A learnership is one of the most practical ways into work in South Africa. You study towards a registered qualification, you spend much of your time in a real workplace, and you are paid an allowance while you do it. For a school leaver with no experience, that combination is hard to find anywhere else.
It is also widely misunderstood, and scammers know it. This guide explains how learnerships work under the Skills Development Act, the difference between 18.1 and 18.2 learnerships, which SETA covers which kind of work, what you need to apply, what the stipend is and is not, your rights while you are a learner, and how to find real opportunities near you.
What is a learnership?
Under the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998, a learnership is a structured programme that combines two things: theory, usually taught by an accredited training provider, and practical work experience with an employer. It must be linked to an occupation and lead to a qualification registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). Each learnership is registered through a Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA), and every learner signs a learnership agreement.
The agreement has three parties: you, the employer where you do your workplace learning, and the training provider. It sets out what each of you must do. The employer gives you real work and a mentor or supervisor. The provider teaches the theory and assesses you. You attend, do the work and complete your assessments on time.
Many learnerships run for about a year, although some are shorter or longer depending on the qualification. Your time is usually split between classroom sessions, either a few days a week or blocks of a week or two, and the workplace, where you complete tasks and record them.
Portfolio of evidence, assessors and “competent”
You are not usually tested with one big exam at the end. Instead you build a portfolio of evidence (PoE): worksheets, workplace tasks signed off by your supervisor, observation reports and a logbook of what you did. An assessor checks it against the modules of the qualification and marks each part “competent” or “not yet competent”, and a moderator then checks the assessor’s decisions. If you are found not yet competent, you normally get a chance to redo the task.
Keep copies or photos of everything you submit; a lost PoE is far easier to fix when you have your own copy.
18.1 and 18.2 learnerships: what the numbers mean
Adverts often say “18.1 learnership” or “18.2 learnership”. The numbers come from section 18 of the Skills Development Act, and they describe your employment status, not the level or the field.
| Type | Who it is for | Your employment status |
|---|---|---|
| 18.1 | People already employed by the company, for example a general worker being upskilled. | Your existing contract of employment continues; the learnership is added to it. |
| 18.2 | Unemployed people recruited for the learnership. | You sign a fixed-term contract of employment for the length of the learnership, alongside the learnership agreement. |
If you are unemployed, you are looking for 18.2 learnerships. The key point is that the fixed-term contract normally ends when the learnership ends. A learnership is not a promise of a permanent job. Some employers do keep learners on, and that is one reason they take them, but plan for the day the contract ends rather than assuming it will be extended.
Learnership, apprenticeship, internship or skills programme?
These words are used loosely, even in official-looking adverts. Knowing the difference helps you choose the right programme and spot adverts that are not what they claim to be.
| Route | What it is | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Learnership | A registered qualification plus workplace learning, under a learnership agreement registered through a SETA. | School leavers, unemployed young people and employees being upskilled. |
| Apprenticeship | A workplace route into a listed trade such as electrician, plumber, fitter or boilermaker, ending in a trade test. | People who want to become qualified artisans. |
| Internship | Work experience, often for graduates or diploma holders; not always linked to a qualification. | People who already have a qualification and need experience. |
| Skills programme | A shorter, credit-bearing programme that covers part of a qualification. | People who need one specific skill quickly, or want to build credits. |
If your goal is to become an electrician, plumber, welder or another artisan, look specifically for apprenticeships or artisan learnerships that lead to a trade test. Our guide to electrician jobs in South Africa explains how the trade test works and the extra registration that comes after it for electricians.
