Early childhood development (ECD) practitioners from Jeffreys Bay, Humansdorp and Loerie are completing a new NQF Level 4 occupational qualification in ECD — a hands-on, workplace-based training model designed to equip them with a relevant and valuable skill set for the future of their careers.
Already two-thirds of the way through the programme, the fifteen practitioners are completing this new qualification that replaces the legacy qualification with a model built around hands-on, workplace-based competence rather than classroom theory alone.
“This new qualification offers practitioners a significantly more valuable learning experience than the previous programme. It isn’t simply theory delivered in a classroom — it’s built around the actual work an ECD practitioner needs to be able to do, combining knowledge, practical skills and real workplace experience into one qualification,” said Nonini Makhothe, Economic Development Manager at Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm, which is funding the programme.
That shift matters because it is the practical, hands-on component that gives practitioners the confidence and competence to manage a classroom independently. For participating practitioner Linda Mandyoli (42), the impact is already evident in the way she approaches the children in her care at Sisikelelwe Day Care in Ocean View, Jeffreys Bay.
“Before the training, my classroom was just a room where children played. Now it’s a learning environment with purpose,” said Mandyoli. “I used to treat every child the same. Now I understand how children develop, and I plan and prepare for each one differently. I can see a big difference in their development, and I’m far more confident in what I’m doing.”
Overseen by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), the new occupational qualification supersedes the legacy ECD qualification and is better aligned to current industry standards and South Africa’s broader shift toward occupationally directed, competence-based skills development.
Rather than assessing what practitioners know in theory, it requires them to demonstrate what they can actually do in the workplace — better preparing them to confidently manage a classroom or step directly into a practitioner role, with a qualification that carries real currency in the sector.
Having started their training a year ago, the practitioners have approximately six months remaining before completing the programme and undertaking the formal External Integrated Summative Assessment in February 2027.
The benefits of this training extend beyond improved classroom practice. Formal qualifications can play a significant role in practitioners’ professional recognition, earning potential and opportunities for career progression.
“This programme is rooted in social justice and addresses a very real risk. Without formal, industry-relevant qualifications, practitioners can be shut out of professional recognition, face lower pay and have limited opportunities for career progression. By equipping them with a qualification that’s genuinely fit for purpose, this programme is a direct investment in practitioners’ livelihoods and futures,” added Makhothe.
Funded as part of Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm’s economic development programme, successful completion of the training will see participants achieve a nationally recognised NQF Level 4 Occupational Certificate, strengthening their professional credentials and providing a foundation for further learning and career development.
