ADVISE AND COUNSEL LEARNERS for Rampar Trading

REFLECTIVE ESSAY – PIETER VAN ELLEWEE – ADVISE AND COUNSEL LEARNERS
Introduction:
I am Pieter van Ellewee a Training and HR Manager for Rampar Trading. I have started with
the company in November 2013 and one of my main roles in my Portfolio is Skills
Development which include to be a Facilitator. I underwent the following two-unit stand
courses in 2011 before I joined the company namely 117871 Facilitate learning using a
variety of given methodologies well as 117877 Perform one-to-one training on the job. My
total years of experience in the Skills Development field is almost 9 years. I was tasked in
2014 by Management of Rampar Trading to conduct various Training programs for Rampar
Trading staff which were for Area Managers, Store Managers and Sales Assistant Staff.
My Training path started when at my first company where I had to teach the store staff in
various topics and became a national trainer for this organisation part of my HR duties.
Learner support is the educational system that focuses on the student and facilitator
relationship with the main emphasis on the facilitator’s role. The facilitator is supposed to
give the student more than can be given to an average student. Therefore, learning extends
beyond the formal methods and focuses on intensive learning and skill development
According to various research and scholars, the facilitator-student relationship is very
important, and the presence of the facilitator mainly influences the success or failure of the
student.
One major advantage of learner support is the ability of the Facilitator to deal with the
various challenges associated with the different needs of the students the facilitator can
engage the students on a more basic level providing the necessary educational
recommendation and training. Secondly, the facilitator can receive direct feedback from the
student and consequently provide the response in a more direct form These feedbacks are
mainly associated with project activities, writing and reading assignments. The result is that
the student is in a better position to understand. Thirdly, learner support includes the
supportive efforts of other students. The facilitators can enhance this by providing platforms
through which various students can collaborate to help the challenged. Students working
together is more beneficial than individually. Finally, learner support is also beneficial
because of the counselling tag associated with it the students are provided with academic as
well as guidance and administrative support.
The main drivers for ETD in South Africa include high rates of labour turnover, shortage of
labour, and outrageous rates of unemployment However, a proper learner support program
must be defined in terms of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. To begin
with, learner support has been viewed as a way of enhancing the skills and capability of the
human resource in an organization. This is useful because of the lack of skilled labour. As a
matter of fact, it been applied in both the informal sectors in South Africa. On the other
hand, the major threat is attributed to the cost of EDT initiatives. They are very expensive
and as such, the practitioners are required to deliver their EDT interventions in a strategized
manner

The major strength lies on the cost saving measures that are employed initiatives reduces
the expenditure by enabling the human resource teams to continue working during training.
On the other hand, weakness may lie on the ability to effectively manage classes as well as
the training. The training employed must consider the individual needs and If the needs of
the individuals are not considered, the system may be ineffective.
In my case, I have had the privilege of helping some of my colleagues at work. Helping
these individuals entails proper planning, discussion, and training. The major problem
observed with these two individuals, Lucy Mathuloane Kumane and Lennox Mkhonto, is on
their reading and writing. The problem was mainly associated with their educational
background where both started as sales assistant working their way to the manager’s
positions. The situation is aggravated by the fact that they have very low educational
qualifications, grade 7 to be precise. Therefore, they are constantly faced with the challenge
of reading and writing. This can be a thorn in the flesh during training because some of the
time I had to help them out with the training. Therefore, I had to ensure that I provided
learner support tuition which were mainly one on one, and more to this, extended the half
class schedule to full day schedule.
In line with providing help, the first step involved understanding the background. People
have different backgrounds that affect their learning. The two backgrounds were similar
because of the relatively shallow qualifications they had when joining the organization. All
that understood, the challenges were mainly in reading and writing. Finally, because of the
relatively shallow reading and writing skills, I extended the half a day classes to full time
classes. For Lennox, I provided three classes whereby the first was on effective management
and an introduction to the policies and procedures of training, the second was on actual
training and the third was mainly a group training. Grouping learners’ enables the less
privileged to learn from the whole group and in turn ensures proper learning. The third class
ended with an assessment whereby he was declared competent but till requires support. On
the other hand, I provided Lucy with the first two classes.
Critical cross-field outcomes
I can, therefore, conclude that, based on my interaction with both Lucy and Lennox, that I
was able to use aspects of CCFOs to improve their learning capabilities. The CCFO’s have
been identified by SAQA to be very useful in enhancing the learning process with their main
purpose to provide a platform where the leaner can connect the subject matter with his/her
experienceAs with the two learners, the two CCFO’s that I was able to integrate into their
training mainly pertained communication using language skills in oral and written
presentation and identifying and solving problems in which responses displayed critical
thinking. However, with Lennox, I was also able to apply the teamwork skills in the training.
The three CCFO’s are supposed to enable the learners to apply what they have learned in
the training with the necessary work-related problems
On the aspect of proper communication and using oral presentation, Lennox was able to
implement the techniques learned in class with the test conducted in the third class. His
presentation in writing alongside his ability to answer the questions verbally was