Which SETA? Learnerships by sector
There are 21 SETAs, each responsible for skills development in one sector of the economy. They are funded through the skills development levy that larger employers pay, they fund learnerships, and they register learnership agreements. Knowing which SETA covers the work you want tells you where to look for opportunities and whom to ask when you want to check whether an advert is real.
| SETA | Sector | Examples of learnership fields |
|---|---|---|
| merSETA | Manufacturing, engineering and related services, including the motor trade | Mechanical and electrical trades, motor mechanics, production work |
| CETA | Construction | Bricklaying, plumbing, carpentry, building and civil construction |
| W&RSETA | Wholesale and retail | Retail operations, store supervision, sales |
| Services SETA | Services | Cleaning, office administration, hairdressing, contact centre work |
| CATHSSETA | Culture, arts, tourism, hospitality and sport | Food preparation, front office, tourism guiding |
| TETA | Transport | Freight handling, logistics, road transport |
| AgriSETA | Agriculture | Plant production, animal production, farming operations |
| HWSETA | Health and welfare | Community health work, ancillary health care, child and youth care |
| MICT SETA | Media, information and communication technologies | End-user computing, IT support, systems development |
| SASSETA | Safety and security | Private security and related support roles |
| EWSETA | Energy and water | Electricity, water and renewable energy work |
| BANKSETA, INSETA, FASSET | Banking, insurance, finance and accounting | Bookkeeping, banking and insurance administration |
Some fields have their own registration on top of the learnership. Private security is the clearest example: to work as a guard you also need to be registered with PSIRA at the right grade. See security guard jobs in South Africa for how that works.
Why companies offer learnerships
It helps to know why an employer takes on learners, because it tells you what they want from you. Registered learnerships can bring employers SETA grants, tax allowances and points on the skills development part of their B-BBEE scorecard. Many also use them to find future staff, so they want learners who attend every day and finish their portfolio.
Who can apply? Typical learnership entry requirements
Every programme sets its own requirements, and they are listed in the advert. These are the ones you will see most often:
- Citizenship and ID. Most publicly funded learnerships are for South African citizens, sometimes also permanent residents, with a valid green barcoded ID book or smart ID card. If you are not a citizen, ask before you apply.
- Age. Many learnerships for unemployed people are aimed at young people, and adverts often give an age range, but not all have an upper limit. Read the advert rather than assuming you are too old.
- Education. This depends on the NQF level of the qualification. Entry-level learnerships at NQF level 1 or 2 sometimes accept Grade 9 to 11; level 3 and 4 and above usually ask for matric (Grade 12), sometimes with maths or maths literacy and English.
- Unemployed, for 18.2. You may be asked to confirm that you are not working and not studying full time.
- Living near the workplace. You will travel to the workplace almost every day, so many adverts prefer or require people from a particular town, municipality or township.
- Disability. Some learnerships are set aside for people with disabilities. If an advert asks for proof, it will say what kind of letter it needs.
Where to find real learnership opportunities
Most SETAs do not recruit learners themselves. They fund employers and training providers, who then recruit. That is why learnerships appear in so many different places, and why fake ones are easy to slip in among them. Good places to look:
- Company careers pages. Large employers in mining, manufacturing, retail, banking, telecommunications and the public sector run learnership programmes. Find the company’s official careers page yourself instead of following a link in a message.
- SETA offices and websites. Many publish opportunities, and all of them can tell you whether a programme and a provider are registered.
- TVET colleges. Student support or placement staff often know which local employers take learners.
- Labour centres. Register as a work-seeker with the Department of Employment and Labour’s Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA); employers use it to find candidates.
- NYDA branches and municipal youth offices. The National Youth Development Agency and some municipalities help young people find programmes and prepare applications.
Create a free Hirovo profile, add the work you are training for or already do, and set your area. When someone nearby posts an entry-level job, you can apply or message them directly in the app.
Create a free profile →How to apply for a learnership, step by step
- Read the whole advert. Note the qualification and NQF level, the SETA, the location, the length of the programme, the closing date and exactly which documents are required.
- Prepare a short CV. One or two pages: contact details, schooling, any work, volunteering or part-time jobs, practical skills and two references. You do not need to put your ID number on it; the employer will ask for your ID when it is needed.
- Get certified copies. Usually your ID and your matric certificate or latest school report, plus any other qualifications. You can have copies certified at a police station or by a commissioner of oaths. Some adverts want recently certified copies, so check.
- Write a short motivation. Half a page is enough: why this field, what you already know about it and why you will finish the programme. Generic letters are easy to spot.
- Apply exactly as the advert says. By email, online form or hand delivery. Send clear PDFs named with your surname, not blurred photos, and use a sensible email address.
