Updated 2026-11-14
A learnership is a structured, fixed-term arrangement that combines training with practical work experience. It is not simply a course or a job advert. Before accepting a place, make sure there is a proper agreement involving you, the employer and the training provider.
Never pay anybody to get a learnership or submit a job application. Genuine public recruitment is free.
The Department of Employment and Labour describes a learnership agreement as a contract for a specific period between a learner, an employer and a training provider. The agreement must be signed by all three parties and registered with the relevant SETA.
The employer must provide a job for the agreed period, practical work experience and time to attend classes. You must work for the employer and attend classes. The training provider must provide education, training and learner support.
DHET says SETA learnerships operate through partnerships between employers, SETAs and training providers, giving learners theoretical and practical training as well as real work experience. Read the Department guide on learnership agreements and DHET's SETA information before you sign.
SETAs are sector bodies. The Department's guide says they promote learnerships and are responsible for handing out funds. The relevant SETA depends on the industry of the employer or programme.
Funding is not one identical offer for every learner. A DHET research brief published in 2024 found that processes differ across SETAs and the National Skills Fund, including discretionary-grant application dates, processes and reporting templates. It identifies funding, recruitment, contracting, implementation, stipend payments and certification as stages in programme delivery.
A SETA may fund a programme or an employer's learnership project, but do not assume that every advert is SETA-funded, that funding means automatic selection, or that it guarantees a particular payment. Ask the advertiser which SETA and programme applies, then verify it through the SETA's official website or contacts in DHET's SETA directory.
A stipend or allowance is not a figure you should guess from social-media posts. The official notice for the specific intake should state whether payment is offered, who pays it, the amount, payment timing and any conditions. Do not rely on old adverts.
The Department's learnership pay guide says employers must calculate learner pay by hours worked and pay no later than seven days after a period of work is completed or the learnership ends. That page was last modified in 2007, so its monetary table should not be treated as a current rate. Check the current official advert, agreement and applicable rules instead.
DHET's 2024 research brief records delays in stipend payments and differences in payment schedules and requirements across programmes. Keep copies of your agreement, attendance records and payment information. If payment is promised, ask for the written terms before accepting.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| Choose a field | Decide which skills and type of work suit you. |
| Register as a work-seeker | The Department advises unemployed people to register at their nearest labour centre. |
| Find legitimate openings | Contact the relevant SETA to ask which employers offer learnerships. Check employer, SETA and government channels. |
| Prepare your CV | The Department recommends personal details, education, work experience, other skills and referees. |
| Apply exactly as advertised | Follow the official advert's closing date, eligibility rules and submission method. Do not assume one programme's requirements apply to another. |
| Prepare and follow up | Prepare for an interview and keep your labour-centre details updated if they change. |
These steps come from the Department's guide for unemployed people who want to join a learnership. A learnership provider or employer may ask for additional documents. Only send what the official notice requests and use the contact details published by the real organisation.
Before you accept, confirm that you will sign a learnership agreement and that it will be registered with the relevant SETA.
A request for money is a major warning sign. In June 2024, the Department of Employment and Labour said it charges no fees for job applications or tender proposals. It warned that fraudsters may copy official logos, letterheads, contact details and staff identities, and may seek ID numbers, banking information or other confidential details.
Do not pay a placement, processing, training or form fee. Do not trust a caller just because they know details from a past application. In a 2023 warning about learnership placement fraud, Correctional Services said it has no recruitment agents and that only the department controls its recruitment process.
For verification, the Department's 2024 warning lists 012 309 4000 and customer-service numbers 0860 101 018, 080 003 0007 and 080 032 1322. Read the warning and the Correctional Services scam report.
No. Never pay to apply, get placement, receive an application form or secure a job. The Department of Employment and Labour says it imposes no fees for job applications.
Do not assume so. Payment terms can vary between programmes. Check the official intake notice and the written agreement for whether payment is offered, the conditions and timing.
Yes. The Department specifically advises unemployed people to register as work-seekers, look for employers offering learnerships and prepare a CV. Each advert sets its own eligibility requirements.
A proper learnership agreement should be signed by you, the employer and the training provider, and it must be registered with the relevant SETA.
Match the programme or employer's industry to the SETA, then use DHET's official SETA directory to find the SETA website and contact details. Ask it to confirm the programme or employer if you are unsure.