Learnerships: Bridging Education and Employment Gap
Young people face a “no experience, no job” trap while employers struggle to find work‑ready talent. Our new paper shows how learnerships turn that stalemate into a win‑win: real skills, real experience, real jobs—and measurable value for business.
Inside the paper:
- The current youth unemployment picture and the practical role of learnerships in solving it
- Case studies across retail, BPO, and digital skills programmes
- How to align learnerships with business needs, boost Broad‑Based Black
- Economic Empowerment outcomes, and unlock tax incentives
- A step‑by‑step approach to design, delivery, and absorption
Why this matters to leaders:
When learnerships are set up intentionally, they become a dependable talent pipeline, reducing recruitment costs, improving retention, and building future managers from the ground up.
Duja Consulting’s role:
We help organisations design, manage, and measure high‑impact learnership programmes end‑to‑end—from SETA alignment and recruitment to mentorship frameworks, programme analytics, and absorption planning.
If you’re building next year’s talent strategy, message Duja Consulting to explore a tailored programme.
Introduction
South Africa faces a well-documented crisis of youth unemployment. Young people entering the labour market often struggle to secure jobs – not for lack of ambition, but due to a “no experience, no job” trap that leaves nearly 60% of unemployed youth never having held a job before. At the same time, employers report shortages of work-ready talent, indicating a gap between what schools and universities produce and what the workplace demands. Bridging this divide requires bold, collaborative solutions that blend education with practical experience. Learnerships have emerged as a powerful tool to bridge the gulf between classroom learning and gainful employment, especially in South Africa’s context of urgent skills shortages and transformation goals.
This paper, tailored for a corporate audience of HR leaders, skills development managers, and training executives, explores how learnership programmes can serve as that critical bridge. It examines South Africa’s labour market challenges – from high youth unemployment to skills mismatches – and shows how learnerships provide a structured pathway for developing young talent. Crucially, we discuss the strategic business benefits of investing in learnerships: from building a skilled talent pipeline and improving B-BBEE compliance, to earning tax incentives and making tangible social impact. Real-world case studies (including successful corporate implementations) are presented to illustrate outcomes. Throughout, Duja Consulting is positioned as a trusted partner with the expertise to help organisations design and implement high-impact learnership initiatives. By aligning business needs with social imperatives, learnerships can be a win-win solution – equipping youth with skills and experience while enabling companies to cultivate future employees and meet their compliance and transformation objectives.
South Africa’s Youth Unemployment Challenge
Youth unemployment in South Africa remains alarmingly high and has worsened over the past decade. In 2015, the official unemployment rate for youth (ages 15–34) was 36.9%. By the first quarter of 2025, it had climbed to 46.1%, meaning nearly one in two young people seeking work could not find a job. The situation is even more dire for the youngest jobseekers: among those aged 15–24, unemployment rose from 50.3% in 2015 to an astonishing 62.4% in 2025. Even youth with some work experience are struggling – unemployment for the 25–34 age group reached 40.4% in 2025. These figures underscore a generation in crisis, where gaining a foothold in the economy has become exceedingly difficult for young people.
The broader labour force data reveal systemic issues underlying this challenge. Of roughly 20.9 million South Africans aged 15–34 – about half the country’s working-age population – nearly half are not in employment, education or training (NEET). The NEET rate for youth was about 45.1% in early 2025, indicating millions of young people are disengaged from both work and study. Alarmingly, 1.9 million young people have given up looking for work entirely (discouraged work-seekers). Among the 4.8 million unemployed youth, almost 59% have never held a job at all, illustrating how lack of experience locks them out of opportunities. This forms a vicious cycle – without experience they can’t get jobs, and without jobs they can’t get experience – perpetuating long-term unemployment.
Education levels and other demographics further illuminate the problem. Those without a matric (high school diploma) face unemployment above 50%, whereas university graduates have a lower unemployment rate of about 24%. Education clearly improves prospects, yet even a quarter of young graduates are jobless in South Africa’s weak labour-absorption environment. Geographic and gender disparities also persist: in provinces like North West and Eastern Cape, youth unemployment exceeds 54%, compounded by very low labour participation. Young women consistently have higher unemployment and NEET rates than young men, reflecting additional barriers for female youth. In summary, South Africa’s youth unemployment challenge is multifaceted – combining economic stagnation with structural issues in education, skills development, and unequal access to opportunities. Any solution must therefore address both the skills gap and the experience gap that young people face.
The Gap Between Education and Employment
A key contributor to youth unemployment is the mismatch between the output of the education system and the needs of the labour market. Each year approximately 1.2 million young South Africans enter the labour force, yet over 65% fail to secure jobs in that year. Many school leavers and even tertiary graduates lack the technical skills or workplace readiness that growing industries require. This skills mismatch means vacancies in sectors like finance, ICT, manufacturing or mining may go unfilled or be filled by older, experienced workers, while youth remain unemployed. In fast-expanding fields (for example, Business Process Outsourcing and digital technology), employers often report a shortage of suitably skilled entry-level candidates. Ironically, South Africa’s youth unemployment co-exists with an acute demand for skills – highlighting that formal education alone is not equipping youth with the competencies needed in the economy.
