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The Department of Labour in South Africa has been working hard to bring in reforms to help in skill development of the people. The Skills Development Act of 1998 and Skills Development Levies Act, 1999 are some of the steps taken to achieve this goal. As per these acts, employers are required to contribute some money in the form of skills levy, which is used for funding skill development initiatives. Today, several existing learning programmes have been improved and new ones have been developed to help people in learning different skills. Apprenticeship in South Africa is one of the existing learning programmes and is still offered as a part of Manpower Training Act of 1981. Certain skills were identified as rare skills by the labour department and apprenticeship programmes were used to aid the government in training employed, as well unemployed people, to obtain higher qualifications. What is apprenticeship? South Africa apprenticeship is not a modern day phenomenon and has been present for many centuries. During the middle ages, people would go to craftsmen seeking apprenticeship to learn the nuances of their trade. This provided them with a way to earn some money and to learn the skills from a craftsman. Now, apprenticeship has become a lot more formal. The Manpower Training Act in South Africa safeguards the position of the apprentice as well as the employer. The apprenticeship period allows the apprentice to combine class room instructions with on-the-job training. This gives them a platform to apply the theoretical knowledge in a practical surrounding. The apprentice enters a contract with the employer and needs to abide by the contract conditions and the relevant sections in the Manpower Training Act. The employer must also abide by these conditions along with the funding guidelines of Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA). Once their training is complete, apprentices need to go through a test which is organized by Institute for the Development of Learnerships and Learnership Assessment (INDLELA). The certification is given after clearing this test. Difference between learnership and apprenticeship Both learnership and apprenticeship in South Africa place a lot of emphasis on industry experience when it comes to training. However, apprenticeships are mostly limited to technical industries whereas learnership is applicable for any career, for example a tour leader. Competence Based Modular Training (CBMT) system is utilized for apprenticeships. This means that the apprentice needs to pass the related phase tests and modular tests along with the certification trade test to complete the apprenticeship. Also, apprentices need to work for a specific period, which is mentioned in the apprenticeship contract details. Learnership on the other hand, is based on outcomes. If learners can show that they are competent during the assessment, then they get the qualification. CBMT is given to the apprentices for a duration of 3-5 years, depending on the apprenticeship contract. Every module of training needs to be completed and then the phase test must be passed if the apprentice wants to move to the next module. After a certain number of failed attempts at passing the tests, the apprenticeship contract can be cancelled. Apprenticeship in South Africa follows a structured program and the eventual qualification is recognized nationally. Apprenticeship entry requirements To enter an apprenticeship program, you need to be at least 15 years of age. Entry requirements are different for every sector and it is better to get the entry requirements of each sector from Sector Education and Training Authorities. You can also enquire at a labour centre for these requirements. Mostly, the requirements differ in educational qualification, training duration and modular tests. Apprenticeship for the unemployed One of the primary conditions for an apprenticeship in South Africa is that people who are unemployed must be employed at the place where they complete their apprenticeship. This makes it necessary for unemployed people to find an employer who is willing to undertake unemployed people as apprentices. This also makes it slightly difficult for an unemployed person to get an apprenticeship. One of the options for unemployed people is to register with the labour department to know about employment opportunities. When you register, the details are used by the Employment Services System of South Africa (ESSA), which is a job matching system for the labour department. The labour centre contacts you as soon as there is any opening. You will then have to go through a briefing session or an aptitude test (for ensuring that you are comfortable with the apprenticeship). It is important that you choose the right industry for doing your apprenticeship in South Africa. You can take help of career counsellors to assist you in making this decision. The labour department has a career counsellor, who can assist you in making this decision by providing information about different careers and apprenticeships. For details regarding courses on apprenticeship South Africa and structuring design South Africa, contact Ekurhuleni Business Development Academy.
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