It’s a new year, and if you’re looking for a new way forward for your business, learnerships could be the direction you need to take in 2021. Not only will implementing learnerships help to enrich and upskill your staff, they’ll benefit your B-BBEE scorecard, as well as qualify your organisation for up to R120 000 in tax incentives. It’s a solution that has significant advantages for both employers and employees, and it’s one that could see your business thrive over the year ahead.

What are learnerships?

Managed by Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), learnerships are work-based learning programmes established by the government in order to educate and train employees. Learnerships are directly related to particular occupations and roles, and ultimately lead to accredited NQF qualifications. Usually learnerships combine theoretical knowledge with practical applications, while teaching learners valuable life skills at the same time. In this way, more people are trained for a specific working environment, and businesses benefit from having a more skilled and experienced workforce.

Why were learnerships first established?

In the spirit of transformation, learnerships were established by the South African government as a way of decreasing unemployment, developing and nurturing talent, and bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical workplace experience. Through these skills development programmes, learners are now able to further their education while employees build a pool of skilled labour that can either be absorbed into their own organisations or released into industry.

How do learnerships benefit employers?

From B-BBEE scores to tax incentives, there are a number of tangible benefits to implementing learnerships in your business:

• You’ll have a pool of trained, experienced employees with critical skills to draw from, giving you a clear competitive edge in your industry.
• Your commitment to skills development will reflect positively on your B-BBEE status, helping to improve your B-BBEE scorecard.
• You’ll be able to take advantage of Learnership Tax Incentives that allow employers to claim Up to R120 000 per individual that successfully completes their qualification.
• You’ll also benefit from monthly Employment Tax Incentives (ETI) for every employee you hire, between the ages of 18 and 29.
• Thanks to learnerships being SETA-registered, you’ll improve your employment equity targets by giving previously disadvantaged employees or unemployed individuals the opportunity to upskill themselves and earn qualifications.
• You’ll help to contribute to skills development, job creation and economic growth, while ultimately boosting your company’s productivity and adding to its value through the employment of skilled, knowledgeable, competent employees.

How do learnerships benefit employees and unemployed individuals?

Just as there are very real benefits for businesses, implementing learnerships in the workplace can have distinct advantages for all individual enrolled on the programme:

• The opportunity to earn an income while learning new skills and gaining valuable workplace experience
• The ability to earn a recognised qualification, adding to their value and employability
• An improvement in morale, self-esteem, personal development and confidence
• Creating job opportunities for those previously unemployed

Implementing learnerships with NOSA

If you think that committing to skills development is the right move for your business, then partnering with a level 1 B-BBEE organisation like NOSA is the next step. Not only will you get better value for your spend, you’ll be eligible for tax rebates, and you’ll help to upskill your people, create a pool of skilled labour, and contribute to your B-BBEE compliance

• NOSA currently offers the following Learnerships: General Education and Training Certificate: Transport – NQF 1
• National Certificate: New Venture Creation – NQF 2
• National Certificate: Professional Driving – NQF 3
• National Certificate: Business Administration – NQF 3
• National Certificate: Road Transport – NQF 3
• National Certificate: Freight Handling – NQF 3