Posted on March 8, 2010
The most important lesson I've learnt as a training provider of learnerships in heritage practice over the last few years since 2004 is that we need to think carefully about the support systems we need to develop to meet the needs of the learner. It is the learner who, we cannot forget, should be the main beneficiary of this skills development process.
In the process of implementing learnerships, it is easy to forget that the learner is the one who should benefit the most out of the process. Most of the time, the needs of the learner get lost in the complex and administration-intensive process of its implementation. Firstly, the tendency to forget the learner is influenced by the relationship which is forged between the SETA and the training provider. The SETAs have chosen, in order to make their 'work' more explicit, to focus on administrative procedures and outcomes as the most important strategic priority. This would be fine, if the ultimate goal - to capacitate the learner - is not obliterated by administrative outcomes in the process!
We have all seen a similar effect in our schooling system where teachers are so overwhelmed by ticking boxes that they do not find the time to do much teaching! The relationship between the SETA and the implementing providers of learnerships has remained one where the only deliverable which is expected is a series of monthly, quarterly and annual reports that contain prescribed information. The important point here is that administrative outcomes are relevant only if they are required alongside the outcomes which are going to make the real difference - the learning process. Because SETAs distribute funding based only on these administrative outcomes, it frequently happens that learning programmes are based only on ticking boxes to access the allocated funding and the learning process can easily fall through the gap.
On the ground, the learnership programme as a capacity building system, is one that has to deal with 'the real world'. Because the heritage practice learnerships, supported by MAPPPSETA as its main target thus far, have been aimed at unemployed youth, most of whom find themselves in circumstances of dire poverty, the learnership programme has to be adapted to deal with all aspects of poverty. Many young people find themselves in a situation where the stipend they receive as part of the learnership programme are the main source of income to sustain their family and therefore are not used for the transport, educational tools etc that they are prescribed for, by the SETAs. Being accepted on a learnership does not mean that the learner can disassociate themselves from their circumstances, which often include hostile guardians or parents who would prefer the young person to work, rather than learn.
Drug and alcohol addiction, teenage pregnancy, overwhelming credit debt, HIV/AIDS, the lack of an environment for studying at home, all become important contributing factors in the implementation of learnership programmes and therefore an important aspect in the training programme. Even though the learning outcomes are designed to be about heritage practice, it is impossible to leave the inherited legacy of poverty at the door of the training room. If a learning support system is not developed which acknowledges these aspects of daily life, the learnership is easily doomed to failure. Most of the time, a successful learnership, out of necessity, has to be one that is focused on transferring life-skills as its priority and incorporating heritage values, principles and practices into those life-skills, rather than on the technical aspects of heritage practice.
The heritage sector, in my opinion, has not directed itself sufficiently at creating new jobs. Perhaps this sector has confused the work of looking into the past with a perspective that says we do not need to adapt to the needs of the present? Yet, despite the challenges which the learners face, there has been evidence of learners who have grabbed the opportunity to learn with enough self-discipline and resilience to overcome the odds and have found a job in the heritage sector.
One young learner, who completed the course, was offered a temporary position in a national museum - this eventually was made permanent. Another learner became the acting manager of the local museum while completing the course - she received a promotion from a museum shop position. It is not only young people who benefit from the programme. A senior citizen in her fifties, who has an incredible passion for heritage, despite many responsibilities in her community, finished the heritage course and was offered a position in the local museum where she volunteered, to open a satellite museum in her community.
Another mature learner completed the course successfully and was offered a position in a museum where he had been a security guard previously. These success stories, however, were only possible because someone in the host heritage organization or museum saw the potential in the learners and took the time to introduce them to these opportunities to prove themselves by applying the lessons learnt through the learnership to a practical job. While this mentoring aspect should be an integral aspect of learning, it is left up to those few working in our public institutions who have big hearts.
Other learners have not been so lucky. Many have experienced being sabotaged by workers in their placement positions, where the museum employees feel threatened by learners who, it seems, will have a qualification they themselves do not have. These museum employees feel threatened by the new learners because their organization has not focused on a skills development strategy for their existing workers and therefore create fear among their employees that they may lose their jobs to younger, more qualified candidates.
Other learners drop out of the course because of alcohol or drug addiction, being forced by parents to seek work, which is considered more stable than a learnership, and quite a few female learners have dropped out because of pregnancy during the duration of the programme. Many learners simply do not complete the course because of low self-esteem and therefore lack of motivation to complete a learning programme.
The learnership programme could be a wonderful opportunity for all involved to create fresh benefits and opportunities in the sector, as the heritage practice learnership is geared towards developing heritage products for tourism and so can stimulate new heritage tourism ideas. However, implementing learnerships in the heritage sector needs a co-ordinated strategy from the SETA involved, the heritage organizations where the learners do practical learning, and training providers. Without a common vision to this end, the potential benefits will remain limited.
Juanita is an independent consultant and trainer in heritage practice and management. Email: birthright.projects@gmail.com