We’ve all seen the numbers. South Africa’s unemployment rate is a tough reality, especially for young people. According to the latest data from Statistics South Africa, the official unemployment rate was 33.2% in the second quarter of 2025. This means that far too many people are looking for work, often holding a diploma or degree but lacking work experience to support it. It can feel like you’re standing still while the world moves on.
But what if there was a way to jump the queue? What if there were a system designed to bridge the gap between education and employment, creating a path for you to gain real, on-the-job skills? The government created this system with the Skills Development Act of 1998, which established a network of organisations called Sector Education and Training Authorities, or SETAs. Think of them as a crucial link connecting learners, training providers, and businesses to build a more skilled and competitive workforce.
There are 21 SETAs in our country, each focusing on a specific economic sector. For instance, the FASSET SETA handles finance, accounting, and banking, while the merSETA focuses on manufacturing, engineering, and related trades. Their main job is to identify what skills are missing in their sector, and then create and fund training to fill those gaps. They do this by overseeing learnerships, apprenticeships, and skills programmes that lead to nationally recognised qualifications.
How You Can Use SETAs to Advance Your Career
You don’t need to be a business owner to benefit from a SETA. These organisations are designed to help you, the individual, get your foot in the door.
- Learnerships: This is a great place to start. A learnership is a paid opportunity that combines structured theoretical learning with practical work experience in a company. You sign an employment contract, get a monthly stipend, and at the end of the programme, you have a qualification and real experience. This is not a debt-creating opportunity. It’s a way to get paid while you learn the skills an employer actually needs. The MICT SETA, for example, helps people find learnerships in software development, cybersecurity, and data analysis—fields that are in high demand and offer great long-term career potential.
- Apprenticeships: If you’re interested in becoming a qualified artisan, an apprenticeship is the right path. This is a structured technical training programme that combines practical and theoretical training, leading to a trade test and a national trade certificate. This is how you become a professional motor mechanic or an electrician.
- Skills Programmes: These are shorter training interventions that give you credits towards a full qualification. They’re perfect if you need to acquire a specific skill to make you more employable quickly.
How Businesses Can Use SETAs to Grow
If you’re a business owner, SETAs provide a clear financial incentive to train your staff and hire new talent.
- Reclaim Your Investment: All businesses with a payroll over R500,000 must pay a 1% Skills Development Levy (SDL) to SARS. This money is then sent to the relevant SETA. By submitting a Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) and an Annual Training Report (ATR) each year, you can claim back a portion of that levy as a mandatory grant. It’s money you’ve already paid in, and you can get it back to invest in your people.
- Access Discretionary Grants: Beyond the mandatory grants, SETAs offer discretionary grants to fund specific, in-demand projects like learnerships and apprenticeships. The Wholesale and Retail SETA (W&RSETA), for example, can give a grant to a small shop owner to train their staff on new point-of-sale systems, making the business more efficient. By participating, you not only improve your workforce but also get a tax rebate and boost your B-BBEE score.
- Customise Your Workforce: The biggest benefit is the ability to train someone to meet your exact needs. Instead of hoping to find a perfect candidate, you can create one. This is especially useful for filling scarce and critical skills.
Your Step-by-Step Guide
Using the SETA system can seem daunting, but it’s easier than you think. Here’s how to get started:
- Find Your SETA: The first step is to identify which SETA governs your industry. You can find a list of all 21 SETAs, their contact details online or here ak035.co.za. This will give you a clear starting point.
- Look for Their Plan: Once you’ve found your SETA, go to their website and find their Sector Skills Plan (SSP). This document is a goldmine. It will tell you exactly what skills are a priority in their sector and where they will be allocating funding.
- Search for Opportunities: Use the SETA’s website to search for open learnerships, apprenticeships, and skills programmes. Businesses will also often advertise these opportunities on their own career pages or on job portals. When you see an opening, you will know exactly what the company is looking for and what you will be trained to do.
- Connect with us: For more South African career guidance, check out ak035.co.za.
The entire system, from the Skills Development Act to the grants and programmes, is about building a capable workforce, one skilled person and one strong business at a time. It’s a powerful tool to match people who need skills with the jobs that need to be filled.
Attribution:
- The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET)
- The Skills Development Act 97 of 1998
About the Author:
Lungelo Shandu helps South Africans make informed career decisions through data-driven research at AK035. Connect with him on WhatsApp: +27 84 821 9166