Bankseta Women’s Development Programme In line with the BANKSETA’s Mission, “To support transformation and people development and through partnerships to enable stakeholders to advance the national and global position of the broader banking and microfinance industry,” the BANKSETA launched its Women’s Development Programme in March 2005. Recognising that the dire shortage of Black women at senior management level in all sectors of the economy negates any possibility of meeting Finance Sector Charter targets through recruitment, the BANKSETA identified the need to support its sector to achieve these targets, by implementing a programme which could create a pipeline of female talent, well-positioned for promotion into senior positions within the banking sector. Although the programme was only launched a year ago, the programme has already played an important role in increasing the sector’s focus on the need to develop women. The programme has raised awareness around the value that women are able to add at a senior management level, and the strategic role that they are able to play within the sector. Programme objectives: accelerate the promotion of women into senior management positions within the banking sector create a pipeline of female talent capable of moving into senior management positions promote and accelerate quality learning for all women in the work place; and encourage participation of women in other BANKSETA funded initiatives The Programme The programme includes an academic component, with fifteen participants, and a cohort component, with twenty-five participants. Candidates on the academic component complete a structured, academic programme, which includes an international study tour. The latter, has been devised to equip candidates with a more global view of business. Candidates receive credits towards the NQF Level-6 Diploma in Management of Technology and Innovation in the domain of Leadership. Cohorts provide women on the academic programme with support, particularly in terms of the implementation of action-learning topics within the workplace. They also participate in interactive workshops, executive discussions, mini lectures and site visits. Cohorts on the 2008 programme will work very closely with alumni on a social investment, mentoring project, which targets women in their final year of study at tertiary institutions throughout South Africa. The BANKSETA has partnered with the Da Vinci Institute for Technology Management to provide the academic component. In sharp contrast to many other management and leadership development programmes, the programme does not focus on providing candidates with business administration skills and competencies. It focuses, instead, on the management of people, the understanding of innovation, and the integration of technologies within a systemic context. There are five learning streams: systems thinking, management of technology, innovation and people; liberating the best in people; building interpersonal connections, transformational leadership; and leading change. Candidates are required to complete an in-depth research project, in an area of strategic importance to the banking and micro-finance sector. Research is conducted both in South Africa, and in the international destination that has been selected for the study tour, in a particular year. The sector is provided with feedback on research at the two conferences that candidates on the Women’s Development Programme host each year. The programme will run until March 2010. All member employer organisations, irrespective of size, may nominate candidates from their own organisation. A pre-set quota system ensures parity in terms of sector participation. Recruitment is in keeping with the National Skills Development Strategy target of 85% Black candidates. General Entry criteria for nomination Candidates must be: Female Currently employed at Middle Management / Professional level 5-7 years working experience Capable of operating in an environment characterised by multi disciplined teamwork Excellent communication skills Academic criteria for nomination For admission purposes, The Da Vinci Institute recognises the following qualifications (or equivalent) and experience: The Da Vinci Institute Certificate in the Management of Technology and Innovation, OR A certificate at an NQF 5 level, accredited by the Council on Higher Education, plus two years working experience, OR Other academic qualifications, accredited by the Council on Higher Education, plus three years working experience, OR Five years managerial working experience. Such students will be admitted on a provisional basis, subject to adequate support from their employers, and subject to the successful completion of the first 3 modules of the programme.