DBsa VULINDLELa aCaDEMY PUBLICaTION & TRaINING ...

Picture: Mr John Short Mathabatha and Mr Terrence Sakwe during thetraining interventionPicture: Our happy and satisfied customer!8.19 CONCLUSIONThe LGRC powered by LGNET Phase II trainingproject team are proud to be in a position to addressindividuals specials needs and to contribute to theDBSA and Vulindlela Academy’s mission and vision andmake a difference in the day to day operations of ourclients. Through this dynamic knowledge managementtool we feel we are empowering our clients and addingvalue to their operations.8.20 COMPUTER END USER/ INFORMATIONTECHNOLOGY SKILLS TRAININGModern technology remains a challenge for peoplein all walks of life, specifically those who are over theage of 40 years. This can largely be attributed to thefact that computers were not as widely utilised or asimportant in our day to day lives as they are today.There are other mitigating factors such as a lack offunding or opportunity for training for the previouslydisadvantaged population.As the world operates more and more in the electronicera, most things operate via the world wide web[internet] for example, communication, research andinformation gathering; having limited or no knowledgeof computers becomes a major challenge andstumbling block. This is on the business side. However,if we dig deeper, banking and account payments arealso moving more into the electronic arena which isdaunting for those who are not familiar with computersand electronic transactions.In the previous chapter we discussed the LGRCpowered by LGNET. This is another example of acomputer based tool that will add value to its targetmarket. Basic computer skills are essential to operatethis valuable information site.Having the ability to understand the fundamentals orbasics of computers and having the skills to operateand use just the internet and email opens doors andadds tremendous value to an individual.8.21 CHALLENGESIn my interactions with our clients it has becomeapparent that a lack of computer skills applies acrossall age groups. However, the more mature population isthe biggest challenge. They have to overcome not onlytheir lack of skills and knowledge of the computer age;but also have to overcome their fear and resistance tocomputers.There are other challenges we face. Two of thebiggest and most important are funding and a lack ofunderstanding by HR managers, skills developmentfacilitators and/or delegates on the content anddifferences between basic, intermediate and advancedtraining. The misconception is that delegates should gofor intermediate or advanced training as this will givethem the widest array of skills.However, if delegates have not gone through formalbasic training and do not use a computer for aminimum of 50% of their day to day activities,they cannot cope with the content covered in theintermediate and advanced levels of training. Manypeople are self-taught on the software packages theyoperate and have learnt through trial and error and assuch, use short cuts so may not be aware of the fullfunctionality of the programme.When undergoing a higher level of computer trainingsuch as intermediate or advanced training, learningassumed to be in place is successfully completing thebasic level and the ability to operate all the functionscovered in the basic level. This creates a problem in atraining intervention if the other delegates are morecomputer literate. It is therefore a prerequisite foreach delegate to be in possession of a certificate ofattendance or competence for the intermediate levelof training before they can attend an advanced trainingprogramme.The ideal solution to combat this issue is to test theskill-level for each person through the electroniccomputer skills assessment tool, CompAssess. TherePage 62DBSA Vulindlela Academy Brochure DBSA Vulindlela Academy Brochure Page 63