SAQA Aligned Studies

1.  US 252040 – Finance for the Non-Financial Manager (Budgets & Forecasts)

This three-day workshop on NQF Level 5 (8 credits) will empower participants in terms of knowledge, understanding, and application on the following five subject matters:  a)   The key concepts of managerial finance;  b)  Interpreting financial statements;  c)  Drafting financial forecasts;  d)  Drafting budgets according to operational plans of the unit;  e)  Supervising the financial management of a unit against given requirements

2.  US 7456 – Financial Aspects I

Plan and control personal household budgets and income and expenditure.  Familiarise yourself with simple and compound interest.  Learn about investments, stokvels, inflation, appreciation, and depreciation.  Explore various aspects of financial transactions including costs, prices, revenue, cost price, selling price, loss and profit.

3.  US 7468 – Financial Aspects II

Plan and control financial instruments.  Calculate simple and compound interest.  Explore the various aspects of costs and revenue.  Debate aspects of the national and global economy.

4.  US 12417 – Measurements, Estimates & Calculations

In this two-day workshop you will learn about measuremets, estimates, and the calculations of physical quantities.  Participants will explore, analyse & critique, describe and represent, interpret and justify geometrical relationships.  The fundamental workshop is registered at NQF Level 4, with 4 credits.

5.  US 243189 – Personal Finance, Money Matters

Any person who needs to manage his/her budgets, salary etc will benefit from this one-day workshop, accompanied by a three-month post workshop guide to further assist you in the application of the daily financial disciplines.  Amongst other topics participants will plan and prepare a personal budget, learn what to look out for when opening a personal bank account, and identify his/her role and responsibilities within personal financial management.

6.  US 10385 – Compile Your Own Business Plan

Participants attending this two-day workshop at NQF Level 4 (5 Credits), will be empowered to:  a) Describe the different types of small business that is legal in South Africa;  b)  Explain the registrations required for a small business;  c)  Identify the importance of market research;  d)  Understand the financial aspects of starting a small business;  e)  Compile a basic business plan based on a budget for a SMME (New Venture Creation).

7.  US 13945 – Stock & Asset Management

This two-day workshop on NQF Level 4 (2 Credits) will guide participants to:  a)  Differentiate between fixed assets and stock;  b)  Explain the influence that stock management can have on the profitability of a business;  c)  Explain the management of fixed assets;  d) Apply the basic principles of stock and fixed asset management to a business unit.

8.  US 13941 – Introduction to Budgets

This workshop is aimed at team leaders, supervisors, first line managers, potential SMME owners, and managers of small business.  The workshop is pitched at NQF Level 4, and carries five credits.  Participants will study:  a) The concept of budgeting;  b)  How to analyse budget needs;  d)  How to present and justify a proposed budget for a business unit;  d)  How to monitor and control actual expenses and revenue against projected expenses and revenue.

9.  US 10388 – Introduction to Financial Statements

This workshop is aimed at team leaders, supervisors, first line managers, potential SMME owners, and managers of small business.  The workshop is pitched at NQF Level 4, and carries three credits.  Participants will learn how to:  a) Analyse the Income & Expenditure Statement;  b)  Analyse the Balance Sheet;  c)  Compile a personal Assets and Liabilities Statement;  d)  Use the evidence in financial statements to make a financial decision.

Participants wanting to study further in the field of financial statement and budgets will benefit from Unit Standard 252040, Finance for Non-Financial Managers.  This three-day workshop deals intensively with financial ratios, budgets and forecasting.

10.  US 10386 – SMME Feasibility Studies

This New Venture Creation two-days workshop is pitched at NQF Level 4 (three credits).  The workshop is in particular aimed at potential SMME owners, managers of small business, first line managers, and persons with employees reporting to him/her.  The workshop covers the following study schools:  a)  How to identify and research the potential for a SMME as an own business;  b)  How to identify the risk associated with a SMME;  c)  The financial aspects involved in running a SMME;  d)  How to make and support a decision on whether to establish a SMME.

Non-Credit Bearing Studies (International Range)

1.  Inventory Management, The Nuts & Bolts

Most companies carry too much inventory. “You can’t sell from an empty wagon,” is usually the reasoning. Being over-stocked means the company will likely not run out of anything. But what about the inventory that has celebrated a few birthdays in the warehouse? Has anyone stopped to calculate the true cost of worrying about “running out?”   The costs of maintaining excessive inventory usually far outweigh the true cost of not being able to quickly deliver a particular item to a customer once in a very long while. A balance must be struck between inventory levels and turnover. Good inventory managers know what stock moves at what rate. They carefully plan re-order levels to ensure that the chances of running out are minimized while the turnover rate is maximized.

By the end of today, you will be able to:  a)  Understand terms that are frequently used in warehouse management;  b)  Identify the goals and objectives of inventory management, and measure your process against these goals;  c)  Calculate safety stock, reorder points, and order quantities;  d)  Evaluate inventory management systems;  e)  Identify the parts of the inventory cycle;  f)  Better maintain inventory accuracy.

2.   Budgets and Managing Money

For managers in today’s business world, it’s essential to have a working knowledge of finance. We all play a role in our organization’s financial health, whether we realize it or not. If you don’t have training or a background in finances, you may be at a disadvantage as you sit around the management table. Understanding the cycle of finance will help you figure out where you fit into your company’s financial structure, and how to keep your department out of the red. This workshop will familiarize you with the key concepts of finance and accounting and help you prepare budgets with more confidence.

At the conclusion of this workshop, you will be able to:  a)  Assess the financial performance and health of your organisation;  b)Enhance your decision-making skills by integrating financial management concepts into your thinking;  c)  Assess various software applications for managing finances;  d) Control the flow of money through your department;  e)  Understand the budgeting process and forecasting techniques.