The Skills Development Act makes provision for the employment and use of a skills development facilitator by an employer. This person is responsible for developing and planning the skills development strategy of a business for a specific period.

The skills development facilitator must do the following tasks:

• Help the employer and employees to develop a workplace skills plan
• Send the workplace skills plan to the relevant SETA
• Advise the employer on how to implement the workplace skills plan
• Help the employer to draft an annual training report based on the workplace skills plan
• Advise the employer on the requirements set by the relevant SETA
• Serve as the contact person between the employer and the relevant SETA

An employer can appoint an employee or a formally contracted person from outside the business to perform the functions of a skills development facilitator.