Free guide ยท South Africa

Real work.Real help.No fees.

For young people, and anyone starting again. Where to find real jobs, paid experience, study money and free courses, and which jobs pay.

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Is your child struggling with maths?

Affordable, patient maths tutor for Grade 5 to 9. One-on-one or small groups. Homework help, exam preparation, fractions, algebra, geometry and word problems.

Start here

Four quick questions. Then we show you where to go first.

What are you good at?

12 quick questions. No right or wrong answers. At the end you see the kind of work that fits you, and how to get into it.

What can I study with my schooling?

Find the step you have reached. Everything below it is open to you. Colleges can ask for more than the minimum, so always check with the college.

Step 1: Not finished Grade 9 yet

  • Adult education: a Community Education and Training (CET) college can take you to Level 1 (adult basic education).
  • Recognition of prior learning: TVET colleges can assess what you already know from work and life, instead of only looking at your school report.

Step 2: Passed Grade 9

  • TVET college: Grade 9 is the minimum to enter. You can start a National Certificate (Vocational), a practical college course that builds up level by level.
  • Weak in English? Ask the college about a bridging programme first.

Step 3: On the way to a trade

To sit the trade test that qualifies you as an artisan (electrician, plumber, fitter and so on), you need one of these, before, during or after your apprenticeship:

  • N2 with maths, engineering science and the trade's subjects, or
  • A college National Certificate (Vocational) in engineering at Level 3, or
  • Technical Grade 11 with maths, science, a language and trade theory, or
  • An N6 or National Technical Diploma in the trade.

Step 4: Matric (National Senior Certificate)

Your passWhat you needOpens
Matric pass40% in 3 subjects (one is your home language) and 30% in 3 othersJobs, learnerships
Higher Certificate passMatric, plus 30% in the language the college teaches inHigher Certificate
Diploma passPlus 40% or more in four 20-credit subjectsDiploma
Bachelor's passPlus 50% or more in four 20-credit subjectsDegree

Did not pass matric, or want better marks?

The government's Second Chance Matric Support Programme helps you rewrite or finish matric. Register online, at an education district office or at a CET college. Email SecondChance@dbe.gov.za or call 063 696 7246.
Second Chance programme

Sources: Department of Higher Education and Training (TVET entry requirements), Government Gazette 49518 of 20 Oct 2023 (trade test entry), Department of Basic Education (matric pass levels and the Second Chance programme). Not sure which step fits you? Call Khetha on 086 999 0123.

Find work

These sites hold the full, current lists. Check them every week.

Paid experience

No experience yet? These pay you while you learn. You never pay to join.

Bursaries and funding

Money for college and university, from the government and big companies. Applying is always free.

NSFAS is open now: apply before 31 October 2026

Government funding for public universities and TVET colleges. You qualify if you get a SASSA grant, or your household earns up to R350,000 a year (up to R600,000 if you have a disability). If you get a SASSA grant, you don't need proof of income.
Apply only on myNSFAS or the official NSFAS app. Never pay anyone to apply, and never share your password or OTP.
Apply on NSFAS

Company bursaries change every year. Open the official page for who qualifies and the dates before you apply.

Learnerships

Work and study at the same time, and get a qualification at the end.

How a learnership works

  • You learn the theory and practise it at a real workplace.
  • At the end you get a qualification registered on the national qualifications framework (NQF).
  • Three people sign the agreement: the employer, the training provider and you.
  • If you were unemployed when you started, the employer pays you a learner allowance for things like travel and food.
  • Most take about 18 months.

How to find one

  1. Register as a work-seeker on ESSA, and on SAYouth.
  2. Pick the industry you want below and check its SETA (training authority) for learnerships.
  3. Watch company careers pages. Tiger Brands, for example, lists learnerships with its jobs.

Never pay for a learnership

A real learnership pays you. Anyone who asks you for a "registration fee" is running a scam.

How learnerships work: merSETA. SETA websites: Department of Higher Education and Training, official SETA list.

Free courses

Short courses you can do on a phone. Put every one you finish on your CV.

Jobs that pay

Typical monthly pay before tax. Every job here is on the government's 2024 list of jobs in high demand. "Crowded" means many people are already registered looking for it.

N1 to N6 (NATED) is being replaced

  • N1 to N3 stopped taking students after 31 December 2023.
  • N4 to N6 are being phased out. Already studying? Carry on: your qualification keeps its recognition.
  • Certificates you already have stay valid. The new trade qualifications (QCTO) build in workplace practice.

Pay: PayScale South Africa medians, May to July 2026. Study level and "crowded": DHET 2024 National List of Occupations in High Demand. NATED: Gazette 49518 (20 Oct 2023) and the Minister's briefing of 11 June 2026.

Work abroad

Real programmes South Africans can apply for. Apply only on the official site.

The rule: official programme or registered agency

By law every recruitment agency must be registered with the Department of Employment and Labour, and may not charge you recruitment fees or keep your ID. Ask for the registration number.

How to apply

The same few steps work almost everywhere.

Do these once

  1. Register on SAYouth. Free, no data.
  2. Register as a work-seeker on ESSA (Department of Employment and Labour).
  3. Have ready: a CV, a copy of your ID, your matric certificate if you have it, a bank letter.

Government jobs

  • Fill in and sign the Z83 form, and add a detailed CV. Without the Z83 you are usually out.
  • Most only want certified copies once you are shortlisted.
  • Quote the reference number. Send before the closing date.

Shops and companies

  • CV of one or two pages, a phone number that works, a reference who answers.
  • Walk in, ask for the manager, say when you can start.
  • Answer missed calls. First interviews are often by phone.

Spot a scam

  • Never pay for a job, a uniform, "registration", training or a check.
  • No company name, only a WhatsApp number or Gmail? Walk away.
  • Don't send your ID, bank details or tax number before a real interview.
  • Not sure what to do? Free career advice from Khetha: 086 999 0123.

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