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Qualitas Career Academy

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Qualitas Career Academy
MottoQuality Education
TypePrivate College
Established2008
Location
Bloemfontein[1]
Kimberley [2][3]
Ladysmith
Midrand
Newcastle[4]
Table View
Vanderbijlpark[5][6]
AffiliationsUMALUSI
Quality Council of Trades & Occupations
Services SETA
CompTIA
Microsoft IT Academy
IBS
CIBM
ICB
City & Guilds
MICT SETA
Health & Welfare SETA
CIDESCO
ITEC[7]
Sage Pastel
PMSA
Department of Higher Education & Training
SAIM

Qualitas Career Academy is a private college in South Africa, with campuses in various provinces.[8] The institution delivers attendance/contact-based tuition in two modalities; full-time and part-time. Full-time curriculum is aimed at high school graduates/students acquiring their first qualification. The part-time curriculum centres on skills and knowledge required by those already employed. Training and consultation services are presented to the private and government sector. [9]

History

Establishment

In terms of the Bill of Rights encapsulated within the Constitution of South Africa, a private college may be established,[10] as long as it:

  • does not discriminate on the basis of race
  • registers with the State
  • and maintains standards that are not inferior to standards at comparable public educational institutions

The business entity was established in 1998. In 2008 its academic division, the "Hair Academy" piloted hairdressing training and hairdressing apprenticeships. By 2010 Qualitas had established itself as a national brand focusing on the Hair Academy, with sites in different provinces. The model for establishing a career-based, employment-orientated educational programme with a multi-site reach would eventually form the basis for future developments and additional vocational training programmes. [8]

To introduce the brand, Qualitas Career Academy partnered with vendors of established qualifications and provided tuition towards qualifications conferred by external bodies with a history of recognition and acceptance in South Africa, and abroad. This approach enabled the business to rapidly develop a variety of products without writing curriculum from scratch. The result from this strategy put the academic divisions the "Business and Technology Academy" and the "Wellness Academy" in a position to provide multiple further and higher education qualifications that were recognised in the Republic of South Africa and internationally (including most countries of the Commonwealth and the United States of America).

Strategy of aligning programmes to jobs

With all private educational institutes in South Africa required to be accredited by law,[11] and there being published guidelines and standards for qualifications,[12] Qualitas Career Academy identified that many institutions were offering exactly the same qualifications and curriculum. However, employment statistics of the country had not necessarily reflected stable improvement over the past five years, apart from splinter sectors confined to limited periods of time (for example, tourism and construction prior and during the 2010 FIFA World Cup). [13]

In line with the national strategy for further education and training colleges, it was identified that there is a need to improve graduates' chances of being absorbed by the employment market. [8][14] In 2012, Qualitas Career Academy adopted an academic strategy of extra-curricular methodologies aimed at factors that identified to yield higher levels of employment post-graduation. The outcome of these activities form part of an ongoing longitudinal study that aims to collect data on the efficacy of the methods used, through surveys conducted at the annual graduation ceremony.

Academic Divisions

By 2012, Qualitas Career Academy was represented in strategic economic hubs of South Africa, with different academic divisions, including:

  • Business & Technology Academy
  • Hair Academy
  • Health Academy
  • School of Architectural Draughtsmanship and Construction
  • Wellness Academy

Each Academy forms an academic division, based on Qualitas Career Academy's initial business model of creating an educational institution that focuses on education aligned with careers.

Accreditation

In South Africa, an institute providing private education is required to be accredited. This accreditation should be specific to the institution, site of delivery as well as the actual qualification or part qualification offered. Qualitas Career Academy holds accreditation with the following South African Organisations regulated by acts of parliament that govern education.

  • DHET: The Department of Higher Education & Training
  • UMALUSI: The Quality Council for General and Further Education & Training [15]
  • QCTO: The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations
  • SSETA: Services Sectoral Education & Training Authority.[16]
  • MICT SETA: Media and Information & Communication Technologies Sectoral Education & Training Authority. [17]
  • HWSETA: The Health & Welfare Sectoral Education & Training Authority
  • ICB: Institute of Certified Bookkeepers
  • PAB: Professional Accreditation Body
  • IBS: The Institute of Business Studies

Endorsements / Delivery site

Various bodies with influence in specific fields of learning also endorse or co-certify certain qualifications or part-qualifications. In other cases, an institute in South Africa acts as a site of delivery for an external tertiary organisation, and that institution approves the training centre and certifies. Such bodies would themselves be required by law to be accredited by or quality assurance partners of the statuary accreditation structures.