Beyond technical skills, lack of work experience is a major barrier. Employers are frequently hesitant to hire someone who has never worked, even for “entry-level” roles, because basic workplace exposure and soft skills (professional communication, teamwork, understanding workplace culture) are seen as essential. With nearly six in ten unemployed youth having no prior work experience, young applicants are often passed over in favour of slightly older candidates who have worked before. This creates a Catch-22 scenario for first-time jobseekers. Compounding the issue, many disadvantaged youth also lack the personal networks or social capital that might help them secure internships or introductions to employers. The transition from school to work is especially daunting for those from under-resourced communities who might not know working professionals to serve as mentors or referees.
Another challenge is variable quality in education and training. While South Africa has significantly expanded access to schooling and university, the quality of basic education (literacy, numeracy, career guidance) often falls short of industry standards. Vocational training via TVET colleges and apprenticeships has been historically under-resourced and stigmatised. The result is that many youth exit the formal education system without the foundational or job-specific skills to be readily employable. Efforts are underway – such as expanding TVET offerings and encouraging public-private training partnerships – but these will take time to yield results. Meanwhile, the economy’s tepid growth limits the creation of new jobs, intensifying competition for the few entry-level positions that do exist.
Bridging the gap between education and employment requires interventions that give young people real-world exposure, on-the-job skills, and a chance to prove themselves to employers. This is precisely where learnerships come in. A learnership directly tackles both the skills mismatch and the experience barrier by combining formal training with practical work experience in a structured programme. It offers youth a foot in the door – a temporary but meaningful placement in a workplace – along with targeted skills development aligned to an occupational qualification. For employers, learnerships provide a way to mould raw talent to fit organisational needs, rather than relying only on the external labour market. In the next section, we define learnerships in the South African context and explore how they function as a bridge from the classroom to the workplace.
What is a Learnership?
A learnership is a structured work-based learning programme, unique to South Africa’s skills development framework, that leads to a nationally recognised qualification. In essence, a learnership is a 12-month (often) training contract during which a learner acquires both theoretical knowledge and practical workplace experience in a specific field. Learnerships are governed by the Skills Development Act and overseen by Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), ensuring that each programme meets industry standards and delivers an accredited qualification on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). In this way, learnerships combine classroom learning with real-world experience, effectively “bridging the gap between education and employment” by equipping participants with job-relevant skills while they work.
Several key features distinguish learnerships in the South African corporate context:
Tripartite Agreement:
A formal learnership involves a three-way agreement between the learner, an accredited training provider, and a host employer. All three parties commit to a structured training plan. The learner agrees to attend all classes and complete practical assignments; the provider delivers the curriculum and assessments; the employer provides a workplace and supervision for on-the-job training. This ensures accountability and alignment between theoretical and practical components.
Industry-Relevant Qualification:
Each learnership is tied to a specific qualification (often an occupational certificate or diploma) registered on the NQF. For example, there are learnerships for fields such as IT support technician, retail supervisor, accountant, electrician, healthcare assistant, etc. When the learner successfully completes the programme (passing assessments and demonstrating required competencies), they receive a formal qualification issued by the relevant SETA or quality assurance body. This makes learnerships an attractive pathway for youth to earn credentials that improve employability.
Practical Work Experience:
Unlike graduates who only have classroom knowledge, learners in a learnership spend a substantial portion of their time gaining hands-on experience at the company. A typical learnership might involve several weeks of classroom training interspersed with several months of working in the company under mentorship. For example, a marketing learnership could involve 30% theory (attending courses on digital marketing, sales, etc.) and 70% practice (working in the company’s marketing department on campaigns). This on-the-job training component is invaluable – it gives learners a taste of real work scenarios, builds their discipline and confidence, and crucially, provides verifiable work experience on their CV by the end of the programme.
Stipends and Support:
During the learnership period, learners (especially if previously unemployed) typically receive a monthly stipend from the employer to cover basic expenses. This stipend is often modest but is regulated – SETAs usually set minimum stipend guidelines to ensure learners can afford transport and meals. Employers also often provide additional support such as mentorship, soft skills training (e.g. workplace etiquette, communication skills), and sometimes assistance like meal vouchers or travel allowances. The goal is to remove barriers so that disadvantaged youth can participate fully in the programme. For the company, these support measures help learners perform at their best and integrate into the workplace culture.
