Do You Get Hired After a Learnership? What South African Learners Need to Know

In South Africa, many learners complete a learnership. At the end of the learnership, they expect to be employed by the host company. However, completion of a learnership does not automatically guarantee employment. In this guide, we shall outline the process after a learnership, whether companies hire their learners on a permanent basis, factors that determine employment after a learnership and how to prepare for employment after a learnership.

As a learner on a learnership in South Africa, you may have high hopes of being employed by the host company after the learnership has ended. You may have enjoyed working with your team and developed a lot of experience and skills during your time as a learner.

A learnership is a fantastic opportunity for any learner, and is likely to improve their chances of finding employment. This is because they will have gained relevant workplace experience in addition to completing the theoretical component of the learnership.

Completing a learnership does not automatically guarantee that you will be employed by the company that hosted your learnership.

Most learners either get employed by their host employers, find other jobs, continue with further studies or even start their own businesses.

This guide will outline the process after a learnership, whether companies hire learners on a permanent basis, factors that determine whether a learner is employed after completing a learnership and how to prepare for employment after completing a learnership.

Do You Get a Job After Completing a Learnership?

Yes, you can get a job after completing a learnership but you are not guaranteed employment.

A Learnership in South Africa is a form of education which combines theoretical learning with practical workplace experience and which is completed to achieve a qualification.

Unemployed learners are not automatically entitled to a job at the end of their programmes, as the employer providing the workplace training is not obliged to offer permanent employment after completion, according to the official merSETA’s official learnership guidance.

In other words, the completion of a learnership and the award of a qualification does not create a permanent employment relationship between the learner and the employer.

Your chance of getting hired after a learnership will depend on many factors including:

• Whether the company has suitable vacancies available.
• Whether the employer has the budget to recruit additional staff.
• Your performance during the learnership.
• The skills and experience you have developed.
• The company’s future staffing requirements.
• How well your qualifications match the available position.

For example, a company may be impressed by your performance but have no permanent positions available at the time of your completion. Another employer may have a vacancy for immediate recruitment and prefer to hire someone who already understands the company’s systems and workplace procedures.

Both situations are possible.

But the most important thing is to not assume that you will be offered employment after completing your learnership, even if things are going well.

Why Do Some Companies Hire Learners After a Learnership?

Employers sometimes recruit learners because they have already had an opportunity to observe their work, attitude, and ability to learn.

There are many reasons why companies would hire learners after completing a learnership.

1. The company already knows your abilities

Supervisors of learners will have seen how a learner handles responsibilities, interacts with colleagues, solves problems and responds to feedback.

These are things that cannot necessarily be identified from a CV or from an interview.

This can help to establish whether you have the ability to work in a role and are reliable.

2. You understand the workplace

The learner already knows the company’s procedures, systems and workplace culture and can therefore start working immediately in the workplace.

The above point also means that for some roles, a learner can be recruited into a permanent position sooner than someone with more experience but who has to be trained in the company’s procedures and systems.

For example, a learner on an administration learnership would have gained experience in administration, in other words in managing documents, handling enquiries, data capturing, reporting, scheduling etc.

This advantage, however, only applies to certain roles and the employer must have a position available for the candidate with the particular skills of the candidate.

3. You have gained practical experience

A major benefit of a learnership is that the learner gets to apply what they have learned in a workplace setting.

Employers are often more interested in people who can explain the tasks that they have completed and the skills that they have developed, than in candidates who simply state that they have completed a learnership.

Rather than just saying you completed a learnership, explain the types of tasks you completed on a daily basis and the systems you used. Also include the practical knowledge you gained on the learnership.

That evidence can strengthen your application for suitable entry-level positions.

4. You may already understand the company’s needs

Working inside an organisation can help you understand its customers, processes, and daily challenges.

If your skills match an existing business need, your experience may make you a suitable candidate for an available role.

However, being a good fit for a role does not automatically guarantee recruitment. The company must have a position, an approved budget, and a recruitment process that allows it to hire you.

What Happens When Your Learnership Ends?

The process after a learnership depends on the employer, training provider, qualification, and agreement you signed.

In general, there are several possible outcomes.

1. You receive an offer of permanent employment

Many companies offer permanent employment to learners on their learnership programmes, provided that they have performed well during the learnership, have suitable vacancies and have the required budget.

When you receive an offer of employment, ensure that you read through the offer thoroughly and take note of the salary, working hours, benefits, responsibilities and whether the job is permanent or fixed-term.

Ensure that the terms of the permanent employment offer are the same as your learnership.

2. The company offers a temporary or contract position

There are other companies that offer temporary or contract employment to learners after completing their learnership.

Contract work can be great for gaining more experience and earning an income while you pursue your career.