- Prepare for assessments. Many employers use numeracy and literacy tests, sometimes a psychometric test, then an interview. Practise basic maths, percentages and reading instructions carefully.
- Keep a record. Note where and when you applied, and any reference number.
Your ID copy is personal information, and under POPIA an employer may only use it for the purpose you gave it for. Only send copies to an employer or provider you have checked, and never send your bank card PIN, online banking password or a one-time PIN to anyone.
Learnership stipends and allowances
Learners are paid an allowance, often called a stipend, rather than a salary. The amount depends on the programme, the SETA funding behind it, the NQF level and the employer; some employers add to the funded amount. It is normally paid monthly.
Minimum allowances for learners are set separately from the national minimum wage. The rules can change, so ask the SETA or the Department of Employment and Labour what currently applies, and make sure the amount is written in your agreement or contract. Before you sign, check:
- the amount and the date it is paid each month;
- whether it is paid for classroom days as well as workplace days;
- any deductions, which should appear on a payslip;
- whether transport, meals or protective clothing are provided;
- what happens to the allowance if you are absent or sick.
A genuine learnership never asks you to pay to join, to “activate” your stipend, to register with the SETA or to buy a uniform before you start. If money is flowing from you to them, stop and check.
Your rights and responsibilities as a learner
A learnership is a two-way agreement. You have the right to:
- a copy of your learnership agreement and, for 18.2, your fixed-term contract;
- real workplace learning linked to the qualification, with a mentor or supervisor, not a year of making tea and sweeping;
- a safe workplace and the protective equipment the work needs, under the Occupational Health and Safety Act;
- a payslip showing your allowance and any deductions;
- basic conditions such as working hours and leave. As an 18.2 learner you are also an employee on a fixed-term contract, so basic employment protections generally apply; check what your contract says.
Your side of the deal is attendance, punctuality, safe work and handing in your portfolio tasks on time. Repeated absence is the most common reason learnerships are ended early, and a terminated learnership leaves you with no qualification and no reference.
When something goes wrong
Start with your mentor, then the training provider, then HR, and keep notes. If the problem is with the learnership itself, for example no workplace learning, no assessments or a provider that has disappeared, contact the SETA that registered it. If you are treated unfairly as an employee, for example dismissed without a fair reason or not paid, the CCMA is the free route for most employment disputes; ask them whether your case fits. If you are offered a job halfway through, ask the employer and the provider how to end the agreement properly before you leave.
After the learnership: certificates and next steps
If you are found competent in every part of the qualification, you receive a certificate, issued through the body that quality-assures that qualification, usually the SETA or the QCTO. It can take a while to arrive, so follow up politely with the provider. If you completed only part of it, ask for a statement of results showing the credits you earned; you can build on them later.
Before your contract ends, ask your mentor for a written reference and ask HR whether there are openings. Then add the qualification to your CV, keep the original certificate safe with certified copies, and decide on the next step: a job, a learnership at a higher NQF level, further study at a TVET college, or, for artisan learnerships, the trade test.
Using Hirovo alongside your learnership search
Hirovo is a free jobs and local services app, and it is new in South Africa, so there are not many local posts yet. It is not a SETA, a training provider or a learnership agency, it does not run or check learnerships, and it does not vet employers. What it can do: make a free profile, add the skills you have or are training in, set your area, and message local employers who post entry-level or short-term work, while you wait for a programme or once it ends.
Before you apply for a learnership: certified copies of your ID and qualifications ready · a one- or two-page CV · the qualification, NQF level and SETA noted · the closing date in your phone · no fees paid to anyone · the employer or provider checked with the SETA if in doubt · copies of your agreement and contract kept once you sign.
In short
A learnership combines a registered qualification with real workplace experience and a monthly allowance. If you are unemployed, look for 18.2 learnerships, understand that the contract usually ends with the programme, and choose a field whose SETA and qualification lead somewhere you want to go. Apply carefully, with certified documents and a short CV, never pay a fee, keep your portfolio of evidence up to date, and plan your next step before the last month. A free Hirovo profile can help local employers find you along the way.