VerifiedThere is no single national list of open learnerships, and no one deadline. Employers advertise their own programmes on their own careers pages, sometimes for two weeks at a time. This page does the next best thing: it names the employers that recruit learners year after year, links to the page each one advertises on, and explains when in the year to watch each of them.
Checked on 18 September 2026. We list careers pages rather than individual adverts, because an advert that was live this morning can be gone by Friday. The careers page stays.
The recruiting calendar
| Months | What is usually advertised |
|---|---|
| September to November | Large employers advertising January and February intakes. The busiest window of the year. |
| December to January | Late adverts and quiet closings. Many 2026 intakes closed between 19 December and early February. |
| February to April | SETA-funded programmes for the new financial year, which starts on 1 April. |
| May to August | Mid-year intakes from mining and manufacturing, plus rolling retail and YES placements. |
Two things follow from that shape. Applying in September and October gives you the widest choice, and a programme that starts in January was usually advertised before the December holidays.
Employers that recruit learners every year
| Employer | Field | What to expect | Careers page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capitec | Banking, branch service | Bank Better Champion pipeline, open until posts are filled | Open |
| Old Mutual | Insurance, wealth, contact centre | Intakes advertised through the year | Open |
| Sasol | Fire fighting, engineering, operations | Secunda and Sasolburg intakes, usually mid-year | Open |
| Anglo American and Kumba | Mining trades, plant operations | Kathu and Limpopo intakes, community preference | Open |
| Transnet | Rail, ports, logistics, engineering | Technical work-integrated learning | Open |
| Eskom | Electrical, technical, supply chain | Artisan learnerships and YES placements | Open |
| SPAR | Warehousing, transport, retail | Distribution centre programmes, by region | Open |
| Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa | Freight handling, merchandising | Warehouse and merchandiser programmes | Open |
| Dis-Chem | Dispensary support, retail pharmacy | Dispensary support learnership, usually early in the year | Open |
| Truworths | Fashion retail, service desk | Stores learnership, all provinces | Open |
| Ackermans | Retail operations and supervision | Western Cape intakes | Open |
| Unilever | Manufacturing, supply chain | Packaging and line operations | Open |
| Motus | Automotive retail and aftersales | YES placements and dealer learnerships | Open |
| Implats and Glencore | Mining engineering trades | Fitting, electrical and instrumentation | Open |
We keep a full guide for several of these: Capitec, Old Mutual, Sasol fire fighting, Anglo American at Kathu, Truworths and logistics employers.
Where else opportunities are posted
- SAYouth.mobi carries learnerships, YES placements and entry-level jobs from thousands of employers, and it is zero-rated, so browsing costs no data.
- JobJack lists entry-level roles that do not need experience.
- Provincial and municipal sites advertise internships and learnerships in their own vacancy sections, such as the City of Ekurhuleni finance internship.
- Training providers accredited by a SETA recruit learners on behalf of employers. See how SETA funding reaches learners.
How to tell whether an advert is still live
- Open the employer’s own careers page, not the link you were sent, and search for the word learnership.
- Check the closing date and the reference number. An advert without either is usually a copy of an old one.
- Check the year in the job title. Adverts for last year’s intake stay online long after they close.
- If the portal will not accept an application, the advert has closed, whatever the date on the page says.
- Never pay to apply, and never send your ID to a personal WhatsApp number.
Get your application ready before the advert appears
- A certified copy of your ID, and of your Matric certificate or latest results.
- A one-page CV with your subjects, your marks and your contact details.
- Proof of residence, which mining and community-preference programmes ask for.
- Your own working email address and a phone number you answer.
- An SA Youth profile completed to 100%, so that you can apply in minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Are there learnerships open right now?
There usually are, but they belong to individual employers rather than to one national list. September to November is the busiest advertising window for intakes that start in January and February.
Which employers take on the most learners?
Mining, retail, banking and logistics employers run the largest annual intakes. Eskom, Transnet, Sasol, Anglo American, Capitec, Old Mutual, SPAR, Dis-Chem, Truworths and Ackermans all recruit learners every year.
Can I apply for more than one learnership?
Yes, and you should. Each employer runs its own selection, and applying to several raises your chances.
What if I miss a closing date?
Late applications are not accepted. Note the employer, set a reminder for the same month next year, and check its careers page monthly, because many employers run more than one intake a year.