A
learnership is a work-based learning programme that leads to a
nationally recognised qualification that is directly related to an
occupation, for example an accountant, construction worker, health care
worker, IT technician or motor mechanic.
Learnerships combine a
structured learning component with practical work experience that is
acquired while being employed in a company, government department or
small business. Learners in learnerships have to attend classes at a
college or training centre to complete the classroom-based learning, and
they also have to complete on-the-job training in a workplace.
This
means that unemployed people can only participate in a learnership if
there is an employer that is prepared to provide the required work
experience.
Who Qualifies For A Learnership?
Learnerships are available for young people who are just leaving school, college or other training institutions after completing some formal education, and for other people who have been unemployed for some time. People entering a learnership must be at least 16 years old and younger than 35 years. The Department of Labour has set the following targets for learners entering learnerships: 85% should be Black, 54% should be women and 4% should be people with disabilities.
How Much Do Learnerships Pay?
For example, a Grade 12 certificate is on NQF level 4 and a degree, such as a Bachelor’s Degree at a university, is on level 6. The number of credits gives an indication of the duration of the programme. Most of the learnerships are about 120 credits, and if you successfully complete such a learnership you will be awarded 120 credits on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
Which Learnerships Are Available?
There are some learnerships that do not require
learners to meet any entry requirements, but others require learners to
have a grade 12 certificate. Some learnerships have entry requirements
that relate directly to the field of study. For example, you will not be
able to enter a learnership in the field of financial management if you
have not completed some basic training in finances.
How To Apply For Learnerships?
If
you are an unemployed person who is interested in entering a learnership
you could contact the nearest labour centre or provincial office of the
Department of Labour. Before approaching any of these bodies to tell
them about your interest in entering a learnership you should think
about the area in which you would like to do the learnership. For
example, you may have a particular interest in working in the catering
field, or you may wish to study further in marketing. Maybe you are very
good with fixing computers and would like to study further to get a
qualification in that field. This will assist you to find a learnership
that matches your interest, talents or career goals.
How Long Does It Take To Complete Learnerships?
It usually takes a year to complete a learnership, although there are some learnerships that are completed over two or more years. It is possible for learners to complete a learnership in a shorter time through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). This is a process through which learners will be able to get formal recognition for parts of the programme that they have already completed through previous learning or work-based experience.
Benefits Of Learnerships
During the learnership you will have to complete assignments, for example written tests, projects, practical tasks and demonstrations. You will be formally assessed in the classroom and in the workplace. That means that you will be tested in some way. If you successfully complete all these assignments, you will be awarded a qualification that is recognised throughout the country. You will be given an official certificate that will state the qualification, which will indicate the area in which you have developed skills during the learnership.
Learnership Requirements
If you are accepted for a learnership, you will have to sign two legal documents: the first is a Learnership Agreement and the second is an Employment Contract. The Learnership Agreement is signed by yourself, the organisation that will be employing you for the duration of the learnership (the employer), and the training provider (such as a college) that will be offering the classroom-based training of the learnership.
The Learnership Agreement clearly spells out the rights and responsibilities of these three parties who sign the document. The second document is the employment contract that you will have to sign with the employer. This contract is only valid for the time period of the learnership.
Do I Get Employed In The End?
You might also want to think about studying further or starting up a business of your own. After completing a learnership the learner will be in a better position to market him or herself for employment and this will also enhance the learner’s chances of generating income by self-employment, opening small businesses or establishing cooperatives with the skills that they would have acquired. Learners could use the labour centres, private employment agencies or organisations like the Umsobomvu Youth Fund, to explore other opportunities.
Learner's Rights In A Learnership
Employers have to adhere to the requirements stipulated
in the Sectoral Determination, and they have to explain the conditions
in it to learners. You can get a copy of the Sectoral Determination on
the Department of Labour’s website, www.labour.gov.za. Search under
topics for “L” and go to “Learnerships”, then scroll down to “Sectoral
Determination”.
Learnership Termination
How To Apply For Learnership If Unemployed?
Register with the Department of Labour as a work-seeker by completing the attached registration form and the form indicating your interests. Then hand it back to the labour centre staff or post it to them. Always keep your contact details up to date. The labour centre will then contact you if you meet the minimum criteria for the learnership of a specific employer. If you meet the criteria you may be called in for a briefing session and possible assessment prior to final selection.
Who Qualifies For A Learnership?
Learnerships are available for young people who are just leaving school, college or other training institutions after completing some formal education, and for other people who have been unemployed for some time. People entering a learnership must be at least 16 years old and younger than 35 years. The Department of Labour has set the following targets for learners entering learnerships: 85% should be Black, 54% should be women and 4% should be people with disabilities.
How Much Do Learnerships Pay?
