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MEET THE COACHES

Mike Stuart

Linkages

Mike Stuart studied Applied Linguistics at Wits University and the University of KwaZulu-Natal and facilitated learning English as a Second Language until the year 2000 when he helped publish the first National Training Directory. Since then he has specialised in research, publishing and linkages in the South African post-school environment, with a special interest in how national education and training initiatives can more effectively integrate with demand-led learning and development initiatives (the interface between skills development and employment). This lead to authoring the Department of Higher Education Ikusasa Lami work readiness guide (funded by DANIDA), and helping to establish the WorkFit campaign to support the public TVET and university campuses.

 

Mike believes that the youth unemployment crisis could jolt South African society to the kind of positive action that brings the deep, system-level change so seriously needed, and wants to help catalyse that process through the WorkFit Campaign.

Chris Vorwerk

Learning

Chris Vorwerk has spent all of his working life in education and training, particularly where these intersect with learning on-the-job. Chris helped shape and draft the Skills Development Act of 1998 which established the groundwork for the Setas, the Skills Levy and learnerships. For the past 16 years he has been in involved in the development of a new occupational space within within the NQF, to bring closer integration between learning and work Chris was the project leader for the work group which conceptualised and piloted the curriculum and assessment model for occupational qualifications on behalf of the the Department of Labour. This laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). In 2014, in recognition of his service to the HR profession, the South African Board for People Practices awarded Chris their Life-time Achievement Award. Apart from the policy development work, Chris has also been actively involved in the implementation of the policy. This qualification development work has exposed him to a variety of economic sectors, organisations, universities and TVET Colleges within those sectors. Besides his role in the WorkFit Campaign, Chris is currently involved in improvements to the artisan development system and Chair of the Programme Advisory Committee for Academy@Work at the University of Johannesburg.

 

If there was a sage in the South African skills development landscape, it would be Chris Vorwerk. Chris’ impact on learning ranges the full spectrum from dedication to mentoring and empowering individual people in his life to helping national systems adjust to the uncertain future of the twenty first century.

Liz Moore

Marketing

Liz is an entrepreneurial business woman with 19 years work experience across a diverse set of industries. She thrives on developing and implementing strategic solutions for clients that unlock huge potential and has managed the marketing for brands such as Apple, Aston Martin, McLaren and Rolls Royce. She has worked with various educational institutions in the development of their business strategies and currently mentors the full-time MBA students of the Gordon Institute of Business Science. She follows an extreme fitness training schedule and believes this discipline forms the foundation of an excellence work ethic and fuels passion for life. Liz Moore holds an MBA, an honours degree in Psychology, a marketing diploma and is a qualified Life, Business and Wellness Coach.

 

Liz’s youthful vigour often propels the WorkFit team outdoors in various exercise routines when we need a creativity boost, or just for the pure fun of it. And of course she is a walking ambassador for fitness in mind and body.

Sonja Blignaut

Sensemaker

Sonja Blignaut partners with leaders, practitioners and other decision-makers in corporate, academic and developmental institutions to enable them to make sense of complex problems. She is the exclusive South African partner for Prof Dave Snowden’s company. Cognitive Edge and supplies training in their open source methods; the Cynefin sense-making framework as well as the Sensemaker software suite. She has extensive experience in the theory-informed practice of complexity and narrative in industry. Sonja has worked locally and internationally in various domains including the Financial Services Industry; Energy; Conservation; Development; Research and Academia. Focus areas include: research; monitoring & evaluation; adaptive change and resilience; strategy and devolved decision-making; complexity leadership; developing competence to deal with complex or adaptive challenges in VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) environments; sense making; and culture transformation.

 

Sonja challenges us to become aware of our hidden assumptions and has a treasure chest of ideas, practices and stories relating to the most difficult problems we can throw at her.

Stephanie Buhrer

Change

Stephanie is a businesswoman whose interests lie in marketing, change management consulting and research. As a masters graduate from Stellenbosch University, she has been consulting for IQbusiness for the past 3 years and strives to help the business reach its purpose of growing people, growing business and growing Africa. Stephanie is passionate about social change and is particularly focused on empowering the youth, having spent the past 8 years tutoring and mentoring with different organisations.

 

Stephanie’s boundless enthusiasm pushes through all obstacles no matter the size or shape and her diligent project management ensures that the team is always aware of where their energy needs to be focused.

Andile Msimang

Research

Andile Msimang is a Consultant Intern in the Human Performance team at IQbusiness. With a BCom in Human Resource Management, Andile is a self-motivated, determined and disciplined individual who has proven his ability to excel in the high pressure, deadline-driven IQbusiness work environment. He thrives when working with others to realise their true potential and has spent the past 7 years volunteering at numerous foundations to mentor and tutor youth for their personal development

 

Andile is the gentle giant of the team, featured in many of our workfit gym images, his appetite for learning and his willingness to take on any task is a model for all interns, and part of the DNA of the WorkFit ethos.