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Dear Abram

Thank you for your enquiry. Unfortunately, we are not providers of learnerships and are therefore unable to register you. However, the Department of Labour and various Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) may be of assistance. It is important to note that learnerships are driven by the skills needs of private and public sector organizations therefore, the approach to finding a learnership is very similar to the multi-pronged approach needed to find a job. 
 
In order to assist you explore who provides learnerships and how to go about applying for them it is suggested you consult the guide “A learnership guide for unemployed people” which is available on the Department of Labour website at the following location http://www.labour.gov.za/documents/useful-documents/skills-development/. Other guides also available on thi website include:

• Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs)
• Registered learnerships by SETA.

Once you know which learnerships you are interested in we suggest you contact the SETAs which monitor these learnerships to find out about the application process and which organizations offer them. We suggest you try at least the following SETAs:

• Energy Sector Education and Training Authority (ESETA). Tel: (011) 689 5300; website: www.eseta.org.za
• Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA): Tel: (011) 265-5900/5904/5912; website: www.ceta.co.za
• Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (MERSETA): Tel: (011) 484-9310; website: www.merseta.org.za
• Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA): http://www.mqa.org.za/
• Information Systems, Electronics and Telecommunication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (ISETT): Tel: (011) 207 2600; website: www. isettseta.org.za

Organizations seeking to recruit people for learnerships and apprenticeships often make use of the Department of Labour’s database, it is therefore suggested that unemployed people over the age of 16 years and under the age of 35 years should register as “work-seekers” at the nearest office of the Department of Labour (also see the “A learnership guide for unemployed people” (http://www.labour.gov.za/documents/useful-documents/skills-development/).

Learnerships and apprenticeships are also advertised in newspapers from time-to-time by Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), their member organizations or public education institutions and registered training providers.

To find out about the requirements for trade tests we suggest you contact the Institute for the National Development of Learnerships Employment Skills and Labour Assessments: Tel: (011) 206 1000; Postal Address:  Private Bag X5, Olifantsfontein, 1665.

You can also consult your local College for Further Education and Training (student support) to find out if they know of any companies offering learnerships, internships or apprenticeships. 

We also suggest you explore the new National Certificate (Vocational) offered by Colleges for Further Education and Training (FET College). This has replaced the old N1,N2, N3 and N4 certificates.
 
We hope this information will help you on your way to becoming a qualified artisan.

Lynn and the Career Planet Team