Sozim visits Bakoena Royal Council to propose training related to the Occupational Certificate: Library Assistant qualification
Libraries should continue to play a critical role in supporting learners, students, job seekers, and community members who have limited access to alternative information resources.
This is according to Mrs Kasadi Diseko, Director of Sozim Trading and Consultancy. Mrs Diseko and her team recently visited Bakoena Royal Council at Witsieshoek, Phuthaditjhaba, Free State province. The team proposed to offer training related to the Occupational Certificate: Library Assistant qualification as part of the college’s Corporate Social Investment strategy.
The plight of librarians and libraries in the Free State province
The Free State Province is home to many rural and semi-rural communities that rely heavily on public libraries as centres for education, information access, academic support, and community development. Libraries play a critical role in supporting learners, students, job seekers, and community members who have limited access to alternative information resources.
Despite this important role, the Free State continues to experience a shortage of adequately trained Library and Information Services personnel, particularly at entry and mid-level positions such as Library Assistants. This shortage impacts the effective functioning of libraries and limits their ability to contribute meaningfully to provincial priorities such as literacy improvement, youth development, and lifelong learning.
Skills development, capacity building and accredited training programmes
Sozim is a training and skills development provider based in Bloemfontein, South Africa. The organisation specialises in capacity building and accredited training programmes aimed at strengthening institutional skills, particularly within the education and information services sectors.
Sozim offers programmes such as the Occupational Certificate: Library Assistant (NQF Level 5), Facilitation, Outcomes-Based Assessment, and professional development initiatives designed to support educators and institutions. These programmes are structured to enhance skills in information literacy, learning support, and digital transformation in library and education environments.
The aim of the visit was to formally introduce the college services and explore potential areas of collaboration with Bakoena Royal Council Office, particularly in supporting library assistant development, and digital skills training in the community.
Closing the skills gap in the library and information services sector
The Library and Information Services sector in South Africa is experiencing a shortage of formally qualified library assistants. There are limited career pathways for unemployed youth interested in information services. Public and community libraries are under-capacitated libraries and struggling to meet the community’s information, digital and computer literacy needs.
Without targeted skills development interventions, these challenges will continue to affect service delivery, literacy outcomes, and community development initiatives.
Partnerships with traditional councils and local municipalities and communities
Sozim seeks to partner with traditional councils, local municipalities and the broader community in addressing the skills gap in the South African library and information services sector. The proposal to Bakoena Royal Council responds directly to the challenge of under capacitated libraries by offering an occupational qualification aligned to industry and community needs.
Reflecting on the importance of partnerships, Mrs Diseko explained that “ as an accredited institution offering occupationally directed programmes, we seek to partner with traditional institutions, the Free State Local Municipalities and the Free State Provincial Government to respond proactively to this skills gap while building sustainable capacity within the province”.
Flaship qualification – OCCUPATIONAL CERTIFICATE – LIBRARY ASSISTANT
The name of the proposed flagship programme is Occupational Certificate: Library Assistant, located at NQF Level: 5 on the National Qualification Framework. The course bears 127 credits and consist of theory, practical skills and workplace learning.
Programme Outcomes
Learners who complete the programme will be able to: - Assist users in accessing library and information resources – Perform circulation, cataloguing, and shelving duties – Support literacy, reading, and community outreach programmes – Promote information literacy and responsible use of information – Support digital and electronic information services
Targeted beneficiaries
The proposed programme will primarily benefit: - Unemployed youth within Free State province and Schools – Youth interested in education, libraries, and community development – Community libraries requiring skilled support staff. Priority may be given to youth from disadvantaged backgrounds to ensure inclusive development.