Innovative Skills Development

In response to the mass skills shortage in South Africa, RMA has committed to several innovative skills development initiatives targeting workers, students and persons with disabilities. Unemployment and poverty rates are at an all-time high, with the youth making up 63.4% of all unemployed South Africans in 2020. RMA’s skills development initiatives are designed to empower workers, drive reskilling, preserve jobs and promote economic growth. Innovative skills development is one of the key focus areas of RMA’s social impact strategy, put together to fulfil corporate social responsibility. 

RMA’s future skills development plans include: 

• Assessing the practical needs of persons with disabilities and providing necessary funding 
• Increasing the number of qualified graduates with disabilities 
• Supporting students beyond financial aid through programmes that provide valuable career guidance and resources 

Although RMA is committed to each of these future plans, the main focus is comprehensive vocational rehabilitation. In collaboration with the Department of Labour’s Compensation Fund, we plan to help persons with disabilities through injury prevention, rehabilitation, return to work and social reintegration.

RMA’s Innovative Skills Development projects include:

• Organic Rehabilitation Initiatives 
• Organic Social Rehabilitation Initiatives 
• Organic Clinical Rehabilitation Initiatives 
• Job Creation & Employment Creation Initiatives 
• Tertiary Education Initiatives

Innovative Skills Development in action

Skills development entails identifying skill gaps and providing the necessary resources to hone them over time. In an international survey conducted by PWC in 2021, consisting of 32 517 participants, it was revealed that 94% of South African workers feel the need to learn new skills, or completely retrain, in order to remain employable in the next few years.

Vocational Rehabilitation Programme

RMA’s vocational Rehabilitation Programme aims to assist persons with disabilities or injuries through rehabilitation, re-integration and returning to work if possible. The programme also facilitates the transfer of valuable skills such as welding, electrical work, sewing, diamond polishing and evaluation, poultry production and handyman work. As of March 2021, 52 persons with disabilities (PWD) are involved in this community skills development programme. Our intentions are to eventually support PWD pensioners through the Business Implementation Fund. This helps them run a profitable business that can support them in future. Initial and operational costs are covered through the programme.

Education Support

We believe that education support is an essential aspect of innovative skills development. Naturally, people turn to education to develop their skills, meaning that we can bridge skill gaps by adding value to existing education programmes.

NSFAS Disability Fund

In collaboration with the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) disability fund, we aim to support students with disabilities, empowering them to graduate and subsequently contribute to the local economy. NSFAS is a government programme that provides undergraduate students with funding to complete tertiary education after high school.

Extension Bursary Programme

The Extension Bursary Programme empowers the children of pensioners to complete their studies. Given that monthly pensions cannot cover the costs of tertiary education, funding is provided to qualifying students who could benefit from the opportunity to pursue their chosen field of study.

The Social Impact Strategy & Skills Development

RMA’s Social Impact Strategy promotes economic growth in South Africa by empowering marginalised communities. The strategy aims to maximise social impact and ensure RMA adheres to the values of corporate social responsibility. As a result, all stakeholders will benefit from long-term growth.

 The Social Impact Strategy consists of 5 key pillars: 

• Responsible Investing 
• Entrepreneurship 
• Financial Education & Inclusion 
• Innovative Skills Development 
• Diversity & Inclusion 

RMA’s key stakeholders include: 

• Customers 
• Employees 
• Investors 
• Communities 
• Regulators and Government 
• Intermediaries (brokers and healthcare workers providing services on behalf of RMA