Learnerships bridge the gap between the current education provided versus what is needed by the labour market and employers. They are central to skills upliftment in South Africa and bring young people onto the employment ladder and into solid career and employment trajectories.

The benefits for employers and learners are ample.  In a country like South Africa, where almost 50% of the employable population are sitting without jobs, the support and participation of government and the private sector in addressing the youth unemployment crisis cannot be overstated. Investing in learnerships and providing employment for trained learners once they have completed their studies is one of the best ways to impact South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis – and it’s an economic and social imperative!

Benefits for Employers:

• The industry develops Learnerships, so the skills sets and outcomes are aligned to the requirements of the specific occupation, industry and businesses operating in the sector.
• The credibility of qualifications registered on the NQF means that employers have the assurance that learners can demonstrate the competence reflected in their qualifications.
• Employees are learning new skills and knowledge and will be applying them in the workplace, which means improved work standards, productivity and quality of work for companies.
• For companies offering learnerships, there are significant tax rebates and achievement of important employment equity objectives, more so for companies who then provide ongoing employment (absorption) of learners once the learnerships are completed. Learnerships earn points on the BEE Scorecard under Employment Equity and Skills Development.

Benefits for Learners:

• Job prospects are imminently better with sound theoretical and practical occupation-specific training backed by a nationally recognised qualification. If completed successfully, a learnership leads to awarding an NQF-registered qualification, which is recognised nationally.
• For learners, there is a fixed-term employment contract for the duration of the learnership, which often results in permanent employment upon completion if they have performed well and the company is in a position to offer ongoing employment.
• The learner receives an allowance/stipend for the duration of the learnership, which helps significantly with costs such as transport, meals and so on while they learn.

There can be no more powerful tool to tackle South Africa’s alarming youth unemployment crisis than businesses investing in learnerships. It is suitable for the company, industry, the economy, and most fundamentally, ideal for learners, their families and their communities in breaking out of a vicious cycle of hardship, unemployment and poverty.

A LEARNERSHIP TESTIMONIAL 

Gramania wanted to broaden her knowledge, so she applied for the learnership position with SA Campus. “The Learnership opened doors for me in an industry where I never pictured myself, but it made me realise how much I enjoy it,” Gramania Roules.

After completing the theoretical component of her qualification in Generic Management online by using www.sacampusonline.com she completed the practical element of her studies at We Rent Cars, where she is now permanently employed.  “The skills I have gained is team management, customer management and Business Ethics. What is the Do’s and Don’ts of a business, and how to run a business effectively.” Roules says that the qualification taught her how to treat the customers she interacts with daily and how to manage her time efficiently.

When asked about her future plans, Roules said that she is excited to grow in her current role at We Rent Cars. We at SA Campus look forward to watching you grow, Gramania!