Higher Certificate in Operations Management

Purpose

The Higher Certificate in Operations Management prepares learners for employment in entry-level or support positions in the field of operations management. While the fundamental modules address the need for general knowledge and skills required in the workplace, the core modules address the need for foundational knowledge and skills in the field of operations management, thereby improving the employment prospects of the qualifying learners. When designing the qualification, care was taken to ensure that the eight modules in the qualification were coherently planned, in terms of content, credits, purpose and outcomes, and that they were aligned to the needs of industry and the economy.

Rationale

Annually, many learners seeking admission to the Diploma qualifications offered by the Faculty of Management Sciences are not accepted because they do not meet the entrance requirements. In addition, financial considerations preclude a significant number of learners from studying full-time for a three-year qualification. Thus, by offering a Higher Certificate in Operations Management, access to higher education is broadened, and the employment prospects of the qualifying learners are improved. In addition, to the above, by offering the qualification on a part-time basis, via contact classes during the weekday evenings and/or on Saturday mornings, a significant number of people who are in full-time employment will be able to acquire a formal tertiary qualification.

Upon completion of the Higher Certificate in Operations Management, learners will be able to articulate to a Diploma in Management Sciences with a specialisation in Operations Management, or into other cognate Advanced Certificate and Diploma Qualification offered by other higher educational institutions.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution has a RPL policy in place that allows learners to access higher education by recognising their prior learning (short courses and work experience). RPL applications for the institution are received by the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT). The learners are required to complete a RPL application document. Accompanying the RPL application must be certified copies of all previous qualifications and a comprehensive portfolio reflecting one's work-based learning. Once the institution's RPL coordinator has deemed the RPL application as being complete, the portfolio will be sent to the relevant Academic Department for assessment. The department's RPL committee will assess the candidate's portfolio thoroughly against the relevant Exit Level Outcomes. Challenge assessments, in the form of written examinations, and/or practical tests, are conducted, wherein the learners are required to demonstrate competence at the applicable exit level. Successful learners will then be accepted into the qualification, via the RPL route.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Senior Certificate (SC) without endorsement.

Or

• National Senior Certificate (NSC), NQF Level 4, granting access to Higher Certificate studies.

Or

• National Certificate Vocational (NCV), NQF Level 4, granting access to Higher Certificate studies.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 5 totalling 120. Credits.

Compulsory Modules, 120 Credits

• Cornerstone 101, 12 Credits.
• Introduction to Technology, 12 Credits.
• Financial Literacy, 12 Credits.
• Essentials of Project Management, 16 Credits.
• Essentials of Operations Management, 20 Credits.
• Fundamentals of Quality, 16 Credits.
• Introduction to Operations Management Techniques, 16 Credits.
• Introduction to Organisational Effectiveness, 16 Credits.

1. Apply a wide range of operations management principles to identify, conceptualise, design and implement methods of enquiry to address problems in operations management, and understand the consequences of decisions relating to these enquiries.
2. Analyse and interpret data using statistical techniques.
3. Formulate independent ethical decisions about productivity improvement in the workplace.
4. Understand the various project management tools and plan activities on small scale projects.
5. Understand and apply Total Quality Management (TQM) tools appropriate to operations management.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Operations management principles are applied.
• Shop floor production problems are identified.
• Root cause of problems are diagnosed.
• Potential solutions are identified and implemented.
• The consequences of solutions are assessed.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Business operations data is selected.
• Operations data is analysed.
• Charts and graphs are used to interpret data.
• Using analysed information, low level decisions are taken.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Ethical decisions on productivity improvements are formulated.
• Areas in the production environment with low productivity levels are identified.
• Steps in productivity improvement are applied.
• A report planning the improvement is compiled.
• Productivity improvement plans are implemented.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Project management tools are identified.
• Project documents and activities are studied.
• Project activities are planned using appropriate tools.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Quality problems in the production environment are identified.
• Appropriate Total Quality Management (TQM) tools are applied to solve production-related problems.

Integrated Assessment

Integrated assessments for the Higher Certificate in Business Administration are

• Aligned with the Exit Level Outcomes.
• Used to establish whether learners achieve the Exit Level Outcomes.
• Assessment will be systematic, regular and formative, and feedback to the learners about their progress toward Exit Level Outcomes will be timeous and constructive.
• The assessment practices will be open, transparent, fair, valid and reliable, and ensure that no learner is disadvantaged in any way whatsoever.

Fifty percent of the modules in the qualification will be continuous assessments. The remaining modules in the qualification will include a final examination. The nature and weightings of the formative and summative assessments for each module are as follows: