Occupational Certificate: First-line Production Supervisor

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION:

The purpose of this part-qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as a First-line Production Supervisor. First-line Production Supervisors plan, organise, control, leads, coordinate and review production operations of a single unit. The First-line Supervisor manages physical and human resources in production or manufacturing processes. Duties include managing tradesmen, craftsmen, process control technicians, machine operators, assemblers, labourers and other workers. The duties cover maintenance, monitoring and control of occupational health and safety, legal compliance, quality assurance, troubleshooting and problem-solving. A First-line Production Supervisor is required to schedule and oversee production activities and resources for efficiency and continuous improvement as well as training and development including on-the-job-training and development.

SKILLS RATIONALE:

This part-qualification forms part of the Occupational Certificate: Production Supervisor. The part-qualification reflects the needs of the manufacturing and production sectors, as represented by employers, employees and training providers, for learners to develop the management skills and competencies to become Production Supervisors.

A wide range of industries in the production and manufacturing sectors has employees working as First-line Production Supervisors. The part-qualification is generic within the context of the manufacturing, mining, chemical, energy, water, food and beverage production sectors. The part-qualification consists of generic skills and competencies, which are portable across a wide range of operations. Expert practitioners from a range of manufacturing and production sectors assisted in the development of the qualification.

Small and medium organisations may have only one production/manufacturing unit, with only one First-line Supervisor, whereas large organisations will have multiple units, with several First-line Supervisors reporting to the Production Supervisor.

Typically, learners are working in a technical or operational capacity in manufacturing or production. This part-qualification provides the learner with the necessary supervisory and management skills and competencies to continue the leaning pathway to progress vertically in any production or manufacturing environment. It will, therefore, be an essential qualification for upward mobility in any organisation in the sector.

Typically, employees, who are technically and operationally competent, lack the necessary management knowledge, skills and experience to progress to supervision and management levels in an organisation. This part-qualification is essential to any person aspiring to progress in his chosen field. The benefit, to the economy and the country in general, is that the part-qualification provides the learner with the necessary learning pathway, essential training and development to progress in an organisation.

This part-qualification will provide the learner with the necessary knowledge, skills, competency and work experience to progress to a Production Supervisor.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:

• NQF Level 3 qualification in Operations/Technical Industry.
• Assessed Work experience of at least three years in an operational/technical capacity in a production operation.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES:

• Plan, organise, control, lead, coordinate and review production operations of a unit, including physical and human resources.

Plan, organise, control, lead, coordinate, review and oversee personnel in the unit