Why Skills Development Advisory Matters
Effective Skills Development requires more than training budgets and compliance forms. It demands:
A strategy aligned to B-BBEE, business capability and workforce needs
Governance structures that reduce audit and verification risk
Accurate planning of WSP/ATR, SETA submissions and SDL claims
Clear allocation of spend to maximise point outcomes
Evidence frameworks that prevent last-minute verification failures
Forward-looking talent pipelines that support future skills demand
What We Advise On
1. Skills Development Strategy & Governance
Skills matrix and capability gap analysis
Integration of business, HR and transformation objectives
Prioritisation of high-impact, compliant training investments
2. B-BBEE Skills Development Optimisation
Spend modelling and scenario planning
Alignment to Skills Development scorecard requirements
Identification of risk areas and mitigation strategies
Advisory on accredited vs non-accredited programme choices
3. SETA & SDL Advisory
Guidance on WSP/ATR requirements
SDL claims optimisation strategies
Discretionary grant readiness and planning
SETA engagement frameworks
4. Programme Design & Pathway Architecture
(Strategic design — not operational delivery)
Learnership, internship and graduate pipeline strategy
Bursary and scholarship frameworks
Modular programme architecture aligned to business needs
Compliance mapping for future audit readiness
5. Evidence, Reporting & Audit Readiness Frameworks
Advisory on verification-ready data structures
Documentation requirements and controls
Reporting templates and dashboards
Pre-verification risk review
6. ROI, Impact & Measurement Advisory
Linking training spend to commercial outcomes
Skills pipeline indicators
Transformation impact metrics
Advisory on digital reporting dashboards
Step 1: Diagnostic & Insight
We assess your Skills Development environment, policies, spend patterns, risks and organisational goals.
Step 2: Strategy & Design
We develop a Skills Development strategy that aligns to both B-BBEE outcomes and business capability.
Step 3: Governance & Frameworks
We establish the structures, processes and controls needed for compliant implementation — whether you manage it internally or through external providers.
Step 4: Advisory Support & Continuous Review
We remain your strategic partner through planning cycles, pre-audits, SETA engagements and annual verification.
Additional Advisory Support
Workforce planning advisory
Skills audits and capability analysis
Provider vetting frameworks
Grant and funding optimisation strategies
Why Organisations Partner With Okiru
Deep expertise in B-BBEE, Skills Development and transformation frameworks
Senior advisory support from consultants with operational and regulatory insight
Strategies that balance compliance, capability and cost-efficiency
Documented, repeatable frameworks that survive audits and leadership changes
A relationship-focused model that builds internal capability, not dependency
We help you transform Skills Development into a competitive advantage — not a compliance burden.
Book a Strategic Advisory Session
Let’s clarify your Skills Development strategy and map a path to measurable, compliant impact.
FAQs
Skills development consulting creates a structured, compliant training strategy that delivers both capability growth and B‑BBEE points, unlike ad‑hoc training, which often wastes budget.
Generic training programmes typically focus on short‑term skills without aligning to broader business objectives or compliance requirements. Skills development consulting takes a more strategic approach. It assesses your organisation’s current capabilities, identifies gaps, considers scarce and critical skills in your sector, and designs a multi‑year training plan that both upskills your workforce and meets regulatory requirements. In the South African context, this involves mapping training to the B‑BBEE Skills Development scorecard, ensuring spend meets the minimum threshold, selecting accredited programmes (learnerships, internships, bursaries), and tracking outcomes for the Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) and Annual Training Report (ATR). By partnering with a consultant like Okiru, you turn training from an expense into a targeted investment that supports growth, compliance and transformation.
Skills development is a priority element worth up to 20 points (plus bonus points), and a compliant plan enables you to reclaim up to 20 % of your skills levy.
The B‑BBEE Codes of Good Practice allocate up to 20 points (with an additional 5 bonus points) for Skills Development. To score well, your spend on training must meet or exceed a percentage of total payroll, and it must be spent on qualifying programmes for black employees, including people with disabilities and youth. Recognised interventions include registered learnerships, internships, apprenticeships, bursaries and sector‑specific programmes. Simultaneously, the Skills Development Levies Act requires most employers to pay a levy equal to 1 % of payroll; by submitting a compliant WSP and ATR, you can reclaim 20 % of this levy as a mandatory grant. A well‑structured skills development plan therefore maximises both B‑BBEE points and levy refunds. Okiru ensures your training spend is properly planned, recorded and reported so you receive the full benefit.
A proper strategy includes a skills audit, training needs analysis, WSP/ATR alignment, accredited programmes (learnerships, bursaries, internships), budget planning and data tracking.
A comprehensive skills development strategy starts with understanding your workforce. This includes a skills audit to identify gaps relative to business goals and scarce skills in your sector. Next, a training needs analysis prioritises interventions based on urgency, cost and impact. The strategy should align with your annual Workplace Skills Plan (WSP)—detailing planned training for the coming year—and your Annual Training Report (ATR), which records what was delivered. Key components typically include:
Accredited learnerships and internships: structured programmes that combine theoretical learning with workplace experience, often attracting tax incentives and B‑BBEE points.
Bursaries and scholarships: funding external studies to fill long‑term skills gaps.
On‑the‑job training and workshops: targeted programmes to improve current performance.
Budget and funding plan: mapping spend against mandatory and discretionary grant opportunities.
Monitoring and reporting: tracking participation, completion and absorption to ensure compliance and capture B‑BBEE points.
Okiru designs and manages all these elements, ensuring your strategy is realistic, compliant and aligned with business growth.
Costs vary with workforce size and complexity; small engagements start around R30 000, while larger multi‑year programmes may cost several hundred thousand rand—but the returns include levy rebates, tax incentives and improved B‑BBEE scores.
Pricing depends on factors such as the number of employees, the depth of the skills audit, the range of programmes required and the level of ongoing management. A basic engagement—drafting a WSP/ATR and designing a training plan—might cost R30 000–R60 000. More comprehensive programmes that include learnership recruitment, bursary management, and multi‑year training delivery can range from R100 000 upwards, especially if they involve multiple sites or industries. While this can seem significant, the return on investment is substantial: employers can reclaim part of their skills levy through mandatory grants; learnerships qualify for tax allowances; and improvements in the Skills Development element of the B‑BBEE scorecard open doors to government tenders and new markets. Furthermore, a better trained workforce reduces errors, improves productivity and supports strategic growth. Okiru provides transparent proposals tailored to your objectives, with clear cost‑benefit analysis.
Designing a plan typically takes 6–10 weeks; implementation and measurement are ongoing and aligned to your business cycle.
Okiru integrates AI‑powered analytics, compliance expertise and hands‑on programme management to deliver measurable skills and maximum B‑BBEE impact.
Many providers sell training courses; Okiru designs end‑to‑end skills development strategies tailored to your business. We begin with data—using AI tools to analyse workforce demographics, performance and skills gaps, and to align training with scarce and critical skills lists. Our consultants have deep experience with SETA processes, tax incentives and B‑BBEE codes, ensuring your plan meets compliance requirements and maximises points. We manage the full lifecycle: sourcing and onboarding learners, coordinating accredited training, monitoring progress, capturing outcomes for WSP/ATR submissions, and advising on absorption strategies for bonus points. Okiru’s digital platform tracks every training intervention, provides real‑time dashboards and automates compliance reporting. This combination of technology, regulatory insight and practical support means your investment in skills development produces measurable returns in people capability, compliance and business growth.