Please be aware of the terms of the contract, the duration of the contract, the responsibilities of the role and the termination of the contract.

3. Your learnership ends without a job offer

This is a possibility that every learner should prepare for.

The end of a learnership without an employment offer does not mean that you have failed. You must use the qualification and experience that you have gained to search for employment elsewhere.

You can apply for jobs with other companies, apply for internships, look into further studies or other legitimate means of entering your chosen profession.

Don’t wait until the last day of the learnership to start planning for employment.

How Do You Increase Your Chances of Getting Hired After a Learnership?

While we cannot guarantee that you will be employed after your learnership, there are things that you can do to increase your chances of being employed.

1. Take your workplace responsibilities seriously

Treat your learnership as a job. Arrive on time, follow the workplace procedures, communicate respectfully with colleagues, and complete tasks assigned to you as best you can.

Be on time for work, follow procedures, treat colleagues with respect and complete tasks assigned to you to the best of your ability.

Employers are looking for individuals who can learn, accept feedback and grow. You do not need to know everything from the start.

However, how you approach the challenges of the workplace and the way you grow into your role is more important than what you know.

2. Show interest in learning beyond the minimum requirements

Do not limit yourself to the minimum requirements of the learnership as per your assessments.

In some cases you can also ask to learn about other responsibilities, systems and even to assist with other projects as appropriate.

For example, if you are completing an administration learnership, you can ask to learn about the company’s record management, customer communication, reporting and scheduling systems.

These other tasks will help you to understand the types of roles that you would like to be considered for after your learnership.

Make sure any additional tasks are appropriate to your training and agreed responsibilities.

3. Ask your supervisor for feedback

You should not have to wait until the end of the programme to find out how your supervisor views your performance.

Ask for feedback throughout your learnership.

You could say:

I would like to improve my performance and prepare for future employment opportunities. Could you please let me know which areas I am doing well in and which skills I should work on?

This will enable you to address any problems that you may have while you still have time to work on improving your skills.

If there is an area of your performance that needs to be improved, then you can ask your supervisor what you can do to develop that skill.

4. Let the company know you are interested in future opportunities

If you are interested in working for the host employer, then you should let them know this in a professional manner.

You can speak to your supervisor or even to the HR department of the company to find out if there are any suitable positions available after the learnership has ended.

For example:

“I have really valued the experience I have gained during this learnership. I would be interested in continuing to grow with the company if a suitable opportunity becomes available. Could you advise me on the process for applying for permanent positions?”

This shows that you are interested in working for the company and shows initiative.

In most cases, even if there are no vacancies at present, companies will inform you of future vacancies and explain the recruitment process.

5. Build positive professional relationships

Learners on a learnership can build positive professional relationships with colleagues, supervisors, trainers and other learners.

Treat everyone with respect and work with them in a cooperative manner. Communicate effectively and add value to your team.

These relationships can help you to understand your industry better and even lead to possible job opportunities in the future.

These relationships should be built on a basis of honesty and respect. If you try to build relationships with the intention of gaining employment, you are likely to be unsuccessful.

6. Update your CV before the learnership ends

Make sure your CV outlines the skills you developed during the learnership, as well as the qualification you gained.

Include the qualification that you have completed, the work experience that you have gained and the practical tasks that you have completed as well as the skills that you have developed during the learnership.

For example, if you completed a business administration learnership, your CV could include experience with document management, data capturing, customer enquiries, scheduling, and/or office systems, provided that you have actually performed these tasks.

Where possible, describe a specific contribution or result.

Do not make up achievements or claim to have experience of systems that you have only briefly used.

In order for employers to assess your experience and skills in relation to the vacancies that they are offering, your CV must be clear and honest.

What Should You Do If You Do Not Get Hired?

After completing a learnership, it is possible that you will not be offered employment with the company that hosted your learnership.

You may have put a lot of work into the learnership and also built up a good relationship with your colleagues and supervisor.

After a few days of processing your disappointment, however, you should be able to look back on the experience positively.

Here are some practical next steps.

Step 1: Apply for jobs at other companies

Do not confine your job search to the host employer of your learnership.

As a learner, look for entry-level positions and junior roles that match your qualification and experience.

Your qualification would determine the types of roles that you could apply for such as an administrative assistant, customer service representative, junior technician, finance assistant, retail associate etc.

The appropriate job titles will depend on the qualification you completed.

Carefully read the job descriptions of the jobs that you are interested in applying for and only apply if you meet the essential requirements for the job. You can also use your CV to highlight your skills and experience to the potential employer.

Step 2: Register on relevant job platforms

There are many job portals, company careers pages, recruitment agencies and professional networks where you can look for vacancies.

