National status for Microsoft qualifications
Microsoft South Africa today announced that it had signed an agreement with the national IT training authority (Isett Seta) that will mean Microsoft qualifications will count towards credits in the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). Students with Microsoft qualifications will gain NQF credits for their efforts.
Companies will also be able to take advantage of the Skills Development Levy for staff with Microsoft qualifications.
Isett Seta Oupa Mopaki said the move was an example of what could happen when government and business work together on issues like training and certification. "This is a major step forward for skills development and capacity building in the IT industry," said Mopaki. "We encourage employers and learners alike to take advantage of these incentives in the development of a skilled workforce that is trained to respond to the business needs of our industry."
"Working closely with the Isett Seta, we’re now in a better position than ever to deliver qualified professionals with technical and cross functional skills based on the requirements of the industry and the standards set by government," said Microsoft managing director Pfungwa Serima.
Torque IT managing director Mthunzi Mdwaba said the agreement was an important milestone in driving employable skills into the industry. "This should open the doors for even more learners to enter a career in IT. It’s vital to the industry and the economy as a whole that we drive learnerships that specifically lead to employment, and this kind of alignment will make it more attractive for learners and companies alike to pursue skills development."
iSolve Business Solutions director Peter Clark, whose company was intimately involved with the original process to map Microsoft’s qualifications to the NQF, said the benefits of attaining credits against Microsoft training that will count towards a higher degree or diploma would be advantageous to any learner or IT Professional.
Microsoft qualification discussion
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