Senior Manager: Registration and Recognition, Japie Nel, worked with NQF related issues since 1994. He was part of the National Training Board with the Minister of Labour in the development of a National Training Strategy for South Africa. Out of consultation with Unions and Employer Organisations, the NQF was proposed. In 1998, he joined SAQA as the coordinator of one of the National Standards Bodies.
In April 2000, he started his own business where he consulted with Sector Education Authorities (SETAs), Higher Education Providers (Public and Private), skills development providers and other stakeholders in relation to qualifications development, quality assurance processes and other NQF processes.
Japie also worked in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in the Middle East, where he was involved in the development of qualifications, policies and procedures, recognition of prior learning, and accreditation of providers and qualifications. After his stint in Bahrain, he rejoined SAQA in 2018, serving under the Registration and Recognition Directorate where he is the Senior Manager: Registration and Recognition involved in the registration of qualifications, recognition of professional bodies and development of policies and procedures.