Over 100,000 practical training opportunities for learners

“Learners will be paid a learnership allowance regulated in terms of the National Minimum Wage Act, including apprenticeship.

“We will also be prioritising a minimum of 10,000 TVET [Technical and Vocational Education and Training] students, who will be placed in various sectors of our economy, in collaboration with the Sector Education and Training Authority (Setas) from 1 April 2022,” said health minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, who was briefing media on the work of government’s Social Cluster following the President’s State of the Nation Address.

Phaahla said the government has also increased incentives for employers to take in more learners.

“Last year in April, the government increased the apprenticeship learner grant from R165,000 to R206,290 to employers hosting apprentices for the duration of apprenticeship. We did this to encourage employers to turn their workplaces into training spaces.

“This is taking forward work of the National Skills Accord and Youth Employment Accord signed on 13 July 2011 and 18 April 2013, respectively, where companies committed to make 12 000 placements or internship spaces available for students who complete their certificates at TVET Colleges,” he said.

An official list of South Africa’s critical skills will be published soon.

“The Department of Higher Education and Training and the Department of Home Affairs signed a Memorandum of Agreement in January 2020 to facilitate the development of the critical skills list.

“The list has been the subject of public debate in recent weeks. We are here to announce that the list will officially become available as from today [Thursday, 24 February], and the Department of Higher Education will unpack it in the coming days,” Phaahla said.