If you pay the Skills Development Levy and want any of it back, you need a Skills Development Facilitator (SDF). The SDF is the person registered with your SETA to submit your Workplace Skills Plan and Annual Training Report, and to look after skills development in your business.
What an SDF does
- Registers your company’s skills development details with the SETA.
- Works out your skills needs with management and staff.
- Prepares and submits the WSP (planned training) and ATR (completed training) by 30 April.
- Keeps the training records and evidence up to date.
- Advises on learnerships, discretionary grants and other SETA funding.
- Supports the training committee, where you have one.
In-house or outsourced?
Both are allowed. The choice usually comes down to time and know-how.
| In-house SDF | Outsourced SDF | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Often someone in HR or admin | A specialist consultant |
| Cost | Their time, plus training to learn the system | A monthly or annual fee |
| Know-how | Builds up over time | Knows the SETA systems and deadlines already |
| Risk | Gaps if the person leaves or is busy in April | Continuity and deadline focus |
Rule of thumb: if nobody in your business has done a WSP/ATR before, or April is already your busiest month, outsourcing usually pays for itself through the grant you don’t lose.
What to look for in an SDF
- Experience with your SETA and its online system.
- A clear process for collecting training records during the year, not just in April.
- Help with B-BBEE Skills Development evidence, since it uses the same records.
- Transparency: you should be able to see what was submitted on your behalf.
How ROI Consultants helps
On our SDF Managed plans, ROI Consultants acts as your appointed SDF. Your team gets unlimited online training, training records are captured automatically, and we prepare and submit your WSP and ATR. Your dashboard shows everything we do, including an activity log. Prefer your own SDF? They can get their own free login to your dashboard too. Compare plans.
This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and deadlines can differ between SETAs and change over time, so confirm details with your SETA, SDF or B-BBEE verification agency.