An intergrated sponsorship framework for accelerated career development of South African TVET lectures

Abstract

The career development of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college lecturers plays a critical role in shaping their career satisfaction, success, and retention within the sector (Bartrop-Sackey et al., 2022). This study explores the potential of career sponsorship as a strategic tool for lecturer development, drawing on the Social Capital Theory of Career Success, Social Exchange Theory, and Ang’s Sponsorship Model. The primary aim was to develop a career sponsorship framework tailored for TVET lecturers in South Africa. A key challenge identified is the absence of such a framework, which is compounded by systemic issues including a lack of transformational and visionary leadership, inadequate social and policy support, insufficient ICT infrastructure, and limited opportunities for training and development. Adopting a qualitative case study design, the research utilised purposive sampling to select 20 participants (six Heads of Department and 14 PL1 lecturers) from six public TVET colleges across South Africa. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and was analysed thematically using ATLAS.ti software (2024). Findings reveal that a lack of career sponsorship contributes to lecturer dissatisfaction, career stagnation, increased intention to resign, as well as feelings of frustration, demotivation, anger, and resentment toward college leadership. Additionally, the study found that TVET leaders often lack the leadership capabilities necessary to support and retain academic staff. To address this, there is an urgent need to build institutional and leadership capacity to implement effective career sponsorship programmes. The proposed framework employs a process approach to sponsorship, highlighting the interaction between the qualities of sponsors and protégés within the broader organisational context. The framework aims to foster both individual career success and institutional effectiveness, thereby contributing to South Africa’s national development goals.

Tlhabollo mošomong ya bafahloši ba dikholetšhe tša thuto le tlhahlo ya theknikhale le thokišetšo ya mošomo (TVET) e bohlokwa go kgotsofalo ya bona mošomong, katlego le tshwarelelo ka lefapheng (Bartrop-Sackey et al., 2022). Thuto ye e utolla kgonagalo ya tšhegetšo mošomong bjalo ka setlabelo go tlhabollo ya bafahloši, e lebeletše Theori ya Khephetlele ya Selegae ya Katlego Mošomong, Theori ya Phetošetšo ya Selegae le Mmotlele wa Thuto ka Tšhelete wa Ang (Social Capital Theory of Career Success, Social Exchange Theory and Ang’s Sponsorship Model). Maikemišetšo magolo e be e le go tlhama tlhako ya tšhegetšo mošomong yeo e direlwago bafahloši ba diTVET ka Afrika Borwa. Tlhohlo ye kgolo yeo e hlathilwego ke go sebe gona ga tlhako, yeo e hlakantšwe ke mabaka a tshepetšo a bjalo ka go hlokagala ga boetapele bja go ba le phetolo le ponelopele, go hlaelela ga thekgo ya selegae le pholisi, go se lekanele ga tshedimošo le infrastraktšha ya kgokagano ya theknolotši le menyetla ye e hlaelelago ya tlhahlo le tlhabollo. Kakanyetšo ya thuto ya khwalitheithifi e šomišitšwe, le kgetho ya mmaboomo mo batšeakarolo ba 20 (dihlogo tša dikgoro tše tshela le bafahloši ba 14 ba PL1) ba go tšwa dikholotšeng tše tshela tša setšhaba tša TVET ka Afrika Borwa. Datha e kgobokeditšwe ka dipoledišano tšeo di bopilwego seripa gomme ya sekasekwa go šomišwa softwere ya ATLAS ti (2024). Dikhwetšo di laeditše gore go se be gona ga thušo go kgathatema go go se kgotsofale ga bafahloši, go se tšwelepele mošomong, koketšego ya go nyaka go rula mošomo le go ikwa ba sa thaba, go hloka hlotleletšo, go kwata le lehloyo go boetapele bja kholetše. Ka tlaleletšo, thuto e hweditše gore baetapele ba diTVET gantši ba hloka mabokgoni a maleba a boetapele go ka thekga le go swarelela bašomi ba tša thuto. Go lokiša ditlhohlo tše, go na le hlokagalo ka potlako ya go aga mabokgoni a ditheo le boetapele gore go diragatšwe mananeo a maleba a thušo ka ditšhelete mošomong. Tlhako yeo e šišintšwego e go mokgwa wa tshepetšo wa thušo ka ditšhelete, e laetša tšhomišano magareng ga bathuši le baithuti ka gare tikologo ya ditheo ka bophara. E ikemišeditše go hlohleletša bobedi katlego ya motho a nnoši ya mošomo le mabokgoni a setheo, ka fao e kgatatema go dinepo tša tlhabollo ya setšhaba ya Afrika Borwa. Mantsu-taba: tlhako ya tšhegetšo ya mošomo, thuto ya bophelo ya mabaka, boetapele, tlhahlo, Morutwana, tšhegetšo ya tago, motšhegetši, bafahloši ba dikholetše tša TVET.

