Staff matters

LEARNING AND GROWTH FOCUS

In 2008 the learning and growth focus was on impacting the strategic priorities of Nedbank, while simultaneously engaging with external sectorwide interventions, to ensure alignment with the identified national skills shortages and development initiatives. Some specific highlights, among others, in this area are the following:

• Realising a significant increase in the number of Nedbank leaders and managers participating in programmes compared with past years.
• Maintaining involvement in and strengthening of the BANKSETA Learnership programmes.
• Applying more rigour to meeting regulatory requirements.
• Contributing to transformation by establishing an external bursary fund to contribute to skills development and bringing new graduates into Nedbank.
• Improving technological means of making learning and growth more accessible to Nedbank staff.

	Learning and development	Value	2008	2007	2006
		Rm
	Total training spend as a % of payroll
	as per the FSC	240,5	4,05%	3,31%	5,69%
	Total training spend as a % of payroll
	as per dti	263,8	4,44%	2,02%	N/A
	Total training days	N/A	93 918	67 746	78 128***
			2008	2007	2006
	Leadership and Management	22,3	11 342	961	340
	Development Programme participants
	Executive education programmes	6,3	27	37	14
	Business education programmes	8,8	448	361	326
	Management Development Programme (MDP)	7,2	10 867	563	0
	Nedbank bursary/grant funding	21,9	1 945	1 813	3 522
	Nedbank internal bursary/grant funding/	9,1	1 481	1 813	3 522
	education assistance funding
	Nedbank external bursary funding	12,8	464	0	0
	Learnerships	7,8**	251	337	232
	BANKSETA Learnership programmes	0*	160	273	208
	Professional development programmes	7,8 **	91	64	24
	(including salary and training costs)

*   BANKSETA-funded programme
**  Expenditure for TOPP
*** As per 2006 FSC report

	Programme			Description
	Executive education programmes			These external programme offerings are aimed at providing global and local leadership and management knowledge and skills to senior managers and executives to support them in managing and leading the organisation into the future.
	Business education programmes			Available to junior and middle managers at entry level as well as senior managers who are in transition to executive level. As part of these programmes, managers are provided with opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge in management as well as apply theory to practice in various aspects of management.
	Management Development Programme (MDP)			This internal programme is aimed at establishing a common, values-based approach to management development within Nedbank, equipping managers with the practical skills to take on their continuously changing roles and ensuring that they manage the Nedbank way.
	Nedbank internal bursary/grant funding			These funding programmes are available to Nedbank employees to support career advancement through studying towards postmatric qualifications. Financial assistance is also available to qualifying employees’ children at any level of schooling through to postmatric.
	Nedbank external bursary funding			Bursaries are awarded to students for undergraduate studies in bank-related fields.
	BANKSETA Learnership programmes			These programmes are funded by the BANKSETA and aimed at matriculants and graduates at the end of their studies. Nedbank provides the infrastructure and support to ensure that learners develop skills and knowledge to be able to be employed at Nedbank or externally.
	Professional development programmes			Programmes in this category are aimed at graduates entering specific professional fields within banking. The intention is to provide further professional development in the workplace.

 

LEARNING AND GROWTH RESPONSE TO THE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS OF SOUTH AFRICA

In our drive to build the capability of our staff and the wider community, Nedbank is also ensuring compliance with the letter and spirit of the Skills Development Act and Financial Advisory and Intermediary (FAIS) Act.

The Workplace Skills Plan is based on the developmental needs of all levels of our staff, from non-management to management, and is representative of our diversity in terms of race and gender and people with disabilities (PWD). All planned training that has been completed is reported to the BANKSETA on an annual basis.

We have ensured that staff occupying financial advisory positions are adequately equipped to perform their jobs through sound implementation of the ‘fit and proper’ requirements of the FAIS Act. The objective for 2009 is to ensure that all training interventions linked to FAIS roles align with the requirements of the FAIS Act.

The skills shortage in South Africa has necessitated the setting of targets to fast-track the development of previously disadvantaged individuals. At Nedbank our current initiatives are based on individuals’ skill gaps and business unit requirements, which will not only help us meet the targets, but also ensure that development is sustainable for the individual and beneficial for the bank. Our targets are based on the dti’s skills matrix, and targets are planned, monitored and measured on an ongoing basis.

During 2008 Nedbank implemented several skills development interventions to meet the identified scarce, critical and core business needs. There has been a significant increase in the number of participants as well as the training spend on these programmes.