All about Learnerships: what it is, who can apply, how long it takes and what you will receive at the end

 

In this article we will be addressing some commonly asked questions about learnership programmes, including: what is a learnership, who can apply for a learnership, how long it takes to complete and learnership and what you will achieve by the end of the learnership.

Don’t forget to also view our other articles here, where we will provide further details and advise on learnerships, internships, apprenticeships, traineeships, in-service-training and graduate programmes.

 

What is a learnership?

A learnership is a programme offered by a company, focusing on work-based learning in relation to a specific occupation/ career path. The purpose of learnership programmes is to aid students in completing a nationally recognised qualification which is directly related to an occupation.

Learnerships include structured theoretical learning elements, along with practical working experience which is obtained during the employment (programme) at the company, small business, or government department. Along with this practical-work/ on-the-job training, the individual embarking on the programme also has to attend classes at a training center or college to ensure that the classroom-based learning component is complete.

Therefore, unemployed people may apply for a learnership programme, granted that there is an employer who is willing to provide them with the necessary work experience.
 

Who can apply for a learnership?

Learnerships focus mainly on young individuals (aged 16 to 35 years old) who have just left school, college, or a learning institution (i.e. an individual who recently completed formal training) as well as those who have been unemployed for a long period. The Department of labour has set the following Employment Equity targets for learnership candidate selection: 85% of candidates should be Black, 54% of candidates should be female, and 4% of candidates should be individuals living with disabilities.
 

Where can I apply for a learnership?

At Top Learnerships, we aim to always bring you the latest learnership opportunities - whether they are from small companies, large organisation or government institutions/ departments, we have it all.

View all our Learnerships Here

 

How long does it take to complete a learnership?

A learnership can take about a year, on average, to complete. However, there are some companies that offer learnerships for a shorter period of time or longer (2 or more years.)
An individual may complete a learnership in a shorter time frame if they qualify for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) RPL is a process where candidates can obtain formal recognition for parts of the programme they already completed through previous learning or work-based experience (i.e. if the individual has already completed the work in a portion of the programme, and the company recognises it, they won't need to do it again.)
 

What do students get at the end of the learnership?

During a learnership, you will be required to complete work (assignments, practical tasks, projects, demonstrations, and written tests) as well as be formally assessed both in the classroom and workplace. Upon the successful completion of the assignments and programme, you will gain a qualification that is nationally recognised. You will also receive an official state qualification, that states the field/ industry that you have learned your skills and completed the learnership.