Duration and Commitment:
Most learnerships run for about 12 months, though some can be 18 months or longer depending on the qualification level. During this period, learners are expected to commit full-time – they are effectively contract workers of the company for the duration, or in the case of an unemployed learner, they sign a temporary employment contract for the learnership term. Many employers treat learnership participants much like trainees or interns, with similar HR policies (performance management, leave days, etc.) to ensure they take the role seriously. The fixed duration provides a defined “bridge” period in which a young person transitions from being a student to being a worker-in-training.
In summary, a learnership offers a blended learning experience: part formal training and part real work. By the end of the programme, the learner has both a qualification and relevant experience, making them far more “job-ready” than before. For companies, learnerships serve as a trial period to evaluate and develop talent in a low-risk, structured way. It’s important to note that while learners are not guaranteed a permanent job at the host company, many employers use learnerships as a pipeline for entry-level hiring – selecting the best performers for vacancies if available. Even those not absorbed gain work experience and certification that improve their employability elsewhere. In the next section, we delve deeper into how learnerships specifically help bridge the school-to-work gap and why businesses are increasingly investing in these programmes.
Bridging Education and Employment through Learnerships
Learnerships are explicitly designed to bridge the divide between academic learning and workplace requirements. They address the two critical gaps facing South African youth – lack of relevant skills and lack of experience – in the following ways:
From Theory to Practice:
Learnerships contextualise and reinforce theoretical education with practical application. For instance, a young person who studied IT in college might learn general concepts, but in a learnership at a tech firm they will apply that knowledge by working on real software projects, troubleshooting in a live environment, and using industry-standard tools. This integration of theory and practice accelerates learning and closes the “work-readiness” gap. Employers often find that learners, by virtue of having both academic grounding and on-the-job exposure, can contribute more quickly than fresh graduates with no experience. In essence, learnerships turn classroom knowledge into workplace competence.
Workplace Etiquette and Soft Skills:
By being embedded in a real work environment, learners pick up crucial soft skills that cannot be fully taught in a classroom. Punctuality, professional communication, customer service, teamwork, problem-solving under real constraints – these are learned day-to-day on the job. Many South African youth lack exposure to corporate settings; a learnership gives them that exposure in a supportive, tutored manner. Employers often assign mentors or supervisors to guide learners, which helps build confidence and workplace savvy. At the end of a learnership, participants have a much firmer grasp of workplace norms and expectations, making them far more employable than before. This effectively bridges the cultural gap between school and work.
Breaking the “No Experience” Cycle:
Perhaps the most direct way learnerships bridge the education-employment gap is by giving youth that all-important first work experience. The fact that nearly 59% of unemployed youth in Q1 2025 had never worked before shows how critical that first opportunity is. Learnerships break this cycle by providing a structured first job experience. Even if a learner doesn’t stay on with the host company, they leave with a reference and a year of work experience on their CV – instantly making them more attractive to other employers. In many success cases, learners who aren’t absorbed are still able to secure jobs elsewhere soon after, because they are no longer seen as “raw” entrants but rather as experienced junior workers. This increases the flow of young people into employment across the economy, effectively converting unemployed youth into experienced job candidates.
Aligning Skills with Industry Needs:
Learnership programmes can be tailored to high-demand skills areas, thereby aligning education directly with employment opportunities. South Africa’s Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) identify “scarce and critical skills” in their industries each year. By hosting learnerships in these areas, companies help train youth in fields where jobs are actually available. For example, if there is a shortage of qualified artisan welders or junior accountants, a company in manufacturing or finance can run learnerships in those specific qualifications. The learners emerge with precisely the skills that industry is seeking, improving their chances of being hired immediately. In this way, learnerships make education more market-relevant, ensuring that training investment translates into employment outcomes.
Building Networks and Confidence:
Beyond hard skills, an often overlooked benefit is that learnerships help young people build professional networks and self-confidence. During the programme, learners interact with colleagues, managers, clients or suppliers – expanding their social capital. They also get a foot in the door at a company, which, if they impress, might advocate for their further employment or recommend them within industry circles. Simply having worked in a structured environment for a year boosts a young person’s confidence in their abilities and can ignite a greater sense of ambition and direction. These intangible gains are part of bridging the gap – turning timid school-leavers into empowered young professionals.
From a corporate perspective, learnerships bridge the gap by acting as a talent pipeline strategy. Instead of expecting the labour market to produce fully-formed candidates, companies can take promising but inexperienced youth and mould them to fit the company’s roles and culture over the learnership period. This creates a win-win: the individual gains skills and a job opportunity, and the employer gains a pool of semi-trained potential hires familiar with their business. The subsequent section will examine in detail the practical benefits to businesses of investing in learnership programmes, including skills development, B-BBEE compliance advantages, talent pipeline development, and broader social impact.
