SETA Learnerships 2025 - Apply Now

There are different Seta Learnerships available at different times in 2025

There are no costs in applying for a Learnership programme - and what makes it such an exciting opportunity is that you will be paid while you are doing the Learnership. This is because they were designed with the unemployed youth in mind - specifically South African citizens. So if you can't afford to pay study fees you should apply for a Learnership now!

Seta Learnership 2025 Online Application

Learnerships combine workplace experience with formal training so you will gain skills, get a national qualification, and have real work experience. There will be a training provider or college attached to the Learnership that will give you the formal learning part. Learnerships are specifically designed to assist unemployed learners in South Africa.

Online Learnerships For Unemployed Graduates

Seta learnerships are always linked to a qualification, and these qualifications can be at any level on the National Qualifications Framework - or NQF. That means that Learnerships are also suitable for graduates who have recently qualified with other qualifications. The length of time depends on the level of the Learnership programme but it usually happens over a one year contract period.

Online Learnerships can be an option to consider if workplace-based Learnerships are not available for the area you want to work in.

Learnerships For Matriculants

Not all Learnerships are for grads. Most Learnerships are actually for Matriculants, meaning those who have a grade 12, or Matric, certificate. Because there is so much demand for Learnerships (and online Learnerships) from young people companies will often say that a requirement is that the applicants must have a Matric certificate. In this way Learnerships for matriculants manages to narrow down the number of applicants.

If makes sense for young people who have finished school to go on to do a Learnership because there is such demand to get jobs these days. You may have a very good Matric certificate but employers would like to see work experience as well. If you've been working hard studying, revising and getting good results there probably wasn't time to have a part-time job as well.

When a company runs a Learnership programme for matriculants they can take on a group of learners for the Learnership but they aren't required to keep them on permanently after the Learnership. The advantage for the learners is that if they work hard and perform well then the employer is likely to employ them when the Learnership is over. Even if the employer doesn't give them a full-time job after the Learnership the learner will have a 12-month period of work experience to add to their CV.

What Are Seta Learnerships?

A Learnership programme is a uniquely South African way to deal with the country's skills development problem - that is the shortage of skills and trained workers in the local workforce. It is a modern version of an apprenticeship where young people undergo training through a work based learning programme - and also gain valuable work experience.

Another benefit of a Learnershp is that it must be linked to a formal qualification. So if the learner is able to successfully complete the Learnership they will be awarded a nationally recognised qualification.

Unlike someone who gained a qualification through a college or university - the graduate of the Learnership will also gave undergone real-world workplace experience as well. The structured learning part of the Learnership programme must be delivered by an accredited training provider.

Click Here For The Latest Learnerships Available Now

Do you need a Matric certificate to participate in learnership programmes?

The academic requirements for learnership programmes vary with different institutions, but some businesses offer learnerships to people who do not have their matric qualification. This will all be explained during the recruitment process when they explain the minimum requirements to take part in the Learnership.

Learnerships are an effective way to gain a qualification and get real hands-on training and career exposure, making it easier to gain employment after the duration of the learnership course is over. This makes them very valuable for unemployed youth so they have become very popular with South Africans.

For many learnership jobs, the minimum requirements are a National Senior Certificate or National Certificate: Vocational, but there may be more specific subject requirements or even skills requirements such as computer literacy.

Recommended Reading: Seta Learnerships: What Are They And How Do You Get One?

What Are The Setas?

Learnerships are the project of the Sector Education and Training Authorities - the Setas - and they incentivise companies to offer them by funding a monthly stipend which is paid to each of the learners on the programme. The amount of the stipend is related to the NQF level of the qualification attached to the Learnership. The NQF is the National Qualifications Framework of South Africa and it ranks all qualifications on a common framework.

Because the Learnership has to be part of a employment contract, the number of Learnership positions is limited by the number of companies who are prepared to offer them.

Learnership programmes were designed with two groups in mind. Unemployed people and those who are currently employed with a company. Learnership jobs can be run at any level but most require that the candidate has already successfully completed grade 12.

What is a Learnership programme?

A Learnership leads to a formal qualification and can be very helpful for unemployed youth, because you don't have to pay the cost of fees to kickstart your career. They are promoted by the government as one way to help unemployed South African youth to gain skills and qualifications. They will also gain meaningful workplace experience. Although similar initiatives are run in other countries as well, Learnerships are a specifically South African answer to the skills shortage.

Interesting Read: Learnerships, Internships and In-Service Training

Once the learnership programme is complete, you can expect to receive a nationally recognized qualification with both theoretical and practical work components, as well as valuable work experience and the opportunity for you to develop skills.

Many Learnership graduates have successfully completed a Learnership programme, and have used this as the first step towards an exciting opportunity, a rewarding career and overall progress and success. 

When you join, a Learnership programme typically includes the processes of a training element, which will usually be delivered by TVET Colleges in South Africa or an training company, and can span over a one year contract period.

Are Learners on Learnerships Considered Employees?

Yes if you are on a Learnership you will sign a contract of employment with a 'host employer'. This employer will be the place where you gain your workplace experience and they will be responsible for paying you your stipend - one of the key Learnership benefits.

This is a monthly payment that is similar to a salary. The contract you sign will be for a fixed term - usually either one or two years to give you time to complete the formal learning part of the Learnership.

During this time you will have to report for work when you are not part of your learning module. You will have to follow similar work procedures as other employees and also abide by the company's disciplinary code.

Benefits of Learnerships over Internships and Apprenticeships

The Learnership programme was developed in South Africa as a modern way to advance apprenticeships to meet the modern demands of the workplace. Learnerships also manage to formalise the learning and workplace experience - which is usually sadly lacking in internships offered by companies.

Learners Are Paid A Monthly Stipend

Another significant benefit of Learnerships over internships is that Learnerships come with a formal pay structure where learners will be paid a monthly stipend, or payment, for the time they are on the Learnership. Also, internships do not have a learning component, while Learnerships are all linked directly to a formal qualification.

Building Company Learnerships

There are many Learnerships available in the construction sector but these will be linked to projects so they aren't available all year round.

Road Traffic Law Enforcement Learnerships

Another popular area to embark on a Learnership is for Traffic Police officers. Many municipalities will run Traffic Officer Learnerships with their Metro Police from time to time. These Learnership programmes are run by the Transport Education and Training Authority.

Apply Now For Your Favourite 2025 Learnership Programme

Learnerships are such a great option so don't delay - apply today!

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