Learnerships and Jobs in South Africa: Full List and Where to Apply (2026)

A learnership pays you a monthly stipend while you study and work towards a real qualification — and it is one of the best ways into a permanent job in South Africa. Hundreds run every year across banking, retail, IT, engineering, mining and government. Below is the full list of sectors, the companies and departments that hire entry-level, and the official portals where you apply for free, starting with the simplest place to begin.

SAYouth.mobi: The Best Place to Start

The easiest entry point is SAYouth.mobi, the government’s free youth jobs and learnerships network. You register once with your ID number, build a basic profile, and get matched to learnerships, internships and entry-level posts across the country. It is completely zero-rated — it costs nothing in data to use — and there is no fee to register or apply. It is the single best starting point because most public learnership intakes are advertised there first.

Learnership Sectors and Typical Stipends

Learnerships span almost every industry. The stipend depends on the sector and qualification level, but most fall in the ranges below:

• Banking and finance — among the best-paid, with stipends often around R6,000 to R9,000 a month and strong permanent uptake.
• IT and digital skills — coding, networking and data programmes, typically R4,500 to R8,000, with high demand for graduates.
• Engineering and artisan trades — electrical, mechanical, welding and fitting, usually R4,000 to R7,000, leading to trade-test qualifications.
• Retail and wholesale — the largest volume of intakes, generally R3,500 to R5,500, a common first step into work.
• Mining and manufacturing — solid stipends around R5,000 to R8,000, especially in the mining provinces.
• Business admin and call centre — high availability, typically R3,500 to R5,000, good for school-leavers.

Companies and Departments That Hire Entry-Level

These employers run learnerships and recruit school-leavers and graduates year after year. Apply directly on their official career pages:

• Big banks — FNB, Standard Bank, Absa, Nedbank and Capitec all run structured banking and IT learnerships.
• Major retailers — Shoprite, Pick n Pay, Woolworths, Clicks and Spar take on large numbers of retail and supply-chain learners.
• Government departments — apply via the DPSA vacancies circular and individual department portals for internships and entry-level posts.
• Municipalities — local and metro councils run learnerships and graduate placements, advertised on their own sites.
• Mining and energy — Sasol, Eskom, Anglo American and similar groups offer engineering and artisan programmes.

SETAs: Funded Learnerships by Sector

Each industry has a Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) that funds learnerships. Check the one that matches your field:

• BANKSETA — banking and financial services learnerships and bursaries.
• MICT SETA — IT, media, telecoms and digital skills programmes.
• merSETA — manufacturing, engineering and related artisan trades.
• W&RSETA — wholesale and retail, one of the highest-volume sectors for intakes.
• Services SETA — business admin, project management and general services.

Deadlines, Seasons and Common Requirements

Most learnership intakes open between September and February for the following year, though some run throughout the year — so check portals regularly and apply early:

• Typical requirements — a South African ID, matric certificate (or studying towards one), and a clear, honest CV.
• Some programmes — ask for specific matric subjects or a minimum pass for technical fields like engineering and IT.
• Apply early — popular intakes close quickly once the advertised number of places is filled.
• Keep documents ready — certified copies of your ID and matric speed up your application.

Scam-Safety: Applying Is Always Free

Learnership and job scams are common in South Africa. Protect yourself with these rules — a real opportunity never costs you money to apply:

• Never pay a fee — no legitimate learnership, internship or job asks for a “registration”, “training” or “placement” fee.
• Never share your banking PIN — a stipend needs your account number only, never your PIN or card details.
• Verify the domain — apply on the official company, SETA or government site; fake pages copy real brand names.
• Be wary of WhatsApp “recruiters” — genuine offers come through official channels, not random messages asking for cash.

Start with One, Then Spread Out

You do not need to apply everywhere at once. Register on SAYouth.mobi this week, then add one or two company career pages and the SETA for your sector. Keep your documents ready and apply early in each season — within a month you will have several solid applications in for paid learnerships and entry-level jobs.

This page contains links to official and partner sites. Company, SETA and department names are referenced for information only; this is not the official site of any organisation, and we are not affiliated with them. Applying for a learnership or job is always free — never pay a fee to apply or to claim a place.