  • CIBM: The Chartered Institute of Business Studies
  • PMSA: Project Management South Africa (Gold)
  • Sage PASTEL
  • SAIM: South African Institute of Management

International Accreditation / Affiliations

Various organisations with influence in specialised fields of learning also endorse, examine and/or co-certify certain qualifications or part-qualifications.

  • City & Guilds
  • MS ITA: Microsoft IT Academy
  • CompTIA
  • CIDESCO: Comité International d'Esthétique et de Cosmétologie [18]
  • ICDL: International Computer Driving Licence [4][19][20][21][22]
  • ITEC: International Therapy Examination Council [7][23]

Controversy

In 2013 a fake campus was established in Middelburg, Mpumalanga. An investigation by the Middelburg Observer revealed that owner of Damelin Middelburg altered his business logos and masqueraded as a licensed campus of Qualitas Career Academy in January to March of 2013. Investigative journalist, Jana Botha would later establish that there was in fact no affiliation to Qualitas Career Academy.[24] The fraud was discovered during the investigation into a spate illegal activities by the perpetrator concerned. [25]

References

  1. ^ http://www.bloemfonteinsa.co.za/bloemfontein,%20freestate.pdf
  2. ^ "Path: /Published/Noordkaap/2012/11/21/NK/Texts/nkqualitas.xml Creator: system Last Modified by: system Author: rbruwer Keyword: Noordkaap Print Chanal: Noordkaap Edition: NK Publication Date: 20121121 Section: News Folio: Page Ref: 8 Book: Source: Methode". 152.111.11.6. 21 November 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  3. ^ Wiki. "Wiki | Kimberley City Guide". Kimberley.org.za. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  4. ^ a b "Qualitas Career Academy - Newcastle - ICDL International Computer Driving Licence South Africa". Icdl.org.za. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  5. ^ "Implementation of proposed new B-BBEE codes of good practice : The Gremlin – Daily online newspaper for the Garden Route". Thegremlin.co.za. 29 March 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  6. ^ "Schools In The Vaal Triangle: Achievements and Future". Vaal-Triangle Hub. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  7. ^ a b "ITEC Qualitas Career Academy". Itecworld.co.uk. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  8. ^ a b c "Path: /Published/Volksblad/2013/08/30/ADHOC7/Texts/lmqualitas.xml Creator: system Last Modified by: system Author: lmentz Keyword: Print Chanal: Media_24_Sentraal Edition: SB Publication Date: 20130830 Section: Promotions Folio: Page Ref: 6 Book: Source: Methode". 152.111.11.6. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  9. ^ "Skills development and understanding B-BBEE". Vaalweekblad. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  10. ^ "Documents - Constitution - 1996 - Chapter 2 - Bill of Rights". Info.gov.za. 19 August 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  11. ^ http://www.saqa.org.za/docs/legislation/acts/2010/act16.pdf
  12. ^ http://www.saqa.org.za/docs/policy/polcri_qualpart_nqf.pdf
  13. ^ "South African Qualifications Authority". Saqa.org.za. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  14. ^ "Employment trends: A hard look at the numbers - South Africa". Moneyweb. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  15. ^ "Accredited Providers - Accreditation". Umalusi. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  16. ^ "Services Sector Education & Training Authority - Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA)". Oldwww.serviceseta.org.za. 20 November 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  17. ^ "> Accreditation Assessment". MICT. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  18. ^ "SAASHP - Training Providers". Saahsp.co.za. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  19. ^ "Qualitas Career Academy - Kimberley - ICDL International Computer Driving Licence South Africa". Icdl.org.za. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  20. ^ "Qualitas Career Academy - Vaal Campus - ICDL International Computer Driving Licence South Africa". Icdl.org.za. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  21. ^ "Qualitas Career Academy- Bloemfontein - ICDL International Computer Driving Licence South Africa". Icdl.org.za. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  22. ^ "Alternative Careers - ICDL International Computer Driving Licence South Africa". Icdl.org.za. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  23. ^ "Spa Jobs: Internationally Recognised Qualifications - ITEC". Spajobsafrica.com. 6 July 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  24. ^ "Qualitas Middelburg never existed - General | looklocal Middelburg". Looklocal.co.za. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  25. ^ "Theft charge against Shields - General | looklocal Middelburg". Looklocal.co.za. 15 May 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.

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