Available Learnerships for 2026: Full List and Deadlines

South Africa’s learnerships for 2026 are training programmes that help young people gain workplace skills while earning a monthly stipend.

These programmes combine practical work with classroom or online learning.

Most learnerships are funded by the government or employers and lead to a nationally recognised qualification.

Many learnerships are being advertised now and have deadlines throughout 2026.

Top Learnership Opportunities Available for 2026

Here are some of the learnerships that are open or becoming available for 2026 and their approximate deadlines:

1. Eskom YES Learnerships 2026 – closing 3 February 2026.
   This programme gives unemployed youth workplace experience and skills training in various corporate or technical areas.
2. Valterra Platinum Instrument Mechanician Learnerships 2026 – applications listed March 2026.
   Gain hands‑on skills in mechanical and instrument work in mining.
3. Dis‑Chem Dispensary Support Learnerships 2026 – closing 2 April 2026.
   This retail pharmacy training focuses on dispensary and customer support roles.
4. Glencore Engineering Learnerships 2026 – closing 13 March 2026.
   This is for technical and engineering workplace training in the mining sector.
5. Impala Platinum Fitting Learnerships 2026 – closing 11 March 2026.
   A technical learnership aimed at fitting and engineering skills.
6. AVBOB & INSETA Learnership Opportunities 2026 – 6 March 2026.
   Insurance and long‑term financial services training.
7. Water & Wastewater Process Control Learnerships (EWSETA) – applications open in early 2026. Focused on utilities and environmental services.
8. Transport, IT and Business Learnerships – many programmes open throughout early to mid‑2026 through SETAs like MICT SETA, Transport SETA, and others.
9. Government backed and SETA‑funded learnerships – various sectors open throughout 2026. These are often announced on SETA official portals and may not list deadlines until adverts are published.

Learnership Deadlines You Should Know

Many 2026 learnership deadlines fall early in the year.

Some SETA programmes closed late December 2025 for their 2026 intake.

Applicants were required to submit before 30 December 2025 to be considered.

Most advertised learnerships have closing dates in January to March 2026, with a few extended into April to June 2026.

Deadlines can change and are sometimes filled early once employer quotas are reached.

Always confirm deadlines on the official application pages of employers or SETAs.

Learnership Fields and Industries Covered

Learnerships for 2026 cover many sectors. These include:

1. Engineering and Technical Services – such as mining, fitting and welding.
2. Retail and Pharmacy Support – example Dis‑Chem dispensary support.
3. Utilities and Infrastructure Services – water, wastewater, and environmental control.
4. Youth Employment Service (YES) Programmes – corporate experience at large companies.
5. Insurance and Financial Services – long‑term insurance entry‑level training.
6. Transport and Logistics, IT and Business Admin – programmes run through various SETAs.