Business Benefits of Learnership Programmes
Far from being mere charity or compliance exercises, learnerships deliver tangible benefits to businesses. South African companies across various sectors are finding that well-implemented learnership programmes can address talent shortages, enhance corporate performance, and contribute to strategic goals. Below, we outline key benefits to organisations:
Developing Skills and Productivity:
Learnerships allow companies to custom-develop skills that are in short supply. By training youth in the specific technical skills and knowledge that the business needs, employers can mitigate skills shortages internally. For example, a bank that needs more data analysts can enrol unemployed graduates in a data analytics learnership, ensuring the curriculum (theoretical and practical) is aligned with the bank’s software and processes. Over the year, these learners become productive contributors – many programmes find that learners start adding real value to projects after an initial training period. In effect, the company creates its own skilled junior employees. This not only fills immediate gaps but also fosters innovation, as learners often bring fresh perspectives and up-to-date theoretical knowledge. Additionally, employees who mentor or supervise learners can develop their leadership and coaching skills, boosting overall staff development. Companies like The Foschini Group (TFG) treat their learnership and internship cohorts as a talent pipeline for hard-to-fill roles – and report a steady influx of young, capable workers who ramp up faster due to having learned on the job during the programme. In sum, investing in learnerships builds a sustainable skills pipeline and can improve productivity as these young trainees often become high-performing employees.
B-BBEE Compliance and Skills Development Points:
In South Africa’s corporate landscape, participation in learnerships can significantly boost a company’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) score. Under the B-BBEE Codes of Good Practice, businesses earn substantial points on the Skills Development element of the scorecard by training and upskilling black youth (both employees and unemployed learners). Learnerships are explicitly recognised in this regard – companies score points for investing in accredited training programmes for black participants, and bonus points for absorbing (hiring) those learners permanently after completion. In fact, a company can earn up to 8 B-BBEE points (including 5 bonus points for absorption) by implementing learnerships and related initiatives. For example, sponsoring an unemployed young person through a 12-month learnership and then offering them a job can yield 5 extra B-BBEE points for absorption alone. This incentive was designed to encourage companies not just to train, but to translate training into real jobs. Many organisations have embraced learnerships as a way to meet their B-BBEE targets: hosting a cohort of learners each year helps achieve the Skills Development expenditure target (often around 3–6% of payroll) and the demographic requirements for learners. Moreover, the Youth Employment Service (YES) initiative – a government-supported programme launched in 2018 – can grant companies a one- or two-level jump in their B-BBEE rating if they create new one-year work opportunities for unemployed youth at scale. By late 2024, over 1,800 companies had participated in YES, collectively creating more than 163,000 year-long youth jobs and injecting R9.2 billion into the economy via stipends. This demonstrates that when aligned with B-BBEE incentives, companies are willing to invest heavily in youth training. For HR and transformation executives, learnerships thus serve a dual purpose: building a talent pipeline while boosting compliance. It’s an excellent way to earn B-BBEE points through doing something inherently beneficial to the business.
Tax Rebates and Financial Incentives:
Beyond B-BBEE, the South African government offers direct financial incentives to employers who implement learnerships. The most notable is the Learnership Tax Allowance under Section 12H of the Income Tax Act. This provision allows companies to claim a generous tax deduction for each registered learnership. For learnerships of 12 months or more, employers can deduct a fixed amount for every learner for the year of assessment, and an additional amount when the learner successfully completes the programme. As of recent amendments, these deductions are approximately R40,000 per learner, per year, and another R40,000 upon completion (for NQF level 1–6 qualifications). For higher NQF levels (like graduate traineeships), the allowance is around R20,000/year and R20,000 on completion. The incentive is even higher (around R60,000 + R60,000) if the learner is a person with a disability. This means if a company hosts 10 learners and they all complete their one-year programme, the company could deduct up to R800,000 from taxable income for that year. In effect, SARS (the tax authority) helps subsidise the cost of training by reducing the company’s tax bill. For businesses, this makes the economics of learnerships very attractive – stipends and training costs can be partly offset by tax savings. In addition, companies paying the Skills Development Levy (SDL) can often reclaim a portion of those funds through SETA grants if they run approved learnerships. Many SETAs provide discretionary grants that co-fund learnership stipends or training expenses, especially for programmes in critical skill areas. By working with their Skills Development Facilitators and submitting Workplace Skills Plans, companies can access these grants to lower implementation costs. The bottom line is that learnerships are not just an expense – they come with real financial returns in the form of tax breaks and grants, on top of the less tangible return of new skills in the workforce.
