Purpose of the course

The Purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to function as a Learning and Development Professional.

A Learning and Development Professional communicates, plans, designs and develops, manages, leads teams, guides best practice for diverse learning and development practices and quality assurance to ensure all-inclusive learning in compliance with established principles in line with Education, Training and Development practices (ETDP) legal, regulatory and policy frameworks including standards and guidelines.

Typical graduate attributes of a Learning and Development Professional are the following but not limited to deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth; analytical and critical thinking; problem solving; professionalism, teamwork and communication skills.

Course rationale:

The changing landscape in education, learning/training and development in South Africa has led to the review, re-alignment and development of a number of nationally recognised qualifications to address the skills shortages in the country. Most notably, the growing demographics and economic divide between the rich and the poor requires the key role players and stakeholders in the education, learning/training and development field to develop and implement skills development interventions to close the existing skills gaps in the labour market and improve the lives of South Africans.

This qualification will benefit the learning and development labour market and society as qualifying Learning and Development Professionals will create competency-based learning roadmaps to drive business outcomes, educate and develop skills of individuals increasing the value, efficiency and productivity of labour thus contributing to the economy and social development.

Currently there are qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework at NQF Level 4, 5 and 7 for the learning and development field, hence there is an established need for the Learning and Development Professional to breach the gap between the existing qualifications to allow career pathing.

The qualification is designed for individuals who wish to practice in learning and development field as Learning and Development Professionals. The qualification will provide learners with requisite knowledge, skills and competencies to execute learning and development strategies, learning materials, tools, policies for quality assurance, lead and manage projects for occupational or vocational learning and development interventions.

Qualifying learners will find employment opportunities in private companies and public institutions, skills development providers or institutions of learning, not-for-profit organisations or become self-employed as Independent Consultants operating as Learning Materials Developers, Assessors, Moderators, and Recognition of Prior Learning Advisors promoting a learning culture and addressing special needs.

Currently there are no similar qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) at this level. No licensing or membership requirements apply to this qualification at the time of development.

This qualification will enable learners to articulate learning and development or human resources management and development related occupations and/or qualifications.