Making the skills development fund work for you
In conversation with Shaun Jefferies (SDE Consulting) and Thinus Oelofse (Training Force)
Skills development is no longer a tick-box exercise, it’s your business’s upper hand on the competition. Yet, despite the clear financial and operational benefits, many businesses are still falling short. Why? Misunderstanding, misinformation, and missed opportunities.
At Training Force, we recently sat down with Shaun Jefferies, Managing Director of SDE Consulting, and our own Thinus Oelofse, Solutions Development Manager, to unpack the real value of skills development, the risks of poor implementation, and how companies can approach compliance with both confidence and purpose.
As Shaun points out, the Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) plays a crucial role in helping businesses comply with legislative requirements, particularly the Skills Development Act and Skills Development Levies Act. But beyond compliance, a capable SDF unlocks access to SETA funding, aligns training with business strategy, and enhances B-BBEE performance.
“Done right,” Shaun says, “skills development becomes a strategic tool. It’s about identifying real needs, securing funding, implementing training properly, and reaping long-term returns.”
Thinus echoes this sentiment: “Skills development isn’t a side project. It’s a lever for growth, if you take the time to do it right.”
There’s no shortage of horror stories. Fly-by-night SDFs, overpromising training providers, and poor internal processes can result in wasted training budgets, reclaimed SETA funding, loss of B-BBEE points, missed tax rebates and the worst of all: reputational and financial damage.
“We’ve seen SETAs reclaim funding when requirements weren’t met,” says Thinus. “That’s not just a missed opportunity; it’s a financial blow.” According to Shaun, a major culprit is lack of understanding. “Many companies are given bad advice or appoint internal SDFs who simply tick boxes. They submit reports without real strategy or insight into what’s possible.”
Both Shaun and Thinus emphasise a holistic, informed, and accountable approach. This includes: Conducting a proper skills gap analysis, aligning B-BBEE, EE and training strategies, working with credible, experienced partners, treating your SDF appointment like a key hire, and ensuring clear ROI and impact goals from the outset.
“If you think your company doesn’t have skills gaps, you might be the gap,” says Thinus. “It’s like becoming nose-blind to a problem, you don’t see it because you’ve been in it too long.”
So, when it comes to in-house vs external SDFs, what’s the right call? While companies can appoint internal staff as SDFs, the real question, according to Shaun, is whether they’re adding value or just meeting deadlines.
“Compliance is the bare minimum. Ideally, you want someone who can look at your business, understand where the opportunities are, and build a roadmap that brings return on investment, financially and in your people.” Thinus notes that some SETAs are now enforcing minimum requirements for SDFs, in response to companies appointing underqualified staff just to meet administrative obligations. “It’s a sign of how important this role is becoming,” he says.
So, how do you protect your business when appointing an SDF? Shaun recommends applying the same scrutiny you would to a new hire: “Check their track record. What’s their client retention like? Do clients stay with them? Do they know how to align funding with training outcomes?”
According to Thinus, “A good SDF can save you money, boost performance, and help build the leaders of tomorrow. A bad one can set you back years.”
Training Force and SDE Consulting share a common belief: When skills development is done properly, it becomes a growth engine. Yes, there are monetary incentives: SETA grants, tax rebates, and B-BBEE points. But the long-term reward is a more capable, engaged workforce, and a stronger, more resilient business.
Or as Shaun puts it, “You can start with the financial motivation. But over time, you’ll see the deeper value, in your people, your culture, and your competitiveness.”
At Training Force, we understand that businesses want to make profits. But we also believe in profit with purpose, a mindset where growth, sustainability and empowerment go hand-in-hand. Whether you’re just beginning your skills development journey or need help realigning your current efforts, we’re here to help you do it right, with transparency, integrity, and real impact.