Talent Pipeline and Reduced Recruitment Costs:
Companies that embrace learnerships often find they can rely less on the external job market to fill junior posts, thereby saving on recruitment costs. A successful learnership programme creates a pool of candidates already familiar with the company’s operations and culture. Rather than paying recruitment agencies or running large external hiring drives for entry-level positions, employers can hire graduates of their learnerships who have proven their abilities. This “grow-your-own” approach tends to result in better hiring decisions: managers have observed the learners over months, so when offering permanent roles they know exactly what skills and work ethic they are getting. Retention can also improve – those hired from a learnership pipeline often stay longer and perform better than externally hired juniors, because they have had time to integrate and are grateful for the opportunity given. In the long run, this talent pipeline strategy can reduce turnover and produce future leaders who are loyal to the company. Notably, some organisations rotate their learners through different departments (especially in management trainee-type learnerships), creating versatile employees who can fill multiple functions. The Foschini Group case (detailed later) exemplifies how a retail giant uses learnerships and internships to stock its talent bench across stores, manufacturing units and head-office roles, thereby consistently infusing the business with young talent rather than only hiring from outside.
Workforce Transformation and Social Impact:
In addition to direct business benefits, learnerships contribute to a company’s broader transformation and social responsibility goals. By offering opportunities predominantly to unemployed black youth, companies directly support national priorities like reducing youth unemployment, closing the skills gap, and promoting equity in the workplace. The B-BBEE policy explicitly measures a firm’s contribution to skills development for historically disadvantaged groups, and learnerships are a key avenue to achieve this. But beyond the scorecard, many corporate leaders recognise the social impact of learnerships: each successful learner represents a life changed – a young person set on a path of productivity and income, often supporting extended family with their stipend and subsequent earnings. This uplifts communities and strengthens the economy, aligning with South Africa’s National Development Plan goals. Companies often publicise their learnership intakes and graduation ceremonies in sustainability reports to showcase how they are investing in South Africa’s youth. The positive branding and goodwill generated can be significant. Internally, too, staff morale can get a boost knowing their employer is proactive in tackling unemployment. Existing employees who act as mentors gain a sense of pride in developing others. Thus, learnerships help build a positive corporate culture centred on learning and giving back. In a society with stark inequalities, a company that takes on dozens of learners each year is viewed as part of the solution rather than just pursuing profit. Over time, this social investment pays off in a more skilled labour pool and a healthier economy in which businesses can thrive. In short, learnerships enable companies to achieve a shared value outcome – doing good for society while doing well for the business.
In summary, the corporate return on learnerships spans immediate gains (skills, productivity, tax relief, B-BBEE points) and longer-term advantages (pipeline of talent, improved B-BBEE levels, and reputational capital as a socially conscious employer). The next section will illustrate some of these benefits in action through case studies of successful learnership and youth development programmes in South Africa.
Success Stories and Case Studies
Real-world examples from leading South African organisations demonstrate how learnerships and related youth programmes can yield impressive results for both business and beneficiaries. Below are several case studies highlighting best practices:
The Foschini Group (Retail Sector):
The Foschini Group (TFG), one of South Africa’s largest retail chains, has implemented a comprehensive youth talent strategy that includes learnerships at its core. TFG aligns its efforts with the National Development Plan’s goal of reducing unemployment, recognising that corporate participation is vital. Each year, TFG offers 12-month learnerships in areas like retail operations, merchandising, manufacturing, and call centre support for dozens of unqualified, unemployed youth. Learners are placed in TFG’s retail stores, distribution centres, factories and service call centres, where they receive practical training and mentoring. Those who excel are frequently absorbed into permanent roles at the end of the programme – for instance, many store managers and supervisors at TFG started as learnership trainees. Even those not hired immediately leave with an accredited qualification in retail or wholesale operations, significantly boosting their employability in the wider retail sector. In parallel, TFG runs internship programmes for graduates in head-office departments (like buying, IT, finance, HR), treating these as a pipeline for professional roles. A key factor in TFG’s success is the quality of the experience: they invest in work-readiness training (even providing smartphones pre-loaded with learning content to their YES programme participants) and pair each learner or intern with a mentor. Rather than a tick-box compliance approach, TFG treats learnerships as strategic talent development. The result has been a steady influx of young talent across the organisation and a reputation as an employer that provides opportunities. TFG also earns full B-BBEE points for skills development every year through these initiatives, illustrating how a business can marry compliance with genuine capacity-building.
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Industry:
The BPO sector (e.g. call centres, back-office services) has become a beacon of youth employment in South Africa, thanks in part to structured internship and learnership programmes. In the Western Cape, a collaborative BPO skills development project led by industry and supported by government/NGOs has achieved outstanding outcomes. The programme places unemployed youth into 4–12 month call centre learnerships or internships, combining formal customer service training with real call floor experience. What sets this project apart is a clear mandate that at least 80% of participants receive job offers upon completion – essentially guaranteeing absorption for the majority of learners who finish successfully. By setting this target, the programme avoids “training for training’s sake” and ensures real employment results. To achieve such a high placement rate, the training content is demand-led – it is designed in close consultation with BPO companies to ensure learners gain skills that are immediately needed for vacancies (such as specific client systems, sales techniques, or IT support knowledge). The BPO firms, in turn, commit to hiring graduates except in cases of poor performance. This model has proven extremely effective: call centre learners, many of whom only had a matric certificate, are transformed into competent service agents and often secure full-time jobs, lifting themselves out of unemployment. Over the past several years, thousands of young South Africans have been absorbed into BPO jobs through such programmes. Global corporations outsourcing to South Africa have applauded this pipeline of trained, enthusiastic youth. For the BPO companies, these learnerships have become their primary recruitment channel, ensuring a constant supply of talent in a growing industry. This case exemplifies how a sector-wide commitment to youth development, backed by structured learnerships and internships, can make a meaningful dent in youth unemployment while fuelling industry growth.
