by employers who require proof of formal qualifications
- May make you eligible for SETA-funded bursaries and learnerships in the future
A qualification from an unaccredited provider is a certificate of attendance. A qualification from an accredited provider is a credential that is recognised across South Africa and increasingly internationally.
Where Innovalanga Stands
Innovalanga’s four skills programmes are currently undergoing MICT SETA accreditation. We are honest about this: accreditation is in progress, not complete. Duration and NQF level will be confirmed on completion of the QCTO / MICT SETA process.
What this means for current participants: you are entering the programme at the ground floor of a serious, properly governed skills development initiative one that will carry nationally recognised qualifications on completion of the accreditation process.
