Background

The ISOE has been established in terms of the DoL National Skills Development Strategy 2, 2005 – 2010, Objective 5, Indicator 5.1 and is to ensure that standards of excellence are maintained in the delivery of training within the Services Industry.
Objective 5, Indicator 5.1 read as follows:

“By March 2010 each SETA recognises and supports at least five Institutes of Sectoral or Occupational Excellence (ISOE) within public or private institutions and through Public Private Partnerships (PPP’s) where appropriate, spread as widely as possible geographically for the development of people to attain identified critical occupational skills, whose excellence is measured in the number of learners successfully placed in the sector and employer satisfaction ratings of their training”

Services SETA’s approach towards addressing this target

Industries within the Services Sector are so diverse that a one size fits all approach was simply not an option for the Services SETA. Instead of acknowledging one big Training Provider / Institution as an ISOE, an all inclusive model was looked at. Provincial ISOE structures, where Services SETA Regional Offices are operating, have been put in place. These Provincial structures are inclusive of all training providers in a province, across all industries within the Services Sector.
Duly Office Bearers have been elected for the provincial structures which include a Provincial Chair and Vice Chair who form the basis of the National ISOE structure (NISOESS – National Institute of Sectoral and Occupational Excellence for the Services Sector). The NISOES then nominate a Chair and Vice Chair who represent the entire Services SETA provider community on the Services SETA ETQA Committee as well as the Services SETA National Council. Apart from aforementioned, nominated Office Bearers of the NISOESS structure have also been elected to represent their members at NEDLAC, BCSA and BUSA structures.
Further to the mandate given to SETA’a, all ISOE structures should be self sustainable past 2010. In pursuing this objective, the Services SETA has, to date, registered a Constitution for the National Structure as well as started with the process of registering the National ISOE structure as a Section 21 company.

To date, from the 9 SSETA Regional Offices operating, 7 Provincial ISOE Committees
have been established in:

1. Bloemfontein – FS/NC ISOE Committee
2. East London – East London/Border Kei ISOE Committee
3. Johannesburg – Gauteng ISOE Committee
4. Durban – KZN ISOE Committee
5. Nelspruit – Nelspruit ISOE Committee
6. Port Elizabeth – Port Elizabeth ISOE Committee
7. Cape Town – Western Cape ISOE Committee

NISOESS – Vision

As the National Institute of Sectoral Occupational Excellence for the Services Sector (NISOESS), we commit ourselves to providing services of the highest standards without compromising on ethics and integrity. We are responsible to the employers, who are our stakeholders, their employees and to the societies we serve countrywide. Our interactions with all segments of the Services Sector must reflect the high standards we profess.

NISOESS – Mission

In discharging our responsibilities, our Mission is to exceed the expectations of our stakeholders, whom we define as partners and fellow colleagues in Skills Development.
We will accomplish this by committing to our shared values and by achieving the highest levels of customer satisfaction and quality management of training provision with extraordinary emphasis on the creation of value.

Way Forward

The SSETA will be:

1. Conducting Roadshows for all SSETA training providers in all the provinces where there are Services SETA Regional Offices operating. The purpose of these Roadshows will be to explain the provincial model to training providers in the regions and establishing Provincial ISOE Committees.
2. Follow up Roadshows will also be conducted from time to time in ensuring the ISOE Members in the provinces are kept updated.
3. Conduct different activities in capacitating ISOE Members e.g. Training Sessions, Capacitating Workshops, CPD Workshops, etc.
4. Assist ISOE’s with logistical arrangements for ISOE Meetings either formal (NISOESS Meetings) or informal (Provincial Networking Meetings).

The Services SETA will strive to ensure that the NISOESS achieve and maintain their Aims and Objectives as is contained in the NISOESS Constitution.