Harambee Youth Accelerator (Public-Private Partnership):
Harambee is a non-profit organisation that has partnered with hundreds of businesses to tackle the mismatch between young work-seekers and employers. While not a learnership provider per se, Harambee runs short bridging programmes that prepare unemployed youth for entry-level jobs and then connects them to companies willing to hire first-time workers. Since 2011, Harambee has facilitated over 100,000 youth job placements in South Africa. The model involves assessing candidates’ foundational skills and “trainability”, providing work-readiness training (including behavioural skills and even transport subsidies to attend interviews), and matching them to employers’ needs. Many firms use Harambee to source learners or interns because the candidates have been pre-screened and upskilled, thus de-risking the hire of someone with no experience. For example, a bank may hire a cohort of Harambee-trained youth into a contact centre learnership, knowing they have basic customer service skills and workplace discipline from Harambee’s bootcamp. The success of this partnership approach shows that when companies, government (which helps fund such programmes), and NGOs collaborate, the school-to-work transition can be markedly improved. Businesses benefit by gaining access to a pool of motivated, prepared young talent, while the youths get a foothold in formal employment. Harambee’s work complements learnerships by bridging soft skills gaps and helping candidates adapt to professional environments, thereby increasing the success rate of formal training programmes. It stands as a case study in the broader ecosystem required to truly bridge the education-employment gap.
Digital Skills and the Fourth Industrial Revolution:
Another example is the telecom giant MTN’s Foundation, which launched a “Digital Skills for Digital Jobs” programme to train unemployed youth in ICT and technology skills. This programme, while not a classic SETA learnership, functions similarly – offering courses in coding, data analytics, and digital marketing, coupled with work experience and even entrepreneurship training. Hundreds of young people have been through MTN’s programme, which not only seeks to place them in jobs but also encourages some to become tech entrepreneurs. MTN’s motive is twofold: contribute to solving youth unemployment, and also grow the digital talent pool from which it (and other companies) can hire in the future. As South Africa’s economy modernises, such forward-looking learnership-style initiatives ensure that young workers are equipped for the jobs of tomorrow (like software developers, data scientists, and renewable energy technicians). For businesses in cutting-edge sectors, developing talent via tailored learnerships is a way to future-proof their industry. These programmes show that learnerships can be adapted to any field – from traditional trades to the most advanced digital skills – and remain an effective bridge into employment.
Each of these case studies offers insights into success factors for impactful learnerships: intentional programme design, strong stakeholder partnerships, and a clear line of sight to employment for the learners. Companies that treat learnerships as a strategic investment – with proper mentoring, quality training, and a plan for post-programme hiring – tend to reap the greatest benefits. As these examples illustrate, when given a chance and support, South African youth consistently prove themselves capable and resilient. They gain skills, confidence, and a livelihood; employers gain energetic, skilled team members who often become loyal employees. Learnerships, internships, and similar work-based learning programmes, when done right, are transformative – not only for the individuals involved but for organisations and society at large, helping to build a more inclusive and dynamic economy.
Implementing Learnerships: Best Practices and Duja Consulting’s Role
For a company looking to start or enhance a learnership programme, there are several best practices to consider. Implementing learnerships can be complex – from recruiting suitable candidates and ensuring SETA compliance, to managing the training and integrating learners into the workplace. However, with careful planning or the assistance of experienced partners, these challenges can be turned into a smooth-running programme. Below are key guidelines for successful learnership implementation, along with ways Duja Consulting supports organisations in this journey:
1. Align Programmes with Business Needs:
Begin with a clear strategy for your learnerships. Identify which skills or roles are in short supply in your organisation or industry and design programmes around those. For example, if your business anticipates a need for more software developers, consider an IT learnership in partnership with a coding academy. Gaining leadership buy-in is easier when the programme addresses a real talent gap rather than being a generic CSR effort. Define success metrics (e.g. percentage of learners to hire at the end, performance expectations) at the outset. Duja Consulting often assists clients in this diagnostic phase – determining the mix of learnerships or internships that will best meet the company’s talent development and transformation goals. With a clear mandate, the programme will have direction and purpose, increasing its chances of long-term success.
