What is Learnership Program, Understanding the Concept

  • jobsa
  • Sep 12, 2019

You probably have read about many learnership programs offered by both government agencies and institutions as well as private companies, but what is learnership, anyway? Well, most people may not really understand what a learnership is, but you will learn more about the term and the overall concept.

Understanding the Program

When learning about what is learnership, you need to realize that it is a work-based learning stage or program that generally leads to the NQF registered qualification. Learnership is generally related directly to field of work or occupation, such as project management, hairdressing, or electrical engineering.

In South Africa, learnerships are usually managed by SETA or Sector Education and Training Authorities. The government introduces them to assist skill learners and to prepare them for the job. The program can seriously provide a help so candidates can obtain the workplace experience and necessary skills – leading to better self employment or employment chances.

Learnership provides you with both theoretical and practical training. In this way, you gain both knowledge and also a direct working experience at the same time. Through this comprehensive and integrated learning program, you can gain a lot. Learnership programs are generally open for young people. Those who have completed college or school can apply. The program is for them between 16 and 35 years of age. Unemployed and disabled people are welcome to join.

About the Learnership

Here are some things that you should know about learnership programs in general.

  • The candidates don’t usually pay for participating in the program
  • They can get a minimum allowance that isn’t necessarily a salary. Generally, the allowance is to cover meals, travels, and accommodation. However, not all programs provide such a thing. Sometimes, the candidates only get enough allowance for meal without accommodation or travel. It depends on the company’s policy and the nature of the learnership
  • The length of the learnership program depends on the qualification, the company’s policy, and much more. In some cases, it may last for 6 months while in others, it may last for 24 months.

The general stage for learnership programs are these:

  • Candidates need to sign legal documents. One is the learnership agreement signed by the company (or organization), you as the candidate, and the provider offering the theoretical compounds. This agreement is usually about the obligations and rights of the involved parties.
  • Another one is the employment contract – it is between the employer and you. This is only valid during the learnership period.
  • The candidates aren’t guaranteed the employment or vacancy in the company, but they will definitely have a better position to ‘sell’ and market themselves.

Application Process

Be advised that each program and each provider have their own way to process and screen the application. They also have their own requirements. The best thing that you can do is to pay a detailed attention to the requirements and how to apply for the program. As long as you know the requirements and how to send the applications correctly, you should be fine. If you have gained a better understanding about what is learnership, it can always be a good opportunity to start your career.

 

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