Kutfutfukiswa kwemisebenti yebafundzisi basemakolishi etemfundvo yetebuchwepheshe neyemisebenti yetandla (TVET) kubalulekile ekwanelisekeni kwemsebenti wabo, imphumelelo kanye nekugcinwa kwabo emkhakheni (Bartrop-Sackey et al., 2022). Lolucwaningo luhlola emandla ekuchaswa kwemsebenti njengelithulusi lekutfutfukiswa kwemfundzisi, ngekusekelwa yi-Social Capital Theory of Career Success, Social Exchange Theory kanye ne-Ang’s Sponsorship Model. Inhloso lenkhulu bekukusungula luhlaka lwekuchasa lwemisebenti lolwentelwe bafundzisi be-TVET eNingizimu Afrika. Insayeya lenkhulu lechaziwe kungabikho kwaloluhlaka, loluhlanganiswe netinkinga tesistimu njengekuswela kwebuholi lobugucugucukab ko kanye nemibono, kusekelwa lokwanele kwetenhlalakahle nenchubomgomo, kuswelakala kwelwati nebuchwepheshe betekuchumana lobanele kanye nematfuba lamancane ekuceceshwa nekutfutfukiswa. Kusetjentiswe idizayini yesifundvo sendzaba yekhwalithethivu kulolucwaningo, futsi kusetjentiswe kukhetfwa kwemasampula ngenhloso kukhetsa bantfu labatawuhlangayela labangu-20 (tinhloko tematiko letisitfupha kanye nebafundzisi laba-14 be-PL1) labavela kumakolishi ahulumende e-TVET lasitfupha kuyoyonkhe iNingizimu Afrika. Idatha yabutfwa ngekusebentisa tinkhulumomphendvulwano letihlelwe kancane futsi yahlatiywa ngekwengcondvo kusetjentiswa i-software ye-ATLAS. ti (2024). Lokutfolakele kuveta kutsi kuswelakala kwekuchaswa kwemisebenti kunemtselela ekunganeliseki kwebafundzisi, kuntengantenga kwemsebenti, kwandza kwenhloso yekuyekela umsebenti kanye nemiva yekukhatsateka, kungagcugcuteleki, intfukutselo kanye nekucasukela buholi belikolishi. Ngetulu kwaloko, lucwaningo lwatfola kutsi baholi be-TVET bavame kungabi nemakhono ebuholi ladzingekako kute basekele futsi bagcine basebenti betemfundvo. Kute kubukwane naletinsayeya, kunesidzingo lesiphutfumako sekwakha emandla etikhungo kanye nebuholi kute kusetjentiswe tinhlelo letisebentako tekuchaswa kwemisebenti. Loluhlaka loluhlongotwako lusekelwe kundlela yenchubo yekuchasa, lolugcamisa kusebentisana phakatsi kwetimfanelo tebachasi kanye nema-protégés ngekhatsi kwesimo lesibanti senhlangano. Ihloselwe kugcugcutela imphumelelo yemuntfu ngamunye kanye nekusebenta kahle kwesikhungo, ngaleyo ndlela kuba neligalelo etinhlosweni tekutfutfukisa sive saseNingizimu Afrika.