Learner’s allowance:
i) An employer must pay a learner an allowance calculated in terms of clause 3 of Sectoral Determination No. 5: Learnerships
ii) A learner’s allowance must be calculated as a percentage of the qualified wage in accordance with column 3 in
iii) No learner may be paid less than the applicable allowance specified in Table A.
The
precise amount of the learner allowance depends on the type of
learnership and the level of the qualification.
The Minister of Labour
has specified the minimum amount that employers must pay as allowance to
unemployed learners in learnerships. The allowances and conditions are
agreed with each learner before the commencement of the learnership. The
learner allowances set by the Minister are indicated in the table
below. The NQF level in the table indicates the level of the
qualification that successful learners will get at the end of the
learnership.
For example, a Grade 12 certificate is on NQF level 4 and a degree, such as a Bachelor’s Degree at a university, is on level 6. The number of credits gives an indication of the duration of the programme. Most of the learnerships are about 120 credits, and if you successfully complete such a learnership you will be awarded 120 credits on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
Which Learnerships Are Available?
Learnerships are registered with the
Department of Labour. You could contact your nearest labour centre or
provincial office of the Department of Labour for more information about
what learnerships are available. A list of all the registered
learnerships is also available on the Department of Labour’s website at
www.labour.gov.za. Go to “useful documents” and then go to “Registered
learnerships by SETAs”.
How To Apply For Learnerships?
One of the conditions of a learnership is
that unemployed people must be employed by an employer for the duration
of the learnership. This means that unemployed people can only enter
into a learnership if there is an employer that is willing and able to
take unemployed people into a learnership programme. Unemployed people
can apply to enter a learnership if there is an employer that is calling
for applications for unemployed people. Employers sometimes advertise
in newspapers for unemployed learners, or they communicate the message
in the city, town or community in which their premises are situated.
How Long Does It Take To Complete Learnerships?
It usually takes a year to complete a learnership, although there are some learnerships that are completed over two or more years. It is possible for learners to complete a learnership in a shorter time through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). This is a process through which learners will be able to get formal recognition for parts of the programme that they have already completed through previous learning or work-based experience.
Benefits Of Learnerships
During the learnership you will have to complete assignments, for example written tests, projects, practical tasks and demonstrations. You will be formally assessed in the classroom and in the workplace. That means that you will be tested in some way. If you successfully complete all these assignments, you will be awarded a qualification that is recognised throughout the country. You will be given an official certificate that will state the qualification, which will indicate the area in which you have developed skills during the learnership.
Learnership Requirements
If you are accepted for a learnership, you will have to sign two legal documents: the first is a Learnership Agreement and the second is an Employment Contract. The Learnership Agreement is signed by yourself, the organisation that will be employing you for the duration of the learnership (the employer), and the training provider (such as a college) that will be offering the classroom-based training of the learnership.
The Learnership Agreement clearly spells out the rights and responsibilities of these three parties who sign the document. The second document is the employment contract that you will have to sign with the employer. This contract is only valid for the time period of the learnership.
Do I Get Employed In The End?
If you are unemployed when the
learnership begins, there is no guarantee of a job at the end. The
employer who provides you withtraining does not have to offer you a job.
But with a qualification andwork experience you will be in a better
position to get a job than before.
You might also want to think about studying further or starting up a business of your own. After completing a learnership the learner will be in a better position to market him or herself for employment and this will also enhance the learner’s chances of generating income by self-employment, opening small businesses or establishing cooperatives with the skills that they would have acquired. Learners could use the labour centres, private employment agencies or organisations like the Umsobomvu Youth Fund, to explore other opportunities.
Learner's Rights In A Learnership
The rights of learners in a learnership
are described in Sectoral Determination No. 5 on Learnerships, which
forms part of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 1997. The Sectoral
Determination is an official document that describes the conditions of
employment of unemployed learners. It covers issues such as hours of
work, annual leave, sick leave, the contract of employment that must be
signed by the learner and the employer, as well as the certificate of
service that the employer has to provide to the learner at the end of
the learnership.
Learnership Termination
Yes,
a learnership can be terminated under certain conditions. An employer
may only terminate the contract of employment of a learner if:
- The period of duration specified in the learnership agreement has expired
- The learner successfully completes the learnership
- The employer and learner have agreed in writing to terminate the learnership agreement, or if there is no such agreement, the SETA which registered the agreement approves its termination
- The learner is fairly dismissed for a reason related to the learner’s conduct or capacity as an employee
How To Apply For Learnership If Unemployed?
Register with the Department of Labour as a work-seeker by completing the attached registration form and the form indicating your interests. Then hand it back to the labour centre staff or post it to them. Always keep your contact details up to date. The labour centre will then contact you if you meet the minimum criteria for the learnership of a specific employer. If you meet the criteria you may be called in for a briefing session and possible assessment prior to final selection.