You can also check the Department of Employment and Labour’s Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA) platform to see what opportunities are available.

Make sure you check the application requirements and closing dates for the jobs that you are applying for.

Be cautious of anyone who promises guaranteed employment in exchange for an upfront recruitment fee.

Step 3: Ask for a reference

If you were a good learner then you can ask your supervisor for a reference.

A reference from your supervisor will give potential employers an idea of your work ethic and of the responsibilities that you had while you were on the learnership.

You can also ask for a certificate of service or other relevant employment documentation where applicable.

Keep copies of your qualification certificate, statement of results, and other records connected to your programme.

Step 4: Consider further training

Many jobs require skills in addition to the qualification you completed. Review several job advertisements to identify the skills that employers are looking for.

Review several relevant job advertisements and identify the requirements that appear repeatedly.

There are many short courses, practical projects and other qualifications that can help you to address the gaps that employers are looking for in addition to your qualification.

You should not register for another programme just because you are struggling to find work. Choose training that supports a clear career objective and has requirements you can realistically meet.

Does a Learnership Guarantee Permanent Employment in South Africa?

No. Completing a learnership does not automatically guarantee permanent employment in South Africa.

The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) provides information about qualifications and the National Qualifications Framework, while individual SETAs and training providers can explain the requirements of particular programmes.

There is a big difference between completing a qualification and getting a job.

While a Learnership helps a learner to develop the relevant knowledge and practical skills that will help them to become more employable, the decision to hire a learner is based on the employer’s vacancies, requirements, available budget and the labour market as a whole.

If you are unsure of your rights as a learner on a learnership, you can check the learnership agreement that you signed as well as any other employment contract that you may have signed. You can contact the relevant SETA, training provider or Department of Employment and Labour for further information on your particular situation.

Can You Continue Studying After a Learnership?

Yes, you can continue studying after a learnership. The qualification you completed on the learnership will determine whether you can study further for a higher qualification or for a different qualification, for example in a different field.

For example, you might study towards a higher qualification, a specialised occupational qualification or even further technical qualifications in order to pursue a career in the field of your choice.

Please note that completing a learnership does not automatically qualify you for a higher qualification or for entry into university/college.

You can also explore opportunities for employment while you are considering further study. This will depend on your financial situation, your career goals and the opportunities that are available to you.

Frequently Asked Questions About Employment After a Learnership

How long does it take to get a job after a learnership?

There is no set time frame. Some learners find jobs immediately after completing their learnership, while others can be looking for months.

The time it takes to find employment after a learnership depends on various factors such as the industry, location, qualification, work experience and available vacancies.

Keep applying for jobs and use the feedback from any unsuccessful applications to improve your approach.

Can the company refuse to hire me after my learnership?

Yes, the company can refuse to hire you after your learnership has come to an end.

If you are uncertain about the terms of your agreement or believe that your rights have been violated then you should contact the relevant authority or seek advice from a qualified employment adviser.

Does a learnership count as work experience?

The workplace component of a learnership can be considered as relevant work experience, depending on the tasks that you were required to complete as part of your learnership.

In your applications for jobs, you can explain the tasks that you completed as part of your learnership and the skills that you developed. Make sure you state that the experience was gained on a learnership.

Whether an employer considers the work experience that you gained on a learnership towards a particular requirement will depend on the employer’s recruitment criteria.

What happens if I pass my assessments but do not receive my certificate?

Your training provider or the relevant SETA will be able to confirm that you have completed all of the requirements for your qualification and inform you of the process for receiving your certificate.

Keep copies of your results and any correspondence relating to your qualification.

Should I wait for my host employer before applying elsewhere?

No. Unless you have a clear, confirmed offer and an agreed timeline, it is sensible to explore other opportunities while discussing possible vacancies with your host employer.

You can let your host employer know that you are interested in continuing to work for them without putting your job search on hold.

Final Thoughts: Your Learnership Is a Starting Point, Not a Job Guarantee

Do you get hired after a learnership?

You can, but it is not automatic.

The practical skills you have developed, the experience you have gained in the workplace and the qualification you have achieved can help you in your search for employment after your learnership.

The completion of a learnership, however, is not the end of the road. Speak to your supervisor about possible vacancies within the host company. Ask for feedback. Update your CV. Collect all relevant documentation. Start exploring other employers before the end of your programme.

Your host company may not be able to offer you employment after your learnership, but that does not mean that you cannot use the experience that you have gained in the host company to apply for employment with other companies, to consider further training or to look for another suitable career.

Most importantly, do not measure the value of your learnership only by whether the company hires you permanently. Consider the knowledge you have gained, the practical experience you can demonstrate, and the opportunities those skills may open up.

The completion of a learnership is not the end of the road, but the next step towards employment.