Understanding How a Learnership Stipend is Calculated
Learnerships in South Africa: A Gateway to Gaining Skills and Qualifications
Learnerships in South Africa offer unemployed individuals an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on work experience while earning a nationally recognized qualification. A key advantage of participating in a learnership is that learners receive financial compensation throughout the program.
A learnership is a structured, work-based learning program that leads to a qualification directly related to a specific occupation, such as accounting, construction, healthcare, IT, or motor mechanics. It combines classroom-based education with practical experience, obtained while employed by a company, government department, or small business.
Who Can Participate in a Learnership?
Learnerships are available to young individuals who have recently completed school, college, or training institutions, as well as those who have been unemployed for some time.
Participants must be between the ages of 16 and 35. The Department of Labour has set specific targets for participants in learnerships:
85% should be Black
54% should be women
4% should be people with disabilities
Are Learnerships Paid?
One of the main benefits of a learnership is that participants are paid during their work.
They receive a stipend from their employer, which is intended to cover expenses such as transportation and meals. It’s important to note that this stipend is not a full salary but an allowance to support learners during the program.
How Is a Learnership Stipend Calculated?
Several factors influence the calculation of a learner’s allowance, including the type of learnership and the qualification level. The Minister of Labour sets a minimum allowance that employers must pay unemployed learners, which is agreed upon before the learnership begins.
Allowances are structured according to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) levels. For example, a Grade 12 certificate is at NQF level 4, while a Bachelor’s Degree is at NQF level 6. This system ensures that allowances are aligned with the qualification level of the learner.
Additionally, the number of hours worked is considered in the calculation. Typically, learners work around 45 hours a week, which equates to nine hours a day, or seven and a half hours daily if working more than five days a week. This standardized approach helps ensure a fair allowance.
To calculate the monthly stipend, the learner’s weekly allowance is multiplied by four and one-third. This method provides a consistent monthly payment for learners.
In cases where the allowance fluctuates significantly, the payment is calculated based on the average allowance over the past 13 weeks or the duration of employment, whichever is shorter. This ensures a fair and stable allowance for the duration of the learnership.
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