2. Careful Candidate Recruitment and Preparation:
The selection of learners is crucial. Target the right group (typically unemployed youth aged 18–35, who meet the basic entry requirements for the qualification). Advertise opportunities broadly, including via community forums or youth job portals, to reach those who truly need them. Many companies work with SETAs, youth organisations, or use platforms like the Department of Labour’s ESSA database to source candidates. Once applications are in, use assessments or interviews to gauge basic competencies and attitude – motivation and willingness to learn can be as important as academic marks. It’s often beneficial to involve line managers in selection so they get buy-in from the start. After selection, invest in a short work readiness induction for the incoming learners: cover professional etiquette, company values, safety procedures, etc., so that they can hit the ground running. Duja Consulting adds value here by using robust assessment and matching tools during recruitment, ensuring that selected learners not only meet criteria on paper but also fit the company’s culture and have the aptitude to thrive. By front-loading this effort, companies reduce dropout rates and ensure they have enthusiastic learners who see the programme as a real opportunity.
3. Structured Training Plan and Quality Education:
A learnership should not be an ad-hoc work experience; it requires a structured training plan with clear learning outcomes. Partner with accredited training providers who can deliver the theoretical component effectively (many private training providers and some TVET colleges offer learnership curricula). Work closely with the provider to integrate the curriculum with workplace activities. For example, if the curriculum teaches a unit on project management, ensure the learner gets to assist in a real project at work during that period. Set a timetable for coursework, on-the-job training, and assessment dates, and communicate this to all stakeholders (learners, supervisors, mentors). It’s important to schedule regular check-ins to monitor progress. Providing additional workshops on soft skills or English communication, if needed, can bolster learners’ overall competence. Quality matters: a poorly run programme where learners are left idle or doing only menial tasks will not yield the desired outcomes. Supervisors and mentors in the workplace should be briefed and, if necessary, trained on how to coach young learners. Duja Consulting often designs bespoke programme structures and even trains workplace mentors for clients, ensuring that the learning experience is rich and aligned with both the qualification and the company’s workflows. This way, learners are treated as trainees with a purpose, not just extra pairs of hands.
4. Ongoing Support and Monitoring:
Many learners may need support to successfully complete the programme – both academic support and general life guidance. Assigning a mentor or buddy to each learner (perhaps a junior manager or an HR practitioner) provides them with someone to go to for questions and encouragement. Regular mentorship sessions can greatly improve confidence and retention. It’s also wise to offer support for challenges outside work that could affect performance – for example, flexibility for those with difficult home situations, or counselling services if needed. Monitor attendance and progress closely; if a learner is falling behind in coursework or struggling with tasks, intervene early with tutoring or reassignment to a different area. Feedback loops are important: get input from learners on how they’re experiencing the programme, and from supervisors on the learners’ performance. This will help you identify issues (perhaps a portion of the curriculum isn’t being grasped, or a learner has an undisclosed learning difficulty) and address them. Duja Consulting’s programme management includes comprehensive admin and tracking – handling stipend payments, leave, compliance paperwork, and progress reports. By outsourcing such coordination, companies ensure nothing falls through the cracks, and HR can focus on mentoring and strategic oversight rather than day-to-day bureaucracy. The value of a partner like Duja is also in ensuring SETA and SARS documentation is correctly handled, so the company successfully claims its grants, rebates and B-BBEE points without hassle.
5. Measure Impact and Integrate Successes:
As the learnership progresses and concludes, measure outcomes against the objectives set. Key metrics might include the completion rate (how many started vs. how many finished and got certified), the absorption rate (how many were offered jobs by you or another company), and performance indicators like improvements in productivity or service where the learners were involved. For instance, if you placed learners in a manufacturing unit, did production output or quality improve due to the extra hands? Track compliance metrics too – e.g., did we achieve our targeted B-BBEE points or tax savings? Gathering this data helps build the business case to continue or expand the programme. One could report, for example, “Out of 20 learners, 18 completed; 10 have been hired by us, 5 got jobs elsewhere within 3 months, and our Skills Development score increased to maximum.” Such evidence turns the programme into a demonstrated success story that management can get behind. Over time, refine the programme based on feedback: perhaps extend the duration if learners needed more practice, or adjust the selection criteria if some struggled academically. Continual improvement will ensure the learnership stays effective and aligned with evolving company needs. Companies that run these programmes year after year often find them becoming part of the company DNA – known for producing high-calibre entry-level staff and even attracting better applicants as word-of-mouth spreads.
6. Expert Partner Collaboration:
Implementing all the above can be resource-intensive, which is why many corporates engage specialist partners like Duja Consulting. Duja brings expertise in end-to-end learnership management – from initial planning, SETA accreditation and grant applications, to recruitment, training delivery, and final reporting. By eliminating the complexity for the employer, Duja enables HR teams to focus on the big picture while ensuring the administrative and compliance aspects are handled correctly. For example, Duja Consulting can manage the learner recruitment process (sourcing and screening candidates), design the programme structure and schedule, coordinate with training providers, administer learner stipends and HR paperwork, and monitor progress against targets. They also ensure that all required documentation is submitted to the SETA so the learnerships are formally registered and the company can claim its tax rebates and B-BBEE points without any issues. In essence, partnering with a firm like Duja de-risks the process – the company benefits from proven methodologies and avoids common pitfalls (such as non-compliance with SETA standards or poor learner engagement). As a thought leader in this space, Duja Consulting can also share insights from working with multiple industries, helping organisations benchmark their programmes against best practices and innovate where appropriate. In short, utilising expert consultants can accelerate the maturity of a learnership programme and amplify its outcomes.
By following these best practices – strategic alignment, careful recruitment, structured training, solid support systems, rigorous measurement, and leveraging expertise – companies can ensure their learnership initiatives are not just checking a box but truly bridging the gap for participants and delivering business value. The payoff is a sustainable model for talent development that continually refreshes the workforce with skilled, experienced young people. Many South African companies have transformed their entry-level hiring and diversity outcomes through such programmes, underlining that the effort put into a learnership scheme is an investment in the company’s future as much as in the youth.
Conclusion
South Africa’s pressing youth unemployment crisis will not be solved by government or educators alone – the corporate sector has a pivotal role to play. This paper has shown that learnership programmes offer a compelling pathway to bridge the divide between education and employment. For businesses, learnerships are far more than charitable initiatives; they are strategic tools that develop much-needed skills, create a pipeline of future talent, and fulfil compliance imperatives in one integrated approach. By embracing learnerships, companies can address their own skills shortages and ageing workforce issues, all while contributing to national objectives of economic inclusion and empowerment. The benefits are multi-fold: organisations enjoy improved B-BBEE scores, tax incentives, and the infusion of enthusiastic young learners who often become high-performing employees, whereas the learners gain qualifications, work experience, and a fighting chance in the job market. It truly embodies a win-win model, aligning business growth with social progress.
Importantly, the success of a learnership programme hinges on quality implementation – from selecting the right candidates to providing mentorship and measuring outcomes. This is where choosing the right partner can make all the difference. Duja Consulting has positioned itself as an expert ally for companies on this journey. With its extensive experience in designing and managing learnerships, internships, and graduate programmes, Duja Consulting helps organisations navigate SETA regulations, maximise B-BBEE and financial benefits, and achieve real transformational impact. As a trusted provider of learnership solutions, Duja Consulting works hand in hand with corporate HR teams to eliminate administrative burdens and craft programmes that are tailored to business needs and industry trends. The result is a seamless experience for the employer and a meaningful, life-changing opportunity for the learners.
In closing, learnerships are a powerful mechanism to bridge the gap between the classroom and the workplace – a gap that has for too long left many young South Africans behind. When companies invest in these programmes, they are not only building their own competitive advantage through skilled talent, but also investing in the stability and prosperity of the society in which they operate. For organisations looking to implement impactful learnership programmes, Duja Consulting stands ready as the ideal partner to guide and support that effort. Together, by scaling up learnerships and similar initiatives, we can help turn the tide on youth unemployment and develop the next generation of skilled professionals who will drive South Africa’s economy forward.
References:
- Statistics South Africa – “South Africa’s Youth in the Labour Market: A Decade in Review” (QLFS Q1 2025 data highlights).
- Stats SA – Youth NEET and work experience statistics (Q1 2025).
- Stats SA – Unemployment rate by education level for youth (graduates vs. others).
- Reign Gigs (2025) – “Seta-Accredited Learnerships Programme in South Africa 2025” (learnerships definition).
- MerSETA – “What is a Learnership?” (learnership structure and process description).
- Duja Consulting (2025) – “Pathways to Inclusion: Leveraging Internships and Graduate Programmes to Boost Youth Employment in South Africa” (corporate youth programmes as talent pipelines and B-BBEE strategy).
- Duja Consulting – Ibid. (B-BBEE Skills Development points and absorption incentive explanation).
- Duja Consulting – Ibid. (YES programme impact and stats).
- Duja Consulting – Ibid. (Learnership tax incentives under Section 12H).
- Duja Consulting – Ibid. (SETA grants and aligning programmes with national skills strategies).
- Duja Consulting – Ibid. (Case study of TFG’s holistic youth development approach).
- Duja Consulting – Ibid. (Case study of Western Cape BPO project with 80% placement outcome).
- Duja Consulting – Ibid. (Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator model and results).
- Duja Consulting – Ibid. (MTN Foundation digital skills programme example).
- Duja Consulting – Ibid. (Duja Consulting’s role in end-to-end learnership implementation